From April 4 to 6, 2025, the international seminar of the Jewish Youth of Greece (YGE) entitled “Bridges of Identity: Art as a Medium to Discover Our True Selves” was held in Thessaloniki, with great success. The seminar is the natural continuation of last year’s “Bridges of Resilience: Understanding and Combating Antisemitism” and aimed to explore Jewish identity through art and experiential participation.
The event was hosted at the Youth Center of the Jewish Community of Thessaloniki (IKTH) and brought together 41 young people from Greece, as well as from European countries such as Serbia, Portugal, Romania and Germany. The program included a dynamic set of interactive workshops, lectures, artistic activities, discussions and visits, which highlighted the many aspects of personal and collective Jewish identity.
As part of the seminar, participants had the opportunity to participate in a series of interactive workshops, which approached the concept of identity in a multidimensional and experiential way:
● With Rabbi Gabriel Negrin, a workshop was held to reflect on the power of written word and language as tools for shaping personal and collective identity. Participants explored the connection between Jewish texts and contemporary expressions of Jewishness, beginning the seminar with a personal self-presentation exercise based on their name.
● Eduardo Huberman, a representative of the Jewish Agency for Israel and poet, led a special workshop based on the Passover Haggadah and the poetry of Yehuda Amihai, focusing on how the Exodus is a timeless pattern of transition and liberation. Through text analysis and creative writing, participants connected with their personal and collective journeys.
● Omer Nakar, a London-based music therapist and songwriter, offered the workshop "A Song with Many Verses," in which participants, utilizing music therapy techniques, collaboratively composed an original song. The process highlighted the multitude of voices and experiences that exist within the concept of "Jewish identity" today, emphasizing respect for diversity and freedom of expression.
● Delicia Sefiha, choreographer and movement theorist, through the workshop "Wandering Jews" focused on how wandering, whether historical or existential, has been integrated into Jewish life and narrative. Through movement and physical expression, the workshop created a space of trust and personal discovery.
● Aryeh Hasfari and Alkistis Misouli, with their musical and theatrical approach, presented the workshop "Mityavnim", inspired by the timeless conflict between tradition and modernization in Jewish history. Through an analysis of Pesach musical traditions and participatory singing, a reflection emerged on the extent to which Jewish culture and identity has been influenced by the coexistence of the Jewish people with other cultures.
● Alex Woz, a visual artist from Argentina, presented the workshop "Reclaiming Our Stories", where participants created collages with archival photographs of Jews from various times and places. Through the composition of images, words and personal symbols, the concept of the visual visibility of Judaism in History and the possibility of artistic re-appropriation of memory were explored.
● Linda Soussi, social anthropologist, presented a workshop based on the documentary "Xueta Island" by Dani Rotstein, Ofer Laszewicki and Felipe Wolokita, which tells the stories of descendants of Christianized Jews in Mallorca. The screening of the film was accompanied by anthropological analysis and discussion, aiming to identify implicit expressions of Jewish identity and concepts of memory, repression and survival.
● Finally, as part of the program, a visit was made to the art exhibition “Tehom” by photographer Renée Revah, hosted at Villa Kapantzis and addressing the intergenerational trauma of the Holocaust through artistic means. Participants were guided through an interactive tour, with parallel translation and creative dialogue.
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The Jewish Youth of Greece expresses its warmest thanks to all speakers, collaborators and co-organizers for their substantial contribution to the implementation of the seminar.
Special mention is due to the Jewish Community of Thessaloniki, which provided the space, technical support, security and meals for the program, decisively enhancing its success.
Warm thanks also to the JAFI Organization (Jewish Agency for Israel) for its financial and organizational support, as well as to the Jewish Community of Athens and the RiseUsUp team, who actively supported the effort through networking and collaboration.
Finally, ENE would like to express its heartfelt thanks to “ENElontes”, the new volunteer group of the Youth, who enthusiastically, consistently and responsibly supported the organization at all stages. This action is a typical example of the new generation that wishes to bring ENE to a new, more participatory and creative base.
“Bridges of Identity” was a journey of personal and collective search, a meeting point for young Jews from different countries and traditions, who shared experiences, questions, and feelings — a bridge of identities, as its name suggests.
JEWISH YOUTH GREECE