Exactly one year ago, SHATIL staffers sat down to interview an eager looking young man applying for our year-long social entrepreneurs course for students from the Former Soviet Union (FSU.)  Within moments, it became evident that in addition to SHATIL helping Evgeny, Evgeny could help SHATIL.

Twenty three-year-old Evgeny Zadiran, a third year student of communications, politics and government at Ben Gurion University (BGU), began the SHATIL course simultaneously with his new job: spokesperson to the Russian media in Israel and media consultant to FSU organizations.

Those interviewing Evgeny that day might have had great expectations due to his journalistic experience and enthusiasm for the job – but no one expected him to place more than 1,000 articles and broadcasts on SHATIL and the work of social organizations in Russian-language newspapers, Internet sites, radio and television in one year. Evgeny has also trained dozens of FSU immigrant organizations in using of the Russian media, initiated a hot line for FSU immigrants, a popular Russian-language SHATIL blog and, with Buthayna Dabit, the Mixed Cities Marathon (see article). 

“Evgeny is the most activist member of our staff,” says Inda Kriksunov, coordinator of SHATIL’s Assistance to Immigrants from the Former Soviet Union Project. The organizations love him. He does amazing work at a very fast pace. He’s unstoppable!” 

Evgeny was born in Mogilev, Belarus to a father who coached soccer and a mother who taught preschool. His family disagreed about immigrating to Israel and after she lost the years-long argument, his mother divorced his father on June 9, 2002, the day she left for Israel with her mother and son. Evgeny had just graduated high school.

“I was also ambivalent,” says Evgeny. “I was very socially active in Mogilev, I had organized a lot of events and activities, I worked as a sports correspondent, was very involved in soccer. Now I would have to start over from scratch.

“At first it was so awful. I knew no one. I thought I’d never learn Hebrew. The letters looked to me like Chinese. I was depressed for a month.”

Things picked up when Evgeny began studying at BGU where he joined the student council, started writing about social issues and sports for Russian newspapers and organizing soccer tournaments for new immigrants and natives, a project that now includes Arabs and which NIF began supporting this year. Evgeny is also an official observer for NIF’s Kick Racism out of the Stadium initiative.

“When I saw the ad for the SHATIL course, I said, ‘This is just what I love. Just what I want to do. Just what needs to be done.’ I was very impressed with SHATIL – it is multi-faceted, engages all communities, works on so many different topics. I wanted to be part of it. I was on pins and needles until I heard it’s a go. I asked Inda, ‘When do I start? She said, Start next week.” I said, “I want to start now.’”

What are his hopes for the future?

“I hope that the social organizations will attain their aims, especially the immigrant organizations that work so hard and with hardly any budget. I very much admire these people who dedicate their lives to the social good of other immigrants.”

Evgeny also wants to finish university and to keep working at SHATIL.

“I hope I work at SHATIL my whole life. SHATIL gives me the feeling that an ordinary person can change society. This is just the beginning.”