Building Future Leadership Conference

Four of our participants recently attended Masa's Building Future Leadership conference in Jerusalem. Here's what Katie, one of our 10 month Coexistence track volunteers, had to say about the experience:

I recently spent a week with five hundred young Jews who are committed
to improving the global Jewish community. From Tikkun Olam, I was
joined by Nate Kemphues, Lisa Tankanow and Jodie Suckle at the
Building Future Leadership conference in Jerusalem. We participated
in workshops ranging from public speaking, tikkun olam, Israel
advocacy, team building skills, social entrepreneurship, to Jewish
leadership during the Holocaust. While the workshops were well put
together and interesting, I found that the people around me were the
most fascinating and motivating aspects of the conference. In the
small group that we participated in for the entire week, we heard from
young Jews who wanted to revitalize the Conservative movement,
radically change the way North American Jewish education works, bring
young Jewish communal professionals to Israel, and build stronger ties
between Jews and non-Jews across the globe.

Although the conference participants were a highlight, an evening
event called "Open Space" provided an amazing example of how to start
paradigm changing conversations. All 500 of the conference attendees
were crammed into a large room with large pieces of paper filling the
center of the space. A large box of markers was dumped onto the pile
of paper and we were told to write down any topic about any issue.
Topics were all over the place, from "Who is a Jew?" to "Do Jewish
Federations still matter?" to "Post Modernism and Zionism." We were
then told to pick a group, engage in the conversation and to move on
to a different topic if we weren't contributing to the conversation.
It was a truly impressive evening that we developed for ourselves and
that led to a variety of exchanges dealing with Judaism in the
Diaspora over the remainder of the week.

Discussing the challenges facing the Diaspora over meals and during
free time allowed me to finally commit to what I want to be doing for
the next five years of my life: professional Jewish communal work with
young adults and college students. I spent the last evening of the
conference discussing my resume and working on interviewing skills
with a conference attendee who used to be an HR manager at a Fortune
500 company. Friday morning I sent off an application to a position
that I never would have applied for if I hadn't received encouragement
and advice at the Building Future Leaders conference. While I'm a
long shot for the job, the conference was the motivation I needed to
commit to a serious job search so that I can help build the Jewish
community I want to raise my children in.

Katie Vogel is a native of Detroit, Michigan and attended graduate
school for urban planning at the University of Cincinnati. She plans
on returning to Chicago, Illinois after riding her bicycle from Moscow
to Berlin with her husband, Nate Kemphues. A participant in the 10
month Coexistence Track, Katie splits her time between grant writing
and research, pretending to be a dinosaur while chasing
kindergartners, tutoring English to high school students and
researching and developing bicycle legislation and policy for Israel.

Living Coexistence in Jaffa

Amy a 10 month Coexistence track participant and Brandeis graduate originally from Massachusetts, had the following to say about her exposure to Coexistence in Jaffa. Visit www.tikkunolamisrael.org/alumni for more participant testimonials.

Since arriving in Israel six months ago, and spending time both working and living in the mixed city of Jaffa, my views on the Israel- Palestinian conflict and Israeli policy have changed. Daily, my viewpoints sway both leftwards and rightwards - often at the same time, but regardless of politics, my understanding of Israel as home to so many different people deepens with every person I encounter. It is impossible to look at the conflict here, let alone any conflict, as a struggle between political players, but rather I've come to see it as something incredibly human in that it shapes individuals' daily lives. I see the conflict play out on this level: in the issues that influence the lives of the Yaffanese (my neighbors).

Just this past week, housing issues came to a head with multiple protests and demonstrations up and down the main streets of Jaffa. On Wednesday, a group of about 20 right-wing Jewish protesters marched from the Jaffa port until they reached the end of our street, demanding in the name of zionism that Jaffa is meant to be a Jewish city, and only a Jewish city. Although this is contradictory to the ultimate truth that Jaffa is home to 17,000 Arabs, it was nevertheless difficult to witness, respond to, and all the more so to turn into teaching moments for the hundreds of students we collectively work with.

But amidst the hatred this week, were also moments of coexistence and community - one of which I was proud to be a part of. In addition to the counter protests that followed the right-wing demonstration, I attended a pre-demonstration the Tuesday evening prior, calling for an end to the government's removal of low-income housing tenants from both south Tel Aviv and Jaffa. This protest also took place a few blocks from our apartments, but was instead filled with camaraderie and hope for future, as both Arab and Jewish residents shouted impassioned stories of shared struggle and the desire to keep all families, both Jewish and Arab, in their homes. As one man yelled, "Jaffa has always been both Jewish and Arab and will forever be both Jewish and Arab!" Women, children, old people and young people, councilmen and teachers rose to speak as the megaphone was passed around. As I looked at the crowd I had trouble deciphering who was Arab and who was Jewish, which even in Jaffa is a rare occurrence. Although the mixed population co-habitates in a very small area, it is unique to find an issue that binds the Jewish and Arab plights so closely.

Conflict is around and among us in Israel and Jaffa, however, the human moments of hope and true coexistence help us to get through the more challenging of days. Continuing to see the stories of people, both Arab and Jewish, as human stories, not those of conflict, makes our work and life here all the more meaningful.

Dialogue in the Dark

Last week our volunteers participated in "Dialogue in the Dark," a guided tour by visually impaired staff members through a series of pitch black rooms in order to build awareness and overcome social barriers towards non-visual perception (http://www.dialogue-in-the-dark.com).

Alex Shonkoff, a 5-month participant in our Social Action volunteer track, had the following to say about the experience:

"Dialogue in the Dark is a Blind Museum, where you feel your way through the dark, led by a blind or visually impaired person. One of my volunteering places will be at the Blind Center, so this experience was one I was really looking forward to. It was incredible.

Our leader, Sadiot, was cheeky and mischievous, and led us through a maze in complete darkness. Every room was a different setting, and all you can do is use your other senses to get around. Following his voice into the maze, we “traveled” to different aspects of daily life, such as smelling the fruits at the shuk, walking along a city street with cars honking, sitting in a buoyed motor boat, feeling the wind on our faces and the current taking us. There was a music room, and at the end a café with a bartender, who you could hear leave the bar to play the piano and sing (with an incredible voice). It was truly enlightening. I am really excited to work with blind people. I have never worked with anyone who’s had to strictly use other senses or abilities to get around."

Five Month Semester Comes to a Close!

5 month participants receive certificates of completion

It's hard to believe 5 months came and went so quickly! We recently said goodbye to a great group of volunteers, and had a blast doing so. The day started with a closing seminar at Beit Daniel. We had parting words from Bina and Beit Daniel, personal talks with the staff, certificate presentations, and of course a goodbye toast.

But the events didn't end there! The end of the semester party planners did a terrific job of organizing the evening's festivities.  The night included amazing food, memorable slideshows, karaoke, and even a talent show! Our participants demonstrated that in addition to volunteering they can act, sing, rap, play instruments, do impersonations, and write beautiful poetry.

The party planning committee did an amazing job!

A unique rendition of The Leaving on a Jet Plane

Thank you all for making the past five months such a success!

A Tough Time For African Asylum Seekers

Anna is a 5 month Community Service participant and University of Pittsburgh graduate originally from Maryland. Anna wrote an opinion piece on the state of African refugees in Israel for a recent Tikkun Olam newsletter.

I recognize that the drastic influx of asylum seekers poses a great challenge for the Israeli government.  However, I have been highly disappointed by the way in which the Israeli government has treated those escaping violent, targeted persecution over the past decade.  The government has used detention as the default course of action.  And, in the past few months, I have become exponentially more frustrated by proposals to limit asylum seekers right to work and to build a prison facility to house those currently living civilian lives in Israel.

African asylum seekers have been entering Israel in record numbers in the past few years.  In 2009, about 300 people entered Israel from Egypt each month.  In recent months, political and community leaders have articulated increasing hostility towards asylum seekers living in Israel.  Across the country, asylum seekers have been illegally denied work and housing.

In December, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proposed that a detention center be built to house about 10,000 individuals entering Israel from the Egyptian border.  The Prison Service would run the detention center, but Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch has stated that the Prison Service lacks the knowledge and experience necessary to address this civilian population.  This plan would also severely limit the movement of asylum seekers, in a manner that is both unjust and in violation of international Treaties to which Israel is party. It would prevent these asylum seekers from having any contact with Israeli society and force them to live as if they were incarcerated criminals.  Meanwhile, the Israeli government started to construct a barrier that will seal off parts of Egypt.  This barrier will make asylum seekers more susceptible to attack on the Egyptian side and cost many their lives.

As a democratic state and a state founded as a safe haven for those escaping persecution, Israel is obligated to treat its asylum-seeker population much more justly than afforded by the newly proposed policies.  Furthermore, Israel is a signatory to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, but the government has not yet adopted substantive asylum legislation and the asylum process is marked by unclear policies and procedures. Asylum seekers have limited to no access to basic services such as health care, housing, education, vocational training and employment.  When one looks at the conditions of Eritrean and Sudanese nationals living in Israel, it is easy to forget that asylum seekers once governed this country. 

Shabbat Tikkun Olam (and Hillel) Style

This Friday, Tikkun Olam had the pleasure of joining Hillel Tel Aviv and T’filat Halev Congregation for Kabbalat Shabbat and a delicious potluck. A number of us headed across town on a rainy evening to join the progressive congregation for their bi-weekly services and were happy to find a diverse group with plenty of young folk and multi-generational families. The rabbi leading the service also lead the four piece band, including clarinet and accordion, through rousing versions of many Shabbat favorites. The children in attendance excitedly took over from him for the last song, Shalom Aleichem. More Tikkun Olamers showed up for the potluck dinner afterword, and acquitted themselves well, bringing homemade cornbread, curry, apple kugel, and pesto gnocchi. Madrich Benji showed off the wonderful way he interacts with kids, and proved that he might wind up with one after the parents, after seeing in what good hands their child is in, accidentally leave the scene with an empty back seat.

Contributed by Nathan Kemphues

Zionism Through Art: Omanoot’s Website Launch!

One of the volunteer places hosting some of our Coexistence track participants is Omanoot. Hebrew for art, Omanoot is a young organization aiming to showcase Israeli art to the world. Omanoot’s goal is to be “Israel’s Hulu, Amazon, iTunes and virtual MoMa, all in one.” The organization’s website just launched a few days ago and is a treasure trove of cultural resources. The website hosts fifty films from Israeli artists, provides lesson plans and is also attached to a blog with current listings of artistic events around Israel. Currently, Omanoot’s content is largely written by English speaking volunteers, including our own Anna Drillech, Allyson Page and Hannah Yohalem. Anna, a native of Paris, France, is also working to make Omanoot accessible to Francophones as well.

Omanoot’s focus on cultural inclusion and critical examination of society through alternative lenses reflects Tikkun Olam’s commitment to involvement in all facets of Israeli society. Check out Omanoot’s website today: watch a movie, find a film screening in Tel Aviv or find out about an Israeli author you never knew existed. Tikkun Olam is about repairing the world: Omanoot is about broadening your perspective of it. What could be a more complementary partnership?

Read more about Omanoot’s launch and the organization’s goals in a recent Haaretz article: http://blog.omanoot.com/art-for-israels-sake#more-307

Just in case you haven't clicked on the hyperlink yet, Omanoot can be found on the web at: www.omanoot.com