Executive Director - Understanding Israel Foundation
A Reflection and Report from Trinidad and Tobago
As we close 2025, it feels like finally the nightmare of October 7 has come to an end; that we’ve finally turned the page on the calendar to a new day. Softly, tenderly, spring has descended on us: the green shoots of hope have sprung up in between the cracked concrete of terror that was the past two years of living hell that Hamas unleashed upon Israel, upon the hostages and upon all of us around the world.
I remember staying up late at night on October 13 of this year to see the living hostages be released. I don’t think any of us could believe it was actually happening: twenty sons coming home – not those of us in Israel, or those of us outside of Israel but who felt joyously connected to the land in that moment. The jubilation in the streets of Israel was palpable across the screen, leaping out to those of us who were living vicariously through the joy of the families, the friends, and the entire citizenry of Israel. I shared in the joy; many of us in the Caribbean celebrated. We had wept for them, had fought for them, had defended their coming home; and then, on October 13th 2025 – these final living twenty… we were welcoming back home.
The war is over. And though we remain staunchly cognizant of Ran Gvili – the last remaining hostage body held in Gaza – we give thanks that, mostly, this war seems to becoming to a conclusion. We say “seems” because as at the time of this writing, Hamas has not followed through with its commitment of disarming; Hezbollah remains a threat to the north; the Houthis remain firmly entrenched to the south; and to the east of Israel, vile forces remain in place, committed to the destruction of the State of Israel – chief among these is, of course, the head of the snake: the regime of the ayatollahs in the Islamic Republic of Iran. But for now, there is quiet – and we rest and give thanks for this, but remain vigilant and thankful to the Israeli security forces for providing a buttress to the evil encircling Israel.
While the war in Israel is (again) seemingly over, we remain painfully aware that the two-year long chant to “Globalize the Intifada” has not just been echoed as an empty slogan, but has been put into action across the world. There have been a staggering 5,118 reported antisemitic attacks globally as at October, 2025. These include the horrific Hanukkah massacre at Bondi Beach in Australia on the first day of Hanukkah this year; the Yom Kippur attack on the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester, UK, in October; and the incident incident in June in Colorado, USA, where an individual with a Molotov cocktail murdered one person and injured 16 at a pro-Israel rally. A global intifada – a global sickness that seeks to end the lives of innocent Jews everywhere.
The ninth front of the October 7 war has opened up around the world; and this is a bigger powder keg than the State of Israel can realistically be expected to contain. After months of continuous demonization and dehumanization of the State of Israel and Jews everywhere, we are seeing a global climate of antisemitism the likes of which most of us thought had died when the Nazis were defeated. Around the world, Jews are retreating from their synagogues, retreating from wearing identifiably Jewish symbols and retreating from relationships with aggressive non-Jewish peers. Increasing misinformation, disinformation and outright lies about Israel’s justifiable response to the Hamas attacks of October 7 have weaponized Jew-hatred on Jewish communities around the world.
In Trinidad and Tobago, graffiti at flyovers vilify Jews and Israel; a silver station wagon drives defiantly around the country with the Nazi swastika and eagle proudly embossed on its back windscreen (our reports to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, while noted with sympathy and grace, proved fruitless as there are no laws in the country barring Holocaust denial and/or displays of Nazi symbolism); the Palestinian ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago, Ms. Linda Sobeh – who was expelled from Canada in 2011 for antisemitic tweets and remains person non grata there – was given a red carpet welcome by the government in Port of Spain. But most scarily, the discourse around Israel and around the Jewish people in Trinidad is being framed around emotions based on erroneous anecdotes, TikTok videos and a weak imposition of the Caribbean narrative of slavery unto the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Despite the signals on the horizon that there is still more antisemitism to come, the Understanding Israel Foundation – the only pro-Israel advocacy think thank in the English-speaking Caribbean, which aims to foster fairer representation of the State of Israel and which works towards deepening relations between the Caribbean and Israel – reflects and reports on a powerful and impactful year of growth, of meaningful connection and conversation, of true community building and on the staunch and unwavering belief that good will triumph over evil.
Report on Understanding Israel Foundation’s Activities in 2025.
In January of this year, we were pleased to partner with TTResponse and the Redemption Christian Centre in Port of Spain to host the first Caribbean-Israel Alliance Conference, which hosted then Israeli ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago, H.E. Itai Bardov, alongside virtual representatives from the Jewish Agency, President David Brandwein and Gal Atia. (It should be noted that David is the grandson of Jewish refugees who arrived to Trinidad, and much of our partnerships with the Jewish Agency is directly a result of his efforts; we remain indebted to David for his support of the Understanding Israel Foundation). The Conference brought together Christian pro-Israel leaders from ten Caribbean countries and North America.
In February, we were pleased to host the plucky pro-Israel social media influencer and warrior, Tal Oran, aka The Traveling Clatt, and his cameraman, who were treated to true Caribbean hospitality in Curaçao, Suriname and ending in Trinidad and Tobago. Tal’s journey coincided with the world famous Trinidadian Carnival, and he enjoyed the spectacle of the festival, spoke at various churches, met with political figures, and enjoyed a dizzying array of Trinidadian foods. Tal also cooked and hosted Shabbat dinner for some of the local Jewish community and team of Understanding Israel Foundation.
In March, we were lucky to have Dr. Analucia Lopezrevoredo – a Peruvian-American sociologist and bridgebuilder, known for her advocacy and research on human migration, immigrant identity development and global Jewish communities and founder of Jewtina y Co. – visit Trinidad. Dr. Lopezrevoredo presented at the University of the West Indies on her important work on Jewish migration, as she connected Jewish migration patterns in Latin America and Canada to similar patterns of Caribbean Jews.
In April we began our eleventh cohort of the Israel 101 program, which sought to teach Trinidadians about Israel and Jews in a structured syllabus which included five main modules (each with constituent sections) as detailed below:
- Foundation of Israel – a) Zionism, b) Judaism and Zionism, c) History of Israel;
- Antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment – a) Antisemitism, b) Anti-Israel sentiment, c) The Holocaust;
- Israel and Her Neighbors – a) An Overview of the Middle East, b) The Arab-Israeli Conflict, c) The Palestinian Narrative, d) The Peace Process;
- The Inner Workings of Israel – a) Governance in Israel, b) Politics in Israel, c) Security in Israel, d) Religion in Israel, e) Culture in Israel, f) The Start-Up Nation: Israeli Economics, g) Israel as a Modern Country;
- Advocacy for Israel.
Over the summer, we spoke at several pro-Israel events hosted by various churches throughout the country, including at: Gathering for the Brethren in Arouca – hosted by youth ministers Rajesh Etwaru and Barry Mohammed; Faith Life Ministries in Arima – hosted by Pastor Jane Cedeno Gilbert; and two three-day Israel education seminars entitled “If I forget thee, O Jerusalem” hosted by Bishop Don Hamilton, President of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies at the Curepe Pentecostal Church, and then again at Revival Time Assembly in San Fernando.
In October, we partnered with the newly formed Caribbean-Israel Connection to host their inaugural gathering of Caribbean leaders to commemorate October 7 in New York from October 3-5, 2025. Christian leaders from almost every island presented themselves for the three-day event, and we were blessed to have the following representatives from the following organizations join us to lead workshops, to community build and to highlight the final event:
David Brandwein and Gal Atia of the Jewish Agency for Israel in North America;
Tsach Saar, Deputy Consular General of the Israel Consulate General in New York and head of the Cultural Affairs Department at the Israel Consulate General in New York, Yael Hashavit;
Bob Scott, the Ministry Engagement Director for Christians United for Israel, the foremost Christian pro-Israel lobby in the United States founded by Pastor John Hagee.
On October 7, 2025, we hosted a solemn gathering at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain, to commemorate 7/10/23. This included the sharing of survivor testimonies, a video greeting from the new Deputy Ambassador at the Israel Embassy in Panama, Anya Yonatan-Leus, and discussions on how October 7 has changed things for Jews around the world.
On December 14, 2025, we joined Rabbi Avraham Super – the resident Chabad rabbi of St. Lucia, also responsible for Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana – in celebrating the first night of Hanukkah in Port of Spain, Trinidad. It is notable that this was the same day as the Bondi Beach Hanukkah Massacre; Rabbi Super’s brother, Yaakov, was one of the people shot that day. Luckily, after two separate surgeries, Yaakov is recuperating. Yaakov was injured while working at the Chanukah by the Sea event for Hatzolah, a medical service dedicated to providing emergency care at Jewish events and to members of the community.
In addition to these in-person events, the Understanding Israel Foundation continued to provide opportunities for Trinidadians to connect with Israel and Jews in the following virtual events throughout the year:
Survival: A Conversation with Imri Bunim – where Imri, a survivor of the October 7 attack shared his harrowing story and confirmed his continued belief in peace and a shared future for Israelis and Palestinians; alongside Imri, panelists Ambassador Bardov of the Israel embassy in Panama, and David Brandwein and Danielle Mor of the Jewish Agency joined for a thorough and spirited discussion which continued for three hours.
A Conversation from Barbados – we were joined by Justin Weiss, the founder and Executive Director of the Barbados Peace Collective – UIF’s sister organization in Barbados – where he elucidated about anti-Israel sentiment in Barbados, which was being fueled by elements within the Bajan government.
Trini Jews: A Conversation with Sally Dorfman – as one of the Jewish refugees who arrived in Trinidad during world war 2, Sally Dorfman’s parents escaped the horrors of Nazi Europe and found safe haven here. Sally shared her experiences growing up in Trinidad and her love of Trinidadian culture and food and her continued identity as a Trinidadian. Many descendants of Jewish refugees who comprised the “Calypso Shtetl” also joined the conversation which turned into an impromptu Trini lime of reconnection, shared connections, stories and laughter.
Jewish Life in Trinidad 1940’s-70’s – we were joined by Monica Shapiro and Libby Ellyn who continued Sally’s story and shared their family stories and their own memories of Trinidad and what life was like growing up in Trinidad, with all the Naipaul-esque intrigues that follow the colorful life of Trinidadian life of the 40’s-70’s.
Soraya Deen – founder of the Muslim Women’s Speakers Movement, board member of the American Muslim and Multifaith Women’s Empowerment Council and Director of Muslim Outreach at Understanding Israel Foundation did not speak with us in a direct one-on-one conversation but joined us as a panelist for numerous events we co-hosted with the Israel Embassy in Panama alongside former Ambassador Bardov and former Deputy Chief of Mission Mandelblum, and she joined us informally for multiple virtual events where she lent her expertise, her wisdom and her ear to our talks. Soraya continues to advocate for Islamic reform, Muslim women empowerment and for Israel and the Jewish people.
What’s Happening to the Druze in Syria? – we hosted an urgent call-to-action session with Rania Fadel Dean, an Israeli Druze pro-Israel activist based in Los Angeles to explain the situation in Sweida, Syria. The founder of Covenant of Blood (Brit Damim), Rania uses her organization to explain the history and religion of the Druze people, their deep integration into Israeli society, and the “covenant of blood” that binds the Druze and Jewish communities through shared sacrifice and loyalty.
Virtual Goodbye’s – we said two separate goodbyes to former Ambassador Itai Bardov and former Deputy Chief of Mission, Jakin Mandelblum, at the Israel Embassy in Panama, as both ended their tenures and returned to Trinidad in July and August, respectively, of this year. Our first goodbye to former ambassador Bardov occurred on his last day in office and was a pleasant and easy round of well-wishes from ambassador Bardov’s many friends in Trinidad and beyond. Our second goodbye to former DCM Mandelblum occurred after Jakin had returned to Israel and which poignantly occurred while Jakin was driving to Haifa and he treated the audience to views of the Carmel mountain range.
Ethiopian Jewry: A Conversation with Pnina Agenyahu – the Understanding Israel Foundation has been blessed to work alongside the Jewish Agency in many different capacities and to have some of the most profound leaders in this historic organization grace us with their presence and stories. We were treated to a very fascinating session with the Director of Global Jewish Connections at the Agency, Pnina Agenyahu, who shared her personal story as an Ethiopian-Israeli Jew, as well as combatted the many lies told about Ethiopian Jews in Israel. Pnina very rightly pointed out how successful the community is and made reference to her own success within the world of Israel advocacy and in the Jewish Agency as testimony to this.
Conversations about Judaism – we were treated to two separate virtual conversations about Judaism with Rabbi Avraham Super, the Chabad rabbi of St Lucia, and Rabbi Gail Diamond of Israel. Rabbi Super also joined the membership for an in-person session in early fall and also hosted the first night of Hanukkah in Trinidad on December 14, 2025.
Jewish Life in the Diaspora post 7/10: A Focus on Australia: Julie Elias joined the community in mid-fall to speak about rising antisemitism in her beloved Melbourne and Australia at large. Her candid and open sharing is especially haunting as less than two months later, the horrific Hanukkah massacre occurred at Bondi Beach.
Is Israel Committing Genocide? – we were joined by Holocaust and Genocide expert, Dr. Shai Pilnik – Director of the Emil A. and Jenny Fish Center for Holocaust Studies at Yeshiva University, New York – to analyze whether Israel’s actions in Gaza constituted genocide. Dr. Pilnik led the discussion to highlight the definitions of “genocide” and to contrast these with what was actually happening.
What does a Bahrani Arab Muslim think about Israel? – joining us for our last discussion of the year was Bassam Aldoserri, the Understanding Israel Foundation’s contact in Bahrain. As a young Arab Bahraini Muslim, Bassam gave us a unique insight into the differences between Gulf Arab attitudes to Israel and Jews contrasted with Arab attitudes outside of the Gulf region. He elucidated on the differences between Sunni and Shia Islam and spoke candidly about Israel’s positive role and future in the Middle East.
2026 and Beyond
We remain grateful for the support given to the Understanding Israel Foundation by its members in Trinidad and Tobago, by pro-Israel Christian leaders in Trinidad and Tobago and throughout the entire Caribbean and Caribbean diaspora regions, by the Israel Embassy in Panama, the Jewish Agency and all other partners and friends.
We end 2025 with hope: hope that peace will prevail and that a new tomorrow dawns for Middle East and for deeper relations between the State of Israel and the Republic of Trindad and Tobago. We look forward to welcoming the new Israeli Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago, H.E. Mattanya Cohen, and the new Israeli Deputy Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago, Anya Yonatan Leus.
Happy New Year to all.