World Congress shows diaspora path from trauma to resilience

When Eden Golan performed her original song, October Rain, at the World Jewish Congress’s (WJC) 17th plenary conference in Jerusalem on Sunday night, 18 May 2025, she reclaimed a moment of defiance. The song, retitled Hurricane for Eurovision 2024 after the European Broadcast Union deemed its lyrics “problematic”, was sung in its unedited form, a bold statement against the silencing that world Jewry has faced over the past 19 months. Golan’s performance embodied the resilience that defines the 70 global Jewish communities gathered at this historic conference.

We convened at a particularly troubling time for international Jewish communities grappling not only with the trauma and pain of the 7 October 2023 massacre, but also heightened levels of hate, intimidation, and threats since that horrific Simchat Torah in 2023.

It’s remarkable to witness how the tenacity and resilience of our fellow communities shines through. As we witnessed the sense of moving from trauma to resilience, it’s clear how important it is for each community, including our own, to make this change. A powerful example of this is WJC President Ambassador Ronald Lauder, who was honoured with Israel’s Presidential Medal of Honor by President Isaac Herzog for his lifelong dedication to the Jewish people and Israel.

A hallmark of Lauder’s tenure is his investment in young people. His Lauder Schools in East European and former Soviet countries have given children who had no exposure to their Jewish religion opportunities to learn about Judaism. The WJC has created the Lauder Fellowships for university students around the world, and the Jewish Diplomatic Corps for young professionals to enter into communal leadership nationally and within the WJC. We have a number of Jewish leaders who have their roots in these programmes.

Our delegation included a South African Lauder fellow, Chad Rayd, a former student of the University of the Witwatersrand, demonstrating the importance of the inclusion of rising young leaders. The success of Lauder’s commitment to cultivate young talent was evident by the number of young leaders from the 70 communities represented at the conference.

Our community on the southern tip of Africa is well placed in the leadership of the WJC. South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) Vice-President Mary Kluk sits on the steering committee of the WJC as chairperson of the Africa Australia Jewish Congress, where she has played a key role as chairperson of its security committee and most recently chairperson of the election committee for the conference. Additionally, SAJBD National Chairperson Professor Karen Milner is also a vice-president of the WJC.

Ayelet Shmuel, the director of the International Resilience Centre in Sderot, shared powerful tools to overcome the sense of trauma and helplessness experienced by so many.

“In the wake of October 7, we’ve come to realise that we’re all in the same boat – the Jewish people in Israel and the Jewish diaspora. This shared experience has underscored the importance of resilience, and we must actively work to strengthen it. Building resilience means equipping the anchors of our community – teachers, synagogue leaders, community organisers, and JCC [Jewish Community Center] staff with the skills they need to respond effectively in times of crisis.

“Given the rise in antisemitic attacks and the vulnerabilities we face, it’s crucial that we’re prepared both physically and mentally. We must invest in resilience training, develop robust volunteer networks, and create community emergency response teams. By doing so, we can ensure that our community remains strong and united in the face of adversity. We have learned so much from our experiences in Israel, and we strongly encourage Jewish communities worldwide to adopt these practices.”

At a session titled, “From crisis to strength: ensuring Jewish resilience after October 7”, Milner shared the South African experience. Speaking about the resilience of young Jewish leaders today, especially those in universities, Milner described how, as a minority group, they must stand against the prevailing norms as they face expulsion from spaces that want them to compromise their Jewish identities.

She cautioned against retreating inward in response to these challenges, arguing that we need to insist on our right to be in these spaces and to refuse to compromise on our beliefs to do so. In advising young leaders, she quoted Whitney Houston’s lyrics to the song, The greatest love of all: “I decided long ago never to walk in anyone’s shadow. If I should fail, if I succeed, at least I’ve lived as I believed.”

• Wendy Kahn is national director of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies.