Growing up in Zagreb as a child of Holocaust survivors, Neda asked her parents why their surname was different than those of other families they knew. Cautioning her never to tell another soul, her father revealed that they were Jewish. But as the dissolution of Yugoslavia drew clear ethnic lines - Serb, Croat, Moslem - Neda, then a professional ballet mistress, discovered her own Jewish heritage through Israeli and Jewish folk dancing.

With JDC support, Neda established a dance troupe, Or Shemesh, which performs nationwide and provides instruction for all ages, from children in the community kindergarten to Jewish old age home residents. She also uses dance to unite the ex-Yugoslav Jewish family, through joint activities with other dance groups in the Balkans. And to bring others back to Jewish life, Neda has made Jewish learning and themes a regular part of both rehearsals and her choreography.

"Through dance, I returned to the rich culture I belong to as a Jew," says Neda. "And through dance, I help other discover that richness, too. I am thankful to the Joint for this opportunity."