‎Events and Activities

celebrate the official launch of the LivingTogether enterprise, with President Reuven Rivlin in attendance.
Participating were 100 representatives of the diverse groups working to support LivingTogether: members of the task force, opinion leaders, philanthropists, the steering committee, and the professional team, who together form the array of diversity in Israeli society.
The event opened with a joint meeting of the Residence’s staff with task force members, followed by a general assembly and official opening. Staffers of the Presidential residence made a presentation of the Israeli Hope program. The attendees then split into content groups and discussed several of the key, emotionally moving hopes at the heart of the LivingTogether and Israeli Hope initiatives. The discussion’s summary included a presentation of the primary directions surfacing from each team, and options for continued cooperation between the Task Force and the Presidential Residence.
This session was followed by a celebratory lunch and a general assembly attended by President Rivlin.
On Rifman and Yuvi Tashome-Katz, task-force members and the event’s presenters, shared their personal experiences with the initiative, and presented a short video (click here) on the task force’s activities. Barak Loozon, Israel Office director for the San Francisco Federation, a leading member of LivingTogether, outlined the initiative’s principles and highlights.
Four speakers involved in different areas of LivingTogether then took the floor: Ms. Raya Strauss of the philanthropists’ group, Ms. Liat Malka representing the task force, Imam Yusuf Abu Jafar, Rabbanit Yaffa Gisser, and Prof. Moshe Halbertal speaking for the opinion leaders group, who described how each of them connects to the concept. Their talks further stressed how much commonality there is among us all, despite the differences, and how President Rivlin’s perception of “We were meant to live together” can lead to a more empathic and loving society that turns our diversity into an asset.
President Rivlin closed the meeting, reinforcing his support and commitment to the initiative in developing the vision of LivingTogether in Israel.
A brief recess was followed by a general assembly opened jointly by Harel Tovi, CEO of the Presidential Residence, and Noam Lautman, Chairman of the Lautman Foundation and a leader in establishing and supporting the initiative. This session was conducted as round-table discussions where each table’s participants comprised a mix of the initiative’s various groups, reflecting Israel’s diversity. At each table, the task force’s work to date was presented, alongside the personal experiences described by task force members vis-à-vis their activities. The focus was on how each one could help expand the initiative’s framework.
The session, which led to fascinating discussions about the initiative, closed with one attendee from each table summarizing their table’s insights: Danny Bar Giora, Rabbanit Tzippi Lau, Natan Sharansky, Sheikh Muhna Fares, Miki Leon, and Rabbi Dr. Ratzon Arusi.
Last but not least, Miki Nevo – director of the Living Together –  initiative summed up the event.
Throughout the day and afterwards, we received reactions from members on how meaningful the get-together and joint discussions were for them, reinforcing their commitment and providing inspiration. We felt warmly appreciated and encouraged by the President and his staff and by the initiative’s wonderful members, and were pleased to see just how committed LivingTogether participants and friends are to our shared vision, to the process, and to the efforts needed to advance society in Israel towards a path of true sharing and caring for a worthy future.