It was hard for me to leave Israel and miss Chanukah there. You can’t imagine how special it is, the whole country is glowing with the Chanukah lights. You can be in a neighborhood makolet (like a mini 7-11 kiosk) and it’s time to light– the store owner will stop everything, say the blessings, and every customer watches and answers with a resounding “Amen!”
In Israel, you are the “home team”, no tinsel, carols, or trees competing with the holiness of the Chanukah lights.
But duty calls. So I left just hours before the first lighting to fly to America to help raise the funds that make Momentum happen. I am speaking, meeting, and giving it my all. But each night of Chanukah I miss being by my husband’s side in Israel.
And then I realized– I am not missing the light, I am trying to be the light.
So as I stand in the homes of my many host families and join in their lighting, I ask Hashem to bless me with success in my efforts to light up His world.
Let’s light up the world together.
Embodying the values and traits of the Jewish woman
Maxine Kaufman had recently moved to St. Petersburg, Florida, to work at the Jewish Federation of Florida’s Gulf Coast. While planning their programming, a colleague brought up Momentum.
For Jewish mothers with children age 18 and under
Participants only pay their acceptance fee and airfare
To participate in the Momentum Yearlong Journey, women must live in close proximity to a Partner Organization. See our partners list here. Please notify your Community Leader with any updates to your application
Mainly for the husbands of Momentum sisters
$900 for Momentum husbands
Each man get a scholarship of $2,100-$2,400
Partner Organization contributes $700 per man
The Israeli Government does not contribute to the Men’s Trips
To participate, men must live in close proximity to a Partner Organization. See our partners list here. Please notify your Community Leader with any updates to your application
Communication Preferences
