Last month, a group of 11th-grade teens from Ramat HaNegev arrived in Colorado as part of the ART Delegation, an ambassador program designed to deepen their connection with Jewish life abroad and strengthen our shared bond. For the first time, JEWISHcolorado took the lead in organizing this delegation, continuing a legacy of partnership that has linked Colorado and Ramat HaNegev for over 25 years. The delegation visited schools like DJDS and DAT, engaged with diverse congregations and organizations, and helped lead activities during JEWISHcolorado’s Celebrate Israel Walk & Festival.
This year, the delegation not only built new bridges but also rekindled old ones—like reconnecting with Barak Mannor, a former Shinshin (Israeli Service Year participant) who first came to Colorado a decade ago through the same partnership that brought this delegation here today. Barak grew up in Midreshet Ben-Gurion in Ramat HaNegev and first encountered our partnership in 8th grade. By 10th grade, he was part of ART, the same ambassador program that would eventually inspire his Shinshin year in Denver.
“Coming back in a leadership role was emotional,” Barak said. “It wasn’t just about leading sessions or managing logistics, it was about giving back to a community that helped shape who I am.”
For Barak, one of the most meaningful aspects of Colorado’s Jewish community is its warmth and the way people engage with care and intention. “This community makes space for every individual to be seen and valued,” he said. “That year taught me that there are many ways to be Jewish,” he reflects. “In Denver, I found a version of Judaism that felt welcoming, beautiful, and deeply personal.” That sense was something he hoped the teens would not only experience but truly absorb. “I wanted them to see that Judaism can look and feel many different ways. I wanted them to learn that having a relationship with a community like this can change the way you connect to your identity.”
One of the core goals of our partnership is building living bridges between communities. For Barak, it’s important to explain how that ideal comes to life: “I told the teens: you’re not here to represent all of Israel. You don’t need to make people love Israel or change their opinions. You’re here to be yourselves. That’s how real connections are made.” Barak also shared why the timing of the delegation was especially powerful: “This week wasn’t an easy one to visit. It was Yom HaZikaron and Yom HaAtzmaut—very emotional days in Israel. This week highlighted the idea of choosing: choosing to be Jewish, choosing to be Israeli, choosing connection. That really hit them. They suddenly understood what it means to be a Jewish American, a Zionist American Jew.”
For Barak, his full-circle moment is a testament to what we can accomplish when we invest in relationships over time. “It’s a living example of what long-term partnership can build.” From student to educator, he represents a generation that has grown with this relationship and is now actively building its future.
This is the heart of our partnership with Ramat HaNegev: a living, breathing connection rooted in people, stories, and shared purpose.