350 of us travelled to our homeland so that we may celebrate the past, present and the future. UJA’s Centennial Journey to Israel is a culmination of the many creative minds, hearts and souls of our amazing professional staff at UJA, as well as our partners in Israel and our amazing clergy and outstanding lay leaders. Check out these daily highlights and see the amazing experiences that our Toronto community enjoyed in Israel.

UJA's Centennial Mission

Day 2

Days 4&5

Days 7 & 8

Day 1

Day 3

Day 6

Prelude to the Journey

A CENTENNIAL JOURNEY

 

Written in honour of Marcy Abramsky, Steve and Rosanne Ain, 

Susan Jackson and Keren Levy 

With love from all of the participants on the Mission

 

Our mission, worth a century wait

Breakfast early, bedtime late

All the planning made it great

In summary: we came, we saw, we ate

 

Houses of hope, peace, justice all on hand

Sixty first timers in the land

Guides, drivers, guards: we’re fully manned

The trio, and staffers, had it all planned

 

Many tracks each day to do

In the home of every Jew

Pretty soon we’ll bid adieu

So here’s our mission in review

 

Museum, models, Leonard Cohen

Rooftop, cyber, Balfour showin’

Bar Mitzvah dinner at the port

Some speakers just can’t keep it short

 

Gush, Knesset, Segway ride

Tastes, Habimah, hi-tech pride

While feeling true patriot love

Arrive:  Yerushalayim shel zahav

 

From all hotels to Waldorf move

A banquet the Astors would approve

Mayor, coexistence, Imagine song

Late panel: Jews not getting along

 

Friday tracking, Kotel, train

Politics, museum, Hurva reclaim

Kabbalat Shabbat, Old City, wheat

Aren’t the a cappella singers sweet?

 

Shabbat dinner, soup that’s steamy

Yes the Kippalive boys are dreamy

Our hearts in the east, we came dancing from the west

Then finally a day of rest

 

Shabbat menuha, lot’s to do

Choice of prayers to go to

Walking tours, much to show

Then 5.15 on patio

 

Candles, spices, arm’s around

Catch the view in the background

Sing, from holy to the plain

Shavua tov, rev up again

 

Yad Vashem, horrors see

It’s love not work that sets you free

Natan, hero, Auschwitz flight

Sderot, a hill, Gaza site

 

Children showing what they know

Traffic circle, car horns blow

Kfar Gvirol, barbecue

Luggage outside, rush to do

 

Massada, Dead Sea, ATV

SodaStream: work peacefully

Aliyah, crater,  Negev wine

Arrive Eilat in time to dine

 

Solar power giving light

Perfect wind to fly a kite

BGU, make desert bloom

Robots glide across the room

 

Celebrate, party, what a night

We’re in Eilat in blue and white

Let’s all come back here again

Next year in Jerusalem

 

We’re of a people, community

Part of one big family

What a week, much to feel and see

Today is tomorrow’s history

 

We have a homeland, finally

Israel-Toronto, we’re a we

What will our joint future be?

That is up to you and me.

 

by David Matlow

     November 7, 2017

This journey has opened eyes and warmed hearts as participants witnessed firsthand UJA Federation’s involvement, progression and transformation of both the people and the land of Israel.  

Click Below to Read a Message from Our Journey Chairs