The second part of the General States meeting centered on the themes of identity, people, voice, impact, and the future. Five separate roundtables were convened to discuss and develop proposals, which were presented and discussed by the full General Assembly in the late afternoon.
Rabbi Ariel Di Porto reported to the assembly from the identity panel that Italian Judaism is first and foremost “pluralistic,” but also an environment in which there are “difficulties in identifying with it.” He described these difficulties as being associated with “a certain tendency toward victimhood and isolation, as well as fear, mostly linked to the events following October 7 but also with more distant origins.” He noted that in other countries, the issue of identity fragmentation has manifested as parallel movements that do not communicate with one another. In Italy, in contrast, this has happened to a much lesser extent thanks to the unifying force of halakhic principles, “which unite observant and non-observant Jews without distinction: Unity in diversity is based on this principle,” he said.
Paolo Gnignati, the UCEI Councilor for Legal Affairs, spoke on behalf of the people panel and provided an overview of the topic “Leaders of Tomorrow.” Gnignati explained that the panel identified three areas for developing tomorrow’s Jewish leadership: rabbinical, political, and professional. The professional area is “called upon to ensure the continuity of political leadership as well.” The discussion highlighted the necessity of coordination between rabbinical and political leadership since Jewish leaders’ actions in society are based on the values and laws of our tradition.
Fabiana Di Porto, president of AGE (Jewish Lawyers and Jurists), reported on the discussion that took place at the roundtable dedicated to the future. Topics included continuing education for adults, educators, leaders, and families; increased youth involvement in community leadership; and the impact of AI. The panel also discussed “neo-Marranism,” or the tendency of some Jews to hide their identity to avoid conflict in hostile environments. In the plenary session, Eléna Mortara pointed out how the Italian university environment, apart from a few ancient Hebrew courses, is very lacking in terms of the history of Judaism, history of Zionism, history of Israel, which is spoken of, if anything, only as a theater of conflict.
Ruben Della Rocca, the UCEI Councilor for remembrance and the future, reported on the discussion at the impactroundtable, specifically regarding the experiences of Italian Jewish communities since October 7. The conclusion was to empower young people and give them a voice by implementing measures that foster solidarity and unity among the various communities. This message was also conveyed to the plenary session. The panel emphasized the importance of using tools to combat antisemitism, starting with culture.
The roundtable on voice, attended by communications and media professionals participating in the General Assembly, acknowledged the unequal battle in terms of resources between an anti-Zionist and anti-Jewish front and the efforts of a minority to provide undistorted, ideological-free information. UCEI Councilwoman Sabrina Cohen reported to the assembly that the panel recommended supporting figures in culture, music, and the performing arts who refrain from taking a stand against Israel despite the dominant narrative, following in the footsteps of writer Erri De Luca and musicians Edoardo Bennato and Francesco De Gregori. More generally, there was a call for the UCEI to redouble its efforts to communicate and maintain a proactive and constructive stance rather than simply a reactive one.
At the conclusion of the presentations, 24-year-old journalist Ruben Caivano “interviewed” Livia Ottolenghi about the day’s events and how she intends to proceed following the General Assembly. “Starting tomorrow,” replied the UCEI president, “in the Executive Committee and the Board, we’ll have the opportunity to reflect on and build upon today’s messages. In my opinion, the key word of the day is self-esteem: it’s about education, training, and leadership. It’s about representing one’s identity and what one wants to achieve. And there is self-esteem,” she continued, “in giving shape to what one wants to say and in strengthening one’s presence in society. Even talking about the future and about building something is a sign of self-esteem, because we believe in what we are doing.” And what, Caivano asked, is the identity of a Jew? Answer: “It is having strong values to uphold at every moment of life.”