Mekonen : The Journey of an African Jew , Reunion H " Mekonen : The Journey of an African Jew " is the new short film from Jerusalem U , creators of Netflixfeatured " Beneath the Helmet " and award winning film , " Israel Inside : How a Small Nation Makes a Big Difference ." The film traces the story of Mekonen Abebe , a young Ethiopian-Israeli Jew , once a young shepherd in Africa and now a commander in the Israeli Defense Force . Mekonen was 12 when his father died less than a day before his family was to move to Israel . The film sees him explore his roots , make peace with his past and embrace his future in Israel . We recommend attending this session as a double session with Pnina Agenyahu ' s story . Facilitator ( s ): Andrea Gottlieb , Executive Director , Jerusalem U
Now Available in Female , Moreno A Have you ever wondered what it is like to change your gender , or wanted to better support someone going through this journey ? Judaism ' s emphasis on social justice and activism must inspire us to warmly embrace LGBTQ individuals . Hannah was always a snarky , bubbly , Jewish woman on the inside , but it took five years of small steps , big steps , and endless paperwork to fully express it , get her community on board , and dedicate herself to helping others on this path . Come for some short stories and stay to ask questions about being a transgender Jew and activist . Facilitator ( s ): Hannah Simpson , Transgender Activist
Passion to Profession , Reverchon B From a Bedouin living in Sharm el Sheikh to social entrepreneurship in New York City , CEO Gil Galanos explains how he converted his talent , strong Jewish identity , and passion into his dream profession . This is the session for future innovators , leaders and creatives . Facilitator ( s ): Gil Galanos , CEO , Israel and Co .
Pulling Back the Curtain , Reunion F Oak joins us following an epic run on Broadway to talk about his career and life leading up to and since the explosion in the theater industry that was Hamilton . Ask him what life was like behind the scenes , how he connected with the show and the value system it reinforced . Find out how Oak ’ s work has influenced his thinking about civil discourse and politics , and he ’ ll tell you about what he ’ s up to now , including a documentary on genocide . Facilitator ( s ): Okieriete “ Oak ” Onaodowan , Actor , Hamilton
Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Jewish Community , Bryan-Beeman B Look beyond the Ashkenazi-centric depiction of Jews in the US with short narratives from twelve Jews of color about the intersections of their Jewish and racial identities . A letter from a mother to her “ Black-and- Jewish feminist ” daughter challenges us to evaluate how we listen to the struggles of those around us . Facilitator ( s ): Rebecca Katz , Training and Education Manager , Repair the World
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Remembering the Holocaust : Bob ' s Story , Reunion A Bob Geminder has shared his stories of perseverance through the Holocaust with BBYO teens across the world . Bob was inducted as an Aleph when he arrived in the U . S . after the Holocaust and has had a love for AZA and BBYO ever since . Bob lives in Los Angeles and is very involved with Holocaust education and awareness around LA . He has been on March of the Living several times and was a special guest speaker at BBYO Kallah ’ s Shabbat to Remember in 2015 and 2016 . Facilitator ( s ): Bob Geminder , Holocaust Survivor
Remembering the Holocaust : Trudy ' s Story , Cumberland L Trudy Album shares her experiences as a veteran of several BBYO March of the Living trips and a survivor of Auschwitz and other camps . She brings special meaning to her story with wit , compassion and love for today ’ s youth . Because of her work and unstoppable efforts to teach the lessons of the Holocaust , Trudy was awarded BBYO ’ s first BBYO Stand UP Award in 2012 . Facilitator ( s ): Trudy Album , Holocaust Survivor
Seeing Red : A Look at Today ' s Republican Government and Politically Conservative Jewry , Cumberland K For the first time this generation , the Republican Party controls the White House , the U . S . Senate , the House of Representatives , 69 state legislative chambers , and 33 governorships . Hear from political operatives from the Republican Party on the success of 2016 , looking to the future and the ways Republican Jews are shaping the future of the GOP . Facilitator ( s ): Kirsten Kukowski , President , KK & Co .; Tim Miller , Partner , Definers Public Affairs ; John Weaver , Republican Political Consultant
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