Program Overview

Jewish communities across Europe are navigating a period of profound complexity. Antisemitism, security concerns, political polarization, demographic change and increasing pressure on communal institutions are converging and reshaping Jewish life in real time.

The 6th Summit of European Jewish Leaders creates space to step back from immediate crises and examine the underlying shifts across the continent. Together, professional and lay leaders will explore three key questions:

  • How is the European Jewish landscape changing?
  • What kinds of leadership do these conditions demand?
  • How can communities build long-term sustainability in this context?

The Summit will be less of a traditional conference and more a shared thinking process, with plenaries, keynotes, interactive workshops, and facilitated sessions - all designed to connect leaders, foster collaboration, and strengthen communities for a resilient and vibrant Jewish future in Europe.

11:00
Registration opens
12:00
Summit 'Shuk' opens
12:00 - 14:00
Networking buffet lunch
14:15 - 14:45
Official Opening Ceremony & Greetings
  • Taly Mair, Executive Director, ECJC
  • Claudia Fellus, President, ECJC
  • Ariel Zwang, CEO, JDC – Video greetings
  • Ursula Von Derlayen, EU President – Video greetings
  • Isaac Herzog, President of the State of Israel – Video greetings
  • Stefan Oscar, Regional Director, JDC Europe, Africa & Asia
14:50 - 15:10
Israel Update
  • Noam Katz, Ambassador of the State of Israel to the Hellenic Republic
15:10 - 16:15
Opening Keynote: In the Aftermath of October 7 - Mending the Cracked Jewish Story to Find Our Resilience
  • Introduction: Minos Moissis, Former President, Jewish Community of Athens, Greece
  • Presentation: Naama Klar, Director of the Koret International School for Jewish Peoplehood, ANU Museum for Jewish Peoplehood, Israel
16:15 - 16:45
Coffee Break
16:45 - 17:45
Voices from Our Communities: Responding to New Vulnerabilities in a Changing Europe
  • The Paradox of Jewish Visibility in 2026
    Mimi Brownstone, Antisemitism Reporting Office Board Member, Jewish Community of Vienna, Austria
  • Rebuilding Jewish Life Down the Road from Auschwitz
    Jonathan Ornstein, CEO, JCC Krakow, Poland
  • Navigating the Paradigm Shift with Hope & Joy
    Tamia Menez, Board member of OSE and Founder of Hineni, France
  • Response and Resilience of the Manchester Jewish Community after the Heaton Park attack
    Marc Levy, CEO Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester & Region, UK
  • Holding Fear, Responsibility, and Humanity: Jewish Leadership After October 7
    Zira Roozendaal, Principal, Maimonides Jewish High School in Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • The Europe we Inherit, the Community we Create
    Mercedes Benzaquen, (President) 81st Anita M. Perlman International N’siah of the B’nai B’rith Girls, BBYO, Spain
17:45 - 18:00
Introduction to the ECJC Associate Exchange Sessions
18:00 - 19:00
Choose one:
  • Empowering Young Adults - Meeting Them Where They Are and Inspiring Them to Lead
    Eva Srut, MEM Global
  • European Memory Data Space for Holocaust-related Data: A New Model for Digital Ecosystems
    Victor Sorrensen, AEPJ and Pavel Kats, JHN NGO
  • Unlocking European Funding: A Strategic Guide to Securing EU Support
    Johanan Seynave, Tikkun Grants
  • Jewish Identity Begins at Home: Strengthening Families, Shaping the Future
    Sara Kibel, PJ Library
  • Stronger Together: How Global JCC Partnerships Build Resilient Communities
    Ishie Gitlin, Jonathan Ornstein, Mina Belic, Inesa Nosnenko, JCC Global
  • Compassionate Communities: A Jami Approach to Building Empowered, Connected, Resilient Jewish Communities
    Philippa Carr, Jewish Care
  • The Jewish Imagination Project - How to harness the power of creativity to cultivate strength and deep engagement in your community
    Danielle Alhassid, LABA
18:00 - 19:30
ECJC General Assembly & Elections by invitation only
19:00 - 20:00
Free Time
20:00 - 21:30
Opening Gala Dinner
  • Katarina Barley, Vice President of European Parliament
  • ECJC Tikkun Olam Award
  • Entertainment: BBYO Song Leaders Kumzits
08:45 - 09:00
Morning Check-in
09:00 - 09:45
Demographic Trends That Are Reshaping Jewish Communities in Europe: Data Pulse
  • Marcelo Dimenstein, Director of Research and Evaluation, ICCD-JDC, Spain
  • Jonathan Boyd, Executive Director, JPR, UK
09:45 - 10:45
Panel: Demographic Trends That Are Reshaping Jewish Communities in Europe: From Trends to Lived Experience
Moderator: Marcelo Dimenstein, Director of Research and Evaluation, ICCD-JDC, Spain
Panelists:
  • Rafi Angat, Chairman, Vereniging Joods-Turkse Gemeenschap Benelux, Netherlands
  • Shai Doitsch, Chief of Development, ICE, Germany
  • Jo Grose, Chief Executive, The United Synagogue, UK
  • Aron Schuster, CEO, ZWST, Germany
10:45 - 11:15
Coffee Break
11:15 - 12:15
Keynote Plenary: Global Crisis of Polarization and Jewish Wisdom
  • Micah Goodman, Research Fellow, Shalom Hartman Institute, Israel
12:15 - 13:15
Networking lunch
13:15 - 13:20
Video Greetings
  • Silvio Joskowicz, Head of the Zionist Enterprises Department, WZO
13:20 - 14:20
Panel: Jewish Life Across Contexts
Moderator: Marc Sugarman, Founder, BNJC, UK
Panelists:
  • Natalie Barnett, Cape Town Jewish Community Board of Governors, South Africa
  • Eitan Bergman, Vice-President, CCOJB, Belgium
  • Ariel Jenik, Deputy Director, JDC Latin America, Argentina
  • Ian Kandel, Senior VP Movement Building, BBYO, USA
14:20 - 14:40
Coffee Break
14:40 - 15:40
Keynote Plenary: The Adaptive Leadership: Navigating Change in Times of Disequilibrium
Netaly Ophir-Flint & Gai Ben Dor, Konu, Israel
15:40 - 17:05
Adaptive Leadership Application Workshop
Michel Montreuil, Cultural Architect, France & Facilitators
17:05 - 17:30
Coffee Break
17:30 - 17:45
A Changing Landscape: New Vulnerabilities and what the Current Moment Reveals about Jewish Responsibility in the Years Ahead
Greg Schneider, Executive VP, Claims Conference, USA
17:45 - 18:00
Introduction to Breakout Sessions: Turning Responsibility into Impact
18:00 - 19:00
Choose one:
  • Leading with Responsibility: Jewish Humanitarianism and Resilient Communities
    Ábel Keszler, OlamAid
  • The European JCC Network We Need: From Isolation to Connection
    Ishie Gitlin, Irina Shlick, Daria Pavlovschi, JCC Global
  • Responding to Antisemitic Violence and Discrimination: Counseling Approaches and Practice
    Alexandra Wichmann, OFEK
  • Heritage as a Verb: Educating for European Jewish Identities
    Victor Sorenssen, Helise Lieberman. AEPJ/Taube Center
  • Keeping Memory Alive: A Grassroots Model for Holocaust Remembrance
    Shai Levi, Zikaron BaSalon
  • Shaping the Future of Jewish Life in the Netherlands: The Pesach “Four Sons”: A Metaphor for Leadership and Engagement
    Asjer Waterman, Margo Weerts Ilan Roos, JMW
  • EU-funding: Tips and Tricks for Building Sustainable Change
    Johanan Seynave, Tikkun Grants
  • Jewish Life in Europe at 2050: Shaping the Future of our Communities
    Keren Fridman & Nir Geva, Machon Kehilot
  • Fighting Online Antisemitism
    Nir Kaplan, FOA
  • Jewish Identity Begins at Home: Strengthening Families, Shaping the Future
    Saskia Swenson Moss & Sara Kibel, PJ Library
19:00 - 20:00
Dinner & Free Time
20:00 - 20:15
Buses depart for the Acropolis Museum
20:45 - 22:30
Under the Athenian Stars: A Celebration sponsored by the Jewish Community of Athens
  • Private Tour – Acropolis Museum
  • Olga Kefalogianni
    Minister of Tourism of the Hellenic Republic Official Address
  • Newly Elected President
    European Council of Jewish Communities Greeting
  • Delia Alchanati
    Secretary General, Jewish Community of Athens Welcome Remarks
  • Piano Performance – Mark Chait
  • Emmy Award–Winning Composer and Pianist
    • 22:30 - 23:00
    Buses return to the hotel
    08:30 - 09:00
    ECJC Associate Session: Building Sustainable Jewish Communities: The Jewish Care Model for Mobilizing Volunteers
    • Richard Shone, Beverly Blass, Jewish Care, UK
    09:00 - 10:10
    Panel: The Power of Partnership: Collaboration That Transforms Communities
    Moderator: Michel Montreuil, Cultural Architect, France
    • Innovating French Social Welfare Support:
      Fabien Azoulay, Deputy CEO Solidarités, FSJU
      Simon Cahen, Deputy CEO, OSE
      Laurent Ben Arous, Finance Director, CASIP
    • Strengthening Leadership Through Partnership: The Latin American Experience:
      Gabriel Yurevich, Vice President, Jewish Community of Cordoba, Argentina
      Ariel Jenik, Deputy Director, JDC Latin America
    • Broadening Student Engagement in Germany:
      Alon Bindes, Co-founder and First Chairman of the Regional Council of Jewish Regional Student Unions, Germany
    10:10 - 10:25
    Coffee Break
    10:25 - 11:25
    'Hayey Yotam' Yotam's Life, Iris Haim
    11:25 - 11:45
    Coffee Break
    11:45 - 12:30
    Closing Workshop: The Beauty of Europe, Our Leadership and Responsibility and Closing
    • Michel Montreuil
    • Taly Mair, Executive Director, ECJC
    • Julia Dandolova, Director of Community Engagement & Programming, JDC Europe Africa & Asia