Creating Positive Jewish Experiences

Former lawyer and Web mastermind David Abitbol was born in Israel and raised in Montreal, and says he has a love-hate relationship with Jews. A product of 11 years of Jewish day school, one year at Hebrew University in Jerusalem and far more University education that (he thinks) is heathy, he still is fascinated by Judaism. In addition, David is an epitome of Zionist with his love and devotion to Israel, with a special relationship and love for Jerusalem. In this exclusive video, Abitbol talks about Jewlicious.com, the blog he created with a few friends years ago, simply to talk about and discuss Jewish issues. Over the years, Jewlicious became a phenomenon and trend in the Jewish world for young Jewish adults. The idea of Jewlicious, was personified, morphed to an adjective, noun, and even a live,... Continue Reading

Meet the Future Today: Skilled Volunteers for Israel

Baby Boomers represent the largest, most educated and financially secure generation in history. They see the stage after retirement as a time for meaningful work and service which includes volunteering. In the United States, the secular community has set up programs to tap the skills of boomer volunteers. However, nothing comparable exists today to attract, recruit or match Jewish baby boomers with the needs of Israel’s nonprofit organizations. That’s about to change. Skilled Volunteers for Israel has launched to help fill the gap. At the same time, the venture will enable the Israeli nonprofit sector to harness the talents of this abundant Jewish communal resource. Skilled Volunteers for Israel was conceived by Marla Gamoran of Madison, Wisconsin. Marla, whose motivation to begin this venture... Continue Reading

Introducing Asian Jewish Life

It’s not every day that we have the opportunity to meet individuals involved in new, innovative projects in the Pacific Rim. One such person is Erica Lyons – a New York trained attorney who, along with her family, now makes her home in Hong Kong. This past winter, Erica launched Asian Jewish Life: a Journal of Spirit, Society and Culture. The magazine, a quarterly printed publication, reflects the diversity of the Jewish experience in the region, while simultaneously building community ties. Reflecting recently on the vision behind Asian Jewish Life, Erica tells us, I realized that the attack on Mumbai played a significant role behind my drive to see this project get off the ground. The attack unified Jews in Hong Kong and Jews in other communities in a way that had rarely been seen before. In... Continue Reading

The Many Faces of ROI Community: Argentina, Israel, Belarus and Copenhagen

Israel, especially during the summer months, is a melting-pot of innovation. And one of the real pleasures of living here is having the opportunity to meet, and interact, with young adults from around the world who are involved in these new endeavors. As we have in previous summers, over the next month or so, we will bring you snapshots of just some of the many, people and projects, that are shaping our collective future. With the ROI Global Summit opening on Sunday, we introduce you today to four who are a part of this growing, vibrant and important community. Evelyn Goldfinger is Creator/Director of El Toratron Jewish Educational Theatre in Argentina, for which she received an ROI Community grant in May. She is an actress, playwright and director. Together with Hillel volunteers, she directs a theater... Continue Reading

Meet the Future Today: The Israel-Asia Center

The economic fortunes of China have been front-page news this week. From James Chanos warning that China is “Dubai times 1,000 – or worse” to Thomas Friedman writing in today’s The New York Times, “All the long-term investments that China has made over the last two decades are just blossoming and could really propel the Chinese economy into the 21st-century knowledge age, starting with its massive investment in infrastructure.” With conversations focused on bubbles, economics and Google’s latest China policy, off most people’s radar are the continuing, and growing, ties between Israel and the various countries in Asia. Due to current realities, it is of paramount importance for Israel to strengthen its relationship and understanding of the entire region, not only... Continue Reading

Sephardic Music Festival NYC 2009

Yallah Chabibi! The Festival that could is back again this year and the line up is, as always, outstanding! Taking place from December 12 to December 19th, New York’s Sephardic Music Festival includes performances by Matisyahu, Y-Love, Pharaoh’s Daughter, DeLeon, Kosha Dillz, Eprhyme, DeScribe and a whole host of more traditional Sephardic musicians. Every year, the Yemenite artist known as Diwon aka Erez aka DJ Handler, the man, no, the force of nature behind Shemspeed and more parties, events and concerts than I can possibly keep track of pulls this Festival together out of fumes, sweat, hard work and I don’t even know what… a love of quality Jewish music and happenings that transcend denominations, fostering unity and booty bumpin’ good tunes. If you are in or near the NYC area, check out... Continue Reading

G-dcast Does Chanukah

The crew at G-dcast has been hard at work. Having produced 55 episodes featuring the weekly parsha, this innovative group has now tackled Chanukah. Sit back, enjoy and watch the dreidel spin. And, if you’re an educator – as with all their videos – a free teaching guide is available. Parshat G-dcast Spins Chanukah! from G-dcast.com More Torah cartoons at www.g-dcast.com Production support provided by the ROI Community. [Translate] Bookmark:  Read More →

Innovation, By the Loaf

Last week, at the General Assembly in Washington DC, ROI, PresenTense, Jumpstart, the Center for Leadership Initiatives, Bikkurim and Jewlicious Festival, all official fans of challah, innovation, and Eli Winkelman, sponsored an event in honor of Challah for Hunger’s fifth anniversary. The event drew ROI, Kivun, and Reality Israel alumni as well as Insight Fellows; was hosted by founder Winkelman and volunteers from five Challah for Hunger chapters, and featured a gourmet and diversely flavored challah-tasting. The ROI Community asked Eli, the original “Challahback Girl,” to provide some reflections. Innovation, By the Loaf Bagel traditionalists often proclaim, “There is no such thing as a blueberry bagel!” I hope that one day, I’ll be blamed for spawning ridiculous... Continue Reading

Meet the Future Today: Illuminating Jewish Life Through Art

Traditionally, Jewish learning has focused on the written word. This despite so much of contemporary culture being conveyed non-verbally. Now, can you envision the possibilities that might exist through a Visual Beit Midrash? Jerusalemites Elyssa Moss Rabinowitz and Matt Berkowitz did. Kol HaOt was conceived as a weaving together of creativity and aesthetics, arts and inspiration to convey the meaning of Jewish texts and ideas, history and values. Nurtured this summer at the PresenTense summer institute, Kol HaOt is a central address where exploration of Jewish ideas can take place in beautifully conceived environments – whether in their central Jerusalem location, their virtual home or in schools, communities or individual homes. Here’s Matt: “Creating authentic, genuine artistic... Continue Reading

Meet the Future Today: The Open Siddur Project

Imagine an open source software project developing a socially networked siddur crafting workshop for preserving tradition, encouraging creativity and sharing in communal and personal prayer. One who gives participants a siddur to call their own. Well, you no longer need to imagine. Say hello to The Open Siddur Project – an interactive community workspace for crafting personally crafted siddurim that can be adapted to the kavavah of an individual’s practice and which are imbued with the authenticity of Judaism’s diverse communal prayer traditions. Conceptualized by New Yorker, Aharon Varady, The Open Siddur Project has the potential to make praying interesting to those who otherwise wouldn’t bother while providing us the resources needed to engage in this essential creative process. Aharon... Continue Reading

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