Shalom from our last day of NCJW’s Leadership Journey to Israel.

Our final day together offered a powerful culmination of learning, connection, and vision. We began the morning at Tel Aviv University (TAU), where Eynat Meytahl — NCJW Israel’s Program Manager and a PhD candidate in the NCJW Women and Gender Studies Program — shared meaningful insights from her research, “Where Fabric Culture and Cyber Culture Merge: Craftswomen Stitching Together Identity, Community, and Culture.” Her work illuminates how women across Israel use traditional craft and digital platforms to express their activism, build connection, and shape cultural meaning.

We then turned our attention to share our vision for the future with a dynamic panel led by experts from the NCJW Women and Gender Studies Program including:

• Kinneret Lahad, Head of the NCJW Women and Gender Studies Program at TAU
• Daphna Hacker, Professor at TAU
• Neta Ziv, VP Equity, Diversity, and Community at TAU
• Dr. Chen Edelsburg, Professor at TAU
• Lorie Stein, Influencer and NCJW Women and Gender Studies Program Alumna

The conversation explored how academia can drive social change, advance gender equity, and imagine a more just and inclusive Israel. Their leadership and partnership reflect NCJW’s enduring commitment to feminist leadership and impact.

Afterward, we toured the ANU Museum with our guide Rabbi Lana Zilberman Soloway, grounding our learning in the breadth and complexity of Jewish identity, history, and culture. Finally, we gathered for lunch and a closing debrief — a space to reflect on what we witnessed, how it moved us, and ways we will carry these lessons home. This conversation was not an ending, but a bridge to what comes next: our continued leadership, advocacy, and work for justice both in Israel and the United States.

Throughout our journey, and as we close this extraordinary experience, we continue to reflect on and carry stories from October 7 of heartbreak and resilience, and the voices of women who lead with courage across every sector of Israeli society. I leave this trip feeling profoundly connected to our work here — inspired by the people we’ve met, strengthened by the relationships we’ve built, and renewed in our commitment to build a world that reflects our Jewish values: rooted in justice, compassion, and care for one another.

Now the work continues — turning insight into action, partnership into advocacy, and inspiration into impact. Keep an eye out for future opportunities to join NCJW for our next immersive experience. We would be honored to have you learn, bear witness, and lead alongside us.