The Impact of Cultivating Hope on the Jewish Community
By J Leaders Team
In the wake of October 7th, the weight of tragedy have echoed across the Jewish community. Waves of emotion swept through young Jewish adults as they cope with newfound anxieties and seek solace in an uncertain world.
Jewish young adults across the political, religious, and ideological spectrum are grappling between tough tradeoffs of what to stand for. In response, a group of J Leaders Academy alumni stepped up to create a safe space for Jewish young adults to get together in dialogue, and find ways to take action in a way consistent with their personal values. It is out of this desire that the event “Cultivating Hope in a Post-October 7 World” was born.
How it All Came Together
At the beginning, we only had an idea. The event became feasible through Jewish Silicon Valley’s Israel Emergency Fund, awarding J Leaders with a generous grant. J Leaders is deeply grateful to Jewish Silicon Valley for their support.
Next, we created an innovative program that combined our goals of providing insights from recognized experts on antisemitism along with opportunities for small group conversations.
Amy Albertson and Hilary Hawn — Jewish Young Adult Influencers with Active Social Media Presences
Jewish educators and influencers Amy Albertson (@theamyalbertson) and Hilary Hawn (@hilalove) shared their own unique stories. Amy Albertson has lived in Israel for six years, during which she explored her Chinese and Jewish identity through her Instagram account “The Asian Israeli.” Hilary Hawn has educated young people about the history of the Jewish people and antisemitism since she witnessed antisemitism both online and while a student at UC Berkeley.
Santa Clara District Attorney Jeff Rosen — Representation from Local Public Official
District Attorney Jeff Rosen has dedicated his career to combating many types of hate crimes, including antisemitism. He brought his legal perspective to the powerhouse panel and encouraged attendees to stand up loudly and proudly as Jews whenever and wherever antisemitism occurs. In the face of hate, DA Rosen stressed the importance of making ourselves bigger, not smaller.
Gillian Walnes Perry MBE — Lessons From Anne Frank in a Post October 7th World
Gillian Walnes Perry MBE is co-founder and vice president of the Anne Frank Trust UK, and Advisor to the Anne Frank Center USA. She’s seen first-hand how the global power of Anne Frank’s words and experiences can combat antisemitism. Gillian poignantly shared how Anne Frank’s story can inspire us to take action, even when the circumstances seem dire.
Discussion Tables — Learning From Peers
It was important to the event organizing committee that the event provided a safe space for Jewish young adults to reflect on the panelists’ comments and share their thoughts with other attendees. With this goal in mind, attendees were given time to chat with peers at their tables and provide additional questions for the panel.
Behind the Scenes of the Organizing Committee
The event was chaired by Sarah Feldman. Committee members included Andrea Levy, Denise Sandel, Leya Aronoff, Maya Rotman, Garrett Landfeld, and Zev Fogelman. The committee took advantage of the relationships and skills learned from their participation in the J Leaders Academy. Planning the event proved to be both gratifying and at times difficult. Gratifying to take action in a meaningful way. Difficult due to dealing with the trying circumstances.
Concluding Thoughts
We’re proud that the Cultivating Hope event:
- Reached over 100 attendees from all across the San Francisco Bay Area
- Was staffed by more than 15 J Leaders alumni volunteers
- Featured insightful presentations from inspiring presenters
- Fostered collaboration between J Leaders, Jewish Silicon Valley, over 15 amazing Jewish community organization supporting partners — including Jewish Silicon Valley, Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund, Jewbilee, Malka Productions, Moishe House, SFBadJews, The Orchard, American Jewish Committee, Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Silicon Valley, Hillel of Silicon Valley, SF Hillel, Russian-speaking Jewish Community of SF Bay Area, Congregation Anshey Sfard, and Peninsula Jewish Community Center (PJCC)
Cultivating Hope was an event for Jewish young adults and organized by Jewish young adults. It created a space for Jewish young adults to learn, reflect, and support one another during this challenging time to be Jewish. The future of our Jewish community depends on engaging the next generation of ethical, strong Jewish leaders.
Do you want to be more involved or supportive of J Leaders? There are many ways for you to volunteer and get involved. Through your generosity, we can ensure that J Leaders can continue to organize and offer impactful programs for Jewish young adults. Join us in shaping a bright future by supporting J Leaders today.