For a long time now, Nofar, 30, has been in the education field in some way. Growing up in the small village of Kfar Vradim in Northern Israel, she worked with kids in the Israeli Scouts and did her year of service after graduating high school at the Jordan River Village, a special community for children and youth suffering from chronic illness and disabilities. Once her military service in the intelligence field in the Navy was over, Nofar attended Oranim College, completing a bachelor’s degree in Special Education and Hebrew Language, and then got a job as a middle school teacher.
But Nofar’s considerable experience with global Jewry – having worked with The Jewish Agency’s Partnership2Gether program as a coordinator, and selecting and preparing young Israeli emissaries from Israel’s northern region to travel to England as camp staff – spurred her desire to live outside of Israel and experience Jewish life abroad. When she learned about The Jewish Agency’s Campus Israel Fellows program from a Shaliach (Israeli emissary) in the UK who had actually been a counselor of hers in the Scouts, she felt like it’d be the perfect opportunity for her to fulfill her dream.
Campus Israel Fellows are Israeli young adults who have finished their Israeli army service and university and who are brought to North American college campuses every year by The Jewish Agency, in partnership with Hillel. These Fellows help substitute education for ignorance when it comes to student opinions about Israel, creating safe spaces for tolerance and diversity, and give students a chance to develop lasting connections with an Israeli.
At the end of the spring 2023 semester, Nofar finished her third and final year as a Jewish Agency Israel Fellow at The University of Florida in Gainesville.
“The Israel Fellow plays such an important role as part of the Hillel staff, bringing that personal connection to Israel with a unique approach, encouraging open and honest conversations to get students involved on campus,” shared Nofar. “Before me, there was no Fellow on campus for seven years so at the beginning of my Shlichut (emissary service), it was challenging to get students to talk about Israel and be active in Jewish and Israel events. So I’m really proud of the progress made over my time here.”
For Nofar, a typical day could consist of anything from doing office work to get ready for events, preparing to lead a learning cohort about Israel, setting up for an Israel-themed Shabbat or paint night, or meeting with students for coffee dates or to practice Hebrew.
Though her time as an Israel Fellow is over, Nofar wants to continue to work with Jewish organizations outside of Israel.
“I feel I have more to give to Jewish communities around the world and want to maintain the incredible bonds I’ve developed,” Nofar stated. “I truly understand the power and importance of world Jewry and believe in developing these strong connections between Jews abroad and Israel and as I return home to Israel, I will bring back my knowledge of why these relationships are so crucial, and do all that I can to continue to support them.”
