The JDCorps converged on Rome…

ALANA BARANOV

The JDCorps meeting, which ran from October 24 to 26, in the heart of the Italian capital, brought together an exclusive group of young Jewish diplomats from around the world to engage on important issues being confronted by Jewish communities globally and create a work plan for 2016.

South Africa had a strong presence at the meetings. I was privileged to represent South Africa as a member of the JDCorps Steering Committee led by Marc Pozniak, a lay leader of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies. Our community’s expertise and experience, particularly in refugee and migrant issues as well as hate crimes, allowed us to contribute valuable input to these topics and engage with ideas in communities.

The JDCorps is a worldwide network of outstanding young Jewish professionals who voluntarily engage in diplomacy and public policy. The organisation comprises a cadre of 130 individuals from more than 30 countries and, in 2014, was successfully reintegrated into the WJC as their flagship programme.

Besides the presentation of proposals on the four key areas of concern, the agenda included diplomatic meetings at the Vatican, where members of the JDCorps organised and led meetings with the missions representing the United States, Panama, Israel and Guatemala to the Holy See; sessions with external speakers; and of course meetings with the WJC leadership.

This year’s AGM was dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Nostra Aetate declaration on relations between the Catholic Church and other religions, specifically the Jewish faith. This milestone provided an opportunity to highlight the special relationship between the Jewish and Christian communities.

The JDCorps meeting preceded the World Jewish Congress governing board meetings, which drew nearly 150 delegates to discuss the situation of Jews around the world. One of the highlights of this gathering was a papal audience at the Vatican with Pope Francis on October 28, the day on which Nostra Aetate and its condemnation of anti-Semitism was signed in 1965.

After meeting with the Jewish delegation, Pope Francis remarked: “To attack Jews is anti-Semitism, but an outright attack on the State of Israel is also anti-Semitism. There may be political disagreements between governments and on political issues, but the State of Israel has every right to exist in safety and prosperity.”

The governing board reaffirmed its continued support of a two-state solution and urged for the resumption of peace talks while also calling on the international community to maintain sanctions on Iran until it complies with all the conditions of the nuclear deal. Delegates passed a resolution on the refugee crisis, calling on the international community to provide sanctuary irrespective of origin or religion.

Together with the WJC professional staff and the steering committee, the JDCorps action plan will be rolled out through its network of young diplomats in 2016 to make strides in the key areas challenging Jewish communities around the world.

Alana Baranov is a freelance writer, vice president of the Council of KwaZulu-Natal Jewry and sits on the steering committee of the multi-sectoral NGO network, the Hate Crimes Working Group.