By Miriam Maya and Doug White
LAS VEGAS, Nevada–San Diego’s delegation of 49 young adults at the first annual TribeFest, hosted by The Jewish Federations of North America, was like no other. Our first indication of such was how we chose to identify ourselves. Imagine a large banquet hall in a cavernous hotel convention center with tables spread evenly across the large room. Some may have considered this chaos, but we loved it! Where other delegations had signs to announce their location in the main banquet hall, the San Diego delegation had a full-sized, tiki grass umbrella – not unlike one you would find at a beach-side resort along the coast. And this is how we began…
The three-day young leadership extravaganza brought together over 1,200 Jews, aged 22-45, from across North America. For us, this trip to Sin City was an opportunity to explore and celebrate being Jewish, while being culturally engaged with other young professionals. It was amazing to see the diversity in attendance – among us were punk Jews and ultra-Orthodox Jews, artists and scholars, educators and scientists, former IDF soldiers and Birthright participants. No matter where we were from or what our interests were, what brought us together was the desire to give in a positive, meaningful and Jewish way.
The Jewish Federations organized an amazing line up of dynamic speakers fit to attract participants’ passions and interests. There was laughter (Ben Mezrich, author of The Accidental Billionaires), contemplation (Vanessa Hidary, The Hebrew Mamasita), and inspiration (Miri Ben-Ari, hip-hop Israeli violinist). What seemed to have touched most of us and even brought a tear to many eyes was listening to the story of Alina Gerlovin Spaulding, whose life and family was transformed as a result of the assistance provided by the Jewish Federations. The money raised by the worldwide Jewish community helped Alina and her parents survive after her father, a Soviet Union Olympic hopeful, broke his leg and the family was immediately stripped of all support from the Soviet Union. Eventually, it was the Jewish Joint Distribution Committee that rescued Alina’s family and brought them to the United States. Taken separately, each speaker’s story was dazzling in its heartbreak and the warmth it brought to the heart. Taken together, our disparate Diaspora became captivated with the richness and depth of what it means to be Jewish and how lucky we are to be Jews living in San Diego today.
Opportunities for mixing fun and networking were endless. Events like learning the etiquette for making a proper L’Chaim and the two evening “mash-up” events gave participants the chance to socialize with each other and talk with many of the dynamic speakers. Two San Diego delegates, for example, spoke with Rochelle Shoretz, the executive director of Sharsheret, about ways the San Diego community can support her organization.
As we broadened our California network with the San Francisco, Los Angeles and Orange County delegations, we also deepened our San Diego connections to one another. How often do you hear the refrain, “you have to lose yourself to find yourself”? Well, being in a casino, that might not be easier said than done, but that’s exactly what transpired with the San Diego delegation. Through breakout sessions, workshops, musical acts, speeches, breaking bread and a bit of prayer, we did come together. We learned about and from one another.
While the popular advertising campaign proclaims that “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” that won’t be the case for TribeFest participants. All of us will come away with a little vestige of Vegas, but what really resonates is the understanding that this event was just the beginning of something bigger. For the San Diego delegates, initial dialogues have given way to developing tangible impacts for our local Jewish community.