Yohan Benizri, the new president of the Coordinating Committee of Jewish Organizations in Belgium (CCOJB), told the Belga news agency on Friday that he aimed to unite the member associations of the committee around a common project. Benizri, who was hitherto the secretary-general of the organization, was designated on Thursday to replace Serge Rozen, who resigned as president in September.
The CCOJB is made up of about 40 cultural, political, sports and religious organizations within the Jewish community in Belgium. Benziri was elected by 24 organizations, thus attaining the 60% majority needed to be elected in the first round.
He said one of his objectives was to consolidate the coordinating role of the CCOJB by strengthening the links between the various member associations. He also plans to launch a school for executives to train young community leaders to take up the torch in their associations, thus addressing the issue of generational transition that faces the organization. Moreover, these young leaders could later “develop or create new associations that would meet the statutory objectives of the CCOJB,” Benizri said.
The CCOJB will also continue to take legal action against those who harm the Jewish community in Belgium. Other aims of the committee are modernizing its communication tools, increasing its presence on social media networks, and further developing its political contacts, according to Benizri, who stressed that it would pursue its fight against anti-Semitism, racism, xenophobia and Holocaust denial.
(Source: Belga)
