Today, nearly 85% of the global Jewish population lives in the United States and Israel. As a result, many ancient Jewish communities around the world are nearing their final chapter. In many cases, diaspora populations have declined by as much as 90%, with some communities now sustained by only a handful of remaining members. Dan Brotman and Adam Heffez have each traveled to more than 100 countries, documenting Jewish communities at the far corners of the world, some of which are endangered or nearly gone. Together, they recently co-founded Project Diaspora Expeditions, an initiative that brings others along on immersive journeys to document ancient Jewish communities that may not survive another generation. In partnership with Arecina Media, a docuseries of the same name will be produced this year, focusing on unique, far-flung Jewish communities.Join us for an evening exploring their journeys through places such as Iraq, Syria, Libya, Tunisia, Azerbaijan, and other edges of the map, before these stories transition from living history into memory.

Bios

Dan Brotman is a global migration expert and journalist who has documented lesser known Jewish communities across Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Tunisia. He holds a Master’s degree in International Migration and Public Policy from the London School of Economics and has over a decade of experience managing travel and leadership programs in South Africa and Canada.

Adam Heffez is the son of Egyptian and Lebanese Jewish immigrants and is a fluent Arabic speaker. He has documented some of the last remaining Jewish sites in Iraq, Yemen and Libya. His career in Middle East foreign policy and conflict resolution includes work in Israel and the Palestinian Territories, as well as resettling Syrian refugees. Adam holds an MBA from Stanford University and a degree in International Affairs from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.