We had our first Board meeting of the 2017-2019 Presidium!

From Thursday to Saturday the newly elected EUJS Presidium held a Board meeting in Budapest, working together to plan new and exciting campaigns and programs to roll out across Europe.

As well as sharing a meaningful Shabbat experience together, celebrating with the local community in the city home to Europe’s largest synagogue, we also set out the way we will work together and with the new EUJS office to deliver for Europe’s 160,000 Jewish students and youth.

The new Board brings together Eastern and Western Europe, with representatives from Hungary, Ukraine, France, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Germany and the UK. However, the Board’s pan-European identity is not just a coincidence and goes beyond simply the variety of countries we each are from. During the meeting, we took an international focus on each issue, making use of our different backgrounds and approaches to situations to inform the direction of your European Jewish Student Union for the next two years.

EUJS is a melting pot for pan-European Jewish identity, and the Board encapsulates this. We are working to ensure EUJS makes the most of the various perspectives each member offers, so that we can work effectively in the unique context of Jewish life in each member union. EUJS is a union that exists for its members, and judging from the energy and passion evident from the past few days, it is clear this years’ office and the new Presidium are set to take your Union to new heights, offering more than ever before.

We are planning more campaigns, ensuring the interests of Jewish students and youth across the continent are represented at all levels of European government and we are working on new ways to strengthen our developing unions, so that the incredible opportunities EUJS offers are accessible to as many Jewish students and youth as possible.

We cannot wait to see what these next two years will bring, and look forward to engaging with you soon!

By Josh Holt – EUJS Board Member and UJS President