KarunaNews Story

Steven Hoffen, a 13-year-old during the COVID-19 lockdown, created an award-winning documentary titled "Growing Peace in the Middle East." Inspired by his experience working with Sindyanna of Galilee, a nonprofit promoting cooperation between Arab and Jewish women through hydroponic gardening in Israel, Hoffen established his own nonprofit, Growing Peace. His organization installed hydroponic gardens in New York and Tel Aviv, providing fresh food to communities in need, including Eritrean and Sudanese asylum seekers, formerly incarcerated women, students, and disadvantaged neighborhoods. The documentary received widespread recognition and won Best Young Filmmaker at the Cannes World Film Festival. Through grants and partnerships, Hoffen continues to expand Growing Peace's impact, aiming to address food insecurity and promote sustainable farming technologies while fostering unity among diverse communities. The underlying message is encapsulated by the quote, "The Earth is what we all have in common" by Wendell Berry.