Find out what the Youth for Youth team got up to over the festive period and what Belarusians create with grated potatoes and sour cream.
We love our Youth for Youth ambassadors, a determined and passionate group of young adults who give their time and energy to enact social change. They believe in building relationships across borders and their continued commitment is as meaningful to them in their own development as young Jewish adults, as it is for their peers in Belarus. During the December period, those who were in the London area met up twice to strategise and plan the summer camp which will take place in Slutsk, Belarus in July. This year the theme will be ‘storytelling’ around our Jewish stories and our shared history, heritage and identity. They led the end of year Kabbalat Shabbat service at Finchley Reform Synagogue. Read Jack Baum’s D’va Torah here. On December 29th the group met for a warm and friendly Chanukah ‘Latkes and Lights’ party where members overseas in Belarus, Sweden and the north of England joined over the internet for a virtual lighting ceremony for the last night of Chanukah. A resounding bravo to Vlad Zaiko for grating all the potatoes and cooking up a feast of ‘Draniki’ (Belarusian latkes) with lashings of ‘Smetana’ (sour cream).