By Allison Teegardin 

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Austin participating in the Partnership-2Gether program. Partnership2Gether is a global platform promoting people-to-people relationships between Budapest, Israel and communities throughout the world. Austin is one of 17 communities in the Western Galilee Partnership. Worldwide, Partnership2Gether connects 300 Jewish communities in 43 partnerships.

Austin’s partnership with the city of Akko and the Matte Asher region in the Western Galilee of Israel, forge relationships through endeavors that build Jewish identity and strengthen ties as we share cultural, social, medical, educational and economic programs. One of these programs is Shalom Austin’s Mission Trip to Israel. The trip begins on November 6 in Haifa and ends on November 17 in Tel Aviv, with activities planned every day in between.

“This trip is just the beginning of building a lifelong connection to Israel,” said Shalom Austin CEO Rabbi Daniel A. Septimus. “Travel experiences like this serve to strengthen Jewish identity, build Jewish community, and grow Jewish philanthropy. In exploring the world together, we create community amongst ourselves in Austin and with Jewish people everywhere.”

Leading the trip to Israel in November 2023 is Rabbi Septimus and Shalom Austin Chief Learning and Engagement Officer and Director of the Bernard and Audre Rapoport Center for Jewish Culture and Education Rachel Stern. Also on the Israel Mission Trip team are co-chairs Val and Jeff Newberg and Kim and Matt Schocket. All except one member of the team are making return trips to Israel and say they are excited about this unique experience to travel with members of their community.

“What makes this trip impossible to pass up is that it really is for everyone. There is the flexibility to design an individual Israel experience by joining different tracts that meet each person’s trip desires,” said Stern. “We especially took into account people traveling alone and for the first time, understanding that traveling to a foreign country alone can be intimidating. This trip is designed to meet the needs of every type of traveler.”