FREE EVENT

Get to know: Project Diaspora - Journeys to the Last Jewish Frontiers in the Islamic World

Sunday, May 10

USA 12:00 pm PT / 3:00 pm ET

UK 8:00 pm / France 9:00 pm / Israel 10:00 pm

The talk will last approximately 60 minutes

About this talk

We are running out of time. Today, we are witnessing the final days of 2,500-year-old Jewish civilizations. In many corners of the globe, ancient populations have declined by 90%, leaving only a handful of remaining members to carry the weight of millennia.

These are living libraries of human history, with lineages dating back to the destruction of the Temple of Solomon. From Iraq, where a community of 150,000 has dwindled to fewer than five people, to the vanished heritage of Libya, these cultures face total extinction in our lifetime.

Adam Heffez and Dan Brotman have traveled to over 100 countries—from Afghanistan to Yemen — searching for these last remnants. We started Project Diaspora Expeditions to bring others along on immersive journeys to "bottle up" these last moments before they vanish forever. Join us as we explore the map's furthest edges, documenting these stories before living history transitions into memory.

In this talk, we'll share with you what Jewish heritage we found in our journeys in countries such as Libya, Iraq, Syria, Tunisia, Azerbaijan, and more.

About Dan and Adam

Dan Brotman is a global migration expert and journalist who has documented lesser-known Jewish communities across Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Tunisia. He holds a Master's degree in International Migration and Public Policy from the London School of Economics and has over a decade of experience managing travel and leadership programs in South Africa and Canada.

Adam Heffez is an Egyptian Jew and fluent Arabic speaker. He has documented some of the last remaining Jewish sites in Iraq, Yemen and Libya. Prior to his current career in tech, he worked in Middle East foreign policy and conflict resolution. Adam holds an MBA from Stanford University and a degree in International Affairs from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service.

Together, they founded Project Diaspora. They lead small group tours to the world's most isolated and unique Jewish communities, some of which are nearing their final days. From Azerbaijan to Zimbabwe, they bear witness to ancient cultures long separated from the mainstream Jewish world, some down to their final members.

RECORDING INFORMATION

This talk will be recorded and shared with registrants the day after.

It will be available without a time limit

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