Leading Jewish Thinkers And Activists From Six Continents Convene In Jerusalem To Launch Effort To Achieve Unified Vision For Global Jewry

Our Common Destiny Initiative held under auspices of the President of Israel

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Sep 09, 2019, 14:20 ET

JERUSALEM, Sept. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 30 leading Jewish thinkers and activists from around the world are convening in Jerusalem today to launch Our Common Destiny, a ground-breaking initiative created to strengthen the bonds among Jews worldwide. The project is a joint initiative of Genesis Philanthropy Group and the State of Israel, under the auspices of Israel's President. Our Common Destiny strives to connect Jews to each other and to Israel across diverse religious and cultural identities through a shared set of ethics and values. This Forum runs Monday, September 9 through Wednesday, September 11, with scholars from six continents.

During the Forum, the assembled group of thought leaders will meet with and present the initial draft of the Declaration of Our Common Destiny to the President of Israel, Hon. Reuven Rivlin. Following that meeting, President Rivlin will encourage Jews of all ages, affiliations and nationalities to engage in a year-long discussion and debate of its contents and purpose. The goal of that global conversation will be the creation of a new spiritual and intellectual document which, with input from Jews worldwide, will outline the shared values and principles by which world Jewry will treat, support and engage one another.

Ilia Salita, president and CEO of Genesis Philanthropy Group, said, "We are inviting Jews living in Israel and elsewhere to join in the crafting and completion of a document as ambitious as the Declaration of Our Common Destiny because we believe doing so has the potential to excite and engage Jews of all backgrounds and worldviews. We know the initial draft of the Declaration will be vastly improved by the input it receives from the world Jewish community. This is Jewish crowdsourcing on a whole new level."

Our Common Destiny Scholars and Advisory Board represent the full range of diversity of Israeli and Diaspora communities. Among the thought leaders affiliated with the project are Lord Jacob Rothschild, Bat Galim Sha'ar, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, Judith Tanenbaum, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Amos Yadlin, Rabbi Pinchas Goldshmidt, Rabbi Silvina Chemen, Rabbi Yaacov Meidan, Éliette Abécassis, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove, Professor Jonathan Sarna, and Rabbi Sharon Brous. The full list of scholars and advisory board members is below.

"The Declaration of Our Common Destiny has the potential to become a generation-defining event in modern Judaism that can strengthen Israel-Diaspora relations and world Jewry as a whole," said Sanford R. Cardin, chair of Our Common Destiny's Advisory Board. "We envision that this Declaration will help shape how future generations of Jews, within Israel and worldwide, learn to listen to each other and work together to ensure a bright future for our people and the world at large."

About Our Common Destiny
Our Common Destiny is a joint initiative of Genesis Philanthropy Group and the State of Israel, under the auspices of the President of Israel. To learn more about Our Common Destiny and see the full list of thought leaders and advisory board members involved in the project, please visit www.ourcommondestiny.org. The full list is also attached to this press release.

About Genesis Philanthropy Group
Genesis Philanthropy Group (GPG) is a global family of foundations, co-founded by Mikhail Fridman, an international businessman, investor and philanthropist and his business partners. GPG focuses its work on three areas of critical importance to the Jewish people around the world: strengthening bonds and common understanding between Jews living in Israel and throughout the world; strengthening Jewish identity of Russian-speaking Jews worldwide; and supporting pillar Jewish organizations of the United Kingdom Jewish community in their efforts to provide meaningful and innovative opportunities for Jewish engagement to children, young families and young adults. Please visit www.gpg.org for more details.

Advisory Board
Sanford R. (Sandy) Cardin, Chair
Laurie Blitzer, USA
Debbie Dadon, Australia
Yisrael Goldschmidt, Israel
Tiffany Harris, USA
Hubert Leven, France
Marcus Metta Cohen, Mexico
Amb. Itamar Rabinovich, Israel
Rabbi Schlomo Riskin, Israel
Judith Yovel Recanati, Israel
Lord Jacob Rothschild, United Kingdom
Rivka Saker, Israel
Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, United Kingdom
Barbara Spectre, Sweden
Judith Tanenbaum, Canada
Prof. Mark Yudof, USA

Scholars
Éliette Abécassis, France
Prof. Yaarah Bar-On, Israel
Rabbi Sharon Brous, USA
Rabbi Silvina Chemen, Argentina
Gali Cooks, USA
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove, USA
Mike Samuel Delberg, Germany
Rabbi Pini Dunner, USA
Prof. Yuval Elbashan, Israel
Dr. Daniel Fainstein, Mexico
Gina Flash, South Africa
Gal Gabay, Israel
Rachel Gerrol, USA
Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, Russia
Dr. Micah Goodman, Israel
Rabbi Irving (Yitz) Greenberg, USA
Rabbi Moshe Grilak, Israel
Dr. Robert Harris, United Kingdom
Rabbi Delphine Horvilleur, France
Tal Keinan, USA
Rabbi Mordechai Lightstone, USA
Rabbi Harold Loss, USA
Erica Lyons, Hong Kong
Rabbi Yaakov Meidan, Israel
Rabbi Eliezer Melamed, Israel
Yehuda Neuberger, USA
Tracie Olcha, Australia
Zoya Raynes, USA
Alex Rif, Israel
Prof, Jonathan Sarna, USA
Bat Galim Sha'ar, Israel
Rabbi Dr. Shalom Sharon, Israel
Prof. Gil Troy, Israel
Prof. Zsofia Kata Vincze, Romania
Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Amos Yadlin, Israel