How a Jewish Initiative Started in the Slums of Mumbai

Following Arvit, join Jacob Sztokman, founder of the Gabriel Project Mumbai, to be moved by the Jewishly-inspired work his organization is doing to support some of the world’s most vulnerable families in the slums and underserved villages in India. Jacob will share his journey from high-tech executive to founding a development NGO in India that partners with Kivunim, JDC, JFNA, Nativ, Young Judaea, Chabad, and others. 

Jacob Sztokman is a hi-tech executive turned social-entrepreneur. On a visit to Mumbai in 2011, Jacob toured the city’s slums and was deeply moved to work on the issues of poverty and illiteracy among the children of India. Troubled by what he saw and motivated to help make a difference, Jacob consulted with grassroots Indian NGOs and created a holistic model of community development combining urban and rural underserved communities in India. The community led initiatives focus on education, nutrition, hygiene, water health care, and livelihood. 

Jacob was born in Melbourne, Australia, and immigrated to Israel in 1993. Jacob’s professional life has been in the world of sales and marketing in Israel. Jacob has a Masters degree in community development  from  Hebrew University, and is on track to complete his Masters in nonprofit management from Gratz University. Jacob brings to Gabriel Project Mumbai a unique combination of management experience and deep commitment to social justice. He is driven by the fundamental belief that we must take responsibility to help alleviate human suffering around the world. He and his wife, Elana, live in Israel with their four children and two newly minted grandchildren.