Marian Rivman (L) has a surprise reunion with Larisa K. (R) at the PK-Israel meeting. The two connected on Project Kesher’s 2004 Voyage on the Volga trip in Russia.
It was a sunny Friday morning in Tel Aviv. Israelis were buzzing around the city shopping for Shabbat. Not me. I was attending the monthly meeting of Project Kesher Israel’s group leaders. I’ve been a supporter of Project Kesher for many years and was extremely interested in the work the organization is doing in Israel.
The Project Kesher women had traveled from all over Israel. As the women arrived, there was lots of hugging, laughing and animated conversations. It reminded me of the Project Kesher gatherings I had attended in the US and the FSU.
I had an opportunity to speak with a few of the women before the meeting started.
The first woman I met with was Julia K.; she’s been in Israel for about a year. Julia had been active in Project Kesher in the Ukraine. “When I first heard about Project Kesher, I was going through a very hard time in my life. I had been working two jobs, my husband had lost his job and I had a small child. I was so busy. My friend said that no matter how busy I was, I must go to the Project Kesher seminar. So I went and I have to say it changed my life.” Julia spoke animatedly about the inspiration she got at every seminar. As soon as Julia arrived in Israel, she looked for Project Kesher. What really impressed me was when Julia said, “Now, every new beginning in my life starts with Project Kesher.”
Ludmila G. has been in Israel for over five years. Ludmila had originally come to Israel as a volunteer to work in the army and to visit her daughter. Though she felt at home in Israel, she thought she was too old to make aliyah. She comes from the town of Lutz where the Jewish community was very active and there had been a Project Kesher Club. Once in Israel, she had gotten a questionnaire about whether or not Project Kesher was needed in Israel. She answered that she thought that it was very much needed. “When I was in Ukraine, I loved Project Kesher. I couldn’t find a group like it in Israel. My limited Hebrew made joining any group very difficult.” Ludmila now leads a Project Kesher group in Natzrat Elite.
Liubov M. has been in Israel for seven years. Her mother and brother had come in 1998. When she came to visit them, she fell in love with Israel. She did not know about Project Kesher when she lived in Russia. “Thanks to Project Kesher I learned about Jewish life and became observant,” Liubov says. “Project Kesher opened my eyes to the Jewish religion. Before Kesher, I only knew about the Chassid. It wasn’t until I finished the Project Kesher leadership training two years ago, that I no longer felt like a foreigner in Israel. Project Kesher is my family.”
Svetlana M. has been in Israel for 5 1/2 years. She lives in Bat Yan. Looking at her it’s hard to believe that she has great-grandchildren. She was married at 18 and had her first child at 19. She had been a single mother in the Ukraine. She had known about Project Kesher when she was in the Ukraine and had attended a seminar. Soon after, she started her own group. “From Project Kesher I learned about women’s place in the world. I started to go to synagogue and I passed everything I learned on to my group.”
When Larisa K. walked into the room, I thought my mind was playing tricks on me. She looked so familiar. I was sure that I knew her. Turns out I did know her; we had both been on Project Kesher’s Voyage on the Volga. I had been suffering from a terrible backache and Larisa had taught me a series of exercises to ease the pain. Larisa had made aliyah a few years ago and had become active with Project Kesher Israel. It felt wonderful to see an old friend.
The meeting was about to begin so I thanked the women who took the time to talk to me and went upstairs. By this time I was feeling very good. There’s an earnestness and dedication the women have that is really infectious.
The meeting room was filled with more than 20 women sitting in a large circle. I learn that they have been in Israel for different lengths of time. One woman had made aliyah 23 years ago. One had just arrived two months earlier. Some had known Project Kesher back in their home countries. Others were new to the organization. They ranged in age from 30s to 80s. What they all had in common was that they all wanted to be in that room that day. For each of them Project Kesher plays an integral role in their life and in the lives of the women who are members of the groups they lead.
The women discussed the celebrations they had had during the week for Tu B’Shevat. They were excited about having shared the celebration via Skype with women in Germany. Being tech savvy is important to the women in PKI. One of the coordinators has started to blog. She encourages the other women in the room to start blogging, as well. She also encourages the other women to set up a Facebook account if they don’t already have one. There are currently 18 Project Kesher groups in Israel. Through the blog, Facebook and other social media Project Kesher is having a ripple effect through Israel and many more women are becoming involved.
Irina Lutt, PK’s National Coordinator in Israel, started the meeting. The whole idea of the coordinators meeting is to teach exercises that each of the women can then bring back to their individual groups.
The woman who had been in Israel for just two months told a great story about how positive the group was making her feel. She had met Irina in a lingerie store the week before when they were both shopping for brassieres. Irina invited her to come to the Project Kesher meeting and told her she would get as much support for her life from Project Kesher, as the brassiere will give her for her figure. She said she realized that Irina had been right and that she looked forward to developing a relationship with Project Kesher.
The meeting ended on a somewhat serious note. Due to illness, Valentina, who had been leading the Jewish education seminars for Project Kesher Israel, is going to have to leave the organization while she concentrates on her health. The woman told Valentina how much they appreciated what she had taught them over the years. Everyone thanked her for “having built a temple of knowledge.” Valentina said that the greatest testament to her work would be “for Project Kesher to continue to grow and flourish in Israel.” In true Project Kesher style, the celebration of Valentina’s farewell was done with song, humor and love.
All too soon the meeting came to an end. It is clear that Project Kesher is playing an important role in Israel and that the women I met that Friday morning have every intention of strengthening and expanding the work that PKI is doing.
Marian Rivman is a public relations consultant, communications strategist and global women’s activist. She has worked extensively with the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, U.N Women and many NGOs. In 2004, she participated in Project Kesher’s Voyage on the Volga trip and met with women from throughout the countries of the former Soviet Union. The experience led to Marian becoming a strong supporter of Project Kesher and to her taking several more trips to further her knowledge and experience with the PK organizational model.
Project Kesher on the M.O.V.E. 
Marian Rivman you’ve captured beautifully the women of Project Kesher Israel. How fortunate that you, a wise global activist Pk woman, shared this time with them. You truly understand the power of being with others in their space – both witnessing and participating, sharing vision and making things happen. Thank you!