Budapest, Hungary, June 9, 2014 – The hum of activity has been high the past few days in Budapest’s Israel Cultural Center as the Me to We team put the final logistical pieces in place for this week’s “From Me to We – Between Tribal & Global” – a three-day gathering of more than 70 young Jewish activists and leaders from Europe, Israel and North America designed to explore the creative tension between particularism and universalism.
Together with an impressive array of thinkers and visionaries, participants will address issues such as balancing community resources between Jewish and global causes and addressing collective Jewish needs without sacrificing global concerns. The gathering will also focus on Jewish identity in the 21st century; the future of Jewish communities; and whether the Jewish people can make a unique impact on the pursuit of a more just and green world.
Selected from a pool of 120 highly qualified applicants, these leading activists will network to create new global partnerships and promote this provocative dialogue in Eastern and Central European Jewish communities. They will also tap into the collective wisdom of the event’s dynamic participants in order to help design event workshops and discussions.
“As the tension between universalism and particularism is as old as the Jewish people itself, we will explore this dilemma to add a deeper layer to the conversation and tie it back to our Jewish heritage and activism,” said Limor Friedman, who with Tamás Buchler organized “From Me to We.”
It is particularly fitting that “From Me to We” is taking place in Budapest – an alive Eastern European city where the local Jewish community, despite real challenges in the political climate, is busy creating a multitude of positive experiences to live Jewishly in 21st Century Europe.
“When people hear about the Hungarian Jewish community, they often connect it with the Holocaust and growing anti-Semitism,” added Buchler. “However, beyond these headlines, Budapest is one of the most exciting Jewish communities in Europe: a regional hub for innovation and revival. The “From Me To We” event is an amazing opportunity for our community to get involved in the global Jewish dialogue on social justice.”
“From Me to We” was created as part of Schusterman Connection Points, an initiative launched by the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation. From Me to We is being launched in partnership with the Siach Network and MiNYanim.
Dan Brown contributed to this article.
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