San Diego/Sha’ar HaNegev Meeting
Thursday, February 23, 2006

Meeting Report
In attendance:
Danny Dabby (Israel and Overseas Committee Chair), Eyal Dagan (Community Shaliach), Nadine Finkel (Director of Planning and Allocations), Heather Frank (Israel Center Program Coordinator), Monica Handler-Penner (Vice President of Planning and Allocations), Jodie Kaplan (Sha’ar HaNegev Sub-committee Chair), Michael Rassler (Executive Vice President), Steve Solomon (UJF President)

Introduction
Michael Rassler reviewed his November, 2005 (in Sha’ar HaNegev) and February, 2006 (in Tel Aviv) meetings with Alon Schuster and other Regional Council members. He explained that, after speaking with Sha’ar HaNegev delegation, he felt it was important to convene this meeting to evaluate the San Diego/Sha’ar HaNegev partnership. Michael referred to the Joint Statement of Partnership and questioned whether what was originally envisioned was still meaningful, beneficial, and operational.

Discussion
The following examples were cited in support of the strength of the partnership and the well-established people to people relationships:

• Ongoing joint programs in several synagogues, supplementary schools and SDJA.
• Scott Stone and JITLI trips which involved families as well as participants.
• Professionals’ Exchanges which have and will continue to greatly expand the relationships to many more agencies and synagogue constituencies.
• Ongoing personal relationships among families throughout Sha’ar HaNegev and San Diego.

The ability and desire of the San Diego Jewish community to efficiently respond to the social and financial needs of Sha’ar HaNegev were underlined. It was also noted that the allocations process operates in a manner that enables Sha’ar HaNegev to choose those programs they feel are most vital to implement and continue.

Suggested Next Steps
The following suggestions were made in order to strengthen the partnership and bring it to an even higher level:

• Re-activate and expand the Sha’ar HaNegev Sub-Committee (identify members, schedule a first meeting for late spring, early summer).
• Strengthen and widen the circles of participation in the partnership within the San Diego Jewish community.
• Create a stronger centralized approach in San Diego with the following goals:
  * More effective connections between the communities at higher leadership levels.
  * Implementation of aggressive marketing strategy to increase community awareness of the partnership and the successful joint projects taking place.
  * Establishment of the partnership as a meaningful, valuable endeavor in which to become involved, either around specific programs and projects or generally.

• Use the Community Mission as a springboard to enlist participation (schedule a meeting in Sha’ar HaNegev to work together to establish operational and structural priorities for the coming year).
• Create and disseminate fact sheets, brochures, bulletins on Sha’ar HaNegev describing the partnership, its history, personal stories, joint projects, etc.
• Write a summary report of this meeting (Eyal).