“Mitbachon” (מטבחון) is a national retreat that brings together Russian Jewish Young Adults from all over US for a weekend of learning, networking and unifying our community.

In translation from Hebrew, “Mitbachon” means “Kitchenette”, a place in a house where people gather for cooking, eating and of course for talking. Since no matter how big a house is, when there’s a social gathering, everyone congregates in the kitchen.

It also has an historical meaning. When Golda Meir was a prime minister of Israel, she used to gather her ministers in her tiny kitchen in Tel Aviv to eat borscht and to discuss the important issues regarding the state of Israel. History was made in Golda’s kitchen and from this charming anecdote comes the Israeli term “Mitbachon”, to indicate a group of people who make history.

Twice a year we also make history by gathering our own “Posidelki na koohnyeh” (посиделки на кухне) of young adult RuJews from San Francisco, New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Chicago in a figurative kitchen, where we both enjoy the warm atmosphere of informal social gathering and  discuss important issues, similar to Golda’s “Mitbachon”.

What you can expect on this weekend is networking, connecting, discussing our common identity, relaxing, and learning something new about Jewish heritage and contemporary Israeli culture and society.

The first Mitbachon retreat was held in a resort in the Catskills in NY on December 14-16, 2007.

The second Mitbachon retreat was held in San Rafael, California during the weekend of November 7–9, 2008.

To view Mitbachon videos click here.

To join Mitbachon group on Facebook click here.

Mitbachon project is supported by the Jewish Agency for Israel, San Francisco Jewish Community Federation, UJA Federation of New York, Israel Center of SFJCF, Council of Jewish Emigre Community Organizations (COJECO), Genesis Philanthropy Group (GPG)