Dear member unions of EUJS,

Dear friends,

 

When the world grows cold, we light the fire.

When the world around us turns cold and hostile, we are faced with a choice: We can either put on a jacket and warm ourselves or we can light a fire that warms those around us too. That fire of resilience and collective responsibility has burned at the heart of the European Union of Jewish Students for decades. 

It has offered light and purpose to generations of young Jews across Europe. Now, it is our time to keep that fire alive, to carry it forward and to make it shine brighter than ever.

 

Reclaiming the narrative

We know it all too well: there are people who would rather see that fire burn out. They challenge our identities, distort our history, and try to reduce us to silence. But we will not let others tell our stories. Those who know their stories are the most resilient. That is why we must reclaim our narrative, and tell those stories with a confident, authentic, and empowered young Jewish voice. EUJS should be the platform where Jewish students and young professionals do not just defend their existence but actively engage in societal discourse, speak with pride, purpose, and vision.

 

My story

My name is Hanna Esther Veiler. I was born in Belarus, a country often referred to as the last dictatorship of Europe. When my family moved to Germany, everything changed. I did not learn about Europe and its values in textbooks. Instead, I experienced them. Suddenly, freedom became part of my everyday life. I was the first member of my family to have the right to vote. I was also the first to be able to grow up with a proud and visible Jewish identity. This gave me a deep awareness of what is at stake when democracy and freedom are threatened. My story became the fuel to light my own fire.

In 2019, I co-founded the Jewish Student Union of Württemberg and became its first president. I later served as Vice President of the Jewish Student Union of Germany, and eventually as its President at one of the most crucial moments in recent Jewish history. Furthermore, from 2023 to 2025, I proudly served as Vice President of EUJS.

These positions were never just items on a résumé. They were experiences that shaped my leadership.

Experiences that gave me the tools to speak up, to organise, to fundraise, and to work with political actors across Europe. More than anything, they taught me what it means to lead with purpose and to create spaces for others to take up collective responsibility too. Throughout all of this, EUJS became my Jewish activisthome: a place of connection, refuge, challenge, and growth. A place where we don’t have to agree on everything but where we can meet each other with respect, where we can listen and negotiate what the Jewish future of Europe might look like. I now want to offer that same home to every young Jew in Europe.

 

Adaptive leadership for uncertain times

Over the past years, we painfully had to learn that we live in a world that can shift in a single moment.

October 7th changed everything for Jewish communities globally. That moment and its aftermath taught me something profound about myself: I am at my best in times of crisis. When others freeze or panic, I act.

When the ground shakes, I remain steady. None of us knows what tomorrow may bring. But I can promise you one thing with absolute clarity: I will never stop fighting for our rights, against all hatred and for a better world for everyone. I will never stop raising my voice.

 

Deep roots. Bold future.

My candidacy for the EUJS presidency is grounded in years of experience, but it is driven by fearless and unapologetic vision. I believe in an EUJS that embraces its deep roots all across Europe and still dares to look boldly toward the future. I envision an EUJS that is politically courageous, that shows up where it matters, and that never apologizes for its presence. I believe in an EUJS that builds real bridges; Between East and West, South and North; Between large and small communities; Between religious and secular identities.

I want EUJS to be a place that strengthens not only programs and policies, but people. And above all, I believe in an EUJS that gives the young Jews of Europe agency to stand up for their own future.

 

My promise: Hanna has your back.

I am running for EUJS President because I believe in every single young Jew who wonders whether their voice matters, whether their story is heard and whether they belong. Together, we will make EUJS louder, stronger and prouder than ever before. Let’s write this next chapter together. Let’s light the fire and let it be seen all across Europe.

 

Hanna Esther Veiler

Candidate for President of the European Union of Jewish Students