Kaplan Leadership Initiative

From .leadership.initiative Alumni Eitan Bergman



Eitan Bergman serves as a city councillor, parliamentary assistant in the Parliament of the Brussels-Capital region, and vice president of the Jewish community of Belgium. He recently attended the 6th Summit of European Jewish Leaders in Athens, Greece — a partnership between JDC and the European Council of Jewish Communities (ECJC).

He reflects on that experience:

You can read stories, watch documentaries, or talk on the phone, but being on the ground, face to face, is the best way to understand Jewish Europe today.

What worries me most is that Jews are more vulnerable than they've ever been in recent decades. We had riots in Amsterdam. Jews in France feel frightened. And in Belgium, where I live, you need to hide your Magen David and other Jewish symbols.

Jews have always needed to adapt in order to survive — and that's exactly what the Summit of European Jewish Leaders helped us to do. On a normal day, Jewish communal leaders can feel siloed in their own work. But in Athens, everyone discussed their challenges and learned from one other.

This is a hallmark of JDC's work. I've been in contact with them since day one of my Jewish journey, and I see them as a bridge builder.

When I was director of the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS), I had the chance to work with Junction — the JDC pan-European initiative that inspires young Jewish adults to take an active role in European Jewish community life. They not only provided expertise and resources, but connected me to other young European changemakers.

In these challenging times, that network is our strength.

Since October 7, 2023, I've been repeatedly shocked. I've thought, "I worked so hard all these years and look what's happened."....

Shabbat Shalom 🩵

What does the Jewish community mean to you?
This week, the second in-person seminar of the Kaplan Leadership Initiative - Cohort 4 FSU kicked off in Riga, Latvia. 🇱🇻🪬

Shabbat shalom from our global community 🪬🤍

Michelle Dalma, 31, serves as the fundraising & development director at the Universidad Hebraica Mexico in Mexico City &In this Chanukah post, she reflects on the feeling of togetherness this holiday inspires.

*What do you like most about Chanukah? Do you have a favorite Chanukah memory?*

One of my favorite memories is from when I was a child. For as long as I can remember, every year we spent the end of December in Acapulco, at my grandparents’ beach house. What I loved most was when those vacations coincided with Chanukah and we could light the candles all together.

I remember perfectly the feeling of spending the whole day in the ocean, the pool, and the sun, then coming back to shower while my hair still smelled a bit like salt. Walking out to the terrace at night and seeing the dark sea lit by the moon, the lighthouses, and the stars.

For me, that blend of light in the darkness, the ocean that always fills me with freedom and calm, and the immense blessing of sharing all of that with so many loved ones — that is the essence of Chanukah.

*This is a difficult moment to be Jewish. As Jews around the world face enormous challenges — such as rising global antisemitism and urgent needs in Israel — what lesson does Chanukah offer us?*

Chanukah reminds us that our strength has always been rooted in the history and memory we share as a people. The tradition of lighting the candles sustains a common narrative that transcends geography, language, customs, and the many ways we live our Judaism.

Just as Chanukah candles have illuminated the way for centuries, we too can build a common light that guides us toward the future as one people.

*The miracle of Chanukah is that a small jar of oil meant to last one day lasted eight. What has been the greatest miracle in your life?*

I like to think miracles happen when we put all our intention, effort, energy, and care into making things happen. The greatest and most important miracle for me is simply being surrounded by my family, my friends, and the people I love; working in education and community-building through innovative initiatives; and being able to do so many things that bring me peace, purpose, and joy.

#@

The second in-person seminar for the latest cohort of .leadership.initiative Fellows from Europe recently took place in Prague. Some 16 Jewish leaders from Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, Serbia, The Netherlands, France, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, and Austria came together to build community and develop their leadership skills.

Workshops focused on key themes such as working within a community, understanding individual leadership styles, and learning from peers. Fellows also explored Prague and connected with Czech Jews to analyze what effective community leadership looks like in practice.

JDC’s Kaplan Leadership Initiative is a year-long global fellowship for talented, creative, mid-career Jewish communal professionals in Europe, the former Soviet Union, and Latin America who want to make a difference in their communities and maximize their potential.

In Europe, the Kaplan Leadership Initiative is run in collaboration with Yesod Europe. Its founding partner is Rothschild Foundation Hanadiv Europe.

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