"The Birth of MEJDI" by Erik Walenza-Slabe

MEJDI – the Middle East Justice and Development Initiatives – is a mouthful. This petite for-profit startup purports to lead bi-ethnic peace building tours to Israel and Palestine, import good from Palestinian and Israeli manufacturers (provided the also employ Palestinians) and provide financial consultation on potential investment opportunities in the region. Well, a child should have aspirations. And MEJDI is indeed a child on the world stage – an infant in fact, with but four months of official existence to boast of and its first tour scheduled this coming April.

Perhaps that’s why I so enjoy working with the company, what is so vivifying as the birth of a dream? And if it’s a still birth? Well, sad though that thought be I’ve an absolutely noble friend who himself was preceded by a still born brother – and as life struggles on so surely does the creative process. And what is it that makes MEJDI of note? Surely hundred on companies are born daily with most faltering upon their first steps. What excites me about MEJDI is that its founders have sought to align their personal ideals (the realization of a harmonious Middle East) with their needs (a venture profitable enough to put food in their children’s mouths).

It’s curious – shocking perhaps – that a company with ideals should be novel. After all, companies are treated as human under the law and moral, family-loving humans are their primary ingredient. Unfortunately, it seems that ninety-nine times out of a hundred some inept bungler manages to confuse the recipe such that – pop – in go a thousands honest Joes and Janes – whiz – out comes one amoral lump of factory. Suffice to say, I’m pleased to be working to promote a couple guys make a life doing good work. Ah! Perhaps it’s the “couple” that changes the equations. Even the most magnificent chef is bound to have problems mixing a decent recipe out of thirty thousands employees, twenty business units and fifteen subsidiaries. Somewhere along the way he’s gonna have to simplify and, woops! ethics slide into the waste bin.

Ah, but really I’m just entertaining myself. I have no doubt that many larger companies are led by men and women with strong moral priorities who see their communities as more that mere “stakeholders” and our beautiful land as more than extractable resources. And certainly there are many individuals that abuse their communities and pollute their backyards out of ignorance or desperation. My point, if I ever had one, would probably have been simply to say that it’s enjoyable to work with good people who are trying to earn a buck while helping their community.

Erik Walenza-Slabe, Global MBA 2011