A Message from
Friends of Sia’h Shalom Cofounders
Meir & Tara Feldman
During recent months, we (Meir and Tara, along with a small group of thought partners from Houston; Los Angeles; Washington, DC; Long Island and Manhattan) have been developing a survey with questions related to Jewish identity, connection to Israel, experiences of anti-Semitism and more. This spring, we will begin distributing the survey to a wide range of North American Jewish college/university-age students and recent college graduates. Through the survey, we hope to learn more about the Jewish identities, needs and questions of this demographic. We believe that connecting with and impacting this group is an essential component of our work, bridging the experiences of North American and Israeli Jews.
Our next step will be to invite a small, internally diverse group of 15–20 North American Jewish students (who have completed the survey) to participate in six monthly, hourlong Zoom learning sessions in which we will explore issues related to Zionism, Jewish identity and anti-Semitism.
Then, during winter break 2024–25, God willing in a time of greater peace, we plan to bring these students to Israel for a weeklong immersive learning experience in which participants will be exposed to the Sia’h Shalom dialogue process. Gen Zers will then return to their contexts with a deeper understanding of both Israel and their own Jewish identities. They will also have begun to acquire tools for engaging in dialogue across differences. After the trip, we will remain in touch with students to provide mentorship and support.
Do you know a Gen Zer who might be interested in taking the survey and/or participating in online learning? Click here to send us an email letting us know. We will be in touch in the coming months with information for you to share with the Gen Zer you have in mind, or we will reach out to them directly.