Dana Kemack Goot is no stranger to academia, so when she heard of an opportunity to attend a Partnership2Gether Summit in Budapest, saying yes was easy.

“My father’s mother was born in what was Hungary at the time, so that was a Jewish family connection to the
area,” she said. “It was wonderful to learn about Jewish history and Jewish culture in Budpest.”

Partnership2Gether (P2G) is an integral part of the Jewish Agency. As a network for the promotion, empowerment and development of deep connections, P2G strengthens Jewish communities in Israel and worldwide by creating revitalized, ongoing and meaningful engagement based on mutual endeavor and a shared Jewish identity.

P2G hosted its Summit in Budapest in September 2022, bringing together around 90 people from 16 different
communities in the U.S., Western Galilee in Israel, and Budapest for a wonderful week of learning. Participants enjoyed learning about Budapest’s past, its current happenings, and future plans. They made new friends from across the globe and discovered new partnership opportunities to bring back to their respective communities.

Goot has been involved with P2G for more than a decade, participating in the 2011 Artist in Residence program. She is a doctoral student in Music Technology and a Donald Tavel Arts and Technology Research Center Fellow at IUPUI. She is the bandleader and vocalist for the Klezmets, a local band that plays klezmer, Balkan, Middle Eastern, other world music.

“I had a wonderful experience with the Partnership program,” she said. “I read about the Summit and wanted to
take advantage of the opportunity of a Budapest experience; knowing it was a Partnership event really enticed me.”

Goot says she enjoyed sessions that discussed historical elements of the local university, the beautiful tours of the synagogues, and the educational aspect from a historical and cultural perspective. She also got to experience the Kosher restaurants and liked the traditional Middle Eastern/ Mediterranean food that was widely available.

The best part of her trip? Connectingwith all of the participants.

The Summit also sparked a different kind of connection for Goot. Before the trip, P2G connected her with Dr. Orit Amy Eylon, a professor of music and voice area coordinator for the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio.
They officially met during the Budapest trip and are planning a collaborative program soon.

Learn more about P2G and find out more about upcoming programs at https://www.jewishagency.org/partnership2gether/.