Ariella Cwikel

Activist, Brainstormer, Change Agent, Concerned citizen, Explorer, Global soul, Idea generator, Student, World traveler

Born in Michigan in 1984, spent most my life in the south of Israel. Lived also in the US, Cambodia and in the past 7 years in Jerusalem. Traveled around SE Asia, Australia, India. BA+ MA in Community Social Work from Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Spent one year in field training at Shatil-Initiative for Social Change, Jerusalem. Since 2008 I've been an active member of a group of volunteers promoting the rights and well-being of African refugees and asylum seekers in Jerusalem, and since 2014 am a member of the founding and steering commity for an NGO we started- Jerusalem African Community Center. Since 2010- working at Jerusalem municipality as city coordinator of community gardens (we have over 55 of them) and community sustainability.

life. peace. creativity. words. love. mangoes. communities. people. reflections. environment. learning. community gardens. yoga. reading. music. art. translating. nature. communication. education.

Give BACK- Backpackers Active for Communities and Kids. While traveling I had the privilege of being involved in the founding and facilitating of Kids at the Lake Creations in PP, Cambodia. That experience made me think about promoting the idea of socially- conscience traveling. Give BACK (when founded) will harness the resource of packpakers' time and energy, together with the needs, strengths and initiatives of local communities, to create a work-force for change. The project will have branches in all major backpacker hubs and will provide volunteering opportunities for travelers- from one day to 3 month long projects. Volunteers will earn a meaningful experience & deeper understanding of the consequences and effect of their passing by as travelers, while local communities will receive man-power build schools, trees replanted, beaches cleaned etc. locals will be the ones create the agenda for change and take part in it, therefor the achievements will be sustainable for the future.

Community Activism, community organizing, Environmental community work, Refugees and asylum seekers in Israel

Untangling knots.