Académique Documents
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2012-2014
Written by Andi Gergely Edited by Gabriella Horowitz Designed by Eric Kounio Special Thanks to Dborah Abisror and Nathan Chicheportiche
Our board has maintained close relationships with our member unions, and we have had constant personal contact with the head of student unions to ensure that we are always catering our programs to the needs of European Jewish students. As I approach the end of my two-year term as President of EUJS, I want to express my deepest gratitude to my friends and colleagues Deborah Abisror and Nathan Chicheportiche, the Executive Directors of EUJS, for their professionalism and passion for EUJS, as well as for their values and accomplishments. I want to thank the Members of the Presidium for dedicating their time, energy and abilities to make EUJS what it is today, an organization full of new ideas, projects and a bright vision for the future of European Jewry. In particular I would like to thank all students who participated in our activities, I am astonished by the number of students and young professionals EUJS have touched and what a huge difference that has made in the lives of those individuals as well as in the EUJS community. None of this would have been possible without and support of all our partners and individuals who have given us so much on the professional and personal levels. I would like to reiterate my deepest gratitude. I would also like to use this opportunity to wish so much luck to the next generation of EUJS leaders. Representing the needs of 200.000 Jewish youth of Europe is not an easy task, but I am confident in their abilities and passion to let EUJS and Jewish student activism thrive in the future.
EUJS PRESIDIUM 2012 - 2013 CHAIRPERSON: ANDI GERGELY EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS: DEBORAH ABISROR NATHAN CHICHEPORTICHE (ITALY) (FRANCE) (GREECE) (SWITZERLAND) (UKRAINE) (TURKEY) (POLAND) (BELGIUM) T reasurer
PRESIDIUM MEMBERS TANA ABENI ELIE PETIT ERIC KOUNIO JANE BRADEN-GOLAY VICTORIA GODIK In understanding that todays students SALVO MORHAYIM are tomorrows leaders, EUJS operates ANNA BAKULA on the basis that the students which it NICOLAS OSTROVSKY serves and represents have a duty to act as leaders today, paving the way for a future infused with a strong Jewish identity and in turn, a commitment to the humanistic ideals embraced by Judaism.
As stipulated in its founding charter, the European Union of Jewish Students was created to foster the unity of Jewish Students at a European level and to ensure their participation in the fulfilment of the aspirations of the Jewish people, its continuity and the development of its cultural, religious, social and spiritual heritage. EUJS is a constituent member of the European Youth Forum, the leading platform for more than 90 national youth councils and international NGOs, and is the only Jewish organization represented at that level. It is supported by the Council of Europe, the European Commission, all recognized Jewish organiza-
OUR PROGRAMS
The agenda of the European Union of Jewish Students features six main themes 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. A Right of Passage: EUJS Summer University One Voice: Jewish Youth Take the Floor European Citizenship A Coat of Many Colours: Inter-faith and Inter-cultural Dialogue In Memorys Shadow: Genocide Education and Awareness Diplomacy and Advocacy: Balance and Dedication EUJS Actions
The following is a list of programs, events, and ongoing initiatives that have served as the vehi cles through which our ongoing objectives are being achieved.
EUJS vice-president Jane Braden-Golay attended the American Israel Public Affairs Committee annual conference, connecting with young American student leaders, meeting with various Jewish organizations and learning more about Israel advocacy in the American context.
2.4 EUJS SIGNS DECLARATION AT THE ECJC MEETING OF PRESIDENTS, BARCELONA, JUNE 2012
As one of the ten pan-European Jewish organizations represented, EUJS vice-president Jane Braden-Golay signed the ECJC Barcelona Declaration, recognizing shared values such as solidarity amongst Jewish organizations and communities, responsibility, democracy, transparency and mutual acceptance; and affirming the importance of an inclusive platform for Jewish organizations in Europe that share the aforementioned values. EUJS took on an active role during the weekend, with Jane Braden-Golay speaking on a panel about women and leadership in Jewish organizations, and Eric Kounio presenting his design of the new ECJC logo.
EUJS VP Anna Bakula participated in the seminar on anti-Semitic hate crimes in the OSCE region, organized in Warsaw by OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. This workshop gathered Jewish community leaders and innovators from all over Europe. The full-day workshops focused on tolerance and non-discrimination. Participants had the chance to practice different approaches to combat hate crimes, discuss various case studies, and practice their skills.
2.8 14TH PLENARY ASSEMBLY OF THE WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS (WJC), BUDAPEST, MAY 2013
EUJS President and Executive Director Andi Gergely and Nathan Chichportriche attended the fourteenth Plenary Assembly of the World Jewish Congress, accompanied by two EUJS board members: Elie Petit and VIctoria Godik. During the Assembly, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban gave a speech, so EUJS partnered with the World Union of Jewish Students (WUJS) and the French Union of Jewish Students (UEJF) to create a campaign, We Dont Clap for Orban. The aim of this campaign was to show that Orbans invitation to speak at WJC was not endorsed by many members of the audience, and that Jewish students around the world oppose Orbans policies. When Orban spoke, he was met with an audience that was not naive, and wanted to show it. Andi Gergely was elected to the WJC Executive Board to represent young adults, and she is proud to serve as a WJC board member for the next four years.
European Citizenship
UJS actively works towards the promotion of civil responsibility and active citizenship, thereby ensuring that European Jewish students and young adults remain active members of both their societies at large and the European Youth Sector whilst affirming their commitment to Judaism and the state of Israel. As an umbrella organization representing thirty-five national Jewish student unions in Europe and the former Soviet Union and around 200,000 students represented by these
unions, EUJS is conscious of its responsibilities as one of the largest Jewish student organizations in the world. With its offices in Brussels, the home of European policy and law-making that has been strongly influenced by its multi-cultural environment, EUJS seeks to mould a new generation of young people who are proud of being European and ready to be actively involved in their respective societies on both Jewish and non Jewish issues.
Nathan Chicheportiche, EUJS Executive Director, attended the European Youth Forum General Assembly and introduced himself to the representatives of various committees and organizations. He also took part in several Policy Commissions and Thematic Squares.
Since we live in a Europe that has multiple faces and identities, it is our task to learn how to best reconcile our differences, while celebrating the heritage and rich culture brought by each of these identities. The richness and diversity of our faiths should serve as a starting point for a joint journey towards a better future rather than a cause for division and separation. There are many ways of engaging in inter-religious dialogue; however before engaging with others, one must undergo an introspective process of knowing oneself and understanding ones roots and background.
In a continent with over fifty different countries, each and every young person lives a very different reality. We are a generation of European students that has become highly individualised a generation that is marked by the choices we make, the obstacles we choose to overcome, and the taboos we vow to break. Cognizant of the reach and impact that its activities have, EUJS is committed to contributing to a more united yet diversified Europe with equal rights for members of any faith-based or other community.
4.3 DIFFERENT FAITHS - COMMON ACTION: EYIN SUMMIT & DIALOGUE SEMINAR, NORWAY, JUNE 2012
EUJS vice president Jane Braden-Golay joined 35 young leaders from Europe, the Middle East and North Africa for a 4 days dialogue seminar. These leaders represented faith-based organizations, as well as social activists and journalists from Egypt, Lebanon, and Morocco. The main topics of the seminar included dialogue for solving conflicts, the Arab Spring and the economic crisis, and the annual summit of the Religions for Peace. At the end of the summit, Jane Braden-Golay was elected into the European Interfaith Youth Network (EIYN) core group.
Deborah Abisror represented European Jewish youth at the Council of Europes Exchange on the Religious Dimension of Intercultural Dialogue in Tirana, Albania. The meeting was aimed at promoting and strengthening human rights and democracy in Europe in order to foster mutual respect, awareness, tolerance, and understanding in European society. Catholics and Muslims from Europe and Albania also attended the 3 days conference, and even the Prime Minster of Albania served as Chairman of the exchange.
4.8 EUJS PART OF THE EUROPEAN INTERFAITH YOUTH NETWORK OF RELIGIONS FOR PEACE
Jane Braden Golay, EUJS VP,attended the 9th World Assembly of Religions for Peace in Vienna, in November 2013. The RfP - European Inter-Religious Youth Network (EIYN) is a part of the Religions for Peace Global Youth Network and serves as a platform aimed at bringing together youth organizations and young individuals from all religions present in Europe. Established in 2006, EIYN is composed of 20 European youth faith-based organizations (and in some cases: religious communities) and non-religious organizations who facilitate the inter-faith dialogue. It facilitates multi-religious cooperation and helps develop part-nerships for multi-religious projects and pilot programs to confront some of our most urgent challenges in conjunction with other RfP youth networks in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, North America, Latin America and the Caribbean.
EUJS was invited to participate in the European pre-world assembly as a representative of Religions for Peace, European Interfaith Youth Network, Sara jevo, Bosnia-Hercegovina. The meeting was in preparation for the World Assembly in Doha: Welcoming the Other, Action for Human Dignity, Citizenship and Common Good.
EUJS Chairperson Andi Gergely was honored to be invited to join 300 Roma and Sinti youth for a trip to Auschwitz to commemorate the 2nd of August Roma Holocaust Commemoration Day. She spoke about educating future generation about Holocaust and genocide education and the importance of youth initiatives. The conference was organised by Ternype .the International Roma Youth Network.
6.3 SEMINAR WITH THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL, GENEVA, MARCH 2013
EUJS brought thirty students from twenty different countries together in Geneva, Switzerland, for our 8th annual seminar with the United Nations Human Rights Council. The participants learned about the international communitys attitude towards Israel and global human rights issues, and met with ambas-
sadors and representatives from the Mission of Israel, Germany, France, and the United States. The students met with representatives from various countries and organizations, including Hillel Neuer of UN Watch, Lord Trimble, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Eviatar Manor, the Chairman of the Association for the Promotion of International Humanitarian Law (Ido Rosenzwieg), and many other inspiring leaders. The EUJS delegation urged the UN Human Rights Council to treat Israel fairly and to promote human rights worldwide.
EUJS ACTIONS
PROTEST AGAINST LASZLO CSATARY, BUDAPEST, JULY 2012
On July 16, 2012, the European Union of Jewish Students organized a demonstration in front of the house of Laszlo Csatary, a Hungarian war criminal who helped deport 15,700 Jews to Auschwitz and was recently found living in Budapest. In less than 24 hours, EUJS called on multiple organizations, including Hungarian Christian organizations, to show their support by hand-cuffing themselves together in front of Csatarys apartment to demand his arrest. Over fifty protesters demonstrated alongside EUJS, wearing anti-Nazi stickers and holding signs that read, We never forget. This mobilisation had international media coverage and over 400 articles were written in newspapers such as The Sun, Al Jazeera, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Jakarta Globe, Telegraph, Times of India, Times of Israel, CNN, BBC, New York Daily News, and many others. In reaction to this mobilisation, an influential Hungarian neo-Nazi website (kuruc.info) featured the participants of the demonstration and offered financial rewards for any information they could receive on the EUJS organizers. As a direct result of this action, the Hungarian authorities decided to place Csatary under house arrest, and in June 2013 the Hungarian prosecutor charged Laszlo Csatary with Nazi war crimes.
Organizational Development
3. FELLOWSHIPS AT EUJS
EUJS has been a home to many fellows and interns over the past several years. This has both served EUJS professional and organizational development while allowing these individuals to have a unique view into how a pan European Jewish organizations operates, how international programs are run, and what Jewish youth leadership means today. EUJS has hosted five fellows over the past three years in its office. As we continuously strive to empower young Jewish leaders in diverse ways, EUJS has been developing its partnership with the American Jewish Committee, serving as a host organization for their fellows. We are aware of the significance an experience of working at the EUJS offices in Brussels can have on these young individuals changing their lives and reshaping their traditional views of what makes Jewish leadership.
4. INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS
Jewish youth and students across Europe form an integral part of the worldwide Jewish community, and have strong ties to the Jewish communities in the United States and Israel. They also live as full and equal citizens in their respective countries, in a united Europe that is increasingly a multi-cultural, reflecting the values of a pluralist and peace-seeking mindset. The objective of EUJSto cater to the needs of young peoplecan only be accomplished with the active support and engagement of our partners in both the Jewish world and in the institutions of a united Europe. EUJS strongly treasures these partnerships based on our shared belief in the power of youth as a vehicle for positive social change.
The European Youth Forum is the largest European youth organization, working directly with the institutions of the European Union and promoting youth empowerment among its twenty million members. As an International Youth NGO (IYNGO), EUJS is a member of the European Youth Forum and actively represents the interests of its Jewish members, as well as the interests of minority groups across Europe.
YAD VASHEM
Established in 1993 in Jerusalem, the International School for Holocaust Studies conducts educational programs and produces educational materials for a variety of target populations and educational organizations in Israel and abroad. Over 100 staff members work together with thousands of teachers, students, soldiers and pupils each year to promote Holocaust education and remembrance. Since 2010, EUJS has been bringing delegations of students from across Europe to Yad Vashem to learn about the Holocaust and how to educate and teach their peers about the importance of preserving the memory of the Shoah.
3 Avenue Antoine Depage 1000 Brussels Belgium +32 2 647 72 79 info@eujs.org www.eujs.org