What Makes Us a Family

In this episode, Barbara Dab, community leader from Nashville, joins Dalia Lahmany from Israel and Peter Federace from the Czech Republic to reflect on how the Hadera-Eiron Partnership2Gether connects communities across different histories and geographies. They share stories of visiting Jewish communities in Europe, engaging with Israeli peers, and discovering the depth of global Jewish solidarity after October 7. Together, they highlight how the Partnership fosters belonging, resilience, and people-to-people connection even across borders and languages. Speakers: Dalia Lahmany – Israeli participant in the Partnership Peter Federace – Czech community member Barbara Dab – Nashville community leader

In this episode, Allison Jacobs, P2G Hadera-Eiron Co-chair and Shlomit Zimring, Israeli Lay Leader, dive into the heart of the Hadera-Eiron Partnership2Gether initiative — exploring how this living bridge between Israel, the Southeastern U.S., and the Czech Republic has become a model of mutual responsibility, cultural exchange, and people-to-people connection. Together with Ravid Fleisher, P2G Professional, they reflect on what makes this Partnership unique, how it brings individuals and communities closer, and the impact of its diverse programs — from youth exchanges to volunteer missions, leadership training, and shared cultural projects like Hinneni. Speakers: Shlomit Zimring – HR consultant and longtime P2G steering committee member. Allison Jacobs – Partnership2Gether Consortium Co-chair. Ravid Fleisher – P2G Human Bridge Coordinator.

In this heartfelt conversation, Michal Pirani from Harish, Israel, and Ken Stiles from Greensboro, North Carolina, share the story of how they went from strangers to close friends through the L2G – Local2Global program. They reflect on the deep bond they built through personal stories, poetry, shared Jewish values, and even moments of tragedy—like the October 7th attacks. Despite living thousands of miles apart, their friendship transcends borders, politics, and headlines, reminding us that human connection is the heart of community. Ken Stiles – Retired HR executive and volunteer with Partnership2Gether Michal Pirani – Writer and poet.

In this episode, Jessica Cohen Banish from Nashvile, TN, Maya Fux from Hadera, Peleg Orenstein from Pardes-Hanna Karkur,, and Rachel Landis from Charleston, SC - reflect on what it means to grow up Jewish in very different contexts. Maya and Peleg participated in an in-person youth delegation to the U.S. communities, where they stayed with host families and built meaningful relationships with their American peers. These home hospitality experiences added a deeply personal layer to the program - allowing Israeli teens not just to visit, but to live inside the rhythm of Jewish life abroad, share Shabbat dinners, and have real conversations around the kitchen table. The bonds that formed between the teens and their host families became some of the most impactful parts of the journey - demonstrating how hospitality, warmth, and curiosity can foster true connection across cultures. Together, the group opens up about navigating political differences, family expectations, and the shared desire to stay connected to something larger than themselves. Through honest conversations sparked by the Local2Global (L2G) program, they share about the moments of connection that make these cross-cultural encounters so powerful.Speakers: Jessica Cohen Banish – SE Consortium coordinator and P2G host mom Maya Fux – P2G Teen Experience participant Peleg Orenstein Hadash – P2G Teen Experience participant. Rachel Landis – P2G host mom

What happens when people from different countries, backgrounds, and generations come together around the kitchen table? In this flavorful episode, Avigail Sharim, Itay Landsman, Rich Mancill, and Yasmine Rana share how recipes, stories, and smells became a powerful way to explore identity, memory, and connection. Through reflections on childhood dishes, emotional recipes, and the meaning of hospitality, this episode celebrates food not just as sustenance, but as a bridge between cultures, communities, and hearts. Avigail Shreim – Artist, L2G participant. Itay Landsman – Mechanical engineer and product designer, L2G participant and foodie. Rich Mancill – Charleston community member and L2G Participant Yasmine Mancill – Charleston community member and L2G Participant.

In this powerful episode of What Makes Us a Family, hosted by Paige Wajsman, we bring together voices from Jacksonville, Florida, and Moshav Maor, Israel, to explore the infinite ways of living Jewishly — across continents, denominations, and generations. Hazzan Jesse Holzer shares how music, creativity, and community outreach have helped keep Jewish life vibrant in Jacksonville, while Dr. Efrat Hazan and Sigal Lavan describe the deep sense of togetherness in their Israeli moshav, where religious and non-religious families celebrate, mourn, and build community side by side. Through personal stories of resilience, volunteerism, interfaith work, and the aftermath of October 7th, this episode highlights how Jewish traditions and values can unite us, no matter where we are or how we practice. Efrat Hazan – Volunteer and social activist from Moshav Maor. Sigal Lavan – Tour guide and geography teacher, P2G host in Moshav Maor. Paige Wajsman – Jacksonville Jewish Federation member and P2G participant. Jesse Holzer – Cantor (hazzan) in Jacksonville since 2008, active in P2G programs.

In this intimate episode, Noga Hila Motana, Rinat Asa Greenberg, and Maxine Kaufman explore what happens when women from very different backgrounds—Israel and the U.S., religious and secular, young and experienced—come together for a real conversation. Through the L2G – Local to Global program, they created a space for honest dialogue about identity, culture, tradition, and the search for belonging. They reflect on what it means to listen without judgment, to share without fear, and to build connection through openness and curiosity. Maxine Kaufman – Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Florida’s Gulf Coast. Rinat Assa-Grinberg – Founder, Owner, and CEO of C.V.S - Connecting Vision to Strategy, and a P2G Lay Leader. Noga Hila Motana – Parent coach from Hadera, author and P2G speaker in U.S. communities through Speakers P2G program. 

In this moving episode, Randi Weiss hosts Andrea Wedner from Pittsburgh and Dr. Shirel Bakbani-Elkayam from Israel—two women whose lives were forever changed by acts of terror. Andrea shares her harrowing survival of the Tree of Life synagogue attack in 2018, while Shirel recounts her family’s experience during the October 7th attacks in Israel. Together, they reflect on how personal tragedy, communal grief, and unwavering resilience shape both individuals and communities. Through loss, memory, and the power of human connection, their stories highlight the importance of solidarity, healing, and hope—across continents and generations. Randi Weiss – Jewish educator and active P2G member in Chattanooga. Dr. Shirel Bakbani-Elkayam – PhD in Psychology, specializing in the study of depression and motivational mechanisms, and the chairperson for the Tzahar-Palm Beach steering committee within P2G. Andrea Wedner – Survivor of the Tree of Life synagogue attack.

In this episode, Suzie Palak-Becker and Keren Naim—partners in the L2G (Local to Global) program—share the story of Hineni, an extraordinary art project that bridges personal and collective memory through creativity and human connection. Together they discuss how artists from Israel and Jewish communities around the world collaborated to commemorate the victims of October 7th, transforming grief into beauty, presence, and resilience. This powerful conversation explores the meaning of Hineni—“Here I am”—and how art can offer healing, remembrance, and an unbreakable bond between people and communities across oceans. Suzie Becker – Community engagement specialist, podcast host and P2G volunteer. Karen Naim – Artist and founder of GoART Studio, participant of “Hinneni” and L2G.

In this thoughtful follow-up episode, Erica Aronson, Karen Lieberman, Nina Kaufman, and Maia Talmor reflect on their experience in the L2G – Local to Global delegation—weeks after returning home. Speaking from across continents, they unpack what the visit meant to them: the challenges, the connections, and the subtle shifts in perspective that only come with time. Through honest conversation, they share how the delegation helped them rethink assumptions, embrace complexity, and stay open to difference. This episode offers a quiet but powerful reminder: real partnership doesn’t end when the trip is over—it begins when we start asking what stays with us. Erica Aronson – Longtime host of Israeli scouts and participant of L2G and Volunteer Mission to Israel. Karen Lieberman – Retired college professor and participant of A P2G  incoming delegation to Israel. Nina Kaufman – Charleston community member and participant of a P2G incoming delegation. Maia Talmor - Israeli Steering Committee member.

What Makes Us a Family is the official podcast of Partnership2Gether (P2G) Hadera-Eiron, powered by The Jewish Agency for Israel. Through personal stories, heartfelt conversations, and shared experiences, we bring to life the deep connections between the people of Hadera, Pardes-Hanna Karkur, Menashe and Alona regional councils in Israel, with the Jewish communities in the southeastern United States, and the Czech Republic. This podcast is produced as part of the L2G – Local2Global program, which empowers individuals to build meaningful connections and strengthen bonds across the Hadera-Eiron Jewish communities. Because in the end, what makes us a family—is you.