PARIS – The World Jewish Congress on Sunday, in
partnership with its French affiliate the Representative Council of French
Jewish Institutions (CRIF), held the Future Leadership meeting in Paris. Leading
young professionals from Francophone countries, including participants in WJC
Elevate programs such as the Jewish Diplomatic Corps, the Jewish Diplomatic Academy
and NextGen, along with the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS) and prominent
representatives of Jewish youth organizations, came together under the auspices
of the Thrive Project to address pressing challenges facing the Jewish world in
the aftermath of October 7th and exchanged ideas on how to properly
safeguard Jewish life in Europe.
The Thrive Project is a joint initiative funded by the
European Commission that is run by the World Jewish Congress, the European
Union of Jewish Students (EUJS) and the European Association for the
Preservation and Promotion of Jewish Culture and Heritage (AEPJ). Thrive’s core
mission is to focus on strengthening Jewish life in Europe through
resilience-building and awareness-raising activities.
The seminar was held alongside the CRIF National Convention,
where dozens of high-level diplomatic speakers addressed the major political
and social issues that shape today’s reality. Following the convention, the representatives discussed
tangible action plans on how to safeguard Jewish communities and strengthening Jewish
life worldwide.
Specifically,
discussions centered on:
- Combating Internal Polarization: Addressing the rise of anti-Zionism and the vulnerability to radicalization within the community by promoting nuanced, historically-informed education on Zionism, Israel, and Jewish heritage.
- Empowering the 30-45 Demographic: Developing creative, engaging initiatives targeting Jewish professionals to reach and re-engage the large segment of the Jewish world that feels alienated from traditional institutions.
- Investing in Governance: Strategizing on how to push for new, young, and female leaders to assume decision-making and governance positions on community boards, ensuring the continuity and relevance of Jewish institutions.
The WJC Jewish Diplomatic Corps highlighted the critical
need for Jewish professionals to take on leadership and decision-making roles
in the workplace to strengthen public Jewish engagement in spaces where
radicalization and antisemitism are on the rise.
During the discussion, Marie-Sarah Seeberger, who
serves as a WJC Executive Committee and Jewish Diplomatic Corps member as well
as Head of International Affairs at Crif, highlighted the critical need for
training that goes beyond history and culture, focusing on preparing
individuals to be “professional Jews” ready to join and lead organizations. She
argued that the essential, difficult discussions about the community’s internal
post-October 7th challenges are not currently being addressed by the
highest-level decision-makers. Seeberger highlighted the WJC as the leading
model for change, explaining that the WJC hosts dedicated roundtable
discussions led by future leaders during its Executive Committee meetings,
ensuring that global issues like the refugee crisis, ecology, and
gender equality are
integrated into top-tier discussions.
The discussion was marked by an unflinching assessment of
the community’s current state. As EUJS President and WJC JDA member Hannah
Veiler stressed, the trauma of October 7th has left global Jewry “unbelievably
vulnerable,” creating fertile ground for radicalization that pushes people not
only toward anti-Zionism but potentially toward the far-right as well. In
response, Veiler emphasized the urgent need to create projects that restore ‘Jewish
joy,’ and provide compelling reasons to remain connected and engaged,
shielding the young generation from “easy solutions for a very complicated
reality.”
The WJC remains committed to investing in the talent and vision of young
leaders across the globe. Their voices are not just the future of Jewish life;
they are essential to navigating the complex reality that global Jewry are
experiencing today.
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