Gabriela Sztrigler Lew will light the Diaspora torch at Israel’s 73rd Independence Day Torch-Lighting Ceremony.
Transportation Minister Miri Regev and Culture and Sports Minister Chili Tropper, the two ministers in charge of the ceremony, stated, “We are happy to announce Gabriela Strigler as our choice for lighting the Diaspora torch on the 73rd Independence Day of the State of Israel and as a representative of the younger generations in the diaspora.”
The annual ceremony marks the end of Yom HaZikaron (Israeli Memorial Day) and the beginning of Yom HaAtzmaut (Israeli Independence Day). The ceremony takes place on Mount Herzl and is attended by the senior leadership of the government, military, and diplomatic community. The lighting of 12 torches, recalling the twelve tribes of Israel, are given to those who have made an outstanding contribution to society.
Gabriela is a volunteer from Mexico, who started her journey in Juventud during her high school years, and quickly became the leader of her class and teammates. She participated in more than 10 humanitarian missions in Mexico. She also took part in the response team sent to Honduras offering humanitarian relief after Hurricanes Eta and Iota in 2020, under the auspices of Shalom Corps – a joint initiative of Mosaic United and the Jewish Agency. During the mission, Gabriela was responsible for delivering water filters and solar lamps to affected communities.
Gabriela says that she holds dear and tries to represent Jewish values, always keeping in mind that she is part of the global Jewish community with a duty to assist and aid wherever Jewish and non-Jewish communities are in need. Tikkun olam is a core principal driving her volunteer service.
Appreciative of being selected, Gabriela remarked, “As a Jewish woman, it means the world to me to be part of an emergency response team. Since I was little, I always dreamed of making a difference in the world. No matter how small my contribution is, I know that I’m doing my best to create positive change. Being part of an emergency response team is not just a commitment, it is a privilege that life gave me.”
Mosaic United is a partnership between the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and global Jewry. The ceremony will be held on Israel’s Independence eve, April 14, 2021.