50/50 Startups - Israeli, Palestinian Collaboration and Coexistence, A Glimmer of Hope
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
There are, even in the current environment of anti-normalization and extreme polarization within our communities, resilient and persistent efforts to confront the pessimism that seems so pervasive. I have often referred to Leonard Cohen's Anthem lyric, "There is a crack, a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in." One such effort is one I am very proud to be affiliated with: 50:50 Startups. One of its core creators is my friend, and Trebuchet mentor, Amir Grinstein.
We will gather with a small group of bold Israeli and Palestinians, unique, courageous entrepreneurs who are alumni of the 50:50 Startups program, who will talk about their experiences building startups together.
The question we are entertaining is:
"Can Entrepreneurship Bridge an Extreme Divide?"
These unique, courageous entrepreneurs are alumni of the 50:50 Startups program, which brings Israelis and Palestinians together to develop and nurture collaborative startups. Northeastern University is its critical partner.
Attached, please find the flyer with all of the speakers' bios.
There will be excellent food, drinks, and perhaps a bit of hope and inspiration.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
Please RSVP soon by writing to both Amir and me.
Sherman and Amir
PS – Apologies for the late invitation. I was abroad until very recently.
Kansas Senators Urge Action Against Bird Flu Threat
Kansas Senators Patrick Schmidt, William Clifford, and Jeff Klemp are calling for urgent measures to combat the growing threat of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). With millions of birds already culled and rising concerns about potential livestock infections, the senators stress the need for increased funding, enhanced biosecurity, and accelerated vaccine development. They warn that without immediate action, food shortages and economic instability may worsen.
LTC Shanzhi Thia Recognized for Outstanding Academic Achievement and Maritime Research
LTC Shanzhi Thia was recently honored with two prestigious awards at the U.S. Naval War College.
LTC Thia (left) is seen receiving the esteemed Admiral Arleigh A. Burke Award from the President of the Naval War College, Rear Adm. Peter Garvin (right). The Admiral Arleigh A. Burke Award is presented to the International Student with the best academic performance across both intermediate and senior classes — a testament to LTC Thia's exceptional dedication and intellectual rigor.
In addition to this achievement, LTC Thia was also recognized with the Naval Submarine League Award, awarded for the best paper on a subject related to submarine warfare. His insightful essay, "Promises and Pitfalls: Prospects for Submarine Rescue Cooperation between the United States, and Russia and China, in the Indo-Pacific," stood out for its depth of research and strategic analysis.
LTC Thia's unwavering commitment to academic excellence and his invaluable contributions to maritime security studies continue to inspire and demonstrate the highest standards of scholarship and service.
Mark Silk
Mark Silk graduated from Harvard College in 1972 and earned his Ph.D. in medieval history from Harvard University in 1982. After teaching at Harvard in the Department of History and Literature for three years, he became editor of the Boston Review. In 1987 he joined the staff of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where he worked variously as a reporter, editorial writer and columnist. In 1996 he became the first director of the Leonard E. Greenberg Center for the Study of Religion in Public Life and in 1998 founding editor of Religion in the News, a magazine published by the Center that examines how the news media handle religious subject matter. In June 2005, he was also named director of the Trinity College Program on Public Values, comprising both the Greenberg Center and a new Institute for the Study of Secularism in Society and Culture.
Olivia Nielsen
Olivia Nielsen is a Principal at Miyamoto International where she focuses on resilient housing solutions. From post-disaster Haiti to Papua New Guinea, she has developed and worked on critical housing programs in over 45 countries. Olivia has over a decade of experience in housing finance, housing public-private partnerships, post-disaster reconstruction and green construction. Through her work she hopes to make safe and affordable housing available to all.
Maya Jacobs
Maya Jacobs currently works at Internews where she serves as the Deputy Chief of Party (deputy director) for a $42.25 million global internet freedom program that focuses on gender and marginalized groups and supports local civil society, independent media, and human rights defenders to better prevent and respond to digital repression.
Maya previously oversaw management and fundraising for the Southeast Asia portfolio at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES). Programs in the portfolio focused on media literacy, information integrity, youth civic engagement, LGBTQI+ inclusion, electoral operations and management, cyber security, anti-corruption, civil society resilience, disability inclusion and women’s political participation. She also led the development of the organization’s Do No Harm and Safeguarding policies and led an LGBTQI+ working group to carry out IFES’s approach to LGBTQI+ inclusion.
Prior to IFES, Maya developed and implemented programs for Freedom House’s Asia team that focused on fundamental freedoms and democracy. She has consulted at Banyan Tree Foundation and the International Center for Nonviolent Conflict and previously worked at ICF International.
Maya holds an MA in international affairs from the Elliott School of International Affairs at The George Washington University and a BA in environmental studies from Connecticut College. Maya resides in the greater Boston area.
Ankita Kushwaha
Ankita Kushwaha is a lecturer at Sai University, Chennai, and a Ph.D. research scholar at Centre for Philosophy, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. She holds an M.Phil. from the University of Hyderabad and an M.A. from Jawaharlal Nehru University. She has co-instructed courses such as Critical Thinking and Ethics at Sai University. She has also taught the Ethics course for Undergraduates at the Centre for Philosophy, Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Kushwaha’s area of specialization lies in social-political philosophy, with a particular focus on the relationship between religion and the state in India. Her research aims to explore how to maintain peaceful coexistence in a diverse society like India and to analyze the justifications for the approaches taken towards religion in the country.
Kushwaha has published a book review of Neera Chandhoke’s book Rethinking Pluralism, Secularism and Tolerance: Anxieties of Coexistence, published in Perspectives: UCD Postgraduate Journal of Philosophy (Vol 9, pp. 361 365). She has also presented papers, Gandhi’s Idea of Truth & its Relation to Secularism, presented in the 94th Session of the Indian Philosophical Congress, “Beyond Neutrality: State and the Role of Religion,” at the International Conference for Multidisciplinary Trends in Social Sciences and Humanities, organized by Manipal University, Jaipur, and “Beyond Coexistence: An Exploration of Peace through Justice and Fraternity” on the Indian Philosophy Network Colloquium. She has also contributed a blog article, “Traditional vs Colonial: Navigating Dichotomies of Philosophy in India,” to the Indian Philosophy Network website.
Megha Kapoor
I am Megha Kapoor, a PhD research scholar at the University of Delhi and Lecturer at Sai University in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. I embarked on my academic journey at the University of Delhi, where I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. My passion for philosophical inquiry led me to continue my studies at the same university, completing a Master of Arts in Philosophy. I then pursued an M.Phil. in Philosophy at the University of Hyderabad, where I achieved a CGPA of 9.0. Currently, I am working towards a PhD in Philosophy at the University of Delhi, which I began in 2020. As I often say, I call myself a lover of philosophy, and this love has been the driving force behind my academic pursuits.
Throughout my journey, I’ve sought to expand my understanding and expertise through various certifications. I received a Post Graduate Certificate in Gandhian and Peace Studies from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in 2018, followed by a Certificate in Human Rights in 2019. In 2020, I completed a course in Religion, Conflict, and Peace from HarvardX, as well as a certificate in Death Penalty Law and Advocacy from the Capital Punishment Justice Project, Australia.
My academic work has allowed me to present papers at several esteemed conferences. I’ve shared my thoughts on topics such as “Rethinking Peace and Prosperity: A Gandhian Perspective” at the Indian Philosophical Congress, “Power, Responsibility, and Peace Post Covid-19 Era” at the Saint Damian Conference in Belgium, and “Beyond Coexistence: An Exploration of Peace through Justice and Fraternity” on the Indian Philosophy Network Colloquium. My research on “The Impact of Globalization on Peace” was presented at the International Conference on Peace and Conflict Resolution in Tehran, Iran.
In addition to my presentations, I have published papers and articles that reflect my philosophical inquiries. One such paper, titled “Ecological Solidarity: A Philosophical Analysis through Societal-Environmental Dialectic,” was published in the Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics. I also contributed to the Indian Philosophy Network with a blog post titled “Traditional vs Colonial: Navigating Dichotomies of Philosophy in India.” I believe in the conversation between discourses without boundaries, and this belief has guided much of my work.
My areas of expertise include the Social and Political Philosophy of India and the West, Peace Studies, Human Rights, Postmodern and Postcolonial philosophy, and Philosophy and Fiction.
Beyond academia, my heart lies in humanitarianism and philanthropy — the areas I aim to build my career. In 2013, I volunteered as a teacher at a Primary Government School in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, as part of the Igniting Young Minds project, where I helped provide life skills education to underprivileged children. I was also involved in The Mahābhārata Project, organizing webinars on “Yoga Consciousness in Mahābhārata and Bhagavadgītā.” Since 2022, I’ve been serving on the editorial team of The Mahābhārata Project, assisting in the publication of an edited volume.
I firmly believe that kindness and compassion are the primary precepts of life, and these values continue to guide both my academic endeavours and my broader aspirations.
Mitchell Pitts
I’m Mitchell Pitts, an MBA candidate at Boston University Questrom School of Business and a former U.S. Marine. My journey has been anything but traditional—I went from serving in the military and working in satellite communications to securing U.S. embassies abroad and now transitioning into the world of business. My passion lies at the intersection of global development, infrastructure, and strategic leadership, all driven by a desire to create meaningful impact.
During my time in South Sudan, I saw firsthand the effects of humanitarian crises, which reshaped my perspective on leadership and service. It wasn’t just about security—it was about finding ways to contribute, like organizing fundraisers for local orphanages and improving logistical systems to make operations more effective. In Vienna, I focused on modernizing security protocols, and in Bangkok, I managed financial operations while mentoring a team of Marines. Each experience reinforced my belief that leadership isn’t just about authority—it’s about adaptability, collaboration, and making decisions that improve people’s lives.
Now, at Questrom, I’m focused on applying these experiences to a future in infrastructure and global development, working alongside engineers and policymakers to build sustainable projects that enhance communities worldwide. I thrive in fast-paced, mission-driven environments and am always looking for opportunities to bring strategy and execution together to drive real change.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that I met Mitch through Remi, who befriended Baron—a large, regal dog I immediately nicknamed "The Aristocrat." His humans, Jeff and Elizabeth, became friendly with me, and I soon learned that Jeff often provided housing for people passing through the neighborhood. The first guest was a remarkable Iranian artist, who is now an MBA student at BU’s Questrom School of Business. As it turns out, we have much in common, including an unusual, non-traditional childhood. He grew up in many states and spent the last three and a half years living in South Sudan, Vienna, and Bangkok.
Our conversations have covered a wide range of topics, from Marine Corps concerns to the ideation of creating a new university. I am continually struck by his intellectual curiosity and career aspirations, which align closely with the core mission of the Institute of Global Leadership, spanning foreign service and humanitarian issues. Remarkably, he lives just 150 steps away from me—a serendipitous proximity that has fostered a relationship marked by productivity and stimulating discussions, ranging from sports to Wernher von Braun. His name is omnipresent in Huntsville, Alabama, including the mansion-turned-museum atop Monte Sano Mountain.
I enjoy learning from Mitch, and our occasional differences in opinion only serve to sharpen our thinking. His experiences are meaningful and diverse. As I write this, we are about to depart for Bangkok. He has already taken the initiative to redesign a website through a friend's connection, just one example of his resourcefulness. When I use the word "productive," I do so with full appreciation of the balance between meaningful work and the engaging conversations we have while collaborating.
Sai University Graduation Ceremony
A Letter from My Sai University Students:
Just wanted to take a moment to share some snapshots from the graduation ceremony with you. It was a truly special day, and we wanted to express my gratitude for all the guidance and support you provided throughout our academic journey.
On a side note, I was honored to receive the gold medal for securing the highest GPA in my cohort. Your mentorship and the knowledge I gained from your classes played a significant role in this achievement, and I sincerely appreciate all your encouragement.
Thank you once again for your invaluable support. We hope to stay in touch!
Regards,
Abhi, Dakshajaa and Veda
Meeting with Seth Karamage
Meeting with my dear Rwandan friend Seth. I'm advising him on his UMASS Boston political science PhD thesis on civil-military relations in Africa; coups and democracy.
Could the Israel/Hamas ceasefire lead to lasting peace?
NEW PODCAST EPISODE:
Could the Israel/Hamas ceasefire lead to lasting peace?
We should report the reality, which is complex and painful sometimes. But it's very difficult to do that when you are in specific system in your media outlet. You are a reporter, but you're also an Israeli or a Palestinian, a Gazan or a Tel Avivan. You report about what hurts you the most, and you tend to be oblivious to the suffering of the other. It's very human, but it's also very wrong."
— Ksenia Svetlova
Political analyst and peacebuilder Ksenia Svetlova has her finger on the pulse of Middle East politics and media — and a mission to build a peaceful, integrated region.
Israel and Hamas are just over two weeks into a ceasefire agreement after fifteen months of fighting.This is a paradoxical moment to talk about long-term peace. The horrific October 7th attacks and the near-destruction of Gaza that followed served to amplify already high levels of distrust, hate, and trauma. At the same time, the war has demonstrated to Gazans that their government placed conflict with Israel above their own survival. And it has shown Israelis that an indefinite blockade of Gaza doesn’t ensure their security.
Yet with all it's complications, the cessation of hostilities does offer an opportunity to envision a way out of this seemingly endless conflict.
Our guest for this episode is Ksenia Svetlova, an expert observer of politics and media in the Middle East and the executive director of the Regional Organization for Peace, Economics, and Security, or ROPES.
Svetlova is an immigrant to Israel from the Soviet Union, an Arabic speaker and a Middle East specialist. For fifteen years, Svetlova reported from Israel, Gaza, the West Bank, and different countries in the region. She served four years in Israel’s parliament representing the center-left Zionist Union Coalition.
Dr. Bob Weintraub for Brookline School Committee
I’m running for School Committee because I have a long and rather unique professional history in education — as an English teacher in New York City, founding principal of the pre-k to 8 Micro-Society Magnet School in Lowell, BHS Head of School from 1992-2011, and professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Columbia University Teachers College and Boston University.
In partnership with my colleague Dr. Adrian Mims, we launched the Calculus Project at Brookline High School in 2009, and I’m currently Chair of the National Calculus Project.
In these challenging times, I believe that my experience in and passion for public education are vital to the necessary conversations about the present and future of our schools.
More of Dr. Bob's
core beliefs:
Leadership Matters
For administrative searches, we need democratic and inclusive search committees that have a real voice in the selection of our school and district leaders.
As well, our schools must be committed to cultivating leaders within the district.
Excellence in Teaching
As my colleague Ron Ferguson wrote, "Schools are built upon the three legs of a tripod—curriculum, instruction, and relationships—and without strong relationships, good curriculum and instruction are less likely to matter."
Prioritize People closest to the kids
Budget decisions must be driven by the return on investment (ROI) for the academic achievement and well-being of our students. Powerful research says that investment must be made at the schoolhouse — teachers, counselors/social workers, and principals who work with our kids every day.
The Academic goal for our schools
The academic profile of the school system — as measured by school attendance, course enrollments, student grades, and standardized test scores — improves over time. And the gap between the higher achieving and historically lower achieving students narrows.
To make this happen, the robust academic culture must be maintained (high standards), and intentional supports (such as the Calculus Project) must be provided so that more and more students can succeed within that academic culture.
The social-emotional goal for our schools
We must honor E Pluribus Unum in our schools.
This means understanding and respect for human differences and our essential kinship, and that every member of our school community has the freedom to define themselves and feel safe within that definition.
Media & Critical Thinking
We are a toxically divided nation. This is a reflection of politically driven information cultures, characterized by disinformation and misinformation.
Brookline should be a lighthouse in confronting this Brobdingnagian problem. We must address this through curriculum and through the practice of democracy in our schools
Vote On Or Before May 6th
Click Here to Endorse: https://www.drbob4brookline.com/
Click Here to Donate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/committee-to-elect-bob-weintraub-1
Bulletin of Atomic Scientists: 89 Seconds to Midnight
It is now 89 seconds to midnight
You can also watch the announcement on YouTube.
In setting the Clock one second closer to midnight, the Science and Security Board sends a stark signal: Because the world is already perilously close to the precipice, a move of even a single second should be taken as an indication of extreme danger and an unmistakable warning that every second of delay in reversing course increases the probability of global disaster.
The Bulletin has reset the minute hand on the Doomsday Clock 26 times since its debut in 1947, most recently in 2025 when we moved it from 90 seconds to midnight to 89 seconds to midnight. Every time it is reset, we’re flooded with questions about the internationally recognized symbol. Here are answers to some of the most frequent queries.
The Doomsday Clock is a design that warns the public about how close we are to destroying our world with dangerous technologies of our own making. It is a metaphor, a reminder of the perils we must address if we are to survive on the planet.
When the Doomsday Clock was created in 1947, the greatest danger to humanity came from nuclear weapons, in particular from the prospect that the United States and the Soviet Union were headed for a nuclear arms race. The Bulletin considered possible catastrophic disruptions from climate change in its hand-setting deliberations for the first time in 2007.
Kansas Senator and Convisero mentor Patrick Schmidt condemns Trump's pardon of violent Jan. 6 offenders
I have helped Patrick in a personal capacity to run for office and support his positions. Sen. Schmidt, D-Topeka, is one of five senators sponsoring a resolution condemning President Donald Trump's pardoning of Jan. 6 rioters convicted of violent crimes.
See here for the full article.
The resolution is unlikely to pass in a legislative body where Republicans have supermajority control. Trump won 57% of the vote in Kansas in 2024, and Republican leaders in the state are largely supportive of Trump's agenda.
"I don't think that this really should be a partisan issue," Schmidt said. "You had people that stole officers' service weapons, you had people that tasered law enforcement officers, you had, I think, almost 200 people with guns."
VII Foundation Executive Director and Convisero mentor Gary Knight on leading investigation of "Napalm Girl"
Gary Knight, Convisero mentor and whose organization VII Foundation I serve as an advisor to, was recently featured in this article on the investigation of “Napalm Girl” photo being credited to the wrong journalist.
Executive director Gary Knight, a photojournalist who led the film's investigation, told AFP it was "critical" that members of the news media "hold ourselves to account."
"The photograph in question is one of the most important photographs of anything ever made, certainly of war," he said.
Over the past two years, Gary has been working with a team of journalists at The VII Foundation and in Vietnam on an investigation into the veracity of the authorship of one of the most iconic images of the 20th century, or indeed, of any century. That investigation was documented by the Vietnamese American film director Bao Nguyen.
What VII Foundation uncovered speaks to the heart of what is most important in photography. The film grapples with questions of authorship, racial injustice, and journalistic ethics while shining a light on the fundamental yet often unrecognized contributions of local freelancers who provide the information needed to understand how events worldwide impact us all.
Gary says the following in a VII Foundation article on the matter:
This is a story that many people in our profession did not want told, and some of them continue to go to great lengths to make sure it isn't told. But regardless of the passage of time and however inconvenient it might be, nothing should stall the pursuit of truth in journalism because we are obliged to hold ourselves to account if we seek to hold everyone else to account. There is an old adage that journalism is 'the first draft of history'; sometimes it takes a second draft to set the record straight.
As one of the legendary Vietnamese journalists we spoke to told us: ‘There's nothing more important than the truth. When the truth is disregarded, that's when society becomes corrupted. (The truth) cannot be twisted, or torn apart, because if so, it's no longer the truth and we will have lost our moral compass.’
The Stringer premiered January 2025 at the Sundance Film Festival. Please watch this space for further information on theinvestigation and the film itself.
ISYP becomes a 2025 PACEY Award Finalist
In a rare bright spot in today’s news, there is a sincere congratulations to ISYP’s South Asia dialogue project as a finalist for the 2025 PACEY Awards.
ISYP, whose external advisory board I am on, is re-launching their South Asia initiative, which built a great community throughout 2022-2023 with successful roundtables on nuclear weapons issues in South Asia, including on the intersection of nuclear policy and cybersecurity. They hope to continue this work in 2025 and expand into producing published works and additional conferences.
Sanaa Alvira joins ISYP as a Research Associate specializing in nuclear policy and related issues at the Centre for Air Power Studies, India, and a Research Assistant at the Centre for the Governance of AI (GovAI). She is also a Marie Sklodowska-Curie fellow at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and a recent graduate of the Non-Proliferation and Terrorism Studies master’s programme at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. She joined ISYP's Leadership Team in 2024 and will be working on the South Asia Programming, in addition to ISYP's other projects.
In mutual congratulations, the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the Japanese organization, Nihon Hidankyo, an organization dedicated to supporting and amplifying the stories of nuclear bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki and educating the public on the dangers and humanitarian impacts of nuclear weapons. ISYP warmly congratulates Nihon Hidankyo on being awarded the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize. ISYP honors the legacy of the Hibakusha - the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki - whose courage and advocacy inspire our commitment to a world free of nuclear weapons.
Latest update on Power Ukraine from HRF
One month ago, HRF launched the Power Ukraine campaign to raise money for portable generators and deliver them to Ukrainians affected by the war and prolonged power outages.
The situation in Ukraine remains urgent: as the winter sets in, and temperatures hit as low as -30 Celsius (-22 Fahrenheit), Russian forces continue to purposefully attack Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, including boiler stations and power plants, in order to deprive Ukrainians of heat, electricity, and connectivity in the dead of winter. Portable generators allow the people of Ukraine to stay warm, charge their electronic devices, and stay connected with their loved ones.
Convisero mentor Rabbi Adina Allen in Boston
Creativity offers us a portal to transformation, spiritual connection, and revelation. It is there for us when we feel stuck, divided, or disconnected. In her highly anticipated first book, Rabbi Adina Allen delivers a paradigm-shifting and powerfully accessible reading of Torah as a contemporary guidebook for creativity and invites us to rethink and transform ourselves, our lives, and the world around us.
Join us for an afternoon with Rabbi Adina Allen, JSP Co-Founder and author of The Place of All Possibility: Cultivating Creativity Through Ancient Jewish Wisdom, in conversation with Joshua Foer, journalist, bestselling author, and co-founder of innovative Jewish enterprises including Lehrhaus and Sefaria.
Eli Kurland
Eli is a digital marketing professional with a background in strategy, production and advertising. His experience is both data-driven and creative. Mostly focused on the media sector, he has supported Fortune 500 companies in-house and as an agency partner. He has also worked with startups. He has marketed video streaming services, podcasts, digital publications, membership programs, email newsletters, social media and more.
Eli earned a Master’s degree in journalism from New York University, where he reported on subcultures. He also contributed to a ProPublica investigation called “Lost Mothers,” which became a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. He studied the media as an NYU undergrad, focusing on emerging Internet-supported business models for both media corporations and independent content creators.
Outside of professional and academic pursuits, Eli’s wide-ranging interests span nature, history, investing, stand-up comedy and much more.
Eli is a serious guy who I really enjoy conversing with. He cares deeply about many things, and has the great quality of listening carefully before offering a rejoinder.
He often has surprising angles to his thoughts and unusual insights. When it comes to hot-button issues he cares enough to thoroughly research his opinions, and I can always count on him to deliver a carefully argued and discerning analysis. He obliges you to respect his thinking even if there is disagreement.
Eli is a wonderful hybrid of decency and integrity.