TL;DR: Andrew Gilbert, Chair of the European Board of Global Jewry, explores the unique landscape of Jewish communities across Europe. He explains that Global Jewry aims to strengthen cooperation and shared learning among European Jewish organizations and leaders without duplicating existing efforts. Andrew also clarifies the role of the new Global Jewry Circle, a group designed to engage emerging leaders, activists, creatives, and younger generations who may not fit as Partner Organizations or Advisory Council members, while emphasizing our broader goal of creating a more united and transformative Jewish future.

Jewish Europe is its own world — distinct from the United States, distinct from Israel, and worth understanding on its own terms.

Across 44 countries, 1.3 million Jews make up roughly 8% of world Jewry today. In 1900, that figure was 83%. The demographic story is one of loss, rupture, and remarkable persistence. And with it comes something often underappreciated from the outside: Europe’s Jewish communities are frequently well-organized, with institutional histories that stretch back centuries. The Board of Deputies in the UK was founded in 1760. The Consistoire Central Israélite de France was established by Napoleon in 1808. The Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland, founded in 1950, rebuilt itself on structures that predated the Nazi era by more than 150 years.

That long history is the backdrop to a remarkable present. 

Even in Europe’s smallest countries, Jewish communities maintain active organizations spanning welfare, synagogue life, community security, heritage and culture, youth, education, interfaith relations, and international connection.

These are communities with multiple voices, wide leadership — and difficult challenges.

Where Global Jewry fits in

Global Jewry’s work in Europe is about partnership, not duplication. We want to work alongside those already active — across Europe as a whole and within each country — to encourage more connection, more cooperation, and more sharing of good practice.

I spent many years building Limmud, and in some ways this is informed by that experience: create the conditions for people to find each other, and extraordinary things follow.

We have three ways for people to be involved in Global Jewry:

Partner Organizations are our member institutions — and it’s a strong and growing list. But an organizational partnership raises a natural question: who from each organization should actually be engaged in our roundtables, masterclasses, and convenings?

The Advisory Council is the right home for trustees and senior professional staff. Importantly, it’s also open to individuals whose organizations haven’t yet signed up as partners — because leadership and insight aren’t limited to formal membership.

But we recognized early on that there’s a wider group who don’t fit neatly into either category — people who are deeply engaged, highly capable, and ready to connect:

• Activists and key staff of Jewish organizations below board level
• Young adult and next-generation leaders
• Influencers, creatives, and digital innovators
• Those engaged with programs like ROI, Jewish Funders Network, Paideia, and WUJS who are building toward the next level of leadership

For them, we created The GJ Circle — and you’ll be hearing much more about it.

The need is real. In one small European country, we identified 50 people to involve. When we spoke with them, we discovered that most barely knew each other — and some who did found it difficult to stay in contact. The three-tier structure is designed precisely to change that.

New conversations underway

We’re also developing new roundtables and masterclasses across a range of areas. One we’re actively building is focused on LGBTQ+ Jewish life — examining current challenges that look very different depending on where you are. In the UK and Belgium, the conversation might center on Jewish participation in Pride. In other countries, it’s about the pressures facing Jewish LGBTQ+ organizations directly. We expect the group itself to shape a broader agenda. If there are people in your community who belong in this conversation, please connect them with us.

A movement in motion

Personally, I love being part of something still finding its shape. It’s a little like surfing — you don’t know exactly where the wave will take you, but you can feel when the momentum is right. People are coming with us. The potential feels real, and the direction feels true. We think this can be transformative.

Shavua tov,

Andrew Gilbert 

Chair, European Board of Global Jewry

Have an achievement (e.g. publications, awards, appearances, etc) you would like highlighted in a future GJ Connections? Let us know by emailing sandy@globaljewry.org.

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