An initiative of the Zionist Organization brings the remote communities in the Diaspora closer to Israel

• Linda Weshi, "Mochilarus" in Guadalajara // Photo: World Zionist Organization

The "Muschilros Patrol" is a project of the Diaspora Department of the World Zionist Organization, which began operations in September 2016, and operates in small communities around the world that have no envoy or contact with Israelis.

In the summer of 2017, Linda Milham, a Venezuelan immigrant and Shai Ben Zimra, embarked on a two-month community mission in Guadalajara, Mexico as part of the "Muschilleros Patrol" project. The couple, now 25, recognized as part of their military service, gathered a group of young people from the local Conservative community and invited young people from the city's Orthodox community to connect the small communities.

"It was surprising to see that there are Jewish children in Mexico who have not heard Hebrew in their lives," describes Ben Zimra. "We learned a lot from them about a Jewish lifestyle in the Diaspora. We made connections there that remain to this day. The project is a great opportunity for young people who want to contribute and seek an unforgettable experience."

For two months, Linda and Xi managed to connect the youth of the two communities, with no connection due to ideological gaps, which caused the communities to act separately. The couple formed a group of young people called "Together", and after the departure of Linda Weshi in October 2017 the group continued to act as a local movement. Subsequently, the world movement "Zionist youth" contacted the "together" movement and thus the idea was formed to establish the Zionist youth movement in Guadalajara. Today, the movement is the only framework for Jewish-Zionist education in the community.

The presidents of the two Jewish communities in Guadalajara, Graciela Siociano of the Conservative community, and Ari Orthibros of the Orthodox community joined hands, and the project of one Zionist youth movement for all Guadalajara Jews became a reality and numbered about 70 members.

Gusti Yehoshua Braverman, head of the Diaspora Department of the World Zionist Organization and the project initiator: "This is a groundbreaking and life-changing program. It began with a visit I made in Mexico. I recognized the thirst of small Jewish communities scattered across the continent to connect with Israel. Israelis (Mochilarus) to travel the continent as part of the great post-military trip, gave me the idea of ​​the connection, and I saw huge potential in the connection between young travelers and the small, distant Jewish communities, which began as a program designed to exist in South America, and has since crossed the borders of Latin America and reached Canada. , To India and Hugh also New Zealand. "