Dear Kehillah Community,

Like many of yours, my family is an interesting bunch. My dad is British and my mom is Israeli; both met in Beer Sheva, where I was born and raised before moving to the US.

My grandparents were all Eastern European Jews who fled the twin menaces of Fascism and Nazism. Fleeing persecution, my grandfather on my mom’s side walked from Russia to what was then Mandatory Palestine. Similarly, my Bubbie fled Poland and found herself in the UK, narrowly averting what ended up being a catastrophe for European Jews. Her sisters all perished in the camps. Later, there was my uncle Shmulik's injury in the Yom Kippur war, which complicated and intensified some of the trauma coursing through our family.

Partly because of this, I was always fascinated by conversations about Israel and the Middle East. Every interaction seemed freighted with intensity, even among family and friends that loved each other dearly. The discussions ran the gamut – borders, green-lines, occupation, assimilation, religion, terrorism, human rights, self-determination, and the prospects for peace – along with endless references to the artists, activists, and scholars that formed part of our shared cultural landscape.

Me and my brother Itai in the Negev Desert near our house in Omer, Israel

Despite the disagreements, there was always a willingness to engage in dialogue, to give expression to diverse and sometimes intersecting worldviews without undermining shared commitments to peace, democracy, and social justice – values that lie at the heart of the Jewish tradition.

These formative experiences shaped my own identity in powerful ways, and serve as just some of the reasons I’m so proud to work at Kehillah. Our community is committed to creating space for students to ask difficult questions, share their perspectives, and learn from others – something missing in our era of social media echo chambers and partisan acrimony. How does this happen?

Let me share just a few examples.

This week we launched our "Critical Topics" series, which offers students an optional menu of workshops where they can deepen their understanding about the war in Israel/Gaza through a variety of formats – historical analysis, media literacy, conflict-resolution, creative expression, guest speakers, and more. You can learn more about the workshops here.