European Rabbinical Wives Convene in Munich for Emergency Leadership Training Amid Rising Antisemitism
In Munich, Germany, dozens of rabbinical wives from Europe, Israel, and the United States gathered for the fourth cycle of an emergency empowerment and leadership training conference. The event aims to prepare female community leaders to confront unprecedented waves of antisemitism and the resulting insecurity facing Jewish communities across Europe.
Organized by the Conference of European Rabbis and sponsored by the Metnall organization and the Bavarian government, the conference was held in close cooperation with the Personal and Community Resilience Program of the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and the Jewish Agency, alongside the Organizational Learning Division of Israel's Ministry of Religious Services. Participants came from countries including Britain, France, Germany, Belarus, Spain, Switzerland, Moldova, Portugal, the Netherlands, Romania, Israel, and a delegation from Indiana, USA.
Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, president of the Conference of European Rabbis, opened the event emphasizing the critical leadership role of rabbinical wives today. He stated, "The mission of a rabbi's wife in a Jewish community at this time is not merely representational but true leadership requiring sensitivity and wisdom. She is the first point of contact for women and families seeking support, guidance, and a warm connection to tradition."
The conference featured workshops focused on developing personal and communal mental resilience, including specialized training on managing community anxiety, conflict resolution, and advanced counseling techniques for families under ongoing mental stress. These interactive sessions included simulations and complex case studies reflecting daily challenges faced by rabbinical wives.
International lecturer Rabbi Yemima Mizrachi, president of the rabbinical wives program, delivered keynote speeches on domestic harmony, female empowerment, and moral responses to current challenges. Additional professional training covered community management and strategic planning, led by experts such as Gadi Gronich, CEO of the Conference of European Rabbis Foundation; Rabbi Aharon Shmuel Baskin, secretary-general of the conference; and leaders from the European Rabbinical Wives Development Program and Israel's Ministry of Religious Services.
This multicultural gathering provided a rare platform for knowledge exchange and collaborative initiatives to strengthen Jewish communities’ resilience amid ongoing antisemitic threats.
