ANNUAL REPORT 2016 - 2017 EJF ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS Chairman Moshe Kantor Secretary General Ariella Woitchik Treasurer Vladimir Kantor Advisory Council: Albert Aalo Alexander Oscar Jonathan Arkush Petr Papoušek Yohan Benizri Leslaw Piszweski Yaakov D. Bleich Igor Rintel Boris Cerin Berta Romano-Nikolikj Vladimir Chernitsky Dan Rosenberg Asmussen Jakob Finci Robert Sabadoš Ishak Ibrahimzadeh Gabriel Steinhardt Alla Jakobson Arkady Suharenko Ervin Kohn Aurel Vainer Ognjen Kraus Aron Verständing Tomas Kraus Herbert Winter Faina Kukliansky Ami Yeshurun Yaron Nadbornik Dear Friends, A central principle of the Jewish people is the spirit of community and solidarity. This is expressed in many ways. Wherever Jews have lived, they have built synagogues and schools, and have established social and charitable organisations. Today, the concept of community has changed. While dispersed geographically throughout Europe, we live lives that are intimately connected through social media and mass com- munications. It is right that we feel an empathy and a responsibility to this expanded and wider community as once we felt it only to our imme- diate physical neighbourhood. The European Jewish Fund takes the traditional model of Jewish philanthropy and expands it in a way that meets today’s denition of Jewish community. It aims at linking those from afar with the targeted resources to meet their specic needs and aspirations, spreading Jewish education, culture and social interac- tion, building a united Jewish community for the 21st century in all its diversity. The EJF takes the traditional I thank all our grantees for enabling the Euro- pean Jewish Fund to be part of this Jewish life in model of Jewish philanthropy Europe and encourage you to provide further opportunities for us to assist all our communi- and expands it in a way that ties in our collective mission. meets today’s denition of Jewish community Chairman “ European Jewish Fund “ CONTENT 01 ABOUT EJF Mission 08 Objectives 09 02 COMMUNITY BUILDING Limmud (Czech Republic) 12 Jewish Forum “Jahad” 2017 (Estonia) 14 EUJS – Summer U 2017 16 Household survey (Serbia) 18 Limmud Helsinki (Finland) 19 03 CULTURE & HERITAGE Yom Yerushalaim (Italy) 22 Exhibition – Swiss Jews: 150 Years of Equality (Switzerland) 24 ‘The Youth of 1948” Documentary (Israel) 25 Jewish Youth Theatre (Ukraine) 26 Day of Jewish Culture (Belarus) 28 Big Chanukah Concert (Belarus) 30 04 RESEARCH, EDUCATION & LEADERSHIP Jewish Education (Spain) 34 ISGAP – Oxford Summer Institute (USA/UK) 36 EJF Leadership Programme 2016/2017 (Paideia Institute: European Institute for 38 Jewish Studies) EUJS – EU Activism seminar 40 TAU Kantor Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry (Israel) 42 Jewish Information & Outreach Centre (Denmark) 44 Youth Counselor Program (Greece) 46 05 SHOAH MEMORY Run for Remembrance (Italy) 48 Holocaust in Bessarabia (Moldova) 50 March of the Living Missions (Greece) 52 “Such a Beautiful Sunny Day” by Prof. Barbara Engelking - English edition 54 (Yad Vashem) 08 ABOUT EJF “ 07 ABOUT THE EUROPEAN JEWISH FUND The European Jewish Fund (EJF) was founded in February 2006 by Moshe Kantor to help strengthen Jewish life and identity throughout Europe. Moshe Kantor rmly believes that assimilation is an existential and urgent threat to European Jewry, and must be addressed through programmes that reconnect Jews with Jewish life and values. The EJF focuses especially on young people and connecting them to their Jewish peers. It sup- ports a range of educational and leadership pro- grammes that reinforce Jewish identity, and foster pride in religion, culture and sense of community. The supported projects are often dedicated to educating our young people about Jewish achievements in all aspects of life, rang- ing from culture to science to medicine. 01 08 ABOUT EJF tive solutions to shared challenges. The EJF supports and welcomes proposals and action MISSION plans for communal projects and regional and pan-European programmes. It also initiates programmes of its own to address issues concerning specic communities, or European Jewry as a whole. These EJF activities help strengthen the relationship between Europe’s Jewish communities. Shoah Remembrance Moshe Kantor and the EJF are committed to promoting educational programmes that ensure the lessons and memory of the Shoah live on. One of the EJF’s founders, the World Holocaust Forum Foundation, holds together with the European Jewish Congress the “Let My People Live!” international forums. To date four of these forums have been held, the last two in cooperation with the President of the European Parliament: January 2005 – The rst forum, in Krakow, com- memorating the 60th anniversary of the libera- tion of Auschwitz-Birkenau. Promoting Jewish Identity September 2006 – The second forum, in Kyiv, marked 65 years since the atrocity in Babi Yar. The European Jewish Fund, initiated by Moshe Kantor, is committed to strengthening Jewish January 2010 – The third forum, in Krakow, identity. Its activities develop national pride and commemorating the 65th anniversary of the reinforce Jewish identity within communities. liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. The EJF highlights and celebrates Jewish individ- uals and their remarkable contributions to Euro- January 2015 – The fourth forum took place in pean and global society and culture. Prague and Terezin, commemorating the 70th anniversary since the liberation of concentra- Bringing Jewish Communities Together tion and death camps. The EJF is a unique platform for donors and com- The EJF helps organise these high-level interna- munity leaders to come together to discuss and tional gatherings to preserve historical memory analyse the needs of European Jews. Annual EJF and evidence, and encourage the international Advisory Council meetings foster dialogue community to unite in the ght against hatred between Jewish communities, with open and xenophobia. 01 exchanges of experience that produce coopera- 09 OBJECTIVES The Association is established to pursue the > Supporting organizations and institutions following objectives: involved with Holocaust remembrance. > Assisting Jews and Jewish Communities > Securing human rights throughout Europe as throughout Europe in promoting activities relat- stipulated by the International Bill of Human ing to European Jewry, Jewish Communities, and Rights of the United Nations, the European Con- communal Pan-European organizations. vention on Human Rights and help implement human rights programs, including those in > Supporting European Jewish culture, tradi- cooperation with UNESCO. tion and highlighting key Jewish contributors to society and their achievements in culture, art, > Developing closer ties between European music and science. Jewry, and its communal institutions, with the State of Israel. > Supporting and contributing to Jewish insti- tutions and organizations throughout Europe, > Fostering educational, cultural and welfare including national, regional, sub-regional and related programmes and activities for the bene- communal. t of Jews across the world, including the State of Israel. > Fighting antisemitism and other forms of religious, cultural and/or racial discrimination. > Organizing international conferences that openly discuss and help nd solutions to the > Promoting respect, tolerance and coopera- problems and challenges facing European tion between people of dierent national, Jewry. cultural, ethnic, racial and/or religious back- grounds or aliations. 10 COMMUNITY BUILDING COMMUNITY BUILDING The European Jewish Fund (EJF) aims to ensure that the Jewish communities and Jewish life in Europe in general enjoys a long and bright future. EJF encourages and welcomes commu- nal Jewish gatherings that foster dialogue between communities and its members with open exchanges of experience that produce common solutions to shared challenges. 02 12 COMMUNITY BUILDING The gathering reached its full capacity of 210 environment where people of dierent attendees within one day of opening the regis- approaches to Judaism were given stage to pres- LIMMUD 2017 tration. Almost half of attendees were children ent sessions. and young people under the age of eighteen. FEDERATION OF JEWISH Young Jewish leaders assisted in the realisation Nearly two thirds of all the adults applied to of children’s activities, whilst also taking part in volunteer either in presenting learning sessions, COMMUNITIES IN THE activities designed for their age group. preparing workshops for children, volunteering in the rst aid team or helping with the logistics The Limmud Czech Republic 2017 oered a large of the event. It is particularly this spirit of com- CZECH REPUBLIC choice of learning and social activities, which munity, which made the Limmud Czech Repub- created a vivid atmosphere of social interaction. lic so special in 2017. The event was set in an open and democratic s in previous years, Limmud Czech Republic 2017 was a great success. The event oered a wide variety of A activities for children and adults featuring lectures, workshops, discussions, discos (both for kids and adults), sport activities, children workshops of challah bradding, Torah stories crafts, joint meals, Shabbat programme, etc. The meeting was once more very successful in creating an inclusive atmosphere where everybody can feel welcome. ANNUAL REPORT 2016 - 2017 13 The gathering reached its full capacity of 210 environment where people of dierent attendees within one day of opening the regis- approaches to Judaism were given stage