Alef: The NEXT Conversation

Will Work For Food

by Steven Weinberg

Throughout college I really started to define my Jewish identity. As an underclassman I attended some meetings of the University’s chapter of STAND–an anti-genocide group that focused on Darfur advocacy. After my sophomore year I was fortunate enough to go on a Birthright trip and visit Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Memorial, in Jerusalem. We spent hours winding through such a tragic part of our past—reading compelling stories and being drawn into powerful photos. I vividly remember exiting the museum onto a cantilever suspended over trees and wild flowers looking out onto Jerusalem.

Although the view evoked a sense of safety and pride at first, this was quickly replaced by thoughts of the thousands of children starving to death in Darfur that I had learned before my trip.  Although I was involved with STAND and local community service groups on campus before my trip, it was never with the connection to the concept of tikkun olam–healing the world.  That I discovered that moment staring out at Jerusalem.

I returned home understanding that my being Jewish isn’t determined solely by the classes I attended as a kid or how I observe the religion, but also by how I relate to Jewish morals and values. This discovery reformed my motivation for helping those malnourished kids in Darfur and being involved in local community service.

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Steven Weinberg is the co-founder and CEO of Will Work For Food.

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Between Sukkot and Thanksgiving be on the look out for other stories on food issues in our own communities.  Learn more about Harvest to Harvest.

Photo by delayed gratification, licensed under Creative Commons.

Tags: food, Social Justice

Posted by Emily.Comisar@birthrightisraelnext.org, Monday, October 5th, 2009, 3:52 pm, Harvest to Harvest.