With EUJS in the heart of Europe: an experience beyond borders
by Michal Colafranceschi
The gratitude I felt when I received the letter of acceptance at the training seminar in Brussels and Strasbourg was indescribable. It was like opening a window into a world of possibilities, where passion and education come together in a single learning experience. The EUJS, the European Union of Jewish Students, has offered only twenty-six young people from every Member State and outside the EU the opportunity to meet and dialogue with leading figures on the European political and academic scene.
Meetings with MEPs, members of the European Commission, then the visit to the European Human Rights Council and the dialogue with representatives of the World Jewish Congress, and again with the Israeli Ambassador Haim Regev. Many high level experiences. The seminar promised to be a journey of learning and discovery: so it was. The travel cities of Brussels and Strasbourg are the beating heart of the European Union. It is there that the decisions that shape the future are made and discussed. In those great institutional buildings, where geographical boundaries seem to disappear, where we are all united in the common objective of building a better Europe and a better world.
We had the opportunity to meet young people from all over Europe. Each with different backgrounds and perspectives. An occasion of personal enrichment, in which we discussed politics, music, human rights and, in particular, how Jews from different parts of the world experience their Judaism, especially after October 7. We had the opportunity to hear several voices from candidates in the upcoming European elections in June, and we brought the voice, thoughts and concerns as citizens of our country, as Jews and as human beings.
As the days passed, I reflected deeply on the responsibility that each of us carries from birth: that of being able to make a difference. Where, to make a difference, it is a matter of bringing with you a piece of yourself, your roots, your identity and your passions wherever you go, without expectations or precise objectives. Too often we hear phrases like “my vote won’t make a difference” when it comes to deciding whether or not to participate in an election.
However, it is important to understand that every action, even the smallest, can leave a significant mark. You have to take a piece of yourself with you, be aware of your potential impact on the world and have the courage to act in line with your own values and beliefs, without belittling the value of your individual actions. I firmly believe that the seminar has made me aware of the love I feel for Law, of the gratitude I feel for the thought of being able to help others, in the responsibility I had in representing Italy, and, finally, of how beautiful it is, even if they are so distant geographically, to be so close to people with whom we are fighting for the same rights. Thank you EUJS, you have made me a more aware citizen of the world.
Organo ufficiale di stampa dell’Unione Giovani Ebrei d’Italia. Fondato nel 1949, dal 2010 è una testata online e inserto mensile di Pagine Ebraiche.
