This week, a select group of community members came together in Colts Neck to meet Pnina Agenyahu, Director of the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) Partnership2Gether, which connects “sister” communities from different parts of the world in building bridges of understanding, celebrating their shared and respective heritages, and promoting global unity through collective support and problem-solving.  

While Pnina has been instrumental in the formation of a new partnership between our heart of NJ Jewish community and Kibbutz Gvar’am located near the Gaza border in Israel—dedicated also to helping our brothers and sister there rebuild their lives—she understands, first-hand, the value of communal support for people who are vulnerable.

Pnina was born in Ethiopia and at the age of 3, as part of Operation Moses (1984), left the country with her mother and older sister—under duress, traveling by foot for three weeks before being airlifted clandestinely to Israel and making Aliyah. 

She sees herself as both a refugee and survivor with a history forged by millions of people who played a role, took collective action, advocated with governments, made contributions, participated in rescue operations, and then helped Pnina, her mom and sister, and more than 90,000 other Ethiopian Jews through the years resettle in a new land, make a new home, and as is her case, go on and make life better for countless others. 

As a young person of color growing up in a society not immune from racism, Pnina became involved in activism bringing together people of various backgrounds and promoting mutual respect. 

She sees her role today with Partnership2Gether as part activist, part matchmaker—pulling together disparate communities and assisting them in forming mutually supportive bonds.

To date, Pnina and her team have matched 79 communities from the U.S. with communities in Israel. Formally, these partnerships entail a three-year commitment, but there are many who have enjoyed over 30 years together. With Pnina’s help and help from our local community, Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey looks to a long and wonderful partnership, first and foremost to bring healing and hope to the people of Kibbutz Gvar’am.

Pnina reported even before October 7 happened, the preceding years had been extremely challenging in Israel, with COVID’s many deaths, no one leaving or entering the country, and failing businesses; the war in Ukraine brought thousands of refugees to be fed, housed, and absorbed. 

Pnina recounted stories, some terribly sad and some miraculous, that took place on October 7, pointing again and again to resilience.

Within two days, she explained, there were hundreds of volunteers giving out food, water, and clothing to displaced people who’d witnessed and endured the horror. Within mere weeks, Jewish communities around the world raised over one billion dollars to assist in rescue, physical, and emotional care. 

Once again, she noted, collective action like that in her own refugee story, made it happen. 

As part of JAFI’s triage, she was tasked with distributing 4000 shekels to each survivor. She felt ashamed that with everything they had endured, she was offering them this small sum. While people who suddenly had nothing said it meant everything, Pnina heard repeatedly that what they needed even more than money were hugs, understanding, hands to hold, and HOPE. 

Sitting in that Colts Neck living room, recounting those storie, Pnina became emotional when she spoke about hope. “We want our country to heal. I want my country to come back, stronger than before” with no one and no community left behind. Israel missions, people visiting family, olim making Aliyah and more American communities partnering with Israelis give them reasons for hope.

Sitting in that Colts Neck living room, seeing Pnina’s emotion, the attendees agreed they were indeed filled with hope, just knowing our community, or Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey, is playing a key role in collective action so our brothers and sisters in Israel know we are with them, know they are not alone, and know we are in this as one.