FEDERATION REKINDLES WEST PALM BEACH’S CONNECTION TO ISRAEL’S TZAHAR REGION

Nearly 25 years ago Federation created a connection between the city of West Palm Beach and the TZAHAR region of Israel through its sister-city program. Recently, the two communities rekindled their partnership when the new mayor of Tzfat, one of the cities in TZAHAR, visited the new mayor of West Palm Beach.

Accompanied by representatives and long-time volunteer leaders of Federation, the two mayors met at West Palm Beach city hall on July 12. There, Mayor Keith James presented Tzfat’s Mayor Shuki Ohana with a key to the city, and Mayor Ohana presented Mayor James with artwork created in Tzfat.

During Mayor Ohana’s visit to the Palm Beaches, he was also briefed on Federation’s recent Jewish Community Study, visited the Mandel JCC Camp Shalom, met with several Federation volunteer leaders and visited local synagogues.

(left to right) Yaara Levy, Susan Shulman Pertnoy, Dorit Ohana, Mayor Shuki Ohana, Mayor Keith James, Michael Hoffman, Ira M. Gerstein, Marilyn Comiter and Melissa Arden at West Palm Beach City Hall.

In addition to Tzfat, Federation’s TZAHAR partnership region includes Hatzor HaGlilit and Rosh Pina. Through this ongoing partnership, Federation has built meaningful personal and community-wide relationships between the communities, including regular exchanges of culture and tradition, as well as business innovation and leadership training.