Because of You, We Are Building Hope From Yokneam to Nahal Oz
I want to take a moment—on behalf of our entire community in Yokneam and Megiddo—to thank you personally.
My name is Eliad Eliyahu Ben Shoshan, and I have the privilege of directing the Partnership Region that links our home in Israel to yours in Atlanta. That word—privilege—carries real weight. Because what we’ve built together isn’t just a funding relationship. It’s a living bond. A shared heartbeat. A promise that no matter the distance, we stand with and for one another.
When the war broke out on October 7, our region was flooded with evacuees—families from Nahal Oz and other devastated communities who arrived in shock, with nothing but fear and uncertainty. Within 24 hours, your Federation showed up. Mental health care. Child programming. Classrooms. Dignity. That was you. Your support helped us turn panic into purpose. And then—your long-term commitment brought Nahal Oz into our Partnership officially, creating a new sense of home and hope for a kibbutz torn into four corners of the country.
But your impact doesn’t stop there.
Because of your generosity, our Ethiopian-Israeli community in Yokneam is thriving—with 84% high school graduation, 97% IDF enlistment, and a 0% dropout rate. Young adults leaders like the Lchlal Group stepped up during the war, volunteering to clean bomb shelters and care for evacuees. In Megiddo, you’ve helped us open safe spaces for teens in crisis—including the very first Warm Home for Boys. And when our local Partnership committee heard about lone soldiers from Atlanta and St. Louis, they gave back—raising 50,000 shekels to say thank you.
These aren’t just programs. They are people. And they are your people, too.
I’ve seen what this partnership looks like on the ground—when Atlantans stay in our homes, when our teens hug goodbye at the end of an exchange, when a soldier receives a care package with a handwritten note that simply says, “We’re thinking of you.” These small moments are everything. And they happen because of you.
So thank you—for your trust, for your compassion, and for believing in this sacred connection.
You are not just supporters of Israel. You are part of Israel. And we are proud to call you family.