Film and discussion "Against All Odds"

Renata Schlomov

With guest speaker Lev Aran. In collaboration with NIF.

The city of Sderot has unfortunately become a household name both in Israel and abroad due to the constant KASAM rocket attacks from Gaza. There is obviously a sense of desperation and fear amongst the inhabitants yet there are also extraordinary examples of the human spirit which rises above it all; individuals who struggle to improve themselves and help their own communities. Renata Shlomov is one such example.

The Story of Renata Shlomov, an immigrant from the Caucasus Mountains

Renata was interviewed on Israel TV as part of a series on Social Activists sponsored by New Israel Fund, the film reveals the difficulties of the Caucasus community and especially their women in Israel. She now leads a project called “Sakhbak” in Sderot which that encourages and supports immigrant youth as they try to make it within Israeli higher education and become role models for younger immigrants at-risk.

Lev Aran immigrated with his family from the Ukraine in 1971. He has dedicated his life to working with new immigrants, and joined Shatil, New Israel Fund’s operational arm, in 2006 successfully bridging social and economic gaps. Lev is a community organiser and organizational consultant, working with some of the weakest communities, especially immigrant organisations defending the rights of Russian-speaking Israelis.