Shlichut
Every three years, the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, in collaboration with our partner JAFI, brings a new Shaliach (cultural emissary) to live and work in our community. The goal of Shlichut is to make meaningful connections with Milwaukeeans.
The Legacy of 50 Years of Shlichut in Milwaukee
The shlichut program in Milwaukee is the oldest continuous shlichut program in the United States. Watch a film that reviews the 50-year unbroken chain of shlichim who have become integral parts of the Milwaukee Jewish community.
Meet Noa Gerassi, Milwaukee Community Shlicha
Noa was born in Tiberias and spent most of her childhood in Ofra, a small Orthodox-Zionist community in northern Jerusalem. After graduating from high school, she fulfilled her Civil service by tutoring at-risk youth in general studies. During these two years she began exploring secularism. After finishing her service, she spent seven summers at Camp Ramah in upstate New York as a Shlicha. She specialized as a Hebrew Teacher and oversaw the Israeli staff and programs at the camp.
She attended Kibbutzim College in Tel Aviv, graduating with both a degree in education and a teacher certificate. She went on to get her master’s degree in Jewish studies from Schechter Institute in Jerusalem. While attending college, Noa worked for Masa program in Tel Aviv, BINA (The secular Yeshiva), and “Momentum – Lahayalim BeAhava” (a nonprofit that prepares soldiers for civilian life, right before the end of their military service.) For seven years Noa worked as a high school history and citizenship studies teacher. For the past 4 years, she worked for the Ministry of Education as an Educational Coordinator, guiding educational staff working with at-risk youth.
Noa married Liran during the summer of 2014. They came to Milwaukee with their two daughters Rona and Lihi and their dog Chika. Noa enjoys reading all genres, watching Israeli films and TV, jogging and Pilates.
Contact Noa Gerassi
(414) 881-2124
Meet Or Eliaz, Israel Campus Fellow
Or Eliaz is the new Israel Campus Fellow at Hillel Milwaukee, funded by the Milwaukee Jewish Federation and the Jewish Agency for Israel.
Or is from a Moshav in the north of Israel and is currently studying at Haifa University where he is finishing up with his BA in Education and Jewish History. Or spent a few summers at URJ Greene Family Camp in Texas where he was counselor for 3rd and 10th graders as well as a lifeguard and ropes course instructor. He is also an active member of his local Hillel, Hillel Haifa, where he participated in a program that brought together students from St. Petersburg, New York and Israel to discuss Israel and its relationships with Jews in the Diaspora. Or also loves to swim, run, cook and perform Spoken-word and poetry.
Here in Milwaukee, Or works full-time on Milwaukee’s eleven campuses, engaging students of all backgrounds in Israel education and travel. Or hopes to strengthen students relationship with Israel by taking college students to Israel and bringing Israel on campus.
