Daniel Lubetzky

Independent of whether you support or reject the deal Israel struck with Hamas in order to secure the release of Gilad Shalit, and independent of whether you support the view that peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors is achievable, one thing should be evident to all: Gershon Baskin is a mentsch (Yiddish word for a very decent human being), with steadfast sincerity of purpose to advance understanding between Israelis and Palestinians, and an impressive grasp of the issues.  Of all people I have come across in this space, Gershon is among the very few that truly can articulate both the Israeli and Palestinian narratives with as much empathy and knowledge as any patriot on either side.  The article below shares the story of how an academic and grassroots activist (who incidentally serves on the OneVoice Israel Board) was key to this historic deal.  Lots to be admired here.

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OneVoice brought Israeli leaders, running the political gamete, to meet with 500 participants in order to discus the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  The event took place at Tel Aviv’s Cinematheque, and OneVoice conducted 30 roundtable discussions ranging from women’s role in peace building to Israel’s relationship with Turkey. 

Spotted by Daniel Lubetzky, by Adeena Schlussel

WHAM! BAM! ISLAM!, a documentary that follows Naif Al-Mutawa as he created THE 99, airs on PBS tonight.  The documentary discusses the challenges that The 99 team is still facing in getting its comic off the ground and can be watched on PBS, or can be reserved on iTunes.

"On Rosh Hashana, it is written
And on Yom Kippur it is sealed:

Who will find fulfillment in life, and who will live a live in a constant state of longing; who will heal and who will harm; who will lay blame and who will share the burden; who will bend and who will break; who will use his power when he should, not just because he can; who will succeed and willingly risk failure and who will shine only when success is guaranteed, who will cry out for those who have no voice and who will scream louder only to hear the sound of his own; who will turn and face a broken world to see how he can mend it and who will look away because all he can see is a world beyond repair. "

KIND Healthy Grains have only recently launched, but they are already an O, The Oprah Magazine favorite!  Oprah’s crew described KIND Healthy Grains as a delicious way to get a daily dose of healthful whole grains and we would have to agree!

Spotted by Daniel Lubetzky, by Adeena Schlussel

A sincere purpose that creates a mission is the biggest driver towards action, according to this NYT article by David Brooks:

People who actually perform pro-social action don’t only feel for those who are suffering, they feel compelled to act by a sense of duty. Their lives are structured by sacred codes.

Think of anybody you admire. They probably have some talent for fellow-feeling, but it is overshadowed by their sense of obligation to some religious, military, social or philosophic code. They would feel a sense of shame or guilt if they didn’t live up to the code. The code tells them when they deserve public admiration or dishonor. The code helps them evaluate other people’s feelings, not just share them. The code tells them that an adulterer or a drug dealer may feel ecstatic, but the proper response is still contempt.

The code isn’t just a set of rules. It’s a source of identity. It’s pursued with joy. It arouses the strongest emotions and attachments. Empathy is a sideshow. If you want to make the world a better place, help people debate, understand, reform, revere and enact their codes. Accept that codes conflict.

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Steve Jobs’s closest colleagues share lessons that they learned from their leader in this NYT article.  Doing whatever it takes to please customers, patience, moving forward from mistakes, and passion, were all key drivers of Jobs’s success.

Spotted by Daniel Lubetzky, by Adeena Schlussel

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In case anyone has doubts as to Hamas and Iran’s intentions: nothing less than Israel’s destruction.  Their extremism prolongs the conflict and the suffering of both: ordinary Palestinians and Israelis.

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This last KIND Tuesday brought about a swell of support from the San Francisco Bay Area, where the KIND Food Truck has been roaming.  And, the San Francisco Examiner, CBS San Francisco, the San Francisco Examiner, the San Francisco Station and Frisco Kids were all compelled to tell the story!  Check out this coverage to see how Do the KIND Thing and San Franciscan kindness swept the Bay Area.

Spotted by Daniel Lubetzky, by Adeena Schlussel

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The following article in the Washington Jewish Week illustrates the work of two OneVoice Youth Leaders in DC, and the overall goal that they and OneVoice strive to achieve.

Spotted by Daniel Lubetzky, by Adeena Schlussel

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