Online Panel from Jerusalem and Tel Aviv
We invite you to better understand the conflict through the eyes and hearts of families on the ground in Israel.
The headlines on our news and social media feeds paint pictures many of us cannot comprehend - from indescribable acts of violence to political positioning and shuttle diplomacy. Our news is rife with images of destruction and desperation, and pleas for support of all kinds.
From afar it is hard to understand what day-to-day life looks like for Israelis - who are facing a reality of living with fear and grief, anger and worry, and the demands of caring for families, neighbors, and their country. How are they fairing? How are they managing the existential and the mundane?
Join us for a talk with women from Jerusalem and Tel Aviv who, like many of their friends and colleagues, have found that their only way to get through each day is by helping others get through the day.
Our panelists are volunteers with the newly minted Shiloni Project, founded by Hilah Shiloni, a Jerusalem photographer and activist. This small group of moms cares for displaced families and soldiers in southern Israel. The volunteers receive specific requests from soldiers and civilians in need and rely on their wide network of contacts to quickly source the items, new or like-new, gift-wrap them with a caring note, and hand-deliver them. They build personal connections with those they aid, and each delivery is designed not just to fill a need, but also to humanize the recipient, sending a message of care and dignity.
Every story that emerges from this project fuels hope and connection, reminding us again and again who Israelis are as a People, and how the Diaspora community can maintain connection and support their needs.
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Click on our Program Recording Archive to enjoy the recording at your leisure.
OUR PANELISTS WILL INCLUDE
Dorit Graiver, a certified tour guide endorsed by the Ministry of Tourism, holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science and Communication from Bar Ilan University. Additionally, she is a graduate of Holocaust Studies from Yad Vashem where she serves as an accredited guide. Beyond her expertise, Dorit is also the manager and proprietor of the tourism company "Yerushalmit."
She is a dedicated Jerusalem activist, deeply involved in community initiatives and social justice. As a mother of four, she proudly calls Jerusalem her home.
In the wake of the war, Dorit lends her helping hand at Jerusalem's hotels, providing crucial support to 350 displaced individuals from Southern Israel. Her heart truly finds its home in the threads of connections she weaves between the displaced people and the welcoming Jerusalem community. Whether it's a skilled Jerusalem makeup artist assisting a mother for her son's Bar Mitzvah, a caring young man accompanying a worried family through the streets, or a brave disabled woman driving another who has just lost her father in the war to the Kotel, Dorit's compassionate touch leaves an indelible mark.
Chen Moyal is a licensed lawyer registered with the Israel Bar Association, holding an LLM and LLB in Law from Bar Ilan University. She has co-founded a prominent Gen-Z fashion brand in Tel Aviv since 2020. For the previous 11 years, she served as a corporate lawyer and then a partner at Israel's largest law firm.
Chen discovered the Shiloni Project in the chaotic first days of the war and felt compelled to contribute. She reached out to families fleeing the south of Israel who were placed in a hotel in Tel Aviv, expanding the Shiloni’s Project circle of impact. She and her volunteers offer direct support to individuals during their most desperate times.
Vered Resnick is a Ph.D. candidate at Hebrew University's School of Education and a fellow in the Mandel Program for Academic Leadership in Teacher Education. Vered is the head of the Interdisciplinary Teaching Program at The Hebrew University. She holds a BA in international relations from the Hebrew University, a Master's in Organizational Development from Marymount University in Virginia, and a Teaching Certificate from National Louis University in Illinois.
Reflecting on the initial days of the war, Vered shares, "The first couple of days, I was paralyzed. I was glued to the news, barely leaving my room. On day three, I stumbled upon Shiloni’s Facebook post, where she sought someone in the neighborhood to assist with printing documents for troops in the south. I figured I could at least push the Print button. I brought her the documents and, truthfully, never left." For Vered, being involved in the Shiloni’s Project transcends the practical. It's about the chance to weave a different narrative for her children amidst the horror. A narrative of generosity, kindness, solidarity, resilience, and the indomitable human spirit.
Melinda Resnick is an educator with an MA from Brandeis University in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies. She teaches Jewish history, Hebrew, and Judaic studies to students from Bar Mitzvah age to adulthood. She has spent several years in Israel over the past 25 years. This year, she lives with her family in Jerusalem and teaches English to elementary school children.
Melinda and her husband, Ben, recognized a chance to make a meaningful impact within the Shiloni Project and its dedicated network of volunteers. Melinda initiated establishing a social media platform, mobilizing grassroots support. She devoted substantial time and energy to personally connecting with family and friends and spreading the word about this important cause.
Hila Shiloni is a photographer and social entrepreneur. She specializes in social justice through personal connections, community involvement, and developing networks of mutual support. Hila grew up in Kiryat Arba in a diverse, observant-secular family. After her studies, she dedicated two and a half years to national service on Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu, where she was involved in education and agriculture.
Hila pursued photography studies at Musrara School in Jerusalem and transitioned into event photography. She serves as the official photographer for Women of the Wall and for institutions such as the Hebrew University, the Hartman Institute, and the Jerusalem Municipality.
With the outbreak of the war, Hila discovered that many people were donating equipment, clothes, and food, but not necessarily what people truly needed. She established The Shiloni Project to offer personalized and individualized responses according to specific needs. Hila leads the volunteer group with the core principle of tending to people’s physical and emotional well-being. By establishing personal connections with those she aids, she ensures they receive precisely what they need without any excess.