Sofia, Bulgaria - As anti-Semitism continues to rise worldwide following
the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas, the theme of the World Jewish Congress
(WJC) National Community Directors' Forum was to share experiences and to
outline next steps. Hungary was represented by dr. Péter Kunos, managing
director of Mazsihisz-BZSH, and Dóra Bálint, head of foreign relations at
Mazsihisz.
Since the seventh of October, the Executive Committee of the World
Jewish Congress held a meeting in Zagreb, Croatia last October, then a meeting
of the Forum of National Community Directors was held in Rome in November, and
a solidarity program was organized in Israel in May. After these occasions, a
recent meeting of community directors from 48 countries took place in Sofia.
The co-organizer of the event was Shalom Bulgaria, member of the World Jewish
Congress. They are to be praised for organizing the event professionally.
"The World Jewish Congress (WJC) is committed to promoting unity
and understanding between different communities," WJC Executive Vice
President Maram Stern said in Sofia. He added:
"In these challenging times, it is more important than ever that we
stand together against hate and intolerance. The aim of our joint efforts is to
build a future where mutual respect and solidarity are the foundations of our
global society".
The event also featured meaningful discussions about strengthening
Jewish communities and dealing with pressing challenges. Among the most
important topics was "Building the Resilience of Jewish Communities in
Uncertain Times". In this context, community leaders shared with each
other the strengths, practices and determination currently needed to preserve
cultural identity and values. At the session, the participants elaborated the
modalities of assistance to their communities by WJC and others.
Echoing the representatives of the WJC, several Jewish leaders also
emphasized that while anti-Semitism is on the rise, Israel and world Jewry also
have allies, therefor it is particularly important that the communities
cooperate closely in the diplomatic arena. They should use the WJC's network
and expertise to advocate their interests and bring their concerns to the
attention of global leaders and organizations. It is necessary providing
diplomatic support and guidance to navigate complex political challenges, as
well as promoting dialogue and cooperation with governments and international
organizations, churches, and religious communities to resolve issues affecting
Jewish communities worldwide.
Additional breakout sessions touched on vital topics such as supporting
young leaders (for more details see the link), finding Jewish unity,
promoting gender equality and inclusion, and becoming effective creators and
influencers of social media content.
Jewish community leaders from some countries - including dr. Péter Kunos
- participated in all previous forums of the National Community Leaders so far,
and they received a certificate of recognition for this. In the lead photo, the
executive director of Mazsihisz-BZSH receives the recognition.
