AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (Press Release) — Executive directors and senior professional leaders from more than 50 countries gathered in Amsterdam this week for the World Jewish Congress 11th National Community Directors’ Forum (NCDF), a two-day meeting dedicated to strengthening cooperation among affiliated communities and addressing the evolving challenges confronting Jewish life today.
The meeting was hosted in partnership with the Organization of Jewish Communities in the Netherlands (NIK), WJC’s Dutch affiliate. Discussions throughout the forum were conducted under the Chatham House Rule, allowing participants to speak candidly about the challenges facing their communities while enabling the exchange of best practices and experiences in confidence.
Established in 2014, the National Community Directors Forum serves as WJC’s principal professional network for the leaders responsible for the day-to-day management of Jewish communities. The annual gathering provides an opportunity to exchange best practices, share experiences, and develop practical approaches to issues affecting communities across continents.
This year’s conversations reflected the increasingly complex environment in which Jewish communities now operate. Participants examined the growing security, political, and societal challenges facing Jewish life worldwide, with particular attention given to the continued rise of antisemitism, violent extremism, online radicalization, developments in AI, and relations with national governments.
Community leaders from Australia, Colombia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and other hotspots shared firsthand assessments of developments in their respective countries, highlighting both the unique circumstances they face and the increasingly common challenges emerging across democratic societies.
Several participants noted that recent political developments and shifting public discourse, verging on extremism, have affected the environment in which Jewish communities operate. Leaders—in the UK and Australia, in particular—shared that their governments have begun to work more closely with Jewish institutions.
“The challenges confronting Jewish communities today do not stop at national borders,” said WJC Executive Vice President Dr. Maram Stern. “The WJC National Community Directors’ Forum allows the professionals leading our communities every day to learn from one another, strengthen relationships, and return home with ideas that help their institutions respond to today’s realities.”
“The value of this forum lies in its openness and practicality,” Dr. Stern added. “Whether discussing security, technology, public policy, communications, or community engagement, bringing together professionals from across the WJC network enables us to identify emerging trends, share successful approaches, and develop stronger collective responses.”
National Community Directors’ Forum Highlights:
Address by Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis
Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth Sir Ephraim Mirvis addressed the community directors by video, offering an uplifting message of unity and resolve at a difficult moment for Jewish communities worldwide. He emphasized the importance of standing together in dark times and expressed confidence that the challenges facing Jewish communities would ultimately deepen their solidarity and make them stronger.
Jewish Community Realities After 7 October
The conference opened with the panel “Jewish Community Realities After 7 October,” featuring Simone Abel, Head of Legal at the Executive Council of Australian Jewry; Ruben Vis, Executive Director of the NIK; Marcos Peckel, Executive Director of the Confederation of Jewish Communities of Colombia; and Michael Wegier, Chief Executive of the Board of Deputies of British Jews. Speakers offered candid and deeply personal accounts of the challenges facing their communities since 7 October, reflecting on the Bondi Beach terrorist attack in Australia, the Yom Kippur shooting in Manchester, the firebombing of Jewish community vehicles in London, and the attack against Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer supporters in Amsterdam and attempted arson attacks targeting a Jewish kindergarten and school in the Netherlands.
Alongside the rise in antisemitic violence and its emotional toll, the discussion focused on the resilience of Jewish communities, strengthened security efforts, and the determination to continue Jewish life with confidence and purpose. Australia was highlighted for the establishment of the Royal Commission to address antisemitism and examine systemic issues. The panel also considered the recent change of government in Colombia and what it could mean for the country’s Jewish community.
The Situation in Ukraine and Belarus
Representatives from the Jewish communities of Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia joined colleagues in Amsterdam despite the extraordinary pressures facing their respective communities. They described the work being carried out to sustain Jewish communal life, deliver humanitarian assistance, maintain educational and cultural activities, and support vulnerable community members under exceptionally difficult circumstances.
Humanitarian Situation Following Venezuela Earthquake
The program also included an update on the recent earthquake in Venezuela and its impact on the local Jewish community. Leaders from Latin America outlined conditions on the ground, immediate humanitarian needs, and the measures being taken to support community members.
Jewish Community Issues
Breakout sessions focused on the day-to-day realities facing Jewish communities worldwide, extending beyond rising antisemitism to the structural and financial pressures confronting many smaller communities. Discussions led by WJC staff covered the sustainability of community institutions, threats to Brit Milah (ritual circumcision) rising security costs, leadership succession, engaging younger generations, strengthening Jewish education and supporting schools, and investing in professional staff. Leaders also exchanged practical ideas for closer cooperation between communities and more effective sharing of resources and expertise across borders.
Welcoming Shabbat at the Portuguese Synagogue
The conference agenda began by welcoming Shabbat at Amsterdam’s historic Portuguese Synagogue, one of the world’s oldest and most significant Sephardic synagogues in the world. Participants experienced centuries-old traditions on the synagogue’s sand-covered floor, and learned about the congregation’s distinctive ceremonial hats. Chairman David Samama and Chief Rabbi Chacham Toledano welcomed the delegation with words of Torah and gracious hospitality, creating a memorable Shabbat in a synagogue that has stood as a symbol of Jewish continuity for centuries.
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Preceding provided by the World Jewish Congress