Who are ShinShinim?
The ShinShinim are high-school graduates who choose to defer their military service for a year of service abroad. They are carefully selected, recruited, trained, and sent to Jewish communities around the world to share their youthful and enthusiastic Zionist spirits with diaspora communities. This program allows our community to meet young Israeli ambassadors and connect with them in a meaningful way through a shared sense of collective responsibility, global Jewish discourse, and collective Jewish consciousness.
The ShinShinim share their love and knowledge of Israel through our community synagogues, Hebrew and day schools, and other local Jewish organizations. They make Israel accessible, and help Jews develop a strong, meaningful attachment to Israel. Together with our community, this is one of the important ways we are bringing Israeli culture, experiences, and connections to South Jersey.
South Jersey's ShinShinim don’t just join our community, they become part of our family.
Consider enriching your family life by hosting one of our ShinShinim in your home. Hosting has proved to be a wonderful arrangement, benefiting the emissary, the host family, and our local community.
There are several opportunities to host each year with one of the ShinShinim staying with you and your family for 3 month intervals.
What's it like to host a ShinShin?
Hosting a ShinShin can be a life-changing experience for the entire family. It means that you’re not just opening your home to an Israeli teenager—you’re bringing a new, vibrant, life-changing experience into your home and enabling the entire South Jersey community to benefit from it.
Here are some of the families who have already made the ShinShin experience a part of their lives:
“Having Liav has been an amazing experience for the entire family. We got to learn about real people in Israel and show her American Jewry. Most importantly we have a new daughter and sister who happens to live in Israel. We can’t wait for Liav to show us her home one day soon. Liav was supposed to be with us a few months. It ended up a year and it went by too quickly. We are so sad to see her leave.” - The Boyd Family
"Being a host family for Shinshinim over the past 3.5 years has been an incredibly enriching experience for our family. Our host children have seamlessly become part of our lives, inspiring us daily with their passion and dedication to their Jewish heritage. They have shared traditions that deepen our connection to Judaism and have brought a vibrant, fresh perspective that has enriched our household. Welcoming them into our home has not only strengthened our family bonds but has also allowed us to partake in one of the greatest mitzvot—creating a warm, loving environment where they feel like true family members. This journey has fostered mutual respect, love, and understanding, enriching our lives in ways we never imagined."
-The Mailhiot Family - Wesley, Brooke, Chase and Reese - (Moorestown, NJ)