The “People of the Western Galilee” photo exhibit, that is currently on display at the Jewish Community Center (6701 Hoover Rd., Indianapolis) showcases the area’s diversity by sharing the life stories of 30 Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Druze, and Ethiopian Israelis. The exhibit, spearheaded by local photographers Freddie Kelvin and Dena Eber, is a creation of Partnership2Gether, which is a joint program of the Jewish Agency for Israel and the Jewish Federations of North America that promotes people-to-people relationships and the exchange of ideas and programs. Indianapolis is a member of the Partnership’s Central Area Consortium, which connects people living in 14 U.S. cities (including Indianapolis), Budapest (Hungary), and Israel’s Western Galilee region.

For the exhibit’s closing event on Wednesday, July 25, at 6:30 pm in the JCC’s Laikin Auditorium, Zachary Schaffer (Israel Action Network Community Strategy Associate; Board member of American Friends of Roots, which is an Israeli/Palestinian shared society organization), will lead a workshop on multiculturalism, coexistence, and the transformative power of art and storytelling. Schaffer will then moderate a discussion with local civic leaders working to bring different people and communities together. The panelist will explore the idea of how their work & the arts promote and create space for coexistence. The panel will feature:

• Rima Shahid, Executive Director of Women4Change Indiana
• Adrianne Slash, president of The Exchange at the Indianapolis Urban League and member of the Black-Jewish Partnership and Unity Project, and on the Board of the JCC
• Katie Blair, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy at ACLU Indiana & LGBTQ+ advocate