Rabbi Sender and Sarah Gordon with the Ambassador.

Israeli Ambassador to Canada Thanks Shliach

Israel’s Ambassador to Canada, His Excellency Rafael Barak, thanked Chabad Shliach to Ottawa, Rabbi Sender Gordon and the coordinators and volunteers of Israel Connect for their contribution to Israel. In a touching letter, the ambassador explains how a nation is built of many individual contributions, and how the Israel Connect program is providing the building blocks to build a better country.

The Israel Connect program has seen outstanding expansion and success. With a humble beginning of 10 volunteers in Ottawa, Canada, now, in its 4th year, Israel Connect has close to 400 participants, and has branched out across North America and the U.K. through the Chabad network. The Israeli ambassador wished to recognize this growing contribution and the difference it has made to Israel.

Israel Connect is a program that connects retired individuals and seniors over Skype, with a student in Israel looking to improve their spoken language. The volunteer and student talk, over Skype, once a week, for 20 minutes.  This short talk provides an English immersion experience for the student, and a chance to practice using the English language in a way that is both fun and engaging. The student and volunteer pair use a curriculum with Jewish content to help facilitate the lesson and begin discussion.

Over the course of the year, many volunteer/ student pairs have fostered a wonderful friendship which they keep up.

For more information on the program, please visit www. IsraelConnect.Today.

Ambassador Barak-page-001

4 Comments

  • Seriously?!

    Ambassador thanks “shliach”? Did he only thank the rabbi?
    Why don’t you just write “shluchim” and include his wife who works just as hard, if not harder, on this project. Reading the letter, it looks like the ambassador wrote to both of them, not just the man.
    But I guess his wife’s work isn’t worth anything because she’s just a woman…

    • Anonymous

      i know them very well, actually they work together as a team, i dont think shes offended. when you work for a good cause and you are a humble couple doing things together, complimenting one is complimenting the other. its a unit, not a competition, shluchim like them will surely hurry up Moshiach Now!

  • Shliach

    Don’t remember this remarkable project included in The Rebbe’s mivtzoim. If there is a Yiddishkeit angle not included in the story, please share.