Federation to host JDC global symposium
On Sunday, Nov. 1, the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston and partner-agency, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, are presenting a Global Symposium to educate the Houston Jewish community about critical needs around the world.
This unique, one-day event will take place at Congregation Beth Israel, 5600 North Braeswood Blvd., from 1-5:30 p.m. The chairs are Robin T. Stein and Martha K. Freedman.
Participants will learn about “Challenges and threats to Jews around the world,” and then get to choose two breakout sessions where they will learn more about the JDC’s work and areas of impact, including Israel, Ukraine, Russia, Latin America and Europe.
“The Federation and JDC have worked hard to put together an engaging and informative program with an exciting cadre of speakers. Second only to going to some of these countries yourself, this Global Symposium offers an exceptional opportunity to gain a strong understanding of the ongoing struggles in Jewish communities around the world,” Freedman said.
Speakers range from JDC officials, including executive vice president Alan Gill, to local leaders who have become involved with JDC. Those are JDC Entwine Houston Committee member Eric Barvin and recipients of JDC’s international work, such as Masha Shumyastkya, a Ukrainian Jewish young activist.
In June 2014, Shumyastkya fled the violence in her hometown of Donetsk, Ukraine, now in the hands of pro-Russian rebels, to live in Ukraine-controlled Kharkov. There, despite the ever-present worry for her parents, who remain in Donetsk, she has continued her personal tradition of being a vital and vibrant member of the local Jewish community.
As soon as she arrived in Kharkov, Shumyastkya contacted the Hesed welfare center and began phoning elderly Jews who were stranded in Donetsk and the war-torn city of Lugansk to assess their needs during the ongoing conflict. Since then, she has initiated a special project in Kharkov – a replication of one she started in Donetsk – through which she has raised money and recruited volunteers to take food baskets and small gifts to seniors on the eve of the Jewish holidays.
“Masha is just one example among thousands of people the JDC has helped shepherd through adversity to strength. With the JDC’s assistance Masha now is able to do for herself, and more than that, she is able to give back to others. Our Federation gifts helped make this possible. We hope interested members of our local community will join us at this unique event on Nov. 1 to learn more,” Stein said.
Register for the program online at houstonjewish.org/globalsymposium. Contact Meredith Segal for more information at 713-729-7000, ext. 306, or [email protected]/a>.
This unique, one-day event will take place at Congregation Beth Israel, 5600 North Braeswood Blvd., from 1-5:30 p.m. The chairs are Robin T. Stein and Martha K. Freedman.
Participants will learn about “Challenges and threats to Jews around the world,” and then get to choose two breakout sessions where they will learn more about the JDC’s work and areas of impact, including Israel, Ukraine, Russia, Latin America and Europe.
“The Federation and JDC have worked hard to put together an engaging and informative program with an exciting cadre of speakers. Second only to going to some of these countries yourself, this Global Symposium offers an exceptional opportunity to gain a strong understanding of the ongoing struggles in Jewish communities around the world,” Freedman said.
Speakers range from JDC officials, including executive vice president Alan Gill, to local leaders who have become involved with JDC. Those are JDC Entwine Houston Committee member Eric Barvin and recipients of JDC’s international work, such as Masha Shumyastkya, a Ukrainian Jewish young activist.
In June 2014, Shumyastkya fled the violence in her hometown of Donetsk, Ukraine, now in the hands of pro-Russian rebels, to live in Ukraine-controlled Kharkov. There, despite the ever-present worry for her parents, who remain in Donetsk, she has continued her personal tradition of being a vital and vibrant member of the local Jewish community.
As soon as she arrived in Kharkov, Shumyastkya contacted the Hesed welfare center and began phoning elderly Jews who were stranded in Donetsk and the war-torn city of Lugansk to assess their needs during the ongoing conflict. Since then, she has initiated a special project in Kharkov – a replication of one she started in Donetsk – through which she has raised money and recruited volunteers to take food baskets and small gifts to seniors on the eve of the Jewish holidays.
“Masha is just one example among thousands of people the JDC has helped shepherd through adversity to strength. With the JDC’s assistance Masha now is able to do for herself, and more than that, she is able to give back to others. Our Federation gifts helped make this possible. We hope interested members of our local community will join us at this unique event on Nov. 1 to learn more,” Stein said.
Register for the program online at houstonjewish.org/globalsymposium. Contact Meredith Segal for more information at 713-729-7000, ext. 306, or [email protected]/a>.