Day 14 - Meet The ROIers - The Techies!

The internet is a hotbed of innovation and invention and nowhere is this more true than within the ROI Community. While many ROI members are involved in extremely cutting-edge online initiatives (some amazing projects!), we have selected a small number to showcase here:

Jerusalem native Tzvika Avnery is the Co-Founder and Marketing Director of WiseStamp, a globally successful internet start up with over 2 million installs worldwide.

Nir Kouris is the Founder and CEO of YOO Interactive. He dedicates a great deal of his time towards unique initiatives aimed at inspiring young people to fulfill their potential.

By the age of 21, Micah Bergdale had already worked for Apple for 3 years and had founded his own IT consulting company. He is now heavily involved in a range of entrepreneurial activities and Jewish community building initiatives.

Social media maven Chaviva Galatz worked as a copy editor for The Washington Post and then moved to Chicago to work for a Nobel-prize winning economist at the University of Chicago where she honed her social media skills through her blog, Twitter, Facebook and other web platforms.

Shai Davis is the Director of Product at AbesMarket.com, an online marketplace that connects people seeking high quality natural products with those who create them. In his spare time he enjoys many hobbies, including painting, photography and cooking.

Leah Jones is the Vice President of Emerging Media at Olson. She is working on accounts throughout the company including Miller Coors, Wrigley, Optima batteries and P.F. Chang's. Leah previously owned Natiiv Arts & Media where she taught social media to rabbis and rock-stars before briefly joining a start-up.

Jonathan Schilit is the founder and CEO of Waveborn, a social enterprise aimed at combining the cool of fashion with the soul of giving. Waveborn sells high quality sunglasses and, for every pair sold, donates a pair of eyeglasses to people that need them.

Elliot Cowan is the Founder and Creative Director of Br&.ish (Brandish), a multi-disciplinary design company that specializes in working with Jewish organizations around the world on anything and everything from branding to apps and websites.

Based in Budapest, Andrea Ausztrics produces films and creates websites. As part of her community involvement, Andrea coordinates online projects and develops websites for Jewish organizations in Hungary.

Adam Courtney is a marketing and branding consultant, specializing in audience and community development. He is also an artist and educator who teaches Jewish ideas and culture through the lens of art around the US and in Israel.

Brian Elliot is the VP of Partnerships at Amicus, which builds online advocacy and fundraising technology for nonprofits. Brian also founded Friendfactor in 2009, a web-savvy LGBT rights organization. 

Harry Rubinstein serves as the Co-Founder and CEO of Action Packed Media, a creative workshop specializing in content development, design, social media, search engine optimization and other Internet initiatives. Harry has a sixth sense that enables him to communicate with his canine friends!

Samuel Sjoblom is a Jewish innovator and social entrepreneur based in Stockholm, Sweden. He is currently the CEO of Fanzingo, a major independent media house that uses new media as a tool for social change.

Brett Lockspeiser started his career at Google where, as a Product Manager, he developed data driven consumer web applications. He has since worked for a number of startups and has recently started to branch out into the 'nonprofit start up' arena. 

Aryeh Goldsmith has more than 15 years of experience creating successful online projects and services. Amongst his various ongoing projects is Jewster.com, a Jewish dating site and general resource for young active professional Jews. 

Aharon Horwitz is the co-founder and director of the PresenTense Group, a leading platform for social entrepreneurship. As an activist, Aharon volunteers for the Jerusalem-based social justice organizations B'Maaglei Tzedek and Atzum's Task Force on Human Trafficking.

David Notik is the founder of Woven, a full-service web development and strategy shop dedicated to helping community-based organizations leverage online tools to more effectively engage with their constituents. David is most passionate about finding ways to solve the world's big problems through what he calls "actionable" social networking.

Day 13 - Meet The ROIers - Music Makers

Music has been used as a vehicle for social change for generations and a sizable number of ROI Community members are continuing this legacy, some of whom are included below:

Simja Dujov is a composer, singer and player of Klezmer, Gypsy and world music, mixed with new styles and infused with Latin flavours.

Ami Yares is the founder and Director of FocUS Music, a music project about American social issues that is being taught in schools across Israel.

Michelle Citrin is a singer/songwriter, well known for her YouTube hits "20 Things to do with Matzah" and "Rosh Hashanah Girl".

Naomi Less is a songwriter, Jewish worship musician, song-leader and rock-band leader. She is the Founder of 'Jewish Chicks Rock'.

Sheldon Low is the Continuity/Artist Relations Director at Jewish Rock Radio. He is also the artist in residence at Barnert Temple in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.

Shai Haddad is known globally as the socially-driven hip hop artist, song writer and record producer, SHI 360. Shai uses his music to educate on a range of social issues and to encourage positive change.

Nili (Onili) Ohayon is an Israeli singer, song writer, performer and video artist and heads her own brand, Onili. She and her business partner Barak Kram tour Israel with their electronic rock show.

Noa Margalit is a singer and guitar player in the Israeli band The Carsitters. She is committed to using her position to enhance Israel's image abroad.

Gal Friedman is a social and technological entrepreneur, artist and musician. He is the Program Director of ShabbaTLV which aims to expose the beauty of Judaism to young secular Israelis.

Yitz Jordan, otherwise known as Y-Love, draws upon the Torah, Judaism and progressive politics to write music to both educate and entertain young audiences.

Josh Nelson is a multi-instrumentalist musician and songwriter and one of the most popular performers and producers in modern Jewish music. Josh is part of the musical team for the Broadway production of 'Sleepless in Seattle'.

Joel Waldman is a self-taught piano and guitar player. He is an accomplished composer and wrote the score and prepared the parts for Whitney Houston's musicians on her 2010 world tour.

Noemi Schlosser runs her own theater company, Salomee Speelt. She has been chosen by the European Union to create her conceptual show Traktorfabik to mark 100 years since World War I.

Multi-talented Gadi Rouache has been described as a mix of artist and entrepreneur. As a designer he has worked for many high profile clients including Disney, Wanrner Bros and the UN.

Erez Safar a.k.a. Diwon/DJ Handler is the founder and director of the Jewish music site Shemspeed. He produces a mix of Yemenite and Sephardic music blended with electro hip hop beats. He has performed with Lou Reed, Matisyahu and Idan Reichel.

Tera (Nova Jade) Greene is an award winning DJ, independent film producer, writer and entrepreneur. Her musical highlights include showcasing original music at The Ford in Hollywood and opening for Grammy-nominated artist Kelis.

Neshama Carlebach is a singer, songwriter and teacher, dedicated to continuing the legacy of her father, Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. Her music has captivated people of all ages and backgrounds throughout the world.

Rebecca Joy Fletcher is a playwright, actress, cantor and scholar/performer of international Jewish cabaret. Her performance highlights include the off-Broadway run of her show Kleynkunst!

Miriam Brosseau is half of the Biblegum Pop duo Stereo Sinai, along with her husband, producer Alan Jay Sufrin. Earlier this year, Miriam was named as a young visionary in the Jewish Week's 36 Under 36.

Day 12 - Meet The ROIers - The Rabbis

Being a network of Jewish leaders, ROI Community naturally counts a number of Rabbis amongst its number. We are especially proud to have rabbinical representatives from across the spectrum of religious streams.

Sydney Henning is a rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College. As the child of an inter-faith marriage, having grown up in a small, isolated Jewish community in Alburquerque, New Mexico, Sydney refers to herself as a Do-It-Yourself Jew.

Laura Baum is one of the rabbis of Congregation Beth Adam, an independent congregation in Cincinnati, OH,  and of OurJewishCommunity.org online. Laura is an expert on social media and the changing needs of the Jewish community.

Hershey Novack has studied in vumerous locations around the world. He also served at Ground Zero as a member of the American Red Cross' Spiritual Care program. 

Over the last decade, Yoni Shalom has served as assistant rabbi and community director at Tefilat Shalom, Fundacion Judaica, NCI - Emanu El and Sociedad Israelita del Oeste in Argentina. He is currently concluding his rabbinical studies in Schechter Institute, Jerusalem.

Mordechai Lightstone is a rabbi by training, a journalist by profession and a blogger by choice. He has served as assistant rabbi in diverse communities including Poland, Lithuania, Italy and Peru. 

Zvi Drizin is the resident rabbi at Intown Chabad in Dallas. The center targets Jewish 20-somethings and gives them the opportunity to connnect to each other and to their heritage. In his spare time, Zvi likes to ski, play music and read. 

Jacob Fine serves as Rabbi and Director of Programs for the Jewish Farm School. Previously, Jacob served as Rabbi and Assistant Director at the University of Washington Hillel, as well as the Director of Jconnect, Seattle’s largest Jewish community for young adults.

Avi Orlow is the Jewish Education Specialist at the Foundation for Jewish Camp. He was previously the Campus Rabbi and Assistant Director at the St. Louis Hillel at Washington University for four years.

Sarah Bassin serves as Executive Director of NewGround: A Muslim-Jewish Partnership for Change. Deeply interested in interfaith relations, Sarah entered the rabbinic program at Hebrew Union College with the intention of pursuing a rabbinate in community relations. 

Avi Poupko was recently appointed as Rabbi at Congregation Ahavas Achim in Greater Newburyport, MA. Avi had previously served as the Hillel Campus Rabbi at Harvard, before spending the last four years teaching in Israel at the Pardes Institute and then Midreshet Ein Prat.

Ari Hart is a founder of Uri L'Tzedek: Orthodox Social Justice and an Orthodox rabbinical student at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah in New York. He is also a frequent contributor to many publications, including the Huffington Post, Jerusalem Post & Haaretz magazine

Day 11 - Meet The ROIers - The Foodies!

If there is one thing that Jewish people love, it's their food! Today, we're shining the spotlight on eight ROIers who have made food the focus of their innovation.

Michael Leventhal is the founder and creator of Gefiltefest: The London Jewish Food Festival. He also co-ordinates a number of other projects, including a charitable benscher (prayer book) for simchas and an exhibition of Jewish cookbooks, all alongside his day job as a military history publisher.

Jeffrey Yoskowitz is a writer and food entrepreneur. His latest venture, The Gefilteria, is a new food brand producing boutique Ashkenazi foods. The new company has appeared in The New York Times, Haaretz and various other publications.

The well-traveled Malki Rose runs her own gourmet kosher food company called 'Made with Luv Homemade Fine Foods'. She has a passion for curing, preserving, cheese making and charcuterie and is the only producer and supplier of kosher duck prosciutto.

Emily Freed is the Assistant Production Manager at Jacobs Farm/Del Cabo, Inc., where she manages eight ranches and greenhouses, which includes over 250 acres of organic culinary herbs and edible flowers. She was featured in Fortune Magazine’s online article “Look Who’s Farming Now,” as well as in Mother Nature Network’s ‘40 Farmers Under 40.’ 

Michal Ansky is the founder and owner of the Tel Aviv Farmers Market. She is also a food journalist and television presenter that has her own cooking and food culture show on Israeli Channel 1. Michal was a judge on Masterchef Israel!

Itta Werdiger-Roth is the founder of The Hester, an underground restaurant and music cafe. She also freelances as a menu planner and chef whilst simultaneously working to encourage the religious Jewish community to adopt healthier culinary habits.

Ofer Vardi is the Lifestyle Editor for Israel Hayom Daily. Inspired by his grandmother's cooking, Ofer started 'Going Paprikash', a weekly column on the secrets of the Hungarian kitchen. It was an instant hit which led to a best-selling book and the creation of iPhone and iPad apps.

Inbal Baum is the founder and owner of Delicious Israel, a culinary tour company that arranges experiences to showcase and celebrate Israeli food and wine. Inbal is also an amateur chef (specializing in ice cream) and a yoga instructor.

Day 10 - Meet The ROIers - They Met The ROIer Of Their Dreams!

This past Friday was Tu B'Av, Israel's equivalent of Valentine's Day. One of ROI Community's greatest functions is to bring young Jewish innovators together to challenge and collaborate with one another but sometimes the relationships formed develop a little deeper!

To date, there have been four 'ROI weddings', i.e. marriages between couples that met through their involvement in ROI Community. The happy couples are:

Vera Wisterova and Jeremy Hulsh
Jennifer Zitser and Dany Koren
Shaked Rogovsky and Karin Dimant-Rogovsky
Matt Bar and Rebecca Karp

We wish them all a lifetime of happiness together and hope that the future will bring many more ROI weddings!

Day 9 - Meet The ROIers - Championing the LGBTQ Cause

It's the Jerusalem March for Pride and Tolerance today, so we are shining the spotlight on a group of ROIers who dedicate their efforts towards a variety of LGBTQ related causes.

Ido Levit is a yoga teacher, has a black belt in ninjitsu and is a qualified therapist in circle breathing. He jointly owns and runs the Hamikve Dance Bar, Jerusalem's only gay club.

Together with his brother, Eyal Levit founded and runs Hamikve. He has also worked as the Jerusalem Municipality's musical producer for its most recent winter events.

Tera "Nova Jade" Greene is an award-winning DJ, film producer, writer and entrepreneur. Since 2010, she has been a contributing writer for the Jewish Journal's historic LGBTQ blog, Oy Gay.

Yoav Sivan is an Israeli journalist, now based in New York. He has served on the Boards of the Jerusalem Open House, the Aguda (Israel's LGBTQ Association) and the World Jewish Congress.

Margot Madeson-Stern works as operations coordinator for The Jewish Diplomatic Corps. As a member of the Israel Research Fellowship, Margot has campaigned to impact Israeli law to provide wider options for building a Jewish family in Israel.

Brian Elliot is the VP of Partnerships at Amicus, which builds online advocacy and fundraising technology for non-profits. Brian also founded Friendfactor, a web-savvy LGBTQ rights organization.

Talya Lev is a Jerusalem-based freelance web designer. Talya uses her skills to help advance the religious gay community by promoting tolerance and dialogue in both Israel and abroad.

Janelle Eagle is a film producer and LGBTQ Jewish activist. She founded the 2wice Blessed Project, for which she was awarded the Birthright/Natan Social Entrepreneurship grant.

Rachael Neumann is a consultant to some of the world's most most innovative and high impact social ventures. She also serves as a director for the Right Side of History Campaign, a movement committed to ending unjust legal discrimination against LGBTQ citizens.

Robert Saferstein is a specialist in online media, photography, music composition and film production. Robert is very active in the LGBTQ Jewish communuity. His latest project, Friday Night Lights, is a series of Shabbat dinners for gay professionals that highlights different charitable organizations that help the LGBTQ community.

Day 8 - Meet The ROIers - Bringing Judaism into the Digital Age!

A large number of ROI Community members are involved in Jewish education and today we look at 4 examples of ROIers who convey Jewish content through the Internet.

Eileen Levinson is the creator and art director of haggadot.com, a site where users can create their own Passover Haggadah. She is also currently Art Director at Deca TV and teaches at Otis College of Art & Design.

Matt Bar is the founder of Bible Raps, an innovative educational tool that uses rap and hip hop to bring the core Jewish texts to life. He has been featured on MTV's 'The Real World' and NBC's 'Hip Hop Nation: Notes from the Underground'. His raps can be found at www.bibleraps.com.

Like many ROIers, Matthue Roth is a man with many strings to his bow. An accomplished poet and author, he also a co-creator and producer of G-dcast.com and his first screen play '1/20' was made into a feature film. He blogs at matthue.com.

Sarah Lefton is executive director at G-dcast.com. She also serves on the board of the JCC of San Francisco and co-chairs its Jewish adult education committee. See Sarah in action in this video that explains exactly what G-dcast.com is all about.

 

Day 7 - Meet The ROIers - Olympic Fever!

The 2012 Olympic Games are now in full gear and we're all consumed by Olympic Fever!

Today we're highlighting the work of two social entrepreneurs who use sport as a vehicle for change.

Melisa Goldfinger works as Executive Co-ordinator of Heme Aqui, a school of life for people with special needs, where the game of golf is used as a tool for education and integration. The organisation created 'golf-therapy', a state of the art methodology to achieve inclusion of people with special needs in society by developing their self-esteem, sense of belonging and their physical, mental and social skills.

In 2007, Dina Buchbinder-Auron founded Deport-es para Compartir (Sports to Share), a civic and educational program that teaches children about values and important global issues through games and sports. Over 32,500 girls and boys have participated in this unique program.

Day 6 - Meet The ROIers - The Entertainers

Today is Lisa Kudrow's 49th birthday! Her character Phoebe Buffay in Friends catapulted her into the limelight and she is now globally recognised as one of the world's most famous Jewish entertainers.

Meet The ROIers looks at seven members who are using different forms of entertainment to effect positive change in the world.

Traci Szymanski is VP at Hollywood Knights International and President of Co-Star Entertainment. She brings Hollywood celebrities on Birthright-like trips to Israel to infuse them with a greater understanding and appreciation for the Jewish Homeland.


Michelle Collins is Managing Editor of VH1's Bestweekever.tv. She has won two Webby awards for Best Celebrity Fan Blog and makes regular appearances on Chelsee Lately and The Tyra Banks Show.

Jacob Shwirtz is MTV's expert on digital strategy, social media and social TV. He has served in the IDF and started his local branch of the Taglit-Birthright Israel Alumni Association, helping hundreds of people to make aliyah and integrate into Israeli society.

Lauren Feldman works for MTV as a marketing professional. She is also a Reiki master and explores mysticism, energy healing and complementary forms of therapy.

Based in Tel Aviv, Omri Marcus is a creative director and multi-award winning comedy writer. In his spare time, he volunteers as head of PR for Eye from Zion, a humanitarian organisation that provides free medical surgeries in developing countries.

Micah Fitzerman-Blue lives in Los Angeles, where he is known as a successful screenwriter. He dedicates much of his spare time to the resurgent Jewish community of LA's East Side and recently pioneered an ethical Kashrut workshop.

Rob (Schlis) Schlissel is a Senior Producer at Empire Entertainment Inc. Rob is a member of the Darchei Noam Young Professionals Commitee and the Young Leadership Committee for AFMDA and he volunteers with Jewish Heart for Africa and Jewish National Fund.

Day 5 - Meet The ROIers - Moishe House Homies!

Moishe House is an international organization providing meaningful Jewish experiences to young adults in their twenties. It is an organization close to the heart of the ROI Community with a number of ROI members involved in different Moishe Houses around the world.

David Cygielman is the founder and CEO of Moishe House. Since pioneering the program in 2006, David has overseen the growth of Moishe House across 14 countries.

Rebbeca Karp is the East Coast Regional Director for Moishe House. She also sits on the Executive Committee for the Tribe12 Fellowship, ignited by PresenTense.

Rachel Rose Reid was a founding member of London's Moishe House. As a professional storyteller, she uses her work to melt defenses, build bridges and create meaningful connections.

Lena Kushnir founded the Kiev branch of Moishe House in 2010. She is currently the Content Manager and Youth Programs Manager for the Kiev Jewish Community at the Great Synagogue.

Tanya Gutsol is a resident at the Russian Moishe House NYC. She works as a Program Director at Brooklyn College and runs jewlicious.ru.

Taras Prokopenko runs his own legal practice and volunteers for the local Jewish community in different arenas. He is a founder of Moishe House Gomel in Belarus and a permanent idea generator and organizer of different activities.

Alejandro Okret is the Senior Director of International Development at the Moishe House in London. He previously served in the Spokespersons Unit of the IDF.

Benji Holzman is a resident of the Dumbo Moishe House. Benji grew up in the Habonim youth movement in Australia and has been active in a range of social causes for over a decade.

Anna Bakula is the President of the Polish Jewish Youth Organization. She was instrumental in the establishment of the Warsaw branch of Moishe House.

Jeremy Moskowitz is the Eastern Regional Director of Moishe House. Jeremy has over five years experience in the non-profit sector, having started out as a Program Director for the Forest Foundation in 2006.

Alan Grabinsky is the co-founder of the Moishe House in Mexico City. He is also the founder and director of the Mexican branch of the Jewish Salons project, which seeks to explore Jewish identity through culture and arts.

Joel Stanley is the Director of International Programming for Moishe House and was a founding resident of Moishe House in London. He is also a Jewish theater-maker, director and educator.

Aaron Gilbert was a founding member of the San Francisco Moishe House. He has dedicated his life to youth development work and Jewish community organizing.

Jodi Berris is a Global Soccer Equipment Field Test Analyst for Nike. Jodi founded, and currently resides in the Moishe House in Portland, from where she personally initiates a wide variety of Jewish social projects.

Day 4 - Meet The ROIers - The Environmentalists

The environment is one of the biggest issues for social activists in the 21st century. Many ROI Community members are environmental activists, movers and shakers, here are just a few:

Evonne Marzouk is the founder of Canfei Nesharim, an organization that connects Jewish texts to contemporary scientific findings, to empower people to take an active role in protecting the environment and creating a sustainable future.

Gidon Melmed is both Development Director at the Summit Institute and Deputy Director at the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development. Over the last decade, he has been managing a variety of projects focused on sustainable development.

Julie Wolk is a founding co-Director of Wilderness Torah and is dedicated to uncovering Judaism's earth-based traditions and to bringing related teachings to broader audiences.

Jacob Fine works as the Rabbi and Director of Programs at the Jewish Farm School. The school's mission is to practice and promote sustainable agriculture and to support food systems rooted in justice and Jewish traditions.

Baruch Rock serves as Rabbi of the Gesher Jewish Day School. He has been involved in environmental activism since his childhood, from recycling programs to beach clean ups.

Vivian Lehrer is the co-Founder and Program Director of the Eden Village Camp. Together with her husband, she has developed a Jewish overnight Summer camp, focused on environmentalism and social activism.

Adrienn Kurti has been involved with a huge range of volunteer projects over the past 20 years. She currently works as Project Coordinator for JMPoint and lectures on Eco-Kosher and sustainability.

David Krantz is the President and Chairperson of the Green Zionist Alliance. He previously served as a fellow at The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life.

Noam Dolgin is a freelance Jewish environmental educator and activist and ex-Executive Director of the Green Zionist Alliance. He previously spent 7 years as the Associate Director of the Teva Learning Center.

Becca Hailpern is the Director of Experiential Education at the New Community Jewish High School in West Hills, CA. Amongst her many responsibilities is to teach a text study course in Judaism and the Environment and to manage the school's organic garden.

Emily Freed is the Assistant Production Manager at Jacobs Farm/Del Cabo Inc., where she manages 8 ranches and greenhouses. In 2009, she served as Chair of the Hazon Food Conference. 

Day 3 - Meet The ROIers - Bill Clinton Day

On this day in 1994, Former President Bill Clinton presided over the signing of the Washington Declaration, which heralded the start of negotiations between Israel and Jordan, culminating in the signing of a peace treaty in October that same year.

Since leaving office in 2001, Bill Clinton has involved himself in various issues of global importance, and a number of our ROI Community members have been lucky enough to meet and gain inspiration from him:

Shawn Landres is the CEO of Jumpstart, a research & design laboratory that the Jerusalem Post declared had "changed the global converstaion about Jewish innovation". Shawn earned his footnote in history when he suggested what went on to become the theme tune to Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign, Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop" (Thinking About Tomorrow).

Eli Winkelman is the founder of Challah for Hunger, which brings people together to bake and sell challah, to raise money for good causes. After presenting Bill Clinton with a foil wrapped challah, Eli merited a mention in Clinton's book "Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World". 

Whilst at university in Mexico, Dina Buchbinder-Auron managed the 'Jewish Journeys' program, which enabled students to showcase Jewish life through a variety of creative media. In 2007, she founded 'Deport-es para Compartir' (Sports to Share), a program that uses sport to teach children about important global issues and values.

Ilja Sichrovsky is the Founder and Secretary of the Muslim Jewish Conference (MJC). The third annual MJC was held in Slovakia earlier this month. The conference hosted 106 interfaith young professionals and students, 46 of whom are Muslim, 51 Jewish and 9 from other faiths. 

Day 2 - Meet The ROIers! - "I Didn't Know There Were Jews In..."

ROI Community has members from over 50 different countries!

Today, we're shining the spotlight on a selection of our members who come from some of the world's smallest Jewish communities.

Misha Beshkins resides in ESTONIA where he works in IT and is an active member of the religious Jewish community.

Sumiko Zayon and William Miller are both from CUBA. Sumiko is a radio broadcaster and author. William has over 12 years experience implementing organizational health and education plans for the Cuban Jewish community.

Erik Meier is from BOLIVIA. He is an expert in the field of international development and manages his own consulting firm.

Mark Blanc and Mark Kisner both come from PERU. Mark Blanc has been described as a chef, blogger, publisher and clown! Mark Kisner uses soccer as a tool to teach core values to children, with the aim of cultivating the future leadership of the Peruvian Jewish community.

The well traveled Andrea Kasper currently resides in ICELAND, where she is dedicated to the foundation of a new type of Jewish school, 'Yadaim' which focuses on teaching students practical professional skills within Jewish values-oriented framework.

Moshe Madoi was born in UGANDA. He is currently studying at Yeshivat Hamivtar in Israel and plans to return to Uganda to work as the community's shochet (kosher animal slaughterer) and teach his fellow villagers about Judaism.

Day 1 - Meet The ROIers! - The Asia Connection

Each day, alongside the Scavenger Hunt challenges, we will also be using our blog to highlight the amazing talents and initiatives of a selection of the ROI Community members.

Today, the focus is on five young innovators who have chosen to focus their creativity on a variety of projects and causes in the continent of Asia.

Sammy Chester originally joined ROI Community in 2006, having recently founded an urban-renewal organization called 'Nikayon Zion'. However, his current passion is in strengthening China's level of engagement in the Jewish World. 

Manuela Zoninsein is a Brazilian/American environmental journalist, currently living in China. She has stationed herself in Beijing because "as a journalist you have to be where the biggest stories are and China really is the biggest story".

The following video gives a deeper insight into what drives Manuela's passion for the country.

Rebecca Zeffert is the Founder and Executive Director of the Israel-Asia Center, a Jerusalem-based non-profit organisation dedicated to building a shared future between Israel and Asia. They aim to build and invest in the next generation of leaders in Israel-Asia relations, and are building dynamic networks to maximize their continued engagement and cooperation.

Seth Garz is the President of Israel China and is dedicated to researching the history of relations between Israel and China, as well as the future potential for that relationship. 

Erica Lyons is the Founding Editor-In-Chief of the magazine Asian Jewish Life and currently lives with her three children in Hong Kong. In her spare time she is highly active in Hong Kong's Ohel Leah Synagogue, as well as being on the board of Hong Kong's Jewish Historical Society.