With the especial help of a ROI Micro Grant, I had the privilege of participating in SIACH, a gathering of 120 young Jewish activists focusing on environmental issues and social justice, the majority hailing from Israel, USA and Europe.  

 

The European gathering took place in May, 2012 in London. The reception was attended by Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks, a very prominent figure in the UK Jewish Community. The following day, 35 Jewish Europeans from leading organizations across the continent, came together to discuss pivotal issues of our identity and network between. The first seeds of future relationships were planted. It gave me the opportunity to present my project, El Diario Judio (www.eldiariojudio.com), and to invite them all to become writers on the new English version of my Jewish online newspaper that I'm planning to launch before the end of the year.

 

The second phase was a 4 day gathering, this past June, in Israel, near Tiberias. The summit included intense networking and engaging in meaningful conversations on Jewish identity and social justice, discussing the main dilemmas of our communities and how environmental issues are affecting our space and future possibilities of peace. Through intense conversations, philosophical discussions, daily trips to different places with social dilemmas (educational centers, absorption centers, municipalities) and even celebrating kabalat shabat and several nights of parties together, we really had the opportunity to get to know each other and to start something that will only get bigger with time.

 

Thank you ROI for giving me the opportunity to be part of this, and to SIACH for an unforgettable experience.