By Amichay Findling and Diana Ingberg, Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor
This August, the Ann Arbor area Jewish community will welcome its third cohort of ShinShinim, Israeli gap-year volunteers dedicated to the local community: Mia and Hadar.
The name ShinShinim is an acronym for the Hebrew phrase “Shnat Sherut,” or year of service. This new set of elite Israeli volunteers will follow in the footsteps of former ShinShinim Danielle and Lahav (2024-2025) and Carmel and Ori (2025-2026), all of whom are back in Israel for their military service.
ShinShinim are carefully chosen from thousands of applicants after a lengthy and thorough selection process which evaluates candidates’ personality traits, creativity, interpersonal skills, knowledge of Israeli culture, fluency in English, and much more. After a rigorous selection process, these young Israeli emissaries engage in a 9-month training program before being sent to Jewish communities around the world to share their youthful and enthusiastic Israeli spirits and serve as outstanding representatives of Israel.
Mia, from Hod HaSharon in Central Israel, is a dedicated Israel Scouts troop leader, in charge of 7 other counselors. She is also a former gymnast and an avid artist. In high school, she focused her studies on Art and Computer Science, combining two very different and challenging subjects. The Ann Arbor-based selection committee for this year’s ShinShinim was attracted to Mia’s deep genuineness, involvement and passion for Israeli culture coupled with her meaningful leadership experience.
Hadar, from Kefar Baruch (a moshav/village in the Jezreel Valley), is a cycling instructor for youth and teens. He previously participated in a teen leadership program through the Michigan-Central Galilee Partnership2Gether program. He has spent two summers at Michigan’s Camp Tamarack, both as a camper and as a counselor. His high school studies focused on Computer Science, a prestigious and demanding area. The selection committee was particularly drawn to Hadar’s diverse experience working with kids, his knowledge of American (and specifically Michigan) culture, and good nature as a team player.
ShinShinim bring their energy, love of Israel and unique perspectives to worldwide synagogues, religious schools, preschools and Jewish Community Centers. In addition to Jewish organizations, they often serve as informal educators in public schools and other venues in the community. ShinShinim provide an authentic Israeli perspective, sharing on a range of topics including Israeli culture, Jewish identity, Jewish celebrations, and life in Israel in general, through creative programs and challenging discussions.
One of the main objectives of the ShinShinim is to promote lasting engagement between their host community and Israel by forging personal relationships with community members that ultimately build strong, meaningful ties for the future.
“This gift is not temporary, it changed the shape of our family, it changed the shape of me,” said Ann Arbor community member Cindy Kellman, who hosted one of the first ShinShinim, Lahav, in her home. “He was supposed to stay for 6 months, but we couldn’t be happier when it worked out that he could stay for the entire year. 6 months just wasn’t enough; we were just settling into the groove. We became a family.”
Kellman isn’t the only community member who found personal value in the ShinShinim program through hosting in their home. Robin and Joe Pollak, who hosted Ori in fall of 2025, said that “hosting him was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made… Through shared meals, family game nights, celebrations, holidays, chores, and daily life, we got to know each other and learn from each other in ways we hoped and ways we couldn’t have anticipated.”
Sarah Raful Whinston and Rabbi Josh Whinston echoed these sentiments when reflecting on their own time hosting Danielle in 2024-2025. “Hosting Danielle was a life-changing experience for our whole entire family. We not only felt honored that we got to open up our home, but we felt as though we could do something for the state of Israel. We could bring the love of IIsrael into our home and share it with the Ann Arbor Jewish community.”
In Ann Arbor, Mia and Hadar will work with youth and teenagers in multiple local Jewish institutions, including Hebrew Day School, the JCC, and the religious school at Temple Beth Emeth. In addition, they will participate in and initiate a variety of community activities in the Ann Arbor area’s public sphere.
Mia and Hadar’s time in Ann Arbor is made possible by the Jewish Agency for Israel, the generosity of the Zeff Family Foundation, and, most of all, the generosity and enthusiasm of many community volunteers.
Anyone who is interested in learning more about hosting Mia or Hadar, or getting involved in other ways, is invited to contact Diana Ingberg at the Jewish Federation at diana@jewishannarbor.org.
And most important, if you see Mia and Hadar around, make them feel at home; don’t be shy—say “Hi!”