Listening to the Wide Spectrum of Young American Jewish Thought on Israel Series
The response to the eruption of violence in Israel and Gaza in May of 2021 revealed a changing perspective on the part of younger American Jews regarding the Jewish State and its relationship with the Palestinian people.  In order to fully understand this shift, we are inviting thought leaders representing varying views as expressed by younger American Jews.  We invite you to join us in listening, confronting and wrestling with divergent opinions as we consider the relationship between Israel and American Jewry. 

Taking place in the Beit Midrash with live Zoom option

Shifra is the J Street Regional Director of the Tri-State and Pennsylvanie Region.  She joined J Street after returning to the US from living and working in Israel for four years. After graduating from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst with a degree in linguistics and completing a year as an AmeriCorps VISTA in North Carolina, Shifra moved to Israel as part of the NIF/Shatil Social Justice Fellowship. As a New Israel Fund fellow, she worked with two grassroots, bi-national organizations empowering marginalized Jewish and Palestinian communities to organize for a more just and democratic Israel. She also worked for two years as the resource development and advocacy coordinator at Gisha- Legal Center for Freedom of Movement, one of Israel’s leading human rights organizations. In addition to ensuring financial sustainability for the organization, her role included advocating for the promotion of the right to freedom of movement for Palestinians in Gaza, as not only a human right but also as a necessary step for regional stability. Shifra is eager to work with American Jewish leadership in growing our power as a progressive force in US politics and ensuring that Israel upholds the democratic values that we cherish.