Oak Park Temple
B'nai Abraham Zion

1235 N. Harlem Avenue
Oak Park, IL 60302
(708) 386-3937

Echad al Echad (literally “One to One”) is a new initiative at Oak Park Temple. In an effort to develop one to one relationships between members of our congregation and individual Israeli citizens, we have launched this program, a partnership between Oak Park Temple and the town of Qiryat Tivon and it’s IMPJ (Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism, the equivalent of the Reform movement in the US) congregation, Ma’a lot Tivon. Qiryat Tivon is a community in Northern Israel about twenty miles east of Haifa. It is one of the few dozen towns in Israel that has an IMPJ congregation. Our goal is that these one to one connections between individuals will foster lasting bonds between our two communities, and will lead to a deeper understanding and closeness between American and Israeli Jews. This partnership is being established at our Temple through both the Chicagoland/Great Lakes ARZA and the municipality of Qiryat Tivon.

The first project of Echad al Echad will be an exchange program between Israeli and American teens from our two towns. During the summer of 2007 we will host 14 Israeli teens from Qiryat Tivon in Oak Park for two weeks between August 12 -26. The teens, mostly age sixteen, will live in the homes of American families with teens of the same age/sex. They will experience a slice of life with an American family in Oak Park/River Forest, tour Chicago and environs, and interact with OPT youth. Two adult chaperones from Israel will accompany the teens. Plans are currently being developed for a program in which Oak Park youth will travel to Qiryat Tivon sometime during the coming year.

To make this program a success we need help in many different forms. We need families to host teens in their homes, we need assistance with planning, hosting, and executing activities for the teens, and we need monetary donations. The Israeli families are paying for the teens’ airfare; funds raised from Oak Park Temple members will cover the remainder of their expenses during their visit. If you are interested in volunteering, donating, or if you have any questions please contact either Pam Strauss at 848-3587 or Andy Teitelman at 848-9252.