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ACTIVITYREPORT 20082010

E UROPEAN U NIONOF J EWISH S TUDENTS

INTRODUCTION
The current financial climate has led every organization to reflect about its strategic plans. EUJS has been particularly affected by the crisis due to the general trend of a severe decrease in support from Jewish organizations. society in modern history. Over the last several years, we have sought partnerships with the established Jewish world. We continue to do so as we strongly believe that our idealism and commitment is a unique contribution to an often-conservative framework. In these critical times for the Jewish people it is pivotal for all of us to work together and we strongly urge the entire Jewish world to work hand in hand with us to ensure a positive and proactive Jewish future. Time after time we have proven that we act as leaders today and have an intrinsic and indispensable voice in framing our common agenda.

While analyzing the financial statistics for the last five years, it was remarkable to discover that 40% of the total annual budget derives directly from participation fees: in other words, Jewish students have been financing themselves in recent years.

In the past two years we have seen a significant growth in anti-Semitism, calling for urgent action regardless of our financial capabilities. Despite these challenges we have kept the highstandards of our organization by organizing more than 40 programs and events in this time period. We have strived to reflect the innovative and dynamic nature of the organization and the individuals we represent in all our programming and have remained faithful to the mission of EUJS.

The Durban Review Conference in 2009 proved that we, as young Jews, are able to take the lead and to set the agenda. Unlike the conference in Durban in 2001, we did not react defensively, but rather we focused attention on the real human rights abusers that we speak out against daily across Europe. The events in Geneva proved that a new generation of young Jews has come of age and is ready to raise its voice and fight for its rights as Europeans and as Jews. In 2001 we left Durban with heavy hearts; eight years later we left Geneva with renewed optimism for our common future.

In 2008 EUJS celebrated its 30th anniversary, marking the completion of another decade of its impact on Jewish life on the continent. This coincided with the 25th anniversary of Summer University and was celebrated at a milestone event in Istanbul, Turkey, making SU 2008 the largest Jewish event to occur in a Muslim

On a more personal note, the last two years have been astounding and unique for me in every way. I am grateful for having had the opportunity to lead

IleaveEUJSwithjoyandpride, confidentofitsfutureandoutreach
this amazing and vibrant organization. I leave EUJS with joy and pride, confident of its future and outreach and with an increased confidence in the future of the Jewish people. I wish to express my deepest gratitude to Lili Dardashti, the EUJS Executive Director, who through her vision and commitment has succeeded in preparing the organization for its future challenges. Words cannot describe our gratitude towards those who have supported EUJS and have given us so much on a professional and personal level. In particular, I want to thank each student that has participated in our activities and programs, who have not only made EUJS what it is today but have also generated strong hope for the future of Jewish activism.

We are proud and honored to offer a glimpse into the activities of our organization and to present the biannual report of the European Union of Jewish Students. Jonas Herzberg Karpantschof, President

TABLEOFCONTENTS
A.ANINVESTMENTINTHEFUTURE:ABOUTEUJS B.PROGRAMS 1.ARiteofPassage:EUJSSummerUniversity 2.OneVoice:JewishYouthTaketheFloor 3.IntheNameofHistory:EuropeanCitizenship 4.ACoatofManyColours:InterreligiousandInterfaithDialogue 5.InMemorysShadow:GenocideAwarenessandEducation 6.DiplomacyandProIsraelAdvocacy:BalanceandDedication

C.ORGANISATIONALDEVELOPMENT 1.EUJSPresidiumMeeting 2.EUJSProfessionalStaffDevelopment 3.EUJSWebsite 4.EUJSFinancialAnalysis 5.AmericanFriendsofEUJS

D.PUBLICITY 1.EUJSintheMedia 2.EUJSOnlineCommunication

E.2010AGENDA F.FINANCIALSTATEMENTS 1.2008 2.2009

G.INSTITUTIONALPARTNERS


A.ANINVESTMENTINTHEFUTURE:ABOUTEUJS
The European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS) is the umbrella organisation for thirtyfour national Jewish student unions in Europe and the Former Soviet Union, representing over 200,000 Jewish students. Founded in 1978 in Grenoble, France, and formerly known as the EuropeanSectionoftheWorldUnionofJewish Students, the formation of EUJS solidified a strong and independent Jewish student leadership in Europe. In 1982, EUJS opened its office in Brussels, Belgium, from where it continuestooperate. In contrast to the view that todays students aretomorrowsleaders,EUJSoperatesonthe basis that the students which it 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 embracedbyJudaism.

As stipulated in its founding charter, the European Union of Jewish Students was createdtofostertheunityofJewishStudents at a European level and to ensure their Cognizantofthereligious,linguisticandcultural participation in the fulfillment of the diversity that make up the European Jewish aspirationsoftheJewishpeople,itscontinuity community,EUJSstrivestopresentavarietyof andthedevelopmentofitscultural,religious, perspectives through its leadership training socialandspiritualheritage. programs, educational seminars, and Tothatenditseeks: international conferences, all tailormade to tounitethenationalUnionsofJewish theneedsofitsstudents.EUJShasplaceditself students and young adults between at the cutting edge of intercultural and inter the age of 18 and 35 of all European religiousprogrammingintheEuropeancontext. countries;

to facilitate the exchange of ideas and information between their member and when appropriate to coordinate their activities; to represent the Unions within the World Union of Jewish Students (WUJS) and to coordinateitsactivitieswithotherregions withinWUJS; to represent and to act on behalf of its Member Organisations before international bodies with respect to matters which concern Jewish students as awhole; to assist Member Organisations and to encouragetheformationofJewishstudent organisationswherevertherearestudents; tostrengthenthetiesofJewishstudentsat aEuropeanlevelwithIsraelandtosupport activities at strengthening the state of IsraelandtheideaofZionism;

to strengthen the ties of solidarity among Jewish students everywhere, by encouragingandassistinginthecreative development of young Jews in all spheresofJewishlife; to encourage Jewish learning and to promote the study of Jewish culture generallyincludingtheknowledgeofthe Hebrewlanguage; to make Jewish students aware of the problem of Jewish survival in the Diaspora, and to secure the rights, status and interest of Jews and Jewish communities, and to defend them wherevertheyare; to fight antiSemitism, racism, xenophobia, antiZionism and other formsofdiscrimination; to do all the things that the Union may feel incidental or conductive to the attainmentoftheaboveaims.

EUJSisaconstituentmemberoftheEuropeanYouth Forum, the leading platform for more than 90 nationalyouthcouncilsandinternationalNGOs,and is the only Jewish organization represented at that level. It is supported by the Council of Europe, the European Commission, all recognized Jewish organizations, and is a member of the World Union ofJewishStudents(WUJS).EUJSisoneofthelargest international student organizations worldwide and

the first Jewish Youth NGO to obtain the special Consultative Status to the ECOSOC of theUnitedNations.Itsannualprogramming includes the Summer University, international, interreligious, inter generational seminars, study sessions at the European Youth Centre, and cutting edge work that puts it at the forefront of the Europeancontext.


CHAIRPERSON
JonasKarpantschof (Denmark)

PresidiumMembers
Aleksander Belevski (Serbia), ViceChair Gal Leiferman Bensadon (Spain),ViceChair Benjamin Zagzag (France), ViceChair Andrei Schwartz (Romania), Treasurer ChaggaiKon(Netherlands) GadLazarov(Italy) VictorPliner(Russia) AronWaltuch(Switzerland)

ExecutiveDirector
LiliDardashti(Switzerland)

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B.PROGRAM
1)ARITEOFPASSAGE:EUJSSUMMERUNIVERSITY

Every year, the European Union of Jewish Students and it is an exceptional annual opportunity for holdsSummerUniversity,thelargestannualgathering European Jewish youth to interact on Jewish of European Jewish students, and the single largest issues. EuropeanJewisheventtooccuronanannualbasis. Thematically, Summer U seeks to address all The highlight of EUJSs Jewish studentfocused issuesofconcerntoitsparticipants,rangingfrom programming since 1983, Summer University has Jewish culture, entertainment, and education, developed into an institution and a symbol of Jewish Jewish identity and tradition to antiSemitism, life, Jewish youth, and vibrant Jewish continuity for Israel and Zionism, Shoah and genocide hundreds of thousands of young people on the education, interfaith dialogue, politics, history, continent. This oneofakind event provides the and leadership. Conceptually, Summer U unique opportunity for approximately 500 young celebrates Jewish life and strong Jewish identity European Jews to interact, while participating in a and enables its participants to return home weeklong educational program that allows the empowered, inspired, and enlightened by the studentstoraiseandvoicetheirconcernstoarosterof power of Jewish youth and our joint internationallyrenowned speakers, ranging from responsibilityofJewishcontinuity. political representatives and leaders of NGOs to SummerUniversityissomuchmorethanjustan academics,religious,andculturalfigures. annualEUJSeventitisthefutureofJewishlife Summer University is the launching ground for future on the continent. It is the hope for Jewish generations of student and professional leadership; it continuity and a home for the revival of Jewish is the pathway on which student involvement in EUJS identity, and it is the only platform on which and its member unions often begins. Above all, Judaism and youth are joined together in an SummerUniversityembodiesanincrediblenetworking innovative,modern,andinspiringway. experienceforparticipants,speakers,andintellectuals, 9

1.2. SummerUniversity2008: CelebratingtheFuture,Istanbul,August2008.


Summer University 2008 marked three important milestones for EUJS, as the 400 participants celebrated the 30th anniversary of EUJS as well as the 25th anniversaryofSummerUniversity.Furthermore,Summer U 2008 was unique in the fact that such a large, successful international Jewish event took place in a modernMuslimsociety. The historical event hosted in Istanbul, Turkey was plannedinpartnershipwiththeTurkishUnionofJewish Students. Summer University 2008 brought together 500 participants from over 40 countries and included an amazing roster of speakers representing academia, politics, education, and entertainment. EUJS was proud to host Mr. Bashy Quraishy, former President of the European Network Against Racism, Mr. Hillel Neuer, ExecutiveDirectorofUNWatch,ProfessorSoliOzel,and Mr. Hagai Segal, along with twenty other speakers. The mostprominentleadersoftheJewishworld,suchasMr. David Harris, Executive Director of the American Jewish Committee, and Mr. Dan Mariaschin, Executive Vice President of Bnai Brith International, were present to addresstheparticipantsaswell. Given the historic location of Summer University, an entire day was devoted to promoting, discussing, and reflectingonvariousaspectsofinterculturaldialogue. Entitled Celebrating the Future, Summer University 2008 celebrated the future of the State of Israel, the future of student activism, and the future of EUJSs commitment to reaching out to and to embracing Europeandiversity.

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1.3. SummerUniversity2009: DiscoverNewHorizons,Switzerland,August2009


InconjunctionwiththeSwissUnion of Jewish Students, EUJS will hold Summer University 2009 in Switzerland. This year, Summer University will host over 450 students and young adults from Europe, Israel and the world at this incredible and unforgettable weeklongevent. Summer University 2009 will offer concurrent allday workshops and activities to its 450 participants. Given the size and the duration of the event, Summer U is the perfect platformonwhichEUJScanpresent and broadcast the core activities it conductsthroughouttheyear. Summer U participants will have an incredible opportunity to meet an amazing lineup of speakers representing various fields ranging from human rights activists and religious figures, to journalists, politiciansandculturalpersonalities. EUJSisproudtohostYossiMelman, leading Israeli journalist, Farshad Kholgi,actorandopinionmakerand many other fascinating and diverse speakers,whowillonceagainmake SummerUmeaningfulandunique. In keeping with this years theme, Discover New Horizons, Summer University 2009 will engage participantsinavarietyofnew,distinctivelecturesandworkshopsandwillencouragethemtoquestion, challenge,anddiscusstheirownbeliefsandeverythingtheyexperience.SummerUwilltherebyallow the participants to discuss and to exchange ideas for future initiatives in the local unions and will encouragethecultivationofacommoninterestbybuildingjointinternationalcooperation.

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2)ONEVOICE:JEWISHYOUTHTAKETHEFLOOR
One of the most important pillars of EUJS activity is our continuous attempt to bridge the gap between young leaders and the established leadership of the Jewish communities in Europe.EUJSrecognisestheimportanceofinvestinginyouthinordertosecurethefuture. Aswestrivetoempowerourconstituentsasleaders,weinsistonprovidingthemwithan opportunitytotakethefloor,tobecomeactive,andtospeakup.

2.1 TheAmericanJewishCommitteeAnnualMeeting,WashingtonD.C.

Since2005,theEuropeanUnionofJewishStudentshassentalargegroupofstudentactivists,including itsentireleadership,toWashingtonD.C.fortheannualconferenceoftheAmericanJewishCommittee. TheAJCAnnualMeetinggivestheEUJSdelegatestheuniqueopportunitytomeetwithJewishleaders and peers from the United States, Israel, and the Jewish world in its entirety. This experience has become a hallmark of EUJSs annual activities, as it offers European Jewish students the chance to developleadershipandnetworkingexperienceinthecompanyofsomeoftheworldsforemostleaders. MAY2008 In2008AJCinvitedEUJStobringadelegationoffourteenstudentsandyouthleadersfor its 102nd Annual Meeting. Thanks to the generosity of AJC, our students had the opportunity to meet political and cultural leaders from around the world. The EUJS delegatesalsohadthechancetointeractwiththeirAmericanpeers.EUJSwashonoured to have both its current Chairperson, Jonas Karpantschof, and its former Chair, Olga Israel, featured in various panel discussions on IsraelDiaspora relations and Creating a JustAmerica:UNForeignPolicyataCrossroadrespectively. 12

MAY2009

Followingwhathasalreadybecomeagreattradition,in2009EUJSbroughtadelegation oftenstudentandyouthleaderstothe103rdAnnualMeeting.Thisyear,ourdelegates had the additional, meaningful experience of spending the day prior to the Annual Meeting visiting the offices of local political and cultural officials and meeting their representatives.

2.2

EUJSAJCFellowshipProgram2009

Based on the mutual desire to empower young people in Europe and the success of an initial pilot program in 2007, this year, for the second time, AJC and EUJS offered a European student the opportunity to be involved in the work of one of the most successful and influential Jewish organizations today. An EUJS fellow was placed at the AJC office in New York for a period of three monthsduringthespringof2009.

2.3 WhattodoaboutDurbanII? May2009Geneva,


DuetoEUJSscommitmenttoworkrelatedtotheUnitedNationsHumanRights CouncilinGeneva,EUJSwasinvitedtotheconferenceWhattodoAboutDurban II?organisedbyUNWatch.Theconferencebroughttogetherrepresentativesof numerousorganisationsanddelegationswiththeaimofdiscussingtheagenda andthepreparationsfortheDurbanReviewConference.Duringtheconference, EUJSspublicationDurbanDiarieswaslaunched.

2.4

EuropeanJewishCongressExtraordinaryGeneralAssemblies FebruaryParis,France&December2008Brussels,Belgium

As future leaders of our individual Jewish communities in Europe, EUJS assigns great value to its cooperationwithlocalJewishcommunities.EUJSstandsfirminitsattempttonarrowthegenerational andothergapsbetweencurrentandyoungleadership,anditcontinuouslyinvestsinjointventuresand collaborationbetweenthetwoineachofitsprograms. AsapanEuropeanJewishorganisation,EUJSisnaturallypartneredwiththeEuropeanJewishCongress, the sole representative body of democraticallyelected European Jewish Communities throughout Europe. EUJS cooperates with the EJC and takes part in its activities as the only organisation that represents a united Jewish youth voice at the European level. In February and December 2008, EUJS broughtdelegationstothetwoextraordinaryGeneralAssembliesinParisandBrusselsrespectively. 13

2.5

AuschwitzDay January2008Brussels,Belgium

AspartofitscooperationwiththeEuropeanJewishCongress,EUJSwasinvitedtobringadelegationto the Auschwitz Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony in the European Parliament in January 2008. Theceremonymarkedthe63rdanniversaryoftheliberationofAuschwitzandgatheredrepresentatives frommostEuropeanJewishcommunities.

2.6

BuildingTogethertheFutureofEurope March2009Brussels,Belgium

Following the increase in antiSemitic attacks on European Jewry in the spring of 2009, the European Jewish Congress organised a oneday symposium at the European Parliament in order to analyse, discuss,andpromotethefightagainstantiSemitisminEurope.EUJSbroughtatenpersondelegationto thesymposiumsothatthestudentscouldvoicetheirexperiencesinEurope.

2.7

WorldJewishCongress,13thPlenaryAssembly January2009Jerusalem,Israel

EUJShasinrecentyearbeenworkingdirectlywiththeWorldJewishCongressasitsactivitiescontinue to gain a more global character. EUJS has ensured that its leadership is present at WJC General AssembliesandisincontactwithWJConregularbasissothatthevoicesofyoungpeopleareheardand takenintoaccount.

2.8

FacingTomorrowPresidentialConference May2008Jerusalem,Israel

Ontheoccasionofthe60thanniversaryoftheStateofIsrael,PresidentShimonPeresorganisedthefirst everPresidentialConference,FacingTomorrow.Theaimoftheconferencewastodiscussthefutureof theglobal,Jewish,andIsraelichallengesoftomorrow.EUJSbroughtadelegationtothiseventthathad theopportunitytomeetprominentworldleaderssuchasGeorgeW.Bush,TonyBlair,ElieWieseland hundredsofotherpoliticalandculturalfigures.

2.9

LondonConferenceonCombatingAntiSemitism February2009London,UnitedKingdom

InFebruary2009,EUJSleadershipwasinvitedtothegroundbreakingLondonConferenceonCombating AntiSemitismorganisedbytheInterParliamentaryCoalitionforCombatingAntiSemitismintheUnited Kingdom.TheeventofferedauniqueopportunityforEUJStodiscussactionneededonapanEuropean level and to exchange knowledge and experience with regards to the battle against discrimination, particularlyantiSemitism. 14

2.10 AEuropeanVoiceattheWorldUnionofJewishStudents 2008and2009JerusalemandTelAviv,Israel


In the past two years, EUJS leaders have attended and helped to lead two WUJS Congresses held in JerusalemandTelAviv.EUJSChairpersonJonasKarpantschofservedontheSteeringCommitteeduring theWUJSGeneralAssemblyinDecember2008whenitsnewPresidentwaselected.DuringeachWUJS Congress,EUJSorganisedameetingofEuropeanJewishleaderstodiscussthemostpressingissuesin ordertoencourageEUJSmemberunionstobemoreactiveonagloballevel.Throughoutthepasttwo years,EUJShasalsosentitsleaderstothemeetingsoftheWUJSExecutiveBoard.

2.11 ROISummit July2009TelAviv,Israel


InJuly2009,EUJSwasinvitedtoparticipateinthethirdAnnualROISummit,whichgathersyoungadults andprofessionalsinanefforttoinspireJewishentrepreneurship.EUJSvaluesitspartnershipwithROI given that many EUJS leaders can benefit from ROIs support and networking resources for young Jewishprofessionals.

2.12 EuropeanEncounters March2009Cracow,Poland


Given EUJSs commitment to strengthening its member unions, in the spring of 2009 EUJS launched European Encounters 2009, an initiative focused on building leadership by fostering dialogue between the leaders of thestudentunionsandtheirestablishedcommunities,as wellasbetweenthevariousmemberunionsrepresented withinEUJS.Thisseminar,organisedinpartnershipwith CEJI, A Jewish Contribution to an Inclusive Europe, was also dedicated to strengthening the commitment, involvement,andpresenceofadiverseEuropeanJewish societyinCentralandEasternEurope. Today,weseethattheinternationaloutlookoftheJewishcommunitiesacrosstheEuropeancontinent lags because of the focus on pressing internal local and national needs.Asaresult,communitiesdonottakeadvantageofvaluable opportunitiesforcollaborationontheEuropeanlevel. By reinforcing contact within and between communities and encouraging participants involvement in the European Union, the seminar enhanced the participants understanding of their home communities and motivated them toworktowardsaunited,inclusive EuropeansocietywithastrongandactiveJewishpopulation.European Encounters developed its participants understanding of political realities and institutional opportunities in the European Union and supported their efforts in organising international collaborative activities. 15

3)INTHENAMEOFHISTORY:EUROPEANCITIZENSHIP
EUJSworksenthusiasticallytowardspromotingcivilresponsibilityandactivecitizenship,thereby ensuringthatEuropeanJewishstudentsandyoungadultsremaininvolvedintheirsocietiesand intheEuropeanyouthsectorandremaincommittedtoJudaismandtothestateofIsrael.EUJS isconsciousofitsresponsibilitiesasoneofthelargestJewishstudentorganisationsintheworld, representing the approximately 200,000 students of the thirtyfour national Jewish student unions in Europe and the former Soviet Union. With its offices in Brussels, the home of Europeanpolicyandlawmaking,EUJSseekstoinfluenceanewgenerationofyoungpeoplewho are proud of being European andreadytobeactivelyinvolvedin theirrespectivesocietieson bothJewishandnonJewishissues.

3.1

EUJSattheEuropeanYouthForum

EUJS is a member of the European Youth Forum (EYF), the largest political youth platform on the continent made up of ninetynine national youth councils and international nongovernmental youth organisations,whicharethemselvesfederationsofyouthorganisations.EYFisinstitutionallyaffiliated withboththeCouncilofEuropeandtheEuropeanCommission.Organisedinordertorepresenttheir commoninterests,EYFbringstogethertensofmillionsofyoungpeoplefromalloverEurope,manyof whomgoontobecomeEuropeanpoliticalleaders.AstheonlyJewishorganisationpresentatthislevel, EUJShasaspecialresponsibilitytoconveyabalancedbutstrongmessage. EverysixmonthsallthemembersoftheEuropeanYouthForummeetforseveraldaystodiscussthe mostimportantissuesandtovoteonandadoptpoliciesthattheEYFwillcarryoutinthemonthsto come. The decisions voted on vary from budgetary matters to panEuropean policies and campaigns thatwillbecarriedoutonbehalfofallmemberorganisations.EUJSspresenceandactiveroleatthese meetingsiscrucial,astheinterestsoftheJewishyouthinEuropewouldremainabsentfromtheagenda otherwise.

3.2

EUJSInsidetheCouncilofEurope

In2006formerEUJSChairperson,LionelSchreiber,waselectedmemberoftheAdvisoryCouncil2006 2008attheDirectorateofYouthandSportsattheCouncilofEurope.HewasalsoelectedChairperson of the Programming Committee of the European Youth Foundation. This put EUJS at the forefront of settingtheagendaaswellastheprioritiesonyouthpolicyacrossthecontinent.Lionelspositionwas prolongeduntilmid2009.

3.3

CouncilofEuropeParticipatoryStatusforInternationalNGOs withtheCouncilofEurope.

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In 2008 EUJS acquired participatory status as an international NGO at the Council of Europe. In accordance with resolution 8 (2003), the Council of Europe grants this status to NGOs that are particularly representative in fields of action shared by the Council of Europe, that is, those that are activeonEuropeanlevelandworktowardsEuropeanunity.

3.4

CouncilofEuropesSpeakoutAgainstDiscriminationCampaign.

SpeakoutAgainstDiscriminationistheCouncilofEuropesantidiscriminationcampaignonvarious aspects of discrimination arising out of racist attitudes and prejudice with a special emphasis on Islamophobia,antiSemitismandantigypsysentiment.AsthiscampaignisafollowuptotheCouncilof Europes20062008campaign,AllDifferent,AllEqual,itisnaturalforEUJStocontinueitscollaborative efforts on this project given that diversity education, human rights, and civic involvement figure prominentlyinEUJSsmission.EUJShasorganisedaseriesofactivities,conferences,andeventsaspart ofthenewcampaign.

COALITIONEUROPE

3.5EUJSasMemberofEuropeanNetworks
EUJSwasoneofthefirstorganisationstojoinCoalitionEurope.Thiscoalitionservesasanew platformforpanEuropeanhumanrightsNGOstoworktogetheronhumanrightsissues,suchas combatingracismanddiscriminationandgrantingrightsformigrantworkers,women,theLGTB population,andRoma,amongothers.CoalitionEuroperecognisestheneedforacohesiveNGO community throughout Europe, one that will develop common campaigns and that will broadcasttheunheardvoicesofthosewhosufferfromdiscrimination,exclusion,andracism.

UNITED UNITEDisaEuropeannetworkagainstultranationalism,racism,andfascismandinsupportof migrantsandrefugees.Itisbasedonthecooperationofmorethan560organisationsfrom49 European countries working together in the biggest antiracism network. EUJS has been a member of the UNITED network for many years and proactively supports and promotes the workofthisimportantinitiative.SomeoftheactionstakenbyUNITEDhavebeen:ActionWeek Against Racism, International Refugee Day, International Day Against Fascism and Anti Semitism, One Race Human Race!, Open Borders Open Minds!, and Protection and EqualRightsforRoma!

4)ACOATOFMANYCOLOURS: INTERFAITH,INTERRELIGIOUSANDINTERCULTURALDIALOGUE
WeliveinaEuropethathasmultiplefacesandidentities,anditisourtasktolearnhowtobest reconcileourdifferenceswhilecelebratingtheheritageandrichcultureeachoftheseidentities brings.Therichnessanddiversityofourfaithsshouldserveasastartingpointforajointjourney towardsabetterfutureratherthanasacausefordivisionandseparation.Therearemanyways of undertaking interreligious dialogue, each of which begins with introspection and understandingonesrootsandbackgroundbeforeengagingwithothers. Inacontinentofoverfiftycountries,eachyoungpersonlivesaverydifferentreality.Wearea generation of highlyindividualised European studentsa generation that is marked by the choices we make, the obstacles we choose to overcome, and the taboos we vow to break. Cognisantofthereachandtheimpactitsactivitieshave,EUJSiscommittedtocontributingtoa moreunitedyetdiversifiedEuropewithequalrightsforall,regardlessoffaithorethnicity. 17

4.1EUJSasafoundingmemberoftheFaithBasedExpertGroup(FBEG)
In 2003 a group of faithbased international nongovernmental youth organisations began to meet regularlyattheEuropeanYouthForumsecretariatinBrusselsinordertoexchangeideasonhowtheir organisations could improve communication and promote cooperation in the field of interreligious dialogue.ThisinformalgroupwasacceptedasanofficialgroupcalledtheFaithBasedExpertGroup, supportedbytheEuropeanYouthForumduringitsGeneralAssemblyinMadrid,1113November2004. Accordingtoitscharter,theaimofthisgroupwastodevelopanunderstandingoftheroleofreligion and interreligious dialogue, to contribute to the current and future activities of international institutions and to develop actions related to this topic. EUJS advocated for the FBEG to become an officialworkingbodyoftheEuropeanYouthForumsoastogiveitatruepanEuropeancharacterand respectivemandate.ThissuggestionwasacceptedinDecember2006 Despite current political sensitivity resulting from an escalation of intolerance, antiSemitism, Islamophobiaandreligiousattritioningeneral,thegroupsformationhasengagedinfruitfuldiscussions inordertotacklethecriticalissuesfacingEuropetoday.Oncetheissueswereidentifiede.g.,social and cultural segregation, conflicts and misunderstandings, discrimination and integration challenges theFBEGcompileditsgoalsandprioritiesandpresenteditsfindingstotheEYFSummit,which,inturn,

TOOL KIT ON INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE IN YOUTH WORK - 2008

LIVIN FAI HS T GETHER

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CHRONOLOGY J ANUARY 2 004


EUJS is a founding member of the first interreligious subgroup at the European Youth Forum, composed of seven European Faithbased youth organisationsrepresentingallmajormonotheisticfaiths: 1. FEMYSO The Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisation 2. PaxChristiInternational 3. FIMCAPInternationalFederationofCatholicYouthOrganisations 4. EPTOEuropeanPeerTrainingOrganisation 5. EYCEEcumenicalYouthCouncilinEurope 6. JECIMIECInternationalMovementofCatholicStudents 7. WSCFWorldStudentChristianFederation

J ANUARY 2004 2006 TheFaithbasedgroupmeetsregularlyinBrusselstooutlinetheactivities


andmethodologyofitsholisticapproach.

M AY 12 17 2005

TheFaithbasedgroupholdsitsfirstEuropeaninterfaithyouthmeetingin Warsaw, Poland, entitled JumaShabbatSunday as part of the Council of EuropeYouthSummitandparalleltotheHeadofStateSummit.

J ANUARY 17 23 2006 EUJS holds second interfaith meeting in conjunction with the European
CommissionentitledFindingOneVoice:FaithBasedEducationasaToolfor Avoiding Misunderstandings and Overcoming Prejudices in Barcelona, Spain.

N OVEM BER 2006

The FaithBased Expert Group decides to join the European Youth Forum asitsexpertbody.ThisdecisionisadoptedattheEuropeanYouthForum GeneralAssemblyinVilnius,Lithuania. EUJSholdsthirdinterreligiousmeetinginconjunctionwiththeCouncilof Europe entitled Sharing our Faith Sharing our Pride: an interreligious perspective on religious identity for young people in the new Europe in Brussels,Belgium.

Dec . 4 92006

Jan.07 Dec.2008

Publication of Living Faiths Together Toolkit on Inter religious Dialogue (seebelow) .

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4.2LivingFaithsTogetherToolkitonInterreligiousDialogue.
Followingitsconception,inMay2005theFaithBasedExpertGroupundertookanefforttodevelopan educationaltoolkitoninterreligiousdialoguefortrainersandyouthorganisationsacrossEurope.The aim of this toolkit is to encourage youth organisations to promote interreligious dialogue in their respectivesocietiesandtoprovidetrainerswiththelogisticalinformationneededforactivitiesofthis genre.Thetoolkit,publishedinDecember2008,isthefirstofitskindandcanbeusedasareferencefor activitiesandasawayofexploringthesimilaritiesbetweenthedifferentreligions.

4.3"LivingourfaithinamulticulturalsocietyDevelopingIntercultural Dialogueasalifestyle,"November2008Derbyshire,UnitedKingdom
EUJS was invited to speak alongside Muslim and Christian colleagues at a panel dealing with the understanding of other religions and what they can offer post-modern society from both a secular and a religious perspective. The conference provided an ideal forum for discussing the relationship between faith, culture, and society and was enlivened by contributions from participants with diverse backgrounds and opinions. EUJS Presidium member Victor Pliner represented EUJS at the conference.

4.4KazanInternationalForumontheReligiousDimensionsof InterculturalDialogue, December2008Kazan,Russia

In December 2008 EUJS was invited by the Council of Europe to take part in a fiveday International Forum on the Religious Dimensions of Intercultural Dialogue in Kazan. The forum covered several aspectsofinterreligiousdialogue,includingeducation,ethics,roleofyoungpeople,discriminationand freedomofspeech,andprovedvaluableforEUJS,allowingittodeveloptieswithyouthorganisations from across Europe. During the forum, EUJS was invited to present its work in conjunction with its partnerorganisationsfromtheFaithBasedExpertGroupandtheresultsofitsrecentlypublishedtoolkit oninterreligiousdialogue,LivingFaithsTogether.

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5)INMEMORYSSHADOW:GENOCIDEEDUCATIONANDAWARENESS

ThephraseNeverAgainembodiedthehopeofhumankindaftertheHolocaust.Sincethentheworld haswitnessedgenocidesinCambodia,Bosnia,andRwanda,andcurrentlyinDarfur.Theseeventsarea stainontherecordofhumanity,andEUJSisdeterminedtomaketheworldremember,acknowledge, andinternalisetheseexperiences,sothathumanityasawholedoesnotrepeatthesamemistakesand actions. Young people need to be educated, both about their own history and about the history of othersinordertofindcommongroundandtosearchforwaystostrivetowardsamorepeacefuland tolerant world. EUJS is determined to extend its outreach so as to fulfil its commitment to raise awarenessandtoeducateyounggenerationsabouttheuniversalmessageoftheShoah. Withthisinmind,EUJSanditspartnerslaunchedSharedMemoriesCollectiveAction,alongterm campaign on genocide education, in April 2006, beginning with a mission to Rwanda that brought togetherJewishstudentsandTutsistudents,mostofwhomweresurvivorsoftheTutsigenocide. Thegoalsofthecampaignare: 5.1 Toshareacommonhistorywithotherpeopleswhoseidentitieshavebeenshapedbygenocide TolearnabouttheuniversaldimensionoftheShoah Tounderstandtheprocessesandthemechanismsthatallowgenocidetooccur Toeducateyoungpeople,JewishandnonJewish,abouttheuniqueplaceoftheHolocaustinthe contextofgenocides To discuss and set an agenda on how to raise sensitivities and challenge ideologies that encourageorallowgenocidetotakeplace TotakeactionagainstantiSemitismandotherformsofracism SharedMemories,CollectiveAction:SharingOurPastandFuture May2008Amsterdam,theNetherlands InMay2008,theEuropeanUnionofJewishStudents,incooperationwiththeEuropeanUnionofYoung SurvivorsoftheTutsiGenocide,theCercleDesEtudiantsRwandaisdeBelgique,andPeaceandJustice forDarfur,organisedtheseminarSharedMemories,CollectiveAction:SharingOurPastandFuturein Amsterdam,theNetherlands. 21

As an organisation catering to the needs of the young generation, we hold the responsibility of preserving the memory of the Shoah and of educating the newer generations, which have a more distant association with the atrocities of World War II. As the descendants of survivors, young Jews must reexamine and bring new life to the task of sustaining awareness about the Shoah and of committingtotheNeverAgaincampaignoftheirpredecessors.TheJewishcommunitymustnowtake anactiveroleinpreventinganddealingwiththeconsequencesof genocide. The main theme of this programme was to understand the evolution of collective memory and genocide education, particularly regarding the Shoah, throughout the last several decades.TheprojectinvestigatedhowtheShoahhasbecomepart of peoples identity and how this identity has changed in light of advances like the Eichmann trial, the official recognition and acknowledgement of Shoah, and the growing fear that the atrocities of Shoah will be forgotten when the last generation of survivorshaspassedaway. Withthesefearsforthefuture,itiscrucialthatweexaminethedifferentphasesofinternalisationand copingmechanismspresentintheaftermathofsuchhorrifictragedy.Concurrently,givenourhistory, we, as Jewish people, become natural defenders of the rights and freedoms of others both through sharing our experiences and taking action. It is for this reason that this programme brought together youngJews,youngTutsisurvivorsofthegenocideinRwanda,andyoungDarfurirefugeesinorderto sharetheirthoughtsandfeelingsaboutpeace,tolerance,andreconciliation.

5.2

70thcommemorationoftheKristallnachtandtheSpecialEvent PromotingToleranceattheEuropeanContinent November2008Brussels,Belgium

EUJSbroughtadelegationof20Jewishstudentsandpartnerstotheinternationalcommemorationof the 70th anniversary of the Kristallnacht as well as the Special Event Promoting Tolerance at the EuropeanContinentheldattheEuropeanParliamentinBrusselsinNovember2008.TheEUJSdelegates camefromBelgium,Bulgaria,Denmark,France,Italy,Poland,Portugal,Romania,Russia,Serbia,Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, and United Kingdom and were joined by three Tutsi survivors of the 1994 Tutsi genocideinRwanda. With pride, our students joined several European politicians and cultural leaders at the European ParliamenttorepresentandemphasisethesurvivalandtheroleoftheJewishpeopleinEurope.The meaningfulandimpressiveceremoniesdeeplytouchedandempoweredeachofourstudents.

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6)BALANCEANDDEDICATION:DIPLOMACYANDPROISRAELADVOCACY
AcrossEurope,anewgenerationofyoungJewishmenandwomenisemerging,asignificantmajorityof whomareindifferenttoissuesofJewishpoliticalactivismandtheStateofIsrael.Whilesomeofthese youtharestillstudents,manyofthemareyoungprofessionalsininfluentialpositionswithregardsto Europeanpoliticsonbothnationalandpancontinentallevels,thusembodyingimmensepotentialand opportunity in the political sphere. Today, we witness an increased need for involvement within civil societyandagreaterneednotonlytovoiceonesopinionbutalsotoactuponitinanefforttochange thepoliticalstatusquo. ThepoliticalrealityinEuropereflectstheactiveinvolvementofyoungpeople.Nonetheless,theinput fromtheJewishpopulationhasbeenverymodestbothinadvocatingforEuropeanJewishinterestsand forthoserelatedtotheStateofIsrael.TheJewishcommunitiesoftheoldcontinenttendtomaintain amoreconservativeandneutralstance,whichoftenresultsinafailuretoempowertheirmembership ortoencouragepoliticalactivityandinvolvement. This turning point in the history of European Jewish life offers the chance for a new generation of leaders to raise political awareness across the continent, to revitalise their political activism, to strengthenthebondsacrossEuropesdiverseJewishcommunities,andtoreinforcetieswithIsraeland itsfuture. The success of EUJS diplomacy and advocacy can be attributed to its unique structure, which infuses Eurocentrism with Jewish values and Israel education and focuses on building a network that encouragesyouthinvolvementinEuropeanpoliticalandpublicaffairsanddevelopmentforthefuture.

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6.1EUJSattheUnitedNations
Having obtained the Special Consultative Status to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nationsin2006,throughoutthelastseveralyearstheEuropeanUnionofJewishStudentshasexpanded itsactivitiesinthisfield.EUJSisthefirstandonlyJewishyouthvoicewithsuchastatus,whichallowsit tofightforhumanrights,forthesecurityofIsrael,andagainstgenocideinthecentreofthediplomatic sphere. TherelationshipofIsraelandtheUnitedNationshasbeenoneofambivalencesinceIsraelsfounding followingaUNresolutioninNovember1947.InitsyearsasaState,Israelhasbeenthefocusof relentlessandbiasedresolutionsrepeatedlycondemningtheStateandheractions.Thetreatmentof IsraelatthenewlyreformedHumanRightsCouncilanditsprecedingbody,theHumanRights Commission,serveasproofthatthereisaneedforcarefulinvestigationintothemotivesoftheUNand thebiasedactionsithasundertakenasaresultofthehijackingofkeyUNbodies,whichhave compromiseditslegitimacy. ManyofthechallengesfacingtheUNandmuchoftheproblematictreatmentofIsraelarecentredat theUnitedNationsHumanRightsCouncil.EUJShasidentifiedtheneedtotakeaproactivestancewith regardstotheseissuesandtoextenditsactivitiesasaglobalvoiceofJewishyouth.

6.2EUJSDelegationtotheHumanRightsCouncil March2008Geneva,Switzerland
InMarch2008,EUJSsentadelegationofstudentsandyoung leaders to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. The delegation, led by EUJS ViceChair Aleksandar Belevski, met with several heads of diplomatic missions, includingthoseofGermany,Italy,Egypt,andTurkey,among others, in order to express its concern about the Durban Review Conference and about human rights violations around the world. The delegation also addressed the assembly in an unprecedented manner when delegate Lisa LevyquestionedthelegitimacyoftheprocessoftheDurban ReviewConference.

6.3EUJSbringsSderotstudenttotheHumanRightsCouncilatthe UnitedNations January2009Geneva,Switzerland

DuringtheIsraelioperationCastLead,EUJS,inpartnershipwithUNWatchbroughta23yearoldlaw student, Liraz Madmony, from Sderot, Israel to the Special Session on Gaza of the United Nations HumanRightsCouncilinGeneva.OnbehalfofEUJS,Lirazaddressedtheassemblyandspokeabouther dailylife,theplightofherfamily,andtheirsufferingandsurvivalinacitybombardedbynearly10,000 Hamasrocketsthroughoutthepasteightyears.ShepledfortheUnitedNationsHumanRightsCouncil totakethenecessarymeasurestowardsendingtheconstantbarrageonIsraelibordercities.

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6.4EUJSAmbassadorstotheUN:SettingtheTonefortheDurbanReview Conference:April2008April2009,panEuropeancampaign.
In2001,theformerChairpersonoftheEuropeanUnionofJewishStudents,JoelleFiss,ledadelegation ofJewishstudentactiviststotheUnitedNationsWorldConferenceAgainstRacism(WCAR)inDurban, South Africa. Ironically, in the name of antiracism, the WCAR turned into a disastrous failure where manyNGOstrampledonthefundamentalvaluesoftheUnitedNations,aswellasontheprinciplesof the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The conference became a spectacle of hatred and of demonisation and even reawakened a panoply of longforgotten antiSemitic stereotypes. This outburstofpoliticalalienationandantiSemitismlaidthegroundworkforthemodernphenomenonof antiSemitism disguised as antiZionism, rooted in the denial of Zionism, particularly its fundamental right of selfdetermination for the Jewish people as well as the right of the Jewish Diaspora to feel connectedtoitsMotherland. Aware of the outcome of the 2001 Durban Review, in April 2008 EUJS launched a oneyear initiative withtheaimofcreatingawarenessandpreparingJewishstudentsacrossEuropeforthe2009Durban ReviewConference.

6.5

DurbanDiaries:WhatReallyHappenedattheWorldConference AgainstRacism. PublishedinMay2008.

In order to prepare students. EUJS compiled and distributed written material about the WCAR in anticipationofthe2009DurbanReviewConference. Upon the return of the EUJS delegation from the WCAR, former EUJS Chairperson Joelle Fiss published the article, The Durban Diaries, which EUJS translated, edited, and republished.Morethan1,000copiesofTheDurbanDiaries were distributed in the first few weeks following its publication,anddelegationsfromacrosstheworldexpressed the need for more copies that they could distribute locally. The Durban Diaries was also downloaded more than 500 timesfromtheEUJSshomepage.Asecondeditionwaslater published in partnership with the American Jewish CommitteeinNovember2008.

What really happened at the UN Conference against Racism in Durban (2001)

DURBAN DIARIES
JOLLE FISS

THE

25

6.6EUJSdelegationstothePreparatoryMeetingsfortheDurbanReview Conference. April2008,JanuaryandApril2009.


EUJSbroughtdelegationsofstudentstothesessionsofthePreparatoryMeetingsinordertoprepare the students for the Durban Review Conference and to ensure that there was Jewish student representationandinvolvementintheconference,aswellastobuildcoalitionswithnonJewishNGOs. The students raised concerns about the conferences agenda and reminded other NGOs about the responsibilityofUNmemberstatestoupholdtheUniversalDeclarationforHumanRightsthroughout theentireprocess.

6.7 EUJSAMBASSADORSTOTHEUN:SettingtheTonefortheDurban ReviewConference February2009Geneva,Switzerland


AspartoftheDurbanReviewConferencecampaign,EUJSheldafivedayseminarinordertoprepare thestudentsfortheDurbanReviewConference.EUJS recruited thirty talented and capable students from twenty countries across Europe and Israel and equippedthemwithadvanceddiplomaticskills,tools, and information in preparation for the Durban Review Conference. After intensive training the participants had the opportunity to utilise their new skills in preparing and setting the agenda for meetings with UN officials, diplomats, and ambassadors. The group met with ambassadors and mission representatives from Turkey, the Czech Republic, South Africa, Poland, Switzerland, Italy, UnitedKingdom,Japan,andIsrael. By spearheading the preparations for and the executionofthesemeetings,thestudentswereable to prepare for the challenges that awaited them some months later. The EUJS delegates conveyed their concerns regarding the Durban Review Conference consistently and effectively and urged the diplomatic corps to ensure that the Durban ReviewConferencewouldupholdtheloftymandate oftheUnitedNations.

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6.8

UnitedNationsDurbanReviewConference
EUJS brought a 110person delegation from across the worldtotheDurbanReviewConference.Cognisantofthe agenda that would be put forth at the conference, the objectiveoftheEUJSdelegationspresencewastoredirect the focus of the conference to the actual forms of discrimination currently occurring in Europe and in the world, especially regarding the treatment of Roma, the ongoing genocide in Darfur, and rights regardless of sex and sexual orientation. EUJS aimed to broaden the dialogue on these issues through diplomacy, advocacy, demonstrations, leafleting, and other forms of necessary action. The primary actions of the EUJS delegation during the DRCwerethefollowing: Aprimaryconcernpriortheconferencewasthe visitandaddressofIranianPresidentMahmoud Ahmadinejad. Set to take place on Yom HaShoah,theconferencebecameaplatformfor President Ahmadinejads hateful rhetoric, specificallyHolocaustdenialandantiSemitism. As a response EUJS led a proactive, focused, studentdriven response that initially involved demonstrating outside the plenary and then outside Ahmadinejads press conference The UNresponsewastoannulEUJSsaccreditation. IncooperationwithStandWithUsEUJSstageda silentprojectentitledTheUNRemainsSilent.75 EUJSdelegatesdonnedtapeontheirmouthsas a symbol of the silence of UN and displayed banners exhibiting human rights crises that havenotbeenaddressedbytheUN,specifically the genocide in Darfur, the nuclear threat of Iran, and the lack of human rights around the world. IncooperationwithStandWithUsEUJSstageda silentprojectentitledTheUNRemainsSilent.75 EUJSdelegatesdonnedtapeontheirmouthsas a symbol of the silence of UN and displayed banners exhibiting human rights crises that havenotbeenaddressedbytheUN,specifically the genocide in Darfur, the nuclear threat of Iran, and the lack of human rights around the world.

Throughout the past several years, EUJS has campaigned and organised events to bring attentiontotheongoinggenocideinDarfur.As such,itwasintrinsicforEUJSscommitmentto fighting racism to raise this issue during the DurbanReviewConference.Withcollaboration fromPeaceandJusticeforDarfurandLeCercle Des Etudiants Rwandais de Belgique, EUJS organisedademonstrationinfrontoftheUNin order to raise awareness about the genocide and to demand that the UN take immediate action. EUJS was proud to be part of the Steering Committee representingJewish organizations at the Conference Against Racism, DiscriminationandPersecution, organized by UNWatch,aswellasIsraelInspirespriortoand duringtheDurbanReviewConference.

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6.9

TheInitiativeforaNewEuropeanVoice April2009Madrid,Spain

As EUJS recognises the urgency of mobilising young Jewish political forces across the European continent,TheInitiativeforaNewEuropeanVoice,wascreated.Thisprojectcombinescoreadvocacy andproIsraeleducationalstrengthswiththespiritofcivilactivism,commitment,andvitalitythathas cometorepresentEUJS. InApril2008EUJSlaunchedtheinnovativepilotofalongterminitiativetobuildanetworkofEuropean youth who are aware of Israelrelated issues. EUJS brought together young adults from France and Spainofacertainprofessionalbackgroundinagroundbreakingseminartoprovidethemwithnecessary tools,factsandanalysisforgreaterawarenessandadvocacy. The goal of the project was to offer knowledge that the participants could use in their working environments and daily professional situations. As opposed to other initiatives that take a more theoreticalapproach,EUJSsoughttoequipyoungparticipantswithpracticallogisticalinformationand tools. The conference allowed the participants to gain knowledge and insights from a unique set of speakers,panellists,andtrainers. Additionally,aspartoftheprogramme,twoyoungprofessionalsweregrantedninemonthlong fellowshippositionsinproIsraeladvocacyorganisationsintheirhomecountries.

6.10 AIPACPolicyConference June2008andMay2009Washington,D.C.


EUJS is continuously trying to offer as many diverse opportunities and experiences as it can in its attempt to broaden the horizons of its young activists and leaders. For the last four years, EUJS has sent its leaders to participateintheAnnualPolicyConferenceoftheAmerican Israel Public Affairs Committee. This fascinating gathering offers a unique experience for EUJS students, opening a window to the unique realm of proIsrael advocacy in the UnitedStates. 29

C)ORGANIZATIONALDEVELOPMENT

1)EUJSPresidiumMeeting
TheEUJSPresidiumistheelectedconsultativebodythatassiststheChairpersoninimplementingEUJSs policiesanddecisions.ItconsistsofsevenPresidiummembersandaTreasurer. Bytheendofitsterm,EUJSwillhaveheldsevenPresidiumMeetings: TransitionalWeekendinBrussels,December2007 PresidiumMeetinginWashingtonDC.,May2008 PresidiumMeetinginAmsterdam,May2008 PresidiumMeetinginIstanbul,August2008 PresidiumMeetinginBrussels,November2008 PresidiumMeetinginSwitzerland,August2009 TransitionalWeekendinBrussels,November2009 Parallel to the official meetings, EUJSs elected leadership has maintained contact via phone conferences and email. The Presidium is regularly updated by the Chairperson on all EUJS activities, developments,andendeavours. ThemembersoftheEUJSPresidiumserveasEUJSAmbassadorsintheirrespectivecountriesandaspart oftheorganizingteamatallEUJSevents,andtheypromoteEUJSactivitiesatdifferentconferencesand gatheringsthroughouttheworld.

2)FellowshipatEUJS
EUJS has been home to many fellows and interns in the past several years. This has contributed to EUJSsprofessionalandorganisationalprogressanddevelopmentandhasallowedtheseindividualsto experiencehowapanEuropeanJewishorganizationoperates,howinternationalprogramsarerun,and whatJewishyouthleadershipmeanstoday.EUJShashostedthreefellowsatitsofficeoverthepasttwo years. AswecontinuouslystrivetoempoweryoungJewishleadersinmanydiverseways,EUJShasdeveloped its partnership with the American Jewish Committee and StandWithUs, which serve as host organisationsforfellowsatEUJS.WeareawarethattheexperienceofworkingattheEUJSsecretariat canchangeafellowslifeandreshapehisorhertraditionalviewsonJewishleadership.

3)EUJSFinancialAnalysis
EUJSsannualbudgethasremainedstablethroughoutthepastseveralyearswithonlyaslightdecrease recordedin2008and2009.Thisdecreasecanbeattributedprimarilytotheongoingglobaleconomical crisisaswellasthecontinuouslyshrinkingsupportfromtheJewishworldatlarge. Inrecentyearssignificanteffortshavebeenmadetodiversifysourcesofincomeinordertomakethe organizationlessdependentontraditionaldonorsandthereforelessvulnerabletothefluctuationsof theirsupport. 30

Despite these efforts, participation fees have been the main source of income for EUJS over the past fiveyears,surpassinganyothersourceofincomeatleastthreefold.Participationfeesamountto40%of thetotalannualbudgetthusindicatingthatJewishstudentshavebeenmainlyselffinancedthemselves andtheirJewishactivities.
Operaponal As an organisation dedicated to preserving Costs accountability, EUJS works continuously towards Programming finding different ways to lower its operational and administrative costs in order to directly invest the 83% most resources in programming and its students. Significant successes by both previous and current leadership have emerged in these efforts. In 2009 EUJSdirectlyallocated83%ofitstotalfundingtoprogramming. 17%

SOURCEOFINCOME2008

WorldUnionofJewishStudents WorldJewishCongress WorldHolocaustForum UNWatch TurkishJewishCommunity SwissFederaponofJewishCommunipes StandWithUs SafraFoundapon PrivateDonors ParpcipaponFees Other MASAIsrael LegacyHeritageFundLimited ISSNFoundapon FondaciondelaMemoiredelaShoah EuropeanYouthForum EuropeanJewishFund EuropeanCommission Edmond&BenjamindeRothschildFoundapon CouncilofEurope B'naiBrithInternaponal AmericanJewishJointDistribuponCommiree AmericanJewishCommiree AIPAC 0 50'000 100'000 150'000

SOURCEOFINCOME2009(JANJUN)

UNWatch SafraFoundapon ParpcipaponFees Newton&RochelleBecker CharitableTrust EuropeanJewishFund Edmond&Benjaminde RothschildFoundapon B'naiBrithGeneva AmericanJewishJoint DistribuponCommiree AIPAC

40000

80000

31

4)AmericanFriendsofEUJS
AmericanFriendsofEUJSisanonprofit501(c)(3)charitableorganisationformedtoraisesupportinthe UnitedStatesfortheactivitiesoftheEuropeanUnionofJewishStudents. AmericanFriendsofEUJSwasestablishedaspartofEUJSeffortstodiversifysourcesofincomesoasto make the organisation less dependent on traditional donors and to further pursue partnerships with Americanfoundationsandprivatedonors. AmericanFriendsofEUJSwaspossiblethankstothegenerosityandsupportoftheAmericanJewish Committee.

D)PUBLICITY

1. EUJSintheMedia
More than 20 local and international news agencies, including Turkish Daily News, Hurriyet Daily News and the Jewish Chronicle, reported on the SummerUniversity2008.

David Harris, the Executive Director of the American Jewish Committee mentionedEUJSsworkonhisJerusalem Post blog several times throughout the lasttwoyears.

TheJerusalemPostreportedandprinted the speech by Sderot resident Liraz MadmonyattheUnitedNationsHuman RightsCouncilinJanuary2009.

The European Jewish Press covered EUJSs meeting with Venezuelan Ambassador,GermanMundarianHernadezinFebruary2009.

AnarticleondiscriminationandantiSemitismfromtheperspectiveofyoungpeoplewaswritten byEUJSchairpersonJonasKarpantschoffortheEuropeanYouthForumpublicationRacismand ItsImpactonYoungPeople.

Interview with Jonas Karpantschof, EUJS chair, in Jdisk Orientering the Jewish monthly magazineinDenmark.

TheSwedishdailyVrldenIdagpublishedanarticleaboutthetraumaticexperienceoftheEUJS delegationattheWorldConferenceAgainstRacism;citedwastheEUJSpublicationTheDurban DiariesaswellasaninterviewwithformerChairJoelleFiss.

32

Over 200 news agencies, including Associated Press, Reuters, Jerusalem Post and Haaretz coveredEUJSsexpulsionfromtheDurbanReviewConference.

Jonas Karpantschof, EUJS Chair, and Lili Dardashti, Executive Director, were interviewed and quoted on several occasions by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency during the Durban Review Conference.

Pictures of EUJS delegates demonstrating against Ahmadinejad appeared in numerous news papersandmagazinesacrosstheworldincludingLaRepubblica(Italy),Spiegel(Germany),ElPas (Spain),LeMonde(France),JerusalemPostandmanyothers.PicturesofEUJSdelegatesduring AhmadinejadaddressintheplenarywerewidelycoveredintheJerusalemPost. EUJS delegate Zach Novetsky blogged daily on Jerusalem Post during the Durban Review Conference. The blog was picked up by several news agencies primarily in the United States. OtherEUJSparticipantsbloggedonseveralothermediaoutlets. PicturesfromtheStoptheOngoingGenocideinDarfurdemonstrationwerecoveredonseveral onlinewebsitesincludingtheWallStreetJournal.

2.EUJSonlineCommunication
InthepasttwoyearsEUJShasputforthseveralpressreleasesunderliningitspoliticalviews.Ithasalso releasedover15newsletterswithinformationaboutEUJSprogrammingaswellastheprogrammesof itsmemberunions.

E)2010AGENDA
The 20082010 EUJS board has made sure that the agenda for the next generation of European leadershipisdeterminedandoutlinedwellinadvance. DEC. JAN. 200910: The Dignity of Difference, Interfaith and intercultural Symposium on humanrightsanddemocracy. FEBRUARY2010: EUJS Seminar on bridge building with other European minorities and in particularArmenians. APRIL2010: MAY2010: AUGUST2010: NOVEMBER2010: 33 EUJSSeminarontheincreaseofEuropeanextremism,Brussels AJCAnnualMeeting,WashingtonDC SummerUniversity EUJSSeminarattheUnitedNationsHumanRightsCouncil

HALFYEARREPORT2009
January February March April May Jun July 2009

I.EXPENDITURES 1.OPERATINGCOSTS
Secretariat 7502.17 5174.89 7267.89 5'361.97 7911.50 6'280.89 6087.98 45'587.29

2.EUJSPROGRAMCOSTS
TheInitativefora NewEu.Voice EUJSAmbassadors totheUN European Encounters EUJSAmbassadors totheDRC AmericanFriends ofEUJS SU2009 Switzerland Website Remaindersfrom 2008 SubTotalEUJS Programs 411.29 120.38 295.48 827.15 14'151.33 84.95 14'236.28 214.96 168.03 382.99 14'638.93 138.48 14'777.41 534.53 900 119.97 1'554.50 570.47 570.47 2'304.66 156'191.60 158'496.26 2'304.66 14'151.33 214.96 14'638.93 411.29 157'808.44 900.00 415.45 190'845.06

3.OtherProgramCosts
AJCAnnual Meeting AIPACPolicyConf. LondonConf. Against Antisemitism ROI WJCPlenary Meeting SUBTotal

406.25 406.25

160.00 160.00

4'027.30 858.96

180.94

4'027.30 858.96 160.00 180.94 406.25 5'633.45

4'886.26 180.94

4.MEMBERSHIPFEES
34

EYFAnnualFees
UnitedAnnualFee SubTotal

1'376.00 1'376.00

55.00 55.00

1'376.00 55.00 1431.00

TOTALEXPENDITURES(1+2+3+4) II.INCOME
2007Balance AIPAC AJC JDC BBI BnaiBrithGeneva CoE E.&B.de RothschildFound. EC Eu.JewishFund LHFL N.&R.Becker CharitableTrust Other ParticipationFees PrivateDonors SafraFoundation FSCI UNWatch WJC SubTotal 46'495.26 3'900.00 3'000.00 22.71 585.72 1'000.00 2'290.18 1'000.00 3'633.94 475.66 6'919.00 7'537.80 5'125.72 6'432.14 935.00 1'050.00 16'000.00 1'906.00 4'320.00 766.04 7'778.50 24'969.75 17'568.54 6'885.20 1'965.00

243'496.80

46'495.26 935.00 7'240.18 4'320.00 1'000.00 766.04 33'697.50 24'969.75 17'568.54 3'633.94 6'885.20 7'537.80 2'463.37 80'494.40 20'906.16 5'000.00 6'763.56 6'432.14 412.79 277'521.63

150.00 1'796.84 412.79

24'305.40 46'624.72 3'088.30 5'000.00 16'817.86

55'003.69 562.79 9'196.62 26'014.66 19'891.00 87'796.53 79'056.34

TOTALINCOME SURPLUS(III)

277'521.63 34'024.83
35

FINANCIALREPORT2008

FINANCIALREPORT2008

G.INSTITUTIONALPARTNERS
JewishyouthandstudentsacrossEuropedonotliveinavacuum.Theyformanintegralpartof the international Jewish community and have strong ties to the Jewish communities in the UnitedStatesandIsrael.Theyalsoliveasfullandequalcitizensintheirrespectivecountries,ina united Europe that is increasingly multicultural, reflecting the values of a pluralist and peace seeking mindset. The objective of EUJSto cater to the needs of young peoplecan only be accomplishedwiththeactivesupportandengagementofourpartnersinboththeJewishworld andintheinstitutionsofaunitedEurope.EUJSstronglytreasuresthesepartnershipsbasedon oursharedbeliefinthepowerofyouthasavehicleforpositivesocialchange.

1. TheAmericanJewishCommittee(AJC)

The American Jewish Committee, under the visionary leadership of David Harris, has long been a primepartnerof,abelieverin,andasupporterofEUJS.ThespecialrelationshipofEUJSandAJCwas cemented in a formal partnership agreement signed in Washington D.C. in March 2005. The AJC helps to bridge the transatlantic divide by sponsoring a fellowship program that, every summer, givesanAmericancollegestudenttheuniqueopportunitytospendnineweeksworkingattheEUJS officeinBrusselspreparingforSummerU.WeareproudtohavehadDavidHarrisasaregularguest at Summer U every year since 2002. Furthermore, for several years AJC has hosted an EUJS delegation, comprised of leading student activists from across Europe, at its annual conference in Washington D.C. The continuous financial, logistical, and moral support of the AJC is crucial in enablingEUJStofulfilitsmandateinsecuringtheJewishfutureinEurope.

2. TheAmericanJewishJointDistributionCommittee(JDC)
TheEuropeanUnionofJewishStudentsisalongtimepartneroftheJDC.Throughouttheyearsthe twoorganisationshaveworkedtogethertofurtheroursharedvisionanddesireforvibrantJewish lifeacrossEurope.

3. TheCouncilofEurope(COE)
TheEuropeanUnionofJewishStudentsisanaccreditedNGOoftheCouncilofEuropesEuropean YouthFoundation.Incollaborationwiththisorganisation,EUJShasheldyearlyseminarsandstudy sessions over the past twenty years. Such programs emphasise the promotion of youth policies, minorityrights,interculturaldialogue,andhumanrightseducation.

4. TheEuropeanCommission
TheEuropeanUnionofJewishStudentsisanaccreditedorganisationwiththeDirectorateGeneral forEducationandCultureandisarecipientofayearlygrantforadministrativesupportofferedto themostactiveEuropeanyouthorganisations.

5.TheEuropeanJewishCongress(EJC)

TheEuropeanUnionofJewishStudentsworkswiththeEJCtoensurethatthevoiceofJewishyouth in Europe is prominently heard at all levels. EJC leaders have been guests at EUJS events on numerousoccasions.GivenoursimilardemocraticandrepresentativestructuresinEurope,EUJSwill continueworkingcloselywiththeEJCleadershiptoensureJewishcontinuityandprosperityonthe continent. It is through the European Jewish Congress that EUJS also receives support from the WorldJewishCongress(WJC).

6. TheEuropeanYouthForum(EYF)

The European Youth Forum is the largest European youth organisation, working directly with the institutions of the European Union and promoting youth empowerment among its twenty million members.AsanInternationalYouthNGO(IYNGO),EUJSisamemberoftheEuropeanYouthForum and enthusiastically represents the interests of its Jewish members, as well as the interests of minoritygroupsacrossEurope.

7. TheWorldUnionofJewishStudents(WUJS)

TheWorldUnionofJewishStudentsistheworldwideumbrellaforallJewishstudentorganisations. EUJS is a constitutional member of the WUJS network and is a direct partner in their worldwide activitiesthroughitspresenceofEuropeanJewishstudentrepresentativesontheWUJSexecutive board.

WrittenbyJonasHerzbergKarpantschof EditedbyMeravLevkowitz DesignedbyArielleHerzog Specialthanksto OlgaIsrael,DavidNachfolgerandLiliDardashti

EuropeanUnionofJewishStudents
3AvenueAntoineDepage 1050Brussels,Belgium +3226477279 www.eujs.org

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