The English Overseas project offers volunteers a unique weekly virtual one-on-one intergenerational cross-cultural volunteering opportunity. Older adult volunteers are matched with a high school student in Jerusalem or Beit She’an to help them practice their conversational English to prepare for their required end-of-high school English exam. This project is a partnership between the Wechsler Center for Modern Aging at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan and the Municipalities of Jerusalem and Beit She’an.

Conversations between volunteers and students take place weekly using Zoom, WhatsApp, or another video platform chosen by the volunteer-student pair, and are intended to last for 20-30 minutes each week, during the academic year.

Volunteers are provided with resources to help them in their weekly conversations (if needed) and are encouraged to speak on whatever topic the student is most interested in discussing.

There are regular opportunities for the volunteers to gather together (over Zoom and in-person), to share tips and best practices, address concerns, learn more about Israel, and to form a community.  Volunteers must have some ability to use a video technology platform, be able to make a commitment over the school term and be comfortable interacting with a teenager. They are also periodically invited to travel to Israel with us!

To express interest in becoming an English Overseas volunteer, please contact Rabbi Brian Fink at bfink@mmjccm.org if you have any questions.