By
Published
December 13, 2013
Matúš Horvatovič is 18 years old, and travels back and forth from his hometown of Bratislava, Slovakia to Brno, Czech Republic where he studies international relations at Masaryk University. You can find him working on behalf of the Jewish youth in Slovakia and enjoying student life in Brno.
Matúš's idea to bring the Shabbat experience to young people in small communities in Slovakia was recently chosen to receive a $1,000 #MakeItHappen micro grant! To read more about his project and to volunteer to help him #MakeItHappen visit Matúš's idea page.
What three hashtags would you use to describe yourself?
#hardworking #beorthodox #singeveryday 
What inspired you to apply for a #MakeItHappen micro grant and what do you hope it will achieve?
The desire to change the current, less-than-optimal situation for young Jews in Slovakia inspired me to take action. I think I have the capability to help young Jews become more involved in the Jewish community even though they don't live in a central hub of Jewish life. I think my efforts will eventually help to preserve Judaism in Slovakia.
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
The expectation of new positive experiences.
What is one change you want to see in the world?
I would like to see people show each other empathy and solidarity. We must realize that there are no differences among us that should cause us to hate one another. If we can achieve this, we can spend less time doing bad and more time improving the world.
What is the biggest risk you have taken and how did it pay off?
Surprisingly, my biggest risk was joining Jewish youth for Shabbat dinner. I didn't know anybody, I didn't know what to expect or how they would react to me as a new person. Meeting with totally new people was a great risk for me, and yet most of them are my good friends now, so I would say it paid off very well!
Have you ever failed before and what lessons did you learn?
I have failed many times but the common denominator of all my failures is that I don't give up, instead try again in a different way. I look for the bright side and eventually everything turns out okay.
Who are your heroes?
My Rabbi Baruch Myers is my hero because he is the one who never stopped working for the community during his 20 years in Bratislava. He has always made an effort to encourage people to enjoy Judaism and showed me and others that it is possible to be an observant Jew virtually everywhere in the world.
Where do you find solitude?
I find solitude on the train ride traveling from my university back home.
Where do you find community?
I find community among my friends, where I can express myself without a mask, where they take me as I am, whether they are from school or from the Jewish community.
If you had to give up one modern convenience what would it be and why?
If I had to I would give up having wi-fi almost everywhere I go. Our lives are going virtual and I think we are loosing contact with reality. It is sad when I meet with somebody and he or she is checking updates on the Internet all the time.
What is your favorite Jewish memory?
My favorite Jewish memory is praying Kabbalat Shabbat in front of the Kotel with hundreds of other Jews.
The Schusterman Philanthropic Network is proud to empower emerging leaders to explore their values, identity and new ways to strengthen their communities. We believe that as we work together to repair the world, it is important to share our diverse experiences and perspectives along the way. We encourage the expression of personal thoughts and reflections here on the Schusterman blog. Each post reflects solely the opinion of its author and does not necessarily represent the views of the Foundation, its partner organizations or all program participants.
