LIFE: an innovative Tikun Olam program for Jewish and Israeli young adults is just about to launch their initial cohort. We last wrote about them in August; here with a program update is Rachel Neiman. Helping the developing world is perhaps the biggest challenge of the new century and, at this point in history, one of the most disheartening. Despite decades of effort on the part of governments, organizations and individuals, in the long run many aid programs have perhaps done more harm than good. To paraphrase the old adage: most aid efforts have focused on giving people a fish, rather than teaching them to fish. And while the Israeli government, through aid arm MASHAV, has long been helping the developing world learn to fish, Israeli and Jewish non-government organizations (NGOs) have mainly … Continue Reading