In a meaningful show of solidarity and vision for the future, the chairman of the Jewish Agency, Maj. Gen. (res.) Doron Almog, visited Haifa this week, meeting with Mayor Yona Yahav and touring the city’s Crisis Management Center, and visiting areas struck by Iranian missiles last month.
The visit, held amidst ongoing recovery efforts from the 12-day conflict, underscored Haifa’s resilience, commitment to immigrant absorption, and the strength of its global Jewish partnerships—particularly the long-standing connection with Boston.
During the visit to the municipality’s Crisis Management Center, which served as Haifa’s emergency operations hub throughout the conflict, Mayor Yahav described the city’s emergency response efforts and outlined the recovery and rehabilitation efforts currently underway. Together, Almog and Yahav proposed the establishment of a joint committee between the Jewish Agency and the Municipality of Haifa. This initiative would focus on three pillars critical to the city’s future: encouraging immigration to the city, bolstering social resilience, and deepening ties with diaspora Jewry.
Almog said he was deeply moved by the visit and emphasized the symbolic and practical significance of Haifa’s diverse and vibrant character.
“Haifa is a central, diverse, and vibrant city that time and again proves its resilience in challenging times,” he said. “I was impressed by the municipality’s work during the war, and particularly by the initiatives to absorb immigrants and integrate young people into the city.”
He also highlighted the impact of CJP’s Haifa-Boston Connection, calling it “a valuable and inspiring partnership that focuses on Haifa’s unique story as a city of resilience and community.”
The partnership, a collaboration between the Haifa Municipality and Boston’s Jewish community through Haifa-Boston Connection, has served as a model of mutual support and shared responsibility.
“The Boston community has worked tirelessly for the resilience of Haifa’s residents, and this is the true meaning of mutual responsibility,” Almog said.
One of the visit’s most meaningful moments took place at Parents at the Center, a community hub established with support from CJP. The center provides a home for parents seeking connection, guidance, and community engagement. Almog met participants and staff, hearing firsthand about the center’s transformative impact.
Veteran participants Joyce Shaliu and Rina Balchinsky shared their personal journeys.
Joyce, who moved to Haifa from central Israel, described how the center helped her integrate into her new neighborhood, form deep friendships, and ultimately become a leader within the community. After the birth of her second child, Joyce reinvented her career with the help of a scholarship from CJP and now runs a successful business.
Rina, a lifelong resident of the neighborhood who has been involved in Haifa-Boston Connection programs since her youth, described the center as her “second home.” She credited the supportive framework of Parents at the Center with accompanying her through every life stage, especially as a parent.
“The community here gives me strength, guidance, and a deep sense of belonging,” Rina said. “I can’t imagine raising my family without this support.”
Almog praised the center as a reflection of the unique spirit of Haifa and the strength of its grassroots community. “It was moving to witness the vibrant community built by parents for parents,” he said. “This initiative reflects the power of a local community that is connected to the Jewish world.”
The Haifa-Boston Connection’s commitment to meaningful mifgashim (encounters) and building long-term relationships across borders is further reflected in its collaboration with Yahel, a nation-wide NGO based in Haifa. Yahel specializes in short- and long-term volunteer programs that engage Jewish young adults from around the world.
Through hands-on work and deep community engagement, these young leaders strengthen their personal connection to Israel while making a tangible impact on issues such as education, social mobility, and shared society. In Haifa, the partnership with Yahel has provided volunteers with a unique opportunity to live and serve in diverse neighborhoods, working side-by-side with local residents and community organizations such as Parents at the Center.
Concluding his visit, Almog reaffirmed his commitment to the Jewish Agency’s core missions—immigration and global partnerships—both of which are deeply rooted in Haifa’s identity and future. “These two areas strengthen Haifa’s resilience, especially in the current period,” he stated.
Hilla Perlman-Pniel, director of Haifa-Boston Connection, emphasized: “In a city that embodies coexistence, community, and creativity, Haifa’s recovery and growth depend not only on municipal action, but on its continued partnership with Jews around the world,” she said. “CJP is committed to strengthening the metropolis of the Haifa community. The bridge between Israel and world Jewry is not symbolic—it is active, powerful, and essential.”
Anna Varsanyi is the Peoplehood Committee coordinator at CJP’s Boston-Haifa Connection. Anna made aliyah 12 years ago from Budapest, Hungary, and lives in Haifa with her husband, two daughters and an ever-changing number of cats.