Building community across the sea
JFNNJ hosts teen basketball players from Nahariya
Last week, the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey hosted eight teenage basketball players from its sister city, Nahariya, Israel, along with their coach, Oren Ben Hamo, and the Israeli city’s assistant mayor, Tal Almog, for a week of friendship, respite, and connection.
Made possible through the Lasher Family Nahariya Partnership, this special visit reflected the enduring bond between the two communities. It’s a relationship that has flourished for decades through shared experiences, mutual support, and an unwavering commitment to one another. Over the years, the relationship between Nahariya and Federation has touched countless lives through leadership exchanges, educational initiatives, community projects, emergency assistance, and personal relationships, and that relationship continues to grow stronger with each passing year. The two communities have stood together in moments of celebration and in moments of crisis, demonstrating what partnership means.
For nearly three years, the remarkable young men on Nahariya’s basketball teams have lived with the realities of war. Rocket sirens, disrupted routines, uncertainty, and the constant need to remain vigilant have shaped much of their teenage years. The hope was simple: to give them a week where they could simply be teenagers — to laugh with friends, play basketball, explore New York, experience summer camp, spend time with host families from Temple Emanuel in Woodcliff Lake, and create joyful memories that will remain with them long after they returned home.
Throughout the week, the teens toured New York City, visited Madison Square Garden, attended a Mets game, enjoyed outdoor adventures, competed on the basketball court, experienced camp life, and shared meaningful conversations with Federation donors, staff, volunteers, and local teens. Every activity was designed not only to provide fun and relaxation, but to strengthen the personal bonds that connect Northern New Jersey and Nahariya.
Lee Lasher of Englewood is a past president of the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey. He and his family established a fund with the federation — the Lasher Family Nahariya Partnership — to strengthen the bonds between the two communities and to give Nahariya extra support and assistance. It’s a way to build community across the sea, he said.
“The Lasher Family Nahariya is about bringing people together and strengthening the bonds between our communities,” Mr. Lasher continued. “We are proud to have helped make this visit possible and to give these remarkable young people a chance to simply enjoy being teenagers and connect to our Jewish community.”
An unintended outcome of this special visit was that as well as the meaningful impact it made on the teens, it had an equally profound impact on the community members to whom those teens connected.
Throughout their visit, it became acutely obvious that these young adults stand at the threshold of a future very different from that of most American 18-year-olds. Here in the United States, many young people are preparing for college, careers, travel, and the excitement of newfound independence. In Israel, these young men are preparing to answer a different calling — military service in defense of their country and its people. Their conversations reflected a maturity, resilience, and quiet sense of responsibility well beyond their years. They are ordinary teenagers asked to shoulder extraordinary responsibilities.
Throughout the visit, they repeatedly expressed their gratitude to the community and Federation for opening their homes, hearts, and lives. They felt the love.
Rami Feinstein is the manager of Federation’s Center for Israel Engagement. “When we planned this visit, I was focused on creating an unforgettable experience for these young men,” he said. “What I didn’t expect was how profoundly they would impact me, everyone they met, and our entire community.”
This visit was about far more than basketball. It was a powerful reminder that although an ocean separates Northern New Jersey and Nahariya, the people are connected by shared responsibility, enduring friendship, and an unwavering commitment to one another. That is the true strength of the partnership — and the promise it will continue to carry into the future.
Laura Freeman is the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey’s managing director for marketing and communications.