This year marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of Noam, a British Zionist youth movement of which I was a member from its inception. Under the umbrella of the Assembly of Masorti Synagogues, Noam has flourished over the years to become one of the largest Jewish youth organisations, and has taken a markedly different path from the more traditional Zionist youth movements.
Whilst promoting Zionism is high on its agenda, it also puts much emphasis on the concept of tikun olam (literally, "repairing the world"), which has led to some extraordinary offshoot projects undertaken by its alumni. One such scheme was the Tibetan Jewish youth exchange (TJYE), set up to forge links between Jewish and Tibetan youth groups and to provide support to each other in their respective endeavours.
Since 2000, there has been a steady stream of Noam volunteers heading off to the Indian town of Dharamsala, to work with the exiled Tibetan youths and help empower them in their struggle to achieve independence for their people. Noam graduates were also instrumental in founding an Aids educations programme for street children in Nairobi, applying the values inculcated in them by their Noam leaders back home to a situation that cried out for experienced youth workers.
Over the last few years, there has been a mass influx of ex-Noam members to Israel, myself included, which is testament to the power of the Zionist message we were taught during our formative years in the movement. However, rather than rest on our laurels and ignore our responsibilities to fulfilling tikun olam, we feel a collective responsibility to continue promoting the core Noam principles with which we grew up.
One recent immigrant, Naomi Magnus, has been working with the Darfurian refugees living in Tel Aviv, whom I wrote about in March. Less than two months since I met them, their economic and social situation has deteriorated markedly, and many are now struggling even to pay the rent for the meagre shelters in which they live. Naomi, along with three other Noam olim, decided to take action on their behalf and organise a fundraising event which would draw on all the resources to which the Noam network had access.
To that end, they have established an NGO, Israel Activists, which would undertake to assist worthy causes across the country, such as the Darfurian refugees. Their inaugural event is a two-day hike in the north of Israel at the end of May. Over 80 participants have already signed up, each committed to raising a minimum of $200, which will provide a massive shot in the arm for the refugees and their families and which will go a long way to prevent their eviction from their homes.
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