RESOLUTION - Affirming a proud, Zionist and European Jewish student identity

EUJS notes that:

1. The contemporary rise in antisemitism, often disguised as anti-Zionism, continues to frame Jews as perpetual targets, reinforcing this victim-centric narrative; whereas the Jewish communities around Europe are full of positive initiatives to foster Jewish life, but these are not the ones heard about and put forward beyond the community scale.
2. Many Jewish students today wish to assert a proud, proactive identity that embraces their heritage, supports Zionism as an integral part of Jewish self-determination, and claims full belonging within European civic life.

EUJS believes that:

1. As per the EUJS Constitution, one of EUJS main objective is “to acknowledge, promote and educate on the Jewish people's historical, cultural, and religious ties to the land of Israel.” as well as “to recognise Zionism as the movement affirming the Jewish people's right to self-determination in their ancestral homeland, emphasising their status as an indigenous people to the land of Israel.”
2. According to the statement published by EUJS in January 2024, recognising the State of Israel’s right to exist is a direct consequence of the link between the Jewish people and Israel and does not and will never mean the alienation of the Palestinian right to self-determination.
3. Jewish students must have the freedom and confidence to affirm their Jewishness and Zionism openly, without fear of marginalisation or silencing on campus and in society. 
4. This affirmation requires spaces, resources, and programmes that empower Jewish students to express pride, solidarity, and leadership, instead of only focusing on trauma and remembrance.
5. A strong, positive Jewish identity is an antidote to antisemitism and a force for civic engagement, intercommunity dialogue, and democratic resilience in Europe.

EUJS resolves to:

1. Develop and promote practical initiatives and trainings that celebrate Jewish culture, history, and Zionist identity as living, dynamic parts of European student life;
2. Encourage partnerships with student unions, universities, and European institutions to guarantee the right to express Jewish and Zionist identity without intimidation or censorship; 
3. Support leadership programmes and platforms that help Jewish students speak for themselves, shape their own narrative, and take an active role in Europe's civic and political life as proud Jews and Zionists; 
4. Reject the reduction of Jewish identity to victimhood alone and embrace the vibrancy of diverse Jewish life around Europe, as well as advocate for a narrative of empowerment, resilience, and collective pride.