By Ben Tinsley
bent@tjpnews.com

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DALLAS — A local member of the National Young Leadership Cabinet, the premiere leadership and philanthropic program of the Jewish Federations of North America, recently was tapped to help plan and lead the organization’s national leadership mission to Israel later this summer.
Friends and colleagues say this is a huge honor for Matt Davis, 30, who was selected over numerous other cabinet members and designated “portfolio chair” to help guide the July 4-10 National Young Leadership Summer Mission to Israel. He, Lauren Abes of Atlanta, Georgia, and Mike Teplitsky of Chicago, Illinois are the three designated 2016 NYL Summer Mission co-chairs. The journey involves two days in Tel Aviv, two in the north and three in Jerusalem.
The National Young Leadership Summer Mission to Israel includes a very diverse group of people ages 22 through 45.
These are hundreds of young professionals both single and married. They hail from many backgrounds all across North America and are involved in myriad professions and volunteer activities.
Jarrod Beck, Davis’ friend and fellow cabinet member, said the trip should be amazing.
“Basically, this trip is open to everybody,” he said. “It is an opportunity for professionals to show that our local dollars are spent in Israel to help out over there. Going with the Federation will be an incredible experience.”
Davis said he was recruited for the position because he has been a member of numerous Jewish organizations in Dallas, been to Israel numerous times, and participated in an earlier version of this trip in 2014 along with 161 other young professionals across the U.S.
“I took on this position to help make the trip even better than in the past and to be sure people knew about this incredible opportunity they can only experience through the Federation,” he said.
In addition to Davis and Beck, Dallas members of the National Young Leadership Cabinet include Sean Dalfen, Steven Davidoff, Brett Diamond, David Goldfarb, Luis Gomar, Ophir Laizerovich, Ryan Milstein, Jacob Ratner, Paul Rubin, Whitney Skibell, Shane Stein, Kyle Stein, Benjamin Weinstein, Laura Weinstein, Seth Weisblatt and Dan Zale.
Dallas ranks as third in the nation with 18 members sitting on the National Young Leadership Cabinet. There are 250 men and women between 30 to 45 from across the United States and Canada who are members. They remain deeply committed to shaping a bright future for the Jewish community, Davis said.
Those who go on the trip will get to meet Israel’s leaders and experience their Federation’s impact on the lives of Israelis through exclusive tours, hands-on service projects and interactive site visits to Federation-funded programs, according to the trip literature.
In a correspondence to members, Co-Chairs Abes, Teplitsky and Davis discuss how those who go on the trip will have the opportunity to:

• Explore Tel Aviv;
• Hear speakers like the deputy mayor of Tel Aviv and leaders from industries spanning a range from economics to fashion;
• Tour Jerusalem and celebrate Shabbat in the Old City;
• Tour the Galilee region and learn about projects aiming to advance cooperative ventures between Jewish and Arab leaders; and
• Experience the impact of the Federation on Israel.

The cost of the mission is $2,599.
Those wishing to inquire about the trip can email Lisa Robbins at lisa.robbins@jewishfederations.org.