The program of this NGF reflected the continued work of the MFJC towards strengthening Holocaust education and Jewish consciousness as ways to address assimilation in various Jewish communities.

Sessions included:
Jewish Diaspora: Its Historic Past and Future
Holocaust in Jewish Consciousness in the 21st Century
Faith after the Holocaust
Unity and Diversity in Jewish Life
Jewish Ethical Values and Society

The distinguished global faculty for NGF 8 included:

Dr. Daniella Blonder, Private Psychologist, Jerusalem, Israel
Professor Arnold Eisen, Koshland Professor of Jewish Culture and Religion, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
Justice Menachem Elon, President of the World Union of Jewish Studies, Jerusalem, Israel
Dr. Nelly Hansson, Directrice Fondation du Judaïsme Français, Paris, France

Dr. Benjamin Ish-Shalom, President and Founder of Beit Morasha, Jerusalem, Israel
Professor Deborah Lipstadt, Founder and Director, Institute for Jewish Studies, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
Dr. Rina Rosenberg, Private Psychologist, Jerusalem, Israel

The program also included Dr. Rina Rosenberg and Dr. Daniela Blonder’s workshop on Jewish Identity, built-in sessions designed to encourage regional group collaboration, and discussions focused on Israel-Diaspora relationships. NGF 8 participants also had an opportunity to engage in socializing and relationship building that encouraged future collaboration amongst these young Jewish leaders.

Fellows were able to visit Stockholm and learn more about Swedish Jewish life, as well as experience one of the NGF’s signature Shabbat programs, which was steeped in tradition, music, and a lively Shabbat meal. As in prior NGFs, participants left the program with a renewed sense of community and inspiration that shaped their approach and effectiveness as Jewish leaders around the world.