"To that end, these very days, I have launched the Voice of the People Initiative, the President's Initiative for Worldwide Jewish Dialogue, which I call in Hebrew ‘Kol Ha’am Siach Yehudi Olami,’” he explained in his keynote address which focused on finding points of commonality between Jewish communities.

“It is designed to be a platform where we can convene together as a people to hear each other, to plan together, to engage, and to strategize on all of the major issues affecting our people. And I believe it holds great potential to mark a new stage in the evolution of the global Jewish conversation,” explained President Herzog.

World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder underscored the importance of the gathering in comments from New York. “Amid challenging times for the Jewish people worldwide, and in Israel, it’s more important than ever that we recognize what unites us as a people. I thank President Herzog for his dedicated leadership in working to bridge divides between our communities so that we may be able to stand stronger together for years to come,” he said.

The WJC delegation, traveling between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv for activities, is composed of members of the global organization’s Executive Committee,  Jewish Diplomatic Corps, Lauder Fellowship, and other leading student organizations such as the European Union of Jewish Students, and the World Union of Jewish Students. 

The Jewish Leadership Bridge for the Future also includes Israelis brought together in collaboration with the Jewish Peoplehood Coalition powered by Reut to discuss issues of concern to world Jewry and formulate common actions to foster Jewish unity. The three-day program placed an emphasis on building bridges between Israeli and Diaspora thought leaders through in-depth sessions. 

Among the highlights was a visit to Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for meetings with senior officials including Shuli Davidovich, the Head of the Bureau for World Jewish Affairs and World Religions who led an insightful session focused on global and regional issues of concern to world Jewry, ultimately revealing an enriching roadmap towards a shared future. The group also met with leaders of Israel’s civil society and business sectors. 

The meeting with Israelis today in Jerusalem at the Nefesh BeNefesh Campus follows the second annual Diplomacy Summit, the WJC’s 2022-2023 Lauder Fellows meeting in Brussels. The summit saw 22 Lauder Fellows from 12 countries engage with influential figures from the European Parliament, the European Commission, and NATO. 

This European endeavor served as a powerful precursor to the historic mission in Israel, reinforcing the global reach. The energy as close to 300 people met and introduced themselves around tables to discuss various topics with a facilitator was a highlight of the three-day mission to Israel uniting Jewish leaders from around the globe aimed to bolster connections in honor of Israel's marking 75 years.