Over Presidents Day weekend, Bnei Akiva of the U.S. and Canada, the religious Zionist youth movement, hosted its annual Kenes Shlichim, Israel Emissaries Conference, in Budd Lake, New Jersey, attended by over 30 shlichim. Held every year during this time, Kenes Shlichim gives the opportunity to stop in the middle of the year and reflect on the accomplishments of the shlichim thus far. Every year shlichim are given the opportunity to share successful events and stories about their year, and it provides an opportunity to continue training and refocus on events and projects still to come.

As this is the only time during the year where all of the shlichim are together without high school students or other community members, it allows them to get to know each other, build greater camaraderie, and makes them feel like they are back in Israel for the weekend by speaking in Hebrew, and being provided with Israeli newspapers, music and snacks.

Every year, Roi Abecassis, director of World Bnei Akiva, comes in for this conference and shares accomplishments of World Bnei Akiva, as well as stories from other shlichim around the world further empowering and strengthening the commitment of the shlichim. This year was no different and the shlichim were captivated and invigorated by his session.

This year’s kenes is especially significant, as it goes hand in hand with Bnei Akiva of the U.S. and Canada’s 2018 yearlong strategic planning audit and strategic conference which brought together all the program directors, and stakeholders to develop a strategic roadmap for the future of the movement in the U.S. and Canada. The roadmap was reviewed at the kenes and great strides were made in the ways of shlichut assessment, marketing and support through various innovative sessions.

By Natalie Vinegar