The train cars appeared conspicuous from afar, sitting silently in wild grass on the edge of the Old Train Station. But stepping closer, the cattle cars we unmistakable – those used to transport Jews to Auschwitz. 

 

On Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) members of Jewish Federations' National Young Leadership Cabinet (Cabinet) bore witness to the tragic history of Thessaloniki’s Jewish community, dotting the train cars with red carnations and yellow six-pointed stars, each emblazoned with the name of a Holocaust victim.  

 

 

The Jews in this city – also known as Solonika - once numbered 56,000 and were about half of the city's population. Only 4% of those taken by the Nazis survived the camps. Participants in Cabinet’s International Study Mission to Greece honored their memories, with third-generation Holocaust survivors leading the commemoration. 

 

Over the week-long Mission, solemn moments, meetings with community leaders and beneficiaries, and joyful celebrations, including a mass plate-breaking in homage to Greek customs, brought 126 Cabinet members from 37 different North American Jewish communities closer to the needs of and issues facing the Greek Jewish Community. Through the work of Jewish Federations and core partners – the Jewish Agency for Israel, the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), and World ORT - Cabinet establishes an emotional connection to Jews in the countries that host Study Missions, while providing first-hand knowledge of the impact of participants’ philanthropy. 

 

“Greece offered a living classroom for our Cabinet members, as we explored Thessaloniki and Athens,” said Stacey Jasper (Los Angeles) and Doug London (Chicago), who co-chaired the Mission. “Engaging with the country’s Jewish community on this Mission challenged us to think boldly about how we lead, how we give, and how we ensure that Jewish life thrives everywhere.” 

 

Throughout the Mission, Cabinet members connected with the contemporary Jewish community, including from the Jewish Agency’s E.N.E. (Jewish Youth of Greece); Taly Mair, CEO of the Council of European Jewish Communities; and the elderly residents of Warm House, a JDC initiative.  

 

Israel’s Ambassador to Greece Noam Katz and U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle provided the group with crucial insights to the geopolitical dynamics at play in the Mediterranean, as well as their respective countries’ relationship with the Greek government, and the impact on the Jewish community in Greece. 

 

“Meeting with Ambassadors Katz and Guilfoyle was an invaluable opportunity to deepen our understanding of the regional landscape and the partnerships that shape it,” said Ben Schindler, Associate Vice President for Cabinet. “Their insights underscored the importance of strong diplomatic relationships and the role our community can play in strengthening connections defined by shared purpose and finding common ground.” 

 

The Study Mission helps Cabinet members better understand their role as leaders and their responsibility to the global Jewish community. The work that these emerging Jewish leaders undertake does not occur in a vacuum; it has real-world impact on communities in North America and around the world. Making their way from Thessaloniki to Athens, Cabinet traced a journey of resilience: out of the ashes of the Holocaust to the promise of the future.  

 

“Witnessing emerging Jewish leaders hone their talents through Cabinet is endlessly inspiring,” said Shayna Kreisler, Vice President of Lay Leadership at Jewish Federations of North America. “Their passion, curiosity, and commitment are testaments to Cabinet’s six decades of success in producing some of the most important leaders in the Jewish communal world. As just one part of an array of lay leadership development programs, each cohort brings forward new energy and vision, strengthening the foundation on which our collective Jewish future is built.” 

 

Learn more about National Young Leadership Cabinet here.