Forums attempt to answer questions about Gaza flotilla

Gali Baram, a counselor for public and academic affairs at the Israeli embassy, would have preferred speaking about the new Sabra hummus factory that recently opened in Richmond.

It's the largest in the world, Baram told a packed room of nearly 300 people at the Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia in Fairfax on Monday evening.

"But, unfortunately, this is not the case," she said about her talk. She was there, instead, to answer questions about the Israeli military seizure last week of a Gaza-bound ship, the Turkish Mavi Marmara, that left nine people dead and brought an onslaught of worldwide condemnation against Israel.

Young Jews urged to become stakeholders in Judaism

As a California college student, Eli Winkelman turned a passion for baking challah into a social action project by selling the breads and donating the funds to Darfur aid organizations.

Since leaving college in 2004, she has overseen the launch of 32 chapters of "Challah for Hunger," as executive director of the organization she started.

Yet learning the nuts and bolts of running a nonprofit has proven to be a learn-as-you-go sort of education for the 25-year-old. For guidance and jack-of-all-trade assistance, she frequently turns to Shawn Landres, the CEO and co-founder of Jumpstart, often described as a "thinkubator for sustainable Jewish innovation."