Current Events, Cultural Arts & Programs
Learning and being informed about the Jewish state is an important value of the Ohr Kodesh community.
Israel programming at OKC ranges from current events to the political, cultural and social aspects of Israel.
Check out current programs. For more information about Israel programming and to get involved, contact Shaliach@ohrkodesh.org.
Shaliach and Shinshin at OKC
OKC welcomes three young Israelis to our community to share their knowledge and love of Israel with us.
Ori Edvi, Shaliach (Israeli Emissary)
Ori is from Hameyasdim, Kinneret Moshava, Israel. She served three years in the Israeli Intelligence Corps as a Staff Sergeant before working as a teaching assistant in Moshav Netur.
In 2024 and 2025, she was a counselor at Surprise Lake Camp in New York for girls ages 8-10. Ori enjoys baking, photography, and scuba diving, and she brings warmth, optimism, and creativity to her work. As a shaliach, she's excited to share the spirit of Israel with the whole OKC community!
She is looking forward to connecting with you. Please email her at Shaliach@ohrkodesh.org.
Yotam Ofek, Shinshin (Israeli Emissary)
Yotam Ofek is from a small community in Misgav municipality in the northern Galilee. He comes from a reform Jewish family of six, being the eldest of four brothers.
Yotam majored in theater and Chemistry. He is a swimmer, and has been a youth counselor for three years.
Yotam is really excited for this amazing program to start.
Omer Avigdori, Shinshin (Israeli Emissary)
Omer is 18 years old and lives with his parents and 13-year-old sister in Hod HaSharon.
In high school, he majored in cinema and biology, and in his spare time, Omer likes to watch movies and soccer, and hang out with friends.
Omer is so excited to start my Shinshin year and can't wait to meet you all.
Kesher: Nir Oz
Ohr Kodesh is proud to announce a new initiative called Kesher: Nir Oz.
Kesher: Nir Oz is a project of Ohr Kodesh, Beth El, B'nai Israel and MoEd to support Kibbutz Nir Oz, a community that was devastated by the Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023. The program will harness the resources of the dedicated and caring congregations of these synagogues to provide tangible support to this devastated Israeli community. More than 10% of Kibbutz Nir Oz’s residents were murdered on October 7—46 killed out of 400 residents—with another 71 residents taken hostage with 31 still in captivity. More than 80% of the kibbutz was destroyed and the remainder is currently uninhabitable. If you would like to learn more, please email Amit Natanzon.
Resources for Talking to Children About What’s Happening in Israel
There are scary stories in the news right now, and children of different ages (and all individual children) benefit from different styles of communication. Here are resources for preparing for tough conversations at home:
How to talk to kids about what is happening in Israel right now
Written by Dr. Sivan Zakai, an educator who focuses on Israel and on child development.
Provides scripts for parents and other adult caregivers to talk about the current unprecedented events with children of different ages.
Terrorism and War: How to Talk to Children
From the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.
Provides guidelines for healthy conversations about traumatic events.
Israel at War – Fact Sheet
From the Lookstein Center of Bar-Ilan University.
A short summary of key elements of the conflict; consolidated definitions useful for planning talking points.
