ROI Community meet for ‘annual ball’ in Jerusalem

If the world of young Jewish policy wonks had an annual ball then it would probably look a lot like the ROI Community.

By GIL STERN STERN SHEFLER
ROI leaders (photo credit: ROI community)
ROI leaders
(photo credit: ROI community)
If the world of young Jewish policy wonks had an annual ball then it would probably look a lot like the ROI Community, the yearly gathering that kicks off in Jerusalem Sunday.
Some 150 young adults from dozens of countries who are involved in Jewish doing will take part in the gathering held at a hotel in the capital.
During the five-day event participants will exchange ideas how to rejuvenate their communities, listen to lectures from innovators and leaders and, yes, do a little bit of mingling.
ROI Community is the pet project of billionaire Lynn Schusterman, the widow of the late oil mogul Charles Schusterman and a major donor to Taglit-Birthright, which brings young Jewish adults on free trips to Israel.
The folksy Oklahoman philanthropist launched the conference – whose acronym stands for Return On Investment – back in 2005 and has since taken place in various formats on several continents and spun off dozens of Jewish initiatives.
Two of the better known groups to emerge from ROI Community are Moishe House, which creates hubs for young Jewish adults to meet, and GodCast, a podcast on Jewish religious, cultural and social themes.
“ROI is a proudly diverse community, bound by our love for the Jewish people and for Israel,” Schusterman said. “Individually and collectively, ROI members are creating new avenues of Jewish expression and experiences that are enabling more people to explore Jewish life in exciting, meaningful ways. At the heart of our investment in these young leaders and activists is our belief in their limitless potential to inspire their peers, transform communities and strengthen the Jewish future.”
This year, according to the group’s press release, participants include “Moshe Madoi of Uganda, who is now studying in Israel and will return to teach and serve as a ritual slaughterer for the 142 other Jews in his village, and Melisa Goldfinger, of Argentina, who oversees a network of 10 golf therapy schools in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay for children and adults.”
They will meet Yossi Vardi, the businessman often dubbed the “godfather of Israeli start-ups” for his ability to identify good hi-tech investments; Noa Tishby, an actress and Hollywood producer; and Itamar Rabinovich, the former ambassador to the US.
Participants in the ROI Community conference are admitted into a semi-formal club. Alumni are often invited to follow-up gatherings and social events, and sometimes receive grants to launch their initiatives. This year, for instance, a new fund has been set up to subsidize costs for ROI participants who wish to take part in Limmud UK, a Jewish confab that is the inspiration for hundreds of similar educational gatherings around the world.