The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched an online seminar for young diaspora leaders

In partnership with the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel has launched an online seminar for young leaders of Russian-speaking Jewish diaspora communities.

The opening of the seminar took place on May 5, with the participation of Hamutal Rogel, Head of the MFA Diaspora Affairs Department; Gary Koren, Head of the MFA Euro-Asia Department; Michael Brodsky, Ambassador Designate of Israel to Ukraine; Dr. Haim Ben Yakov, Chairman of the Academic Council of the EAJC Institute for Eurasian Studies and Director General of the EAJC; as well as Yacov Livne, Head of the MFA Eurasia Department.

During the introductory session, Prof. Ze'ev Khanin, Chairman of the Academic Council of the Institute for Euro-Asian Jewish Studies (operating under the auspices of the EAJC), also presented the findings of a large-scale sociological study on Jewish identity in the CIS countries.

Over 30 young leaders from various diaspora countries will learn about the current challenges and issues facing Israel and global Jewry today from leading speakers. The 9 online sessions of the seminar will cover topics such as Israel and the Middle East, denominations of Judaism and contemporary Jewish identity, the image of Israel in Russian-language media, the long-term vision for the development of the Jewish people, and other subjects. A dedicated session featuring Russian-speaking members of the Israeli Parliament is also scheduled.

Supporting and strengthening the ties between the diaspora and the Jewish state is one of the central pillars of the EAJC's mission. Through its specialized public diplomacy program, the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress actively contributes to shaping a comprehensive and objective perception of the State of Israel and establishing long-term relations with public opinion leaders in the Euro-Asian region. Consequently, the EAJC has actively endorsed the initiative of the Israeli MFA to conduct this seminar for young leaders.

“The EAJC consistently advocates for the active involvement of diaspora Jews in the life of Israel, ensuring they have an accurate understanding of the circumstances shaping the Jewish state and are able to form their own positions on key issues of concern to Israeli society. Israel itself must take the lead in this process. This serves as one example of fulfilling its role as the nation-state of the Jewish people and the center of the Jewish world. We are grateful to our partners at the Israeli MFA for providing the diaspora youth with this opportunity and organizing this vital seminar,” stated the President of the EAJC, Dr. Mikhail Mirilashvili.