Over the past year and a half, maintaining strong connections between Canada and Israel has become more important than ever. In challenging times, building relationships among Jews across the world fosters resilience and solidarity.

One initiative helping to create these meaningful connections is Monthly Mifgash, a program that brings together 20 women, half from Ottawa and half from Ottawa’s partner region, Etzba HaGalil, in northern Israel.

Mifgash is a Hebrew word meaning "encounter" or "meaningful meeting," reflecting the program's purpose of creating personal and lasting connections between Jews in Israel and the diaspora.

Established by the Jewish Federation of Ottawa and spearheaded by Jenny Shinder, Keren Friedman, and Miri Armon, the group meets monthly to discuss topics such as hopes for the new year, the High Holidays, and their personal ties to Israel. As part of the Partnership2Gether (P2G) program, which strengthens relationships between Jews in the diaspora and in Israel, Ottawa was selected to pilot these meetings with participants from northern Israel.

The initiative was born out of necessity after the Momentum group trip to Israel, originally scheduled for November 2023, was cancelled following the October 7 terror attacks that led to war. Organizers were prompted to find new ways to maintain the connection.

The Momentum trip is a transformative experience designed for Jewish mothers raising children under 18, offering an immersive journey to Israel focused on Jewish values, identity, and community-building. Participants return home inspired to take on leadership roles and strengthen Jewish life in their local communities.

"There were conversations between Federation and Partnership2Gether (P2G) to get something organized," said Shinder. "From the Ottawa perspective, it was to help the women who so desperately wanted a connection with Israel, who wanted to go on the Momentum trip, still have an opportunity to participate in some way."

For Friedman, who is the volunteer representative from Yesod Hama'ala, one of the communities (along with Metula) in Etzba HaGalil that are partnered with Ottawa, the initiative was a natural evolution of the work she had already been doing. "We had worked more with students between Canada and Israel, but when COVID hit and kids weren’t going to school, we needed to find new ways to connect people," she explained.

Following October 7, it became clear that opportunities for adults to connect were just as necessary as those for children and teens. Monthly Mifgash was launched to fill this need.

Given the vast geographic spread of Jewish Federations in Canada, yet the relatively small size of the Etzba HaGalil region in northern Israel, organizers decided that selecting one Canadian community to work with initially made the most sense.

Although the group currently meets virtually via Zoom and communicates through WhatsApp, there is hope for an in-person gathering in the future.

"We really hope that it will lead to meeting each other in person," said Friedman. "We’ve become familiar with each other. I don’t need to look at the names on the screen anymore. I know the Canadians."

Feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive, with many attendees eagerly returning each month and sending heartfelt messages of appreciation to Shinder, Friedman, and Armon. A key reason for this success is the group’s commitment to staying hopeful and focusing on shared experiences rather than dwelling solely on the tragic events that have affected Jews worldwide.

"We try and pick uplifting topics," said Shinder. "We try to have shared experiences with respect to being mothers and grandmothers, our families, and our ties to Israel. We barely know each other, but we love each other."

She described the "opening up of hearts" that happens in these sessions, where attendees share deeply personal experiences and form breakthrough moments. The impact is so profound that Shinder sometimes receives phone calls immediately after a Monthly Mifgash session, as participants process the meaningful conversations they’ve just had.

This week, a delegation from Ottawa, including Federation CEO Adam Silver, will visit the Etzba HaGalil partnership region in Israel. This visit will provide opportunities to strengthen ties, explore new programming, and continue deepening the bond between the two communities.

"We definitely have staff support," said Shinder. "From an Ottawa perspective, Federation has been instrumental in providing the structure needed to make all of this work out."

Monthly Mifgash is not currently accepting new members, as keeping the group small and intimate allows for meaningful conversations. However, there are many other ways for members of Jewish Ottawa to connect with Israel through Partnership2Gether and other programs.

To learn more about how you can get involved with Israel-related programming, click here.