I am currently returning from a scholarship in the University of Berkeley at California and am enrolled as a full time student in the UNAM (National University) my major being in philosophy. I have always been in touch with the artistic and cultural world of México City, but have somehow felt that these interests are not dealt with in the Mexican Jewish community. Currently I am writing my thesis and organizing fellow Jews into writing a magazine that will deal with diverse aspects of young Jewish life in Mexico.
Contact:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Galia Staropolsky, 23, Industrial designer
Currently she is working in “Omellete” a Design Firm dealing with interior decoration. She has been involved in different social design projects and is working in the creative aspect of Salon México City. She is enthusiastic to meet jewish people involved in the cultural life sharing common concerns and interests.
Paul J. Feldman, 24
I am currently finishing both a B.S. and an M.A. in Economic Theory at ITAM university in Mexico City. I currently work as an editor for an Economic Journal, as a research assistant at CIE in experimental economics and as a student advisor for all economic subjects. I spent last summer working in a think tank in Washington D.C. through a fellowship. I have always been very involved with the Mexican Jewish community through various organizations. However, I feel the current institutional framework is lacking in several respects, in particular, dealing with diversity within the community. I feel Jewish Salons fills part of this vacuum.
Emilio Betech Rophie, 36
Since 2004, I have hosted "El Aleph, La Voz Judía de la Radio", Mexico's only Jewish-themed radio talk show, broadcast nationally. I am also the creator of "La Historia de tu Vida", an oral history production company, as well as ExpanDT, a marketing and training consulting practice. I also teach in Iberoamericana University and freelance in writing. During the summer of 2008, I was honored to participate in the "Diplomatic Seminar for Young Jewish Leaders", sponsored by Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
My current projects include an upcoming book concerning Jewish facts and fictions, a preservation program for Mizrahi religious music, and of course, launching Jewish Salons in Mexico. I am very excited about this venture. I truly believe we can shake things up with a new, bold, original take on Jewish matters.
You can reach me at: www.expandt.com or www.lahistoriadetuvida.com.
Juan Carlos Serrano Aguirre, 23, Creative Director
I am currently a college student and an amateur art-maker, trying to finish my major degree in Philosophy, on UNAM, here in Mexico City. I was involved since 2003 in various art manifestations around the cultural spotlights in town, between them, expos and performances of mine. My main development takes place in the fields of painting, photography, cinematography, drawing and writing, but now I'm working pleasantly in this new proyect dealing with artistic and cultural networking Being the non-jewish piece of the crew, I bring into the project an external vision of things and particular perspectives of Mexico City in terms of art, culture and local people; trying to find the balance by keeping a dialogue with the scenes of contemporary art nowadays.
See a part of my work and curriculum in extenso on: www.myspace.com/juancarlosserrano
Eduardo Begun Toporek- 26 years Production and Design Director
Born in Mexico City, I had always been involved with the mexican jewish community organizing internal and external events dealing with jewish music expressions. In the year 2004 I started my own project with the idea of “Koolture” in Mexico, realizing that Mexico has a growing cultural scene that can be related to jewdaism in many diferent ways. I finished my masters degree in graphic design in Spain in 2005, during those years I was involved in the international scene with diferent music and design projects, all of this motivated by an increasing need to express myself creatively. Since I heard of the “Jewish Salons Project” I felt identified with it as movement that felt to be in tune with my take on “jewishness”, allowing for me express myself freely in innovative ways.
Danielle H. Friedman, 22, Creative Production and International Representative
I am a painter currently living in Mexico City as a recipient of the Mortimer-Hays Brandeis Traveling Fellowship in the visual arts. Upon moving to Mexico City, I quickly learned how distinct the Mexican Jewish community is. I decided to get involved with Jewish Salons Mexico City because it is an amazing project that takes on the challenge of exploring contemporary Jewish identity and culture via the arts. I graduated from Brandeis University in Massachussetts, where I experienced a rich and diverse Jewish community and developed an incredible understanding of the importance of the arts and culture. Working with Jewish Salons, I hope to merge and develop these two interests. www.daniellehfriedman.com
Natasha Uren, 27, Coordinator of Jewish Content
I got involved in the Jewish Salons with the objective of finding a space for my very own particular Judaism. I decided a few years back to get much more involved with the Mexican aspect of the Mexican cultural scene than with the Jewish one, but for some strange reason, the Jewish identity always comes back to you. What I needed was an open space where my Mexican and Jewish identity could fuse and interact, The Jewish Salons ll is the first group to offer this for me. As a Jewish historian, I am important resource to the local group, helping the creative team to ground their themes in the millennial Jewish tradition.
Diana Coss, 28, Museography and Aesthetic Director.
I am currently finalizing my carreer in attire, fashion design and publicity in several design centres in Mexico and Argentina. As a designer, arts and multiculturalism have always been part of my interests. A few years back, I also developed a keen interest in Jewish culture, finding a great affinity to it in terms of values, beliefs and cultural influences. Being part of The Jewish Salons has taught me about the situation of young Jews in our contemporary world whilst giving me chance to identify to Judaism in a broader sense of the word.
People 
