The Nachshon Project Comes to Palmer!

This post was written by Simon Luxemburg (photo, above), who serves on our Programming tzevet (staff):

This past spring semester, I had the privilege of participating in the Nachshon Project at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. The Nachshon Project is a fellowship for second-semester juniors who are interested in Jewish leadership and exploring a career in the Jewish non-profit world. Generously funded by the Legacy Heritage Foundation, the Nachshon Project aims to introduce proven Jewish leaders to various Jewish careers while also studying abroad at the Rothberg International School of Hebrew University.

As part of the Nachshon Project, Fellows must complete two projects at either their sleep away camp or college campus. This kayitz, I have decided to do my first project here at Palmer for tzevet members. Through a carefully designed set of two programs, my project is designed to help tzevet members think critically about their own personal relationship with the state of Israel, and how their life experiences have shaped their connection to the Jewish state.

Tonight, I will run the final part of my Nachshon program at camp. Together with third year mishlachat member Matan Weisbrot, I will lead tzevet members in conversation about difficult and sometimes avoided topics concerning Israel. We will aim to explore how different life experiences directly effect the way we view Israel’s policies and actions. At the end of the peulah, tzevet members will get a free tshirt representing some of the central themes of my Nachshon Camp Project (see tshirt design, front and back, below).

Earlier this Kayitz, Professor Joseph Reimer of Brandeis University came to Palmer to speak with all college-age tzevet members about the Nachshon Project and the opportunities available through the program. Tzevet members learned about the tuition free semester at Hebrew University, and the generous graduate school fellowship funding available.

[For more information about the Nachshon Project, see here: http://www.thenachshonproject.com/]