Dear Friends,

The 4th B'nai B'rith Europe Young Jewish Adult Forum in association with the Augustin Keller Lodge was held in Zurich/Switzerland. ...

It takes place once a year in November and I had the opportunity to be a part of this experience as one of the co- chair.

Despite all the preparation, the hard work for almost a year, I must tell you that I had a great time by learning, listening and sharing! 

Let me share this story with you.

There are three persons sitting in a waiting room, for an orange to save their lives. It’s the orange of life and each of them needs it! The first person is an old Jewish man who has always given his time to an association helping to raise children in poverty and difficulty. These children are living thanks to all the help of this old man. The second person is a Jewish lesbian woman who is pregnant for about one month and who needs the orange to save her future child life. The third one is a young guy who works for the Israel Defence Forces who saves lives but doesn’t identify himself as a Jew although he is, but more to an Israeli identity which is much stronger to him.

These three persons need the orange to save their lives and consequently several other lives. Who will gain the orange? The answer is very simple: All three.  The right question was: which part of the orange did they need. The first one needed the peel, the second one needed the juice and the third one needed the stones.

That’s what B’nai B’rith is all about!

Share common values: “benevolence” “harmony” and “brotherly love”, no matter where you are from, no matter your differences, with a common bond : Judaism.

The aim of this kind of Forum, is to share ideas, meet new open minded persons (from over 29 countries) and make them connect together! As a member of B’nai B’rith for more than 15 years, I had the chance to meet new friends, real friends!

Thanks to all of those who crossed my road and still continue  to journey along with me. And I just want to finish with a last sentence from Herzl who said: “Im tirzu ein zo agada”: “If you will it, it is not a dream” which resonates deeply in all Jewish hearts and especially in mine.

See you next year in Marseille!

Edwige Ouaknine