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June 2002
Facing the Challenge of Russian Aliya
Machanaim Strategic Plan 2002-2005
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The Aliya

• The one million FSU olim could determine the
  character of the State of Israel.
• The Jewish knowledge many bring with them can
  range between none and wrong.

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The Challenge

• Real Jewish identity is a long term effort
• It can be achieved but sustained only if we build
  the infrastructure to fuel it internally.

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The Factors

• Spiritual Vacuum from the indoctrination of
  atheism.
• No tools for finding their identity easy prey
  for missionaries, especially well-financed ones
  with long term strategies.
• Social vacuum created by perceived Israeli
  indifference.

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The Factors

• Vacuum on a family level as parents focus on the
  challenges of immigration
• They have to resettle.
• What is their credibility in this culture?
• If they are insecure, how can they provide
  security for their children?

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The Response so far Simplistic solutions

• Resources go to what should work without
  validation in the community.
• Little experience-based or culturally-based
  community programs even fewer research-based
  ones.
• Statistics seem to show some cosmetic change
  but little lasting results.

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Impending Crisis

• Demands (you must convert you shall) simply
  recall Russia olim know how to comply.
• Danger of cultural stigmas conflict around
  crime, apathy.
• Potential for serious defensive segregation.

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Now With
Confusion Comes a Unique Window of Opportunity

• September 11
• Upheaval has changed the dynamic.
• Siberian Air disaster
• Triggered a realization around the need for
  serious comprehensive strategy.
• Dolphinarium/Hadera/ Netanya Rishon
• Impact of intifada born heavily by Russian Olim
  community.

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Machanaim has a Vision 2005

• A strong Jewish community in Israel and the FSU
  identifies positively with Jewishness and the
  State of Israel.

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Machanaim has a Mission

• Assure that the Russian immigration strengthens
  the Jewish character of the State of Israel and
  the Jewish peoples commitment to its continuity
  by educating Russian Jews to
  identify with the Jewish People and the State of
  Israel.

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Now Machanaim has a Strategic Plan

• Machanaim has been filling a void in developing
  Jewish identity for Russian olim.
• Machanaim understands the culture and the needs.
• Successes with culturally-based programs show the
  way to achieve our goals.
• But a serious long term solution requires long
  term commitments and resources.

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What Machanaim Offers The Machanaim
Methodology

• Five Step Process
• Identify Issues and Opportunities
• Formulate programmed responses from a uniquely
  Russian perspective.
• Build Coalitions that leverage many perspectives.
• Execute
• Evaluate and strengthen the coalition

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Why Machanaim?

• Long tradition of addressing real issues, not
  symptoms.
• Special Interest cultural program open hearts and
  minds to Russian Jewish contributions Joint
  publication programs and broad distribution
  partnerships over the years brought over a
  million Jewish books in Russian in circulation
  sidurim, machzorim and more bringing Judaism to
  people around the world, day after day.

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Why Machanaim?

• Machanaim has a strong pluralistic, open and
  democratic tradition.
• Machanaim has a consistent record of
  accomplishments.
• Machanaim has the authenticity, the credentials
  and experience Russian Jews for
  Jewishness.
• Machanaim has the expertise and focus to sustain
  this effort over the long term.

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How?

• We must respond to this challenge and the new
  environment leverage this window of opportunity
• Machanaim must now
• Build a professional infrastructure and scale-up
  its programs,
• Broaden its reach to the larger community, and
• Organize and execute on its mission.

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Strategies

• Broaden Machanaims reach to the larger
  community.
• Address insularity step into the vacuum with a
  clear mission and focus.
• Articulate the mission
• Communicate a non-political, non-coercive
  facilitative focus.
• Build a professional infrastructure.
• The skills and talent are there the
  organization, management and infrastructure are
  overtaxed,
• Machanaim has worked as semi-volunteers for the
  cause time to professionalize to help the
  experts leverage their expertise.
• Organize and execute on the mission.
• Structure Machanaim to be most effective and
  focus on selected targets that will contribute
  most to the mission.

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Strategy One Broaden the Reach

• Scale up significant outreach efforts
• Articulate the Mission through a Planning Process
• Involve the community and a wide swath of
  stakeholders.

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Strategy Two Build the
Infrastructure

• Mission Driven Strategic Units
• Common services groups facilitate the work of all
• The Machanaim Methodology creates the
  professional culture and characterizes our
  management approach.

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Strategy Three Organize and Execute

• Outreach Division with proactive agenda
• Educational Division with audience tracks for
  various age and experience levels
• Publications Division with leverageoriented
  focus

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Outreach Division

• Mission Reach out to Russian Olim and Israelis
  and bridge the gaps
• Strategies
• Internet and technology
• Emphasize traditional Russian Cultural strengths
  to appeal to both Olim and Israelis
• Active network of experts liaison to key targeted
  officials
• Media group
• Regional structure

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Educational Division

• Mission Create a targeted and reinforcing set of
  educational programs
• Strategies
• Age-focused programs
• Golden Agers Teens Middle Age Little ones
• Experience and level-focused programs
• From Shabatonim and first level Ulpanim to
  shiurim in Gemara
• Teacher and leadership development
• Cultural awareness

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Publications Division

• Mission Create a complimentary set of
  publications
• Strategies
• Jewish Heritage Basics
• Outreach-driven publications
• Educational program-driven publications

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Our next steps?

• We must not burn out the misirut nefesh that has
  brought us so far.
• We must have basic resource continuity projects
  are good, but they must build sustainability
• We must organize and staff to greet the
  opportunities
• We can achieve the mission only if we
  scale up, professionalize the
  infrastructure