New shaliach receives a warm Manchester welcome

The Greater Manchester community has welcomed its brand new shaliach, Eyal Goldman, to the region. The eighth generation Jerusalemite brings with him 8 years of experience of working with young people in both Israel and the Diaspora. The Jewish Agency shaliach for the UJIA in Manchester, (or emissary) plays a key role in Jewish and Israel education in Manchester and is already putting his plans for the community into action.

His shlichut is the first adventure in the UK for Eyal, who comes to Manchester fresh from his previous role as Division Head at the Ramah Camping Movement in New York where he organised local summer camps and gap years to Israel for the Conservative Judaism movement. Eyal grew up in Tzofim, the Israel Scouts, and has worked as a madrich (guide) for teenagers on programmes in Israel, as well as working and travelling across the United States where he helped out and later became part of a volunteering effort following Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Eyal has already been getting to know pupils and staff at local schools and is preparing sessions on Israel and the Jewish festivals. His plans for the year ahead include a big Purim party, coordinating the UJIA Magic Moments week in May where Israeli teens experience Jewish life in the UK, as well as B'yachad B'atzafon events to bring together all young people in the Manchester Jewish community, the Jewish Youth Movements (Bnei Akiva, RSY-Netzer, Habonim-Dror and FZY) and Youth organisations Streetwise and JLGB, to celebrate being Jewish in the North.

Eyal Goldman, the Jewish Agency shaliach for the UJIA in Manchester, commented: "Despite the cold which as an Israeli I'm not so use to, I have received a nice warm welcome from the Manchester Jewish community. I'm really excited to be here and I'm looking forward to being part of Jewish life here in Manchester - and to see Manchester United win at Old Trafford."

For further information on Eyal's work please contact him directly at Eyal Goldman or call the Manchester office on 0161 740 1825.