145 young gap-year emissaries are slated to depart Israel this month for communities around the globe to commence their year of volunteer service, The Jewish Agency for Israel announced. Each year, the Jewish Agency's ShinShinim program allows a select group of high school graduates the opportunity to defer their army service in order to volunteer in Jewish communities prior to their enlistment, acting as an ambassador of Israel by strengthening world Jewry's relationship with the one Jewish state.
This year's ShinShinim will serve in local Jewish Federations, youth groups and day schools, amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and rising antisemitism, in all corners of the world including United States, Canada, Paraguay, Mexico, South Africa, England, France, Hungary, Italy and, for the first time, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, and Monaco.
“The Jewish Agency's ShinShinim bring Israel directly into the lives of thousands of children and young people throughout the Jewish world. With them, they infuse their communities with a bright, young and dynamic spirit and foster their communities' connection with Israel. Today, their mission is doubly important as most discourse around Israel takes place on social media platforms which ShinShinim know how to navigate,” said the Jewish Agency’s Director-General and CEO Amira Ahronovitz. “They are also part of the 2,000 Jewish Agency Shlichim (Israeli emissaries) who serve Jewish communities around the world and act as a living bridge between Israel and Jews around the globe.”