Winners of 2023 Interfaith Innovation Lab Against Antisemitism Revealed

The winners of the 2023 Interfaith Innovation Lab Against Antisemitism have been selected, and they are: Heath Sloane, Fatema Ahmadi, Meredith Mollohan, Aline Melo, and Karen Solar.

All winners will receive allocations from a $50,000 seed funding pool to further develop and implement their projects.

The goal of the Interfaith Innovation Lab Against Antisemitism is to support groundbreaking projects fostering interfaith relations and promoting mutual understanding. In an increasingly interconnected world, it is crucial to highlight the value of religious and cultural diversity and nurture harmonious coexistence between peoples of all backgrounds.

CAM will follow up with the winners on regular intervals to get progress reports on their work and offer unique training, mentorship, and networking opportunities.

We congratulate all the winners and wish them the best of luck in their inspiring and impactful efforts!

Details of the three chosen proposals follow —

Heath Sloane: “Hamas: A Universal Threat to Faith and Freedom” —  The project aims to create an academically rigorous book titled Hamas: A Universal Threat to Faith and Freedom that will serve as a primer on understanding the ideologies of Hamas. The objective is to dispel the notion that Hamas’ hostility is limited solely to Israelis and Jews, arguing that it extends to all religions and those who espouse liberal and democratic values.

Fatema Ahmadi and Meredith Mollohan: “The Hazara-Jewish Alliance” — The project aims to foster critical ties between the Hazaras of Afghanistan and the Jewish people. To the Hazaras, Israel and the Jewish story represent a beacon of hope and a model for survival in exile and persecution. Through mutual respect and understanding, and recognition of shared challenges, aspirations, and values, Hazaras and Jews can confront hate and build a lasting foundation for the future. The project, engaging the Hazara diaspora, particularly in Europe and North American, will offer opportunities for collaboration, from informal dialogue to academic cooperation.

Aline Melo and Karen Solar: “Dancing Against Antisemitism” — The project, inspired by the book The Ballerina of Auschwitz, aims to address the alarming growth of antisemitism in Brazil with the production of a compelling dance documentary that sensitizes the audience to the existence of Jew-hatred in the contemporary world while highlighting stories of resilience and unity within the Jewish community. It will include, in addition to the accounts of the interviewed Jews, the testimonies of dancers who wish to share their artistic experiences working with the theme of antisemitism.