The Daily Israeli: A Light among us

Today I'm so excited to introduce my good friend Staci Light as The Daily Israeli. Staci is one of the first people I met in Israel and she wasted no time making me feel at home, showing me the best tour guides, beaches, restaurants, you name it. It wasn't until I learned of Staci's background in philanthropic work that I began to fully appreciate what an awesome woman she really is. Before permanently relocating to Tel Aviv from New York City, Staci headed up her own company, Philanthropic Alternatives, where she played matchmaker between organizations and independent philanthropists, and the non-profits that they'd choose to support. During her time with Philanthropic Alternatives Staci also developed a close relationship with YEDID, and she was the voice that suggested I start volunteering with them when I was bored and looking for something meaningful to do. We sat down to chat for a few minutes about both YEDID and life in Israel in general.

You're like me, having moved from the states and now living in Israel. How do you like life in Israel as an American transplant? What do you miss and not miss about life in the states? What do you think are the biggest differences between American and Israeli societies?

I love living here in Israel, for me it's a dream come true. I love the quality of life here. There is a strong emphasis on cultivating relationships, and on spending meaningful family time together. What do I miss? Drivers signaling before they change lanes, (laughs), and of course I miss my family and friends. However, with modern technology, it is possible to have ongoing real-time conversations, and we travel to the States often. As far the two societies are concerned, I think that the nations are similar in that they're both democratic, and  share the same values. Also, New York and Israel are both big melting pots. It is remarkable that people from so many different backgrounds can come together and live under the common goal of building a nation. Since 9/11, Americans also understand what it's like to live with a constant threat of terrorism. Because Israel is such a young nation, it is painful to see some of the same mistakes being made as in America. I hope that Israel can learn from some of America’s mistakes and not repeat them.

You made a career for yourself in the field of philanthropy. Can you talk a little bit about how you got started in that field and what you did?

I started working with both philanthropists and non-profit organizations because I knew that I was not able to be a great philanthropist, and that I wouldn't be the person to roll up my sleeves and go into the trenches providing service. I felt that my role was to match philanthropists' dreams with the goals of worthy charitable organizations to achieve a win/win situation. I worked to enhance the level of giving by philanthropists, as well as elevate the services provided by the organizations.

We've both worked in different capacities with one of the foremost non-profits advocating for vulnerable populations here in Israel, and that's YEDID. What has your experience been working with YEDID and what do you think of the work they do in Israel?

YEDID is very special to me; I have been involved for 8 years. I am in awe of their ability to help people help themselves, and am impressed with their advocacy role in changing laws. Their sense of justice is spot on, and the volunteer base is used to achieve remarkable results with a very low overhead. YEDID’s community organizing work is spectacular-- they teach people how to work together towards a common goal, to become empowered, and achieve a successful result. People learn skills that they can draw upon in the future when they run into other difficulties. The financial management courses are wonderful. Most of all, I am proud to be involved with an organization which serves such disparate groups of people: Jews, Christians, Muslims, secular and religious, black and white, old and young, highly educated and illiterate, immigrants and veteran Israelis. In one room we can find a Holocaust survivor, an Arab, a religious Russian Jew and a secular Ethiopian. Where else is that possible?