Lauder Fellow Michael Rosental Leads Interrelogious Tour in Jerusalem

This summer, I had the privilege of co-directing a new interreligious initiative at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem called Nour. Designed together with fellow Jewish and Palestinian students, Nour brought 15 hand picked international and local participants into a pilot program exploring the religious and cultural diversity of Jerusalem through an experiential and non-confrontational lens. The program included an introductory Zoom session, followed by three field visits that each offered a different perspective on the city: - Yad Vashem, focusing on Jewish identity and Holocaust memory. - The Museum of Islamic Art, highlighting the Islamic legacy in Jerusalem. - The Armenian Quarter, engaging with one of Jerusalem’s smallest and oldest Christian communities. Each visit was followed by a facilitated reflection circle. These were some of the most impactful moments. Alongside the conversations, we also shared snacks: from rugelach and babka to Arab sweets, each gathering closed with a small, meaningful gesture of cultural exchange. Nour was co-organized through Simcha, an initiative I created as part of my Lauder Fellowship at the World Jewish Congress. While Simcha has primarily focused on deepening Jewish identity through content and storytelling, this marked our first field-based program, one grounded not only in Jewish exploration, but in the power of encounter. The inspiration came from the Jewish diaspora. As a Colombian Jew, I’ve seen firsthand how interfaith dialogue programs abroad have helped minorities understand one another. Often, these initiatives center around sharing traditions, experiences and visiting sites. With Nour, we hoped to take a successful diaspora framework and adapt it to Jerusalem. As Phil Rosenberg, President of the Board of Deputies and Vice President of the WJC, said recently in Jerusalem: “We should not seek to export the conflict, but to import peace.” Jerusalem is sacred, complicated, painful, and beautiful. Building a program like this was not easy. It required careful choices, sensitivity to local realities, and a willingness to listen before speaking. But in a time when hope is scarce and polarization runs deep, I believe initiatives like Nour are more important than ever. As Rabbi Gilad Kariv said, peace is not a dream; it is a plan of action. Nour was a small but meaningful part of that action. A program built on shared experience, thoughtful encounters, and a commitment to understanding. I’m grateful to the participants who showed up with curiosity and respect to share their stories and realities while listening to the others. To the Hebrew University for providing the academic support and space to pursue this project. And to the World Jewish Congress, whose backing made it all possible.