Several hundred young Jewish adults aged 18-35 from all over Germany gathered at the “Juko 25” youth conference in Hamburg from 27 February to 02 March. The event was organized by The Central Welfare Board of Jews in Germany (ZWST) in cooperation with The Central Council of Jews in Germany. Israel Bonds sponsored one of the events most anticipated sessions, a keynote address by journalist and one of social media's most popular pro-Israel influencers, Yoseph Haddad.

Speaking to a packed room of over 250 people, he outlined his impressive strategies for combating antisemitism and debunking lies about Israel. His unique perspective as a Christian Arab Israeli adds significant weight to his message especially as he fights antisemitic propaganda and narratives proclaiming Israel as an “apartheid state”.

Yoseph Haddad at Juko 25. Photo courtesy of ZWST/Gregor Zielke

Michael Grauss and I had the opportunity to address the audience just before Haddad. Grauss, Managing Director of Israel Bonds Europe, highlighted the deep and inseparable connection between the fates of Israel and the diaspora. He emphasized the importance of supporting Israel, not just with words, but also with deeds.

Afterwards, I had the opportunity to present Israel Bonds' New Leadership Division for young professionals. This division offers valuable opportunities to network with like-minded individuals, including lay leaders and key players across various fields, both locally and globally. With global anti-Israel sentiment on the rise, this strong network has become an invaluable asset to young professionals locally and to Israel, providing access to numerous exciting opportunities such as mentorship programs, delegations and events. Addressing such a remarkable audience of bright, young friends of Israel at the Juko 25 marked an exciting start to my tenure as Chair of Israel Bonds New Leadership in Germany.

In addition to Yoseph Haddad, other speaker highlights of the youth conference included Israel’s Ambassador to Germany, Ron Prosor; Member of Knesset Yorai Lahav-Hertzanu; Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of Germany’s Bundestag, Michael Roth and Aleeza Ben Shalom, matchmaker and star of Netflix's "Jewish Matchmaking”. After many empowering workshops and a meaningful Shabbat celebrated together, the Juko 25 culminated in a legendary closing party.

Sebastian Hoffmann, Chair of Israel Bonds New Leadership in Germany, addressing the crowd ahead of Yoseph Haddad’s keynote at the Juko25 in Hamburg. Photo courtesy of ZWST/Gregor Zielke