Israel Orgs Team up For Success

By COLlive reporter

Abraham’s Tent in Jerusalem is a new concept Chabad house with a unique niche and fills a great need, serving as the bridge between the inspiration experienced in Israel and the continuation of it in one’s life and community, long after their trip is over and serves as a valuable link in the global Chabad network.

Opened in the last year, Abraham’s Tent has grown quickly, with over 2000 participants last summer, dozens of Bar Mitzvahs celebrated, and over 1,100 Shabbos meals served. Nine people went to Yeshiva or seminary as a direct result of their first summer program.

Abraham’s Tent enables tourists to extend their trip and maximize their Israel experience, capitalizing on the most impressionable time of a Jew’s life. As a result they develop a stronger Jewish Identity and connect to their local Chabad houses.

Abraham’s Tent has recently forged partnerships with various organizations, including Mayanot Birthright, Mayanot Yeshiva, Ascent of Safed and the Kotel Tefillin booth.

This partnership creates a network of Chabad institutions, which cater to English speaking travelers in Israel, and ensures that Chabad’s efforts are being maximized to the fullest.

“We have created a full circle for English speaking tourists in Israel,” says Yosef Eichenblatt, director. “From Birthright to the Kotel Tefillin booth to Shabbos meals, to fulltime Chabad house activities, and ultimately to Mayanot Yeshiva or connecting to their local Chabad house, we are together ensuring that one Chabad encounter will lead to the next, with more people attending Chabad institutions and Yeshivas.”

Abraham’s Tent has also been allowing visitors to “test-the-waters” with programs such as ‘Taste of Jewish Learning.’ The common goal is to recruit students to extend their trips and stay at Abraham’s Tent. The hope is that the most fitting students will then have an opportunity to visit Mayanot informally – on an individual basis – for a class or program.

“We have found this ‘stepping-stone’ approach to be quite successful, with the probability of Yeshiva enrollment much higher,” says Rabbi Shneur Wineberg, Director of Admissions at Mayanot.