By ROI Grant recipient, Nico Riethmüller. Nico is the director and editor of the Spanish Jewish online magazine, El Diario Judio.

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

Prior to the recent gathering in Israel, we had a European conference in May (2012), in London. We had a special reception with Lord Sacks, Chief of Rabbi of the Commonwealth and then, the next day, 35 Jewish European people from both east and west gathered to discuss the major issues relating to our identity and about how to start a network between representatives from main institutions in Europe. 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.

And then a month later, in June, SIACH had a three-track gathering in Israel, near Tiberias. We had almost 4 days of intense networking and engaging in meaningful conversations on Jewish identity and social justice, 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 places that deal on a daily basis with social dilemmas (educational and absorption centers, municipalities) and even through celebrating kabalat shabat and having social activities together, we really had the opportunity to get to know each other and to start something that will only get 'bigger and better' with time.

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