The Hadracha College – Generation Next project started in 2007 under the umbrella of Jewish Community of Turkey with the aim of gathering the community members between the ages 18-30.
Most of the applicants for the one year seminar project were unaffiliated members who were wishing to come back to their community with a new project. The first year seminar program consisted of 24 participants and subsidized by European Jewish Fund , Jewish Distribution Committee and The Jewish Community of Turkey. At the end of the one year seminar, the members of the group started to think about new projects according the needs of the community.
One of the projects was for young families created by Edna Gözcü Mugrabi. The project aimed at creating seminars throughout the year that will expand social networks and bring together those interested in Jewish intellectual and spiritual growth. This framework was providing young families with alternatives that educate their children in ways that prevent assimilation and reinforce a positive Turkish Jewish identity.
The other project was about to develop the Turkish Jewish tourism and been presented by Mois Gabay. The Journey to our roots project aimed to organize Jewish cultural tours in Turkey to revitalize Turkish Jewish life, to preserve Jewish-Turkish heritage and increase Jewish tourism to Turkey.
3 of our members were invited to Paiedea Project İncubator which held in Sweden in 2008 to present their project. After the success of the first year seminar program, The Hadracha College continued each year with more participation of the community members. For the second year, there was 26 new participants and 40 master program participants for the project and the focus group was gathering every month. It was the time to put the projects in action and also organizing events for the whole community. Due to the demands of the participants, it was decided to organize also at least one seminar each year not only about Jewish issues but also about professional skills with the announcement to the whole community.
At the end of the second year,new projects were proposed by the Hadracha college members and the ideas of “organizing tours for discovering our Jewish Heritage- Sepharad Project ” and “Training About Professional Skills for the Future Leaders” were developed. These two projects had also very successful results. After the first tour organized to Spain, many youngsters were enthusiastic about working for Jewish Community in development projects.
At the return of the Sepharad project ,within the participation of the new members, we developed the idea of “TUJS – Turkish Union of the Jewish Students” . The group found university representatives and created a new database for the Jewish university students. At the end of the year,the group reached 47 youngsters which had no records in the community. For the first time, in 2008 the Summer University organized by European Union of Jewish Students held in Turkey, in the summer resort of Şile within the cooperation of Tujs. About 550 youngsters from all the communities in Europe participated for the program of one week.
The Hadracha College program continued each year with several new projects and activities that we will just give their titles as below. Within a focus team of more than 60 people today, we are happy to see that we have many married couples, newly formed couple each year and more awareness of their Jewish identity with the Hadracha College seminars. The Jewish identity which is provided by Jewish Education increases youngster’s interest through activities done in the community. Thanks for all your supports for the Generation Next Project.
A short scheme of the “Hadracha College – Generation Next” for us is :
Living in a % 99 of Muslim Country as a Jew means more awareness about the anti-Semitism, the assimilation and the Jewish Identity
More qualified and educated leaders are needed for the future of our community
Hadracha College – Generation Next is the answer
Here below you may find some of the projects & activities created by the Hadracha College – Generation Next group :
- Leadership Programs
- The Turkish Union of Jewish Students (TUJS)
- The tourism project ( a Journey to our Roots)
- The Sepharad Project (The Jewish Heritage Europe)
- Young Families Gathering
- Professional Trainings
- Poland – Witnessing the Holocaust Reality
- Generation Next Talks ( GN TALKS) inspired from Ted Talks
- After Work Activities (After Work at the Jewish Museum)
- Hadracha College Master program
- Business Simulations
- Future Leaders seminars
- Lag Baomer & Purim activities