World Jewish Congress

Sukkot celebrates the miracle that the Jewish people received shelter and protection from God while they spent 40 years wandering in the desert. It is traditional to eat and, for some, to sleep in a Sukkah for seven days. Follow our pages as we share the meanings of Jewish holidays and traditions, made possible with the support of the 🇪🇺 European Commission.

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We are saddened to learn of the passing of Holocaust survivor Julia Wallach at the age of 101. Several years ago, she participated in the Lest We Forget campaign, organized by our affiliate CRIF in France, and shared her story with the world. May her memory be a blessing. Julia Wallach escaped the July 1942 Vel d’Hiv roundup in Paris, when thousands of foreign-born Jews were arrested. That day, her mother, who was a Polish Jew, was arrested. For months afterwards, she lived in hiding with her father and uncle, until they were arrested in 1943 when their neighbors betrayed them. Julia was sent to the Drancy transit camp and then deported to Auschwitz on convoy number 55. She was 18 years old. She miraculously survived the death marches and returned home an orphan after the war. She met and married her husband, who was also a Holocaust survivor, and they had two children and rebuilt a life. Her husband never spoke about what he experienced. Julia said it was her grandson, Frankie, who encouraged her to start giving witness, and she wrote a testimony called “God was on vacation.” She said the fear and trauma continued with her throughout her life. For Julia Wallach, #WeRemember. Read her full testimony (in French): https://lestweforget.crif.org/characters/Julia_Wallach

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Over the past five years, the EU has built an unprecedented policy architecture to guard against antisemitism. Now we need to ensure it is implemented to the fullest so that Jews can live openly and safely. The European Commission is our greatest ally in this mission. Meeting in New York on the sidelines of the UNGA with Magnus Brunner, the European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, WJC President Ronald S. Lauder stressed the crisis of antisemitism, the need for education, and raised serious concerns about the rise of political extremism in Europe and how it can affect Jewish communities. As president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola has demonstrated continued commitment to supporting Jewish life in Europe, to combating antisemitism, and to Holocaust remembrance. WJC President Ronald S. Lauder thanked her personally for this difficult task of resisting the politicization of antisemitism that is happening today. Photo credit (C) Alex Barash

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On September 23-24, 1943, the Vilna ghetto in Nazi-occupied Lithuania was liquidated. Vilna, or Vilnius, has been a major center of Yiddish life in Eastern Europe. Between 165,000 to 254,000 Jews were murdered in Lithuania during the Holocaust by the Germans and their localaccomplices. #WeRemember. Learn the facts about the Holocaust at www.AboutHolocaust.org

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Memory. Truth. Justice: 32 years after the AMIA bombing in Buenos Aires, Argentina's justice system has taken a significant step in the pursuit of truth. This week, seven Iranian citizens and one Lebanese citizen were charged over their alleged involvement in the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center. The terror attack killed 85 people and injured 300 more. This step will lead to a possible trial in absentia. For decades, the Jewish community has known that the attack was carried out by Hezbollah agents at the request of the Islamic regime. Alongside our affiliated Jewish communities in Argentina, we will continue to monitor every judicial advancement in achieving justice for the victims.

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In the days around Yom Kippur, multiple synagogues - and its Jewish congregants - were targeted with antisemitic violence. In Canada, in Germany. The different authorities foiled additional plans for attacks on synagogues. Sukkot is coming up in just a few days, and this threat and anxiety persist. Jews should be free to mark their Judaism openly without the threat of violence. It is the responsibility of their government to ensure that.

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The Russian Jewish Congress, WJC’s affiliate organization, celebrated its 30th anniversary this month by hosting a charity event in Moscow, to support the RJC’s educational programs. They presented the Global Influence Award to Faina Sanevich, president of the “Hasdei Neshama” charity center, and philanthropist Boris Sokol, for their invaluable work creating a strong Jewish community in the Tula region. Jewish history in Russia dates back centuries. It is our mission to continue supporting Jewish life in Russia – and that’s precisely why the RJC was founded 30 years ago. Photos (C) Press Service of the Russian Jewish Congress

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In 2026, Jewish security and global stability are top on our priorities at the UN General Assembly High-Level Week. It is a critical opportunity to engage with world leaders and advance our mission advocating for over 100 Jewish communities worldwide. 🇨🇿 Czechia has been one of the staunchest defenders of Israel within the EU and in the international arena. Meeting with President Petr Pavel, WJC President Ronald S. Lauder thanked Czechia for their continued strong support of Israel and of the Czech Jewish community. 🇮🇹 Meeting with Antonio Tajani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Amb. Lauder emphasized the need for the swift passage of Italy’s new legislation to counter antisemitism, which would make the IHRA definition part of Italian law and mandate a national strategy to protect Jewish life. Italy is home to Europe’s oldest Jewish community, with roots stretching back more than 2,000 years to Roman times. The representative body of Italian Jewry is the Union of the Italian Jewish Community (UCEI). 🇧🇬 Meeting with Iliana Iotova, President of Bulgaria, Amb. Lauder emphasized Bulgaria’s crucial role in resisting the anti-Israel dynamic in the EU - including its continued opposition to suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement. 🇸🇮 Meeting with Prime Minister of Slovenia Janez Janša, Amb. Lauder thanked him and his government for their steadfast support for Israel and encouraged closer ties with Slovenia’s small but historic Jewish community. Just last week, WJC sent a delegation to Slovenia to meet with PM Janša in Ljubljana – the first major Jewish organization to do so since the elections earlier this spring. Meeting 🇷🇴 Meeting with Romanian President Nicușor Dan, Amb. Lauder discussed the importance of Romania’s continued cooperation with its Jewish community and Israel in order to strengthen Jewish life. Lauren Rose, WJC’s Executive Director of the Executive Office, joined forces with other major Jewish organizations, including B’nai Brith International, the ADL, and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, to meet with diplomats - notably French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and President of Switzerland Guy Parmelin. With antisemitism on the rise and as France prepares to assume the IHRA Presidency in March 2027, the WJC urged Minister Barrot to ensure that France protects its Jewish citizens through the implementation of its national strategy to combat antisemitism. Follow our live blog from the UN General Assembly: https://www.worldjewishcongress.org/en/news/live-blog-united-nations-general-assembly-2026 Photos © Vladimir Badikov

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Marcel Marceau (March 22, 1923 - September 22, 2007) was a French-Jewish mime artist and actor, known internationally for his stage persona "Bip the Clown." Marceau was part of the French underground resistance during WWII, where he played one of the most important roles of his life - helping save Jewish children from the Nazis.

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Our solidarity is with Canada's Jews, who emerged from Yom Kippur to the images of gunfire outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville. The congregants stayed safe thanks to the protection of Constable Jeff Smith, who acted heroically in risking is own life to protect the worshippers inside the synagogue. While the investigation is ongoing, but one fact requires no investigation: Jewish Canadians should not need armed police outside their synagogues simply to pray safely. Our affiliate CIJA called for immediate action. "Governments at every level must turn their attention to the domestic situation and the growing threat of extremist violence here in Canada," they said: ➡️ Leaders need to speak clearly: Antizionism is driving violence against Canadians. The demonization of Israel offers a green light for extremists who target the Jewish community. This includes when governments single Israel out or hold it to a double-standard. ➡️ Convene federal, provincial and territorial attorneys general and public safety ministers to prioritize enforcement, disrupt extremist networks, strengthen intelligence coordination, and ensure those who threaten or perpetrate violence are held accountable. ➡️ Streamline processes that enable Jewish institutions to rapidly request and secure paid-duty police officers during periods of elevated attendance and risk. ➡️ Confront extremist ideologies, organizations and foreign state actors that promote, finance, facilitate or direct violence in Canada.

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It is our fervent hope and prayer that the coming year brings healing, justice, and peace to the Jewish people. G’mar Chatima Tova, we wish you a safe and meaningful fast.

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Last Yom Kippur, two Jewish men were killed while defending their community at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Manchester, England, from a terror attack. Their names were Melvin Cravitz (66) and Adrian Daulby (53). We will remember them. And continue our fight to worship freely and openly as Jews.

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WJC President Ronald S. Lauder has criticized the Norwegian Nobel Committee announcement today that South African jurist Navi Pillay will receive the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. “Navi Pillay is no diplomat and certainly no peacemaker. The Norwegian Nobel Committee’s decision to award her the Peace Prize is a shocking affront to those who oppose antisemitism and defend Jewish life everywhere," Ambassador Lauder said. “We reject Pillay’s accusations of genocide against Israel as baseless, politically motivated, and unsupported by credible evidence. She has lent the UN’s authority to a campaign that demonizes the Jewish state and fuels hostility toward Jews worldwide. The biased process she has led has brought shame upon the United Nations and undermined its credibility. Jewish communities repeatedly challenged her conduct and called for her removal. The committee has chosen to reward conduct that should have warranted her dismissal. That decision discredits the Peace Prize itself.” The decision to honor Pillay is particularly troubling given the UN's treatment of those who refuse to fall in line with politically motivated attacks on Israel. Alice Wairimu Nderitu, the UN’s former Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, saw her mandate go unrenewed after resisting pressure to label Israel’s defensive war as genocide. Meanwhile, Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese has retained her UN role and received prestigious honors, despite promoting discredited conspiracy theories, and antisemitic tropes. When political conformity is rewarded over principle, international institutions lose credibility. Photo credit (C) Antônio Cruz (Agência Brasil), Wikimedia Commons

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Today marks seven years since the Halle synagogue shooting. On October 9, 2019, an armed far-right extremist tried to break into the East German synagogue. It was Yom Kippur, and dozens of worshippers were praying inside. Unable to get through the synagogue gates, the shooter shot and killed two people who were nearby, Jessica Lange and Kevin S. A year before the Halle attack, 11 Jews were killed in a shooting attack on the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. And just last year, in October 2025, two Jewish men were killed in the UK in a ramming and shooting attack on a synagogue in Manchester on Yom Kippur. This has become a new terrifying pattern - of extremists targeting Jewish places of worship on holidays. The safety of Jewish communities is an utmost priority, and must be of the respective authorities worldwide.

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Call for Applications: Northern European Regional Workshop on Contemporary Holocaust Distortion among extremist movements 25–26 January, Stockholm, Sweden   Are you a journalist, media professional, civil society or Jewish organisation practitioner working to counter hate?   Join us in Stockholm for the first RECORD (Research and Documentation on Contemporary Holocaust Distortion) regional workshop. We bring together key actors across northern Europe and beyond to explore current use of Holocaust distortion among local and international extremist groups, share actionable counter-strategies and personal or communal stories, and foster collaborative networks.   Who should apply? - Journalists & Media Professionals (including freelancers) covering related issues - Civil Society Organisations & Practitioners working on human rights and hate counter-measures - Jewish Communities & Organisations operating in the field Priority will be given to residents of Denmark, Finland and Sweden Application link and further details about the workshop, eligible participation, the (no) costs and more can be found on the first comment   Follow us for more information, events and opportunities World Jewish Congress B’nai B’rith International

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This evening, the flag of Israel is being illuminated on to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin to commemorate the third anniversary of the October 7 massacre. To tell the world, this is a day of sorrow we will never forget. Thank you to our partners Senatskanzlei Berlin and Botschaft des Staates Israel | Berlin. Photo (C) WJC/Yves Sucksdorff

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Three years after Hamas’ October 7 massacre against Israel, we remember those who were murdered and stand with the survivors who will forever carry with them the indelible scars of that day. Yet Jewish life around the world remains under the same threats that were laid bare on October 8, 2023, WJC President Ronald S. Lauder: “Hamas carried out a genocidal massacre, yet Israel has been branded guilty of genocide in a grotesque inversion of reality. Governments, media outlets, and public figures have amplified this false accusation, undermined Israel’s right to exist, and ignored the irreparable harm they have caused Jewish communities. They must now answer for their role in normalizing hatred and making Jewish life unsafe. On this solemn anniversary, all nations must confront this failure, defend the truth, and commit to protecting Jewish life wherever it flourishes. When Jewish communities are made unsafe, Western societies are endangered, and the very values on which democratic nations are founded are betrayed.” The statement is available here 📌 https://lnkd.in/gpsdaWNw Photo (C) WJC/Shahar Azran

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October 7 was, and will always be, a hole in the heart of Israel and the Jewish people. It began on a Saturday morning at 6:29am. The news that unfolded on that black Saturday, hour by hour, forever changed our lives. In remembrance of that horrific day, in remembrance of the 1,200 people murdered, Jews around the world, and all decent and compassionate people, will pause to mourn those senselessly murdered and tortured. We also honor those who fought valiantly to defend the Jewish State of Israel. Our hearts are still broken, but not our spirit.

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Three years have passed since October 7, 2023. From the massacres that transpired in southern Israel that day, there is still evidence left behind at the scene. The destroyed kibbutzim, which were home to beautiful communities and families. The site of the Nova festival massacre, where thousands of young people had come to dance, their cars burned on the road as they tried to flee the site. Three years later, these places are still in our hearts. Photos © WJC/ Shahar Azran

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On October 4, 2026, the Green Party of England and Wales adopted a policy that equates Zionism with racism and calls for Israel to be replaced by a single Palestinian state. Zionism - the belief in the Jewish people’s right to self-determination and a sovereign state in their ancestral homeland - is a central tenet for many Jews. Branding most British Jews and Jewish institutions ‘racist’ would only further stoke anti-Jewish hatred. The WJC stands in full support of our affiliate, The Board of Deputies of British Jews and with British Jewry.

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Chag Sameach from the WJC! Simchat Torah is a time of joy, celebrating the completion of the annual Torah reading cycle. But since October 7, 2023, which coincided with the Hebrew date of Simchat Torah, the holiday has also became one of mourning. Joys, and mourning. This is part of the cycle of Jewish life.

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This was TikkunTech 2026! A two-day hackathon in 🇧🇪 Brussels, where leading tech and policy experts gathered alongside Jewish community representatives to develop novel tech solutions to counter online antisemitism. WJC’s Technology and Human Rights Institute (TecHRI) played a leading role in bringing the event together alongside our partner ISD (Institute for Strategic Dialogue). The event was hosted by the 🇪🇺 European Commission. TecHRI Executive Director Yfat Barak-Cheney participated in the opening panel alongside Katharina von Schnurbein, the European Commission’s Coordinator on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life, laying the landscape of online hate to inspire solutions for the current trends. The participants worked in teams on solutions to detect antisemitic content across online platforms; developed tools for reporting and monitoring; and apps for tracking how anti-Jewish hate speech and incitement to violence migrate from fringe spaces to mainstream platforms. WJC facilitated the parallel AI red-teaming session with Data Nation and oversaw the development of participant teams. The projects were assessed by a jury chaired by Katharina von Schnurbein, and Magnus Brunner, the EU Commissioner for internal affairs, presented the awards to the winning teams. Photos (C) Lenoir Photography

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At the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva today, 5️⃣2️⃣ states reaffirmed that fighting antisemitism is an international human rights priority. In particular, they called for stronger action in addressing the spread of antisemitism through artificial intelligence. The countries – led by 🇦🇹 Austria, 🇨🇿 Czechia, and 🇸🇰 Slovakia - warned that AI, while offering significant opportunities for innovation, can also enable the creation and dissemination of antisemitic content, Holocaust denial and distortion, disinformation and harmful stereotypes, all at unprecedented speed and scale. “Artificial intelligence must not become a new engine for old hatred," WJC President Ronald S. Lauder said. "We cannot allow antisemitism, Holocaust distortion, and conspiracy theories to be spread faster and further simply because the technology has changed. Nor can we allow sacred terms such as genocide to be redefined by those who seek to do harm to Jews. Governments and technology companies have a responsibility to act now, before these dangers become even harder to contain." WJC has, for years, helped to facilitate this initiative, working with diplomatic missions in Geneva to build international support and ensure that combating antisemitism is recognized as a fundamental human rights priority. 🤝 We thank Austria, Czechia, and Slovakia for their continued leadership, and every country that has joined this effort. Read our full statement on this development: https://lnkd.in/gTGym6tP

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It began with a disruption in the cockpit on a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. A pilot was stabbed, allegedly by his co-pilot, causing the jet to drop 15,000 feet. Passengers aboard, many of them Israeli, managed to subdue the attacker. According to them, a crewman tried to crash the plane: “We heard screams, the plane dived.” The plane has since landed safely in Saudi Arabia. The passengers are safe. We thank all the parties involved for this safe landing and for taking care of the passengers during this terrifying ordeal. The investigation is ongoing about what happened on board, and whether this attempted hijacking was a terror attempt.

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Sukkot is one of the most joyful festivals in Judaism, centered around the sukkah, a gathering place where we bring together family, friends, and community. Every Jew and every community has the right to celebrate it safely. Wishing you a Chag Sukkot Sameach and Shabbat Shalom.

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Introducing our new project RECORD: Research and Documentation on Contemporary Holocaust Distortion The EU co-funded project RECORD strengthens the resilience of European societies against contemporary forms of Holocaust trivialisation and distortion.  Over the next two years, we are building a network of civil society organisations, Jewish communities, journalists, policymakers and law enforcement agencies to strengthen democratic resilience. The project equips participants with knowledge, practical tools, and opportunities for dialogue and collaboration through a series of events, workshops, and reports. What RECORD will deliver:  - 4 regional capacity-building workshops across the EU (Northern Europe, Baltic States, Central Europe and Southern Europe), - 3 thematic research reports accompanied by open webinars,  - Policy & Law Enforcement briefings across Europe, - and a final conference in Berlin. Follow us and stay tuned for our first regional workshop announcement coming up! Learn more about the initiative: https://lnkd.in/dtuFEHHW #RECORD Consortium with B’nai B’rith International and World Jewish Congress

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Over the past five years, the EU has built an unprecedented policy architecture to guard against antisemitism. Now we need to ensure it is implemented to the fullest so that Jews can live openly and safely. The European Commission is our greatest ally in this mission. Meeting in New York on the sidelines of the UNGA with Magnus Brunner, the European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, WJC President Ronald S. Lauder stressed the crisis of antisemitism, the need for education, and raised serious concerns about the rise of political extremism in Europe and how it can affect Jewish communities. As president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola has demonstrated continued commitment to supporting Jewish life in Europe, to combating antisemitism, and to Holocaust remembrance. WJC President Ronald S. Lauder thanked her personally for this difficult task of resisting the politicization of antisemitism that is happening today. Photo credit (C) Alex Barash Follow our live blog from the 81st UN General Assembly: https://lnkd.in/gQ7TJYBt

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