Bini Guttmann, at The Blogs

Jun 18, 2021, 6:59 PM

World Refugee Day: A case for Jewish Engagement

A cultural orientation class for newly arrived refugees at CRRA's office. (courtesy)

For millennia of Jewish history, there were very few constants. But one such constant for Jews around the world was being seen as strangers wherever they were. Being strangers often implied persecution, expulsion, being killed. Today, while there is a...

May 25, 2021, 5:18 PM

An explosion of antisemitism in Europe

When the situation in Israel and Palestine escalated again about two weeks ago, I became anxious and worried. Especially, of course, because of the people on the ground. Because of my family and my friends who have to live in...

Dec 18, 2020, 2:49 PM

ECJ Slaughter Ban: There’s No Jewish Life Without Freedom of Religion

Yesterday, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that the ban on ritual slaughter in two of the three Belgian regions, and the resulting ban on the production of kosher (and halal) meat in Belgium, is compatible with EU...

Nov 8, 2020, 11:13 PM

November Pogroms: Remembering Has to Mean Action

Eighty-two years ago my grandmother, Susi Guttmann, was eight. She lived in Vienna’s Tempelgasse, right next to the Grand Synagogue. But on November nine 1938 everything changed. On this cold Thursday, almost every Jewish institution across the “German Reich”...

Nov 7, 2020, 12:23 AM

Terror in Vienna – They Won’t Get Through!

Just three days ago, a jihadist was hunting people right here. During his cowardly attack, he murdered four people and injured at least 22 others. Our thoughts today are with them, their families, and all those affected. The attack was...

Aug 16, 2020, 6:37 PM

Action Every Day – My First Year as EUJS President

One year ago, today was one of the most important days of my life so far – I was elected President of the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS). Today is the halfway point of my term – and...

Apr 27, 2020, 7:04 PM

Lets change how we talk about Zionism in Europe

This blog has been submitted as part of a wider campaign, which is being run by the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS) entitled "Theodor & I - Zionism and Young European Jews". Being launched on Yom Haatzmaut, the...

Apr 22, 2020, 9:58 PM

Let’s Change How We Talk About Zionism in Europe

Recently I, as president of the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS), was invited to a conference to speak on a panel on Zionism and our relationship to Israel as European Jews. The first question I got was on...

Nov 9, 2019, 11:41 PM

November Pogroms: Remembering has to mean action

81 years ago my grandmother, Susi Guttmann, was eight. She lived in Vienna’s Tempelgasse, right next to the Grand Synagogue. But on November 9 everything changed. On this cold Thursday, almost every Jewish institution across the “German Reich” was...

Oct 18, 2019, 4:40 PM

Halle: We won’t let fear win!

On Wednesday, I was, like most Jews in Europe, in synagogue. On the holiest day of the year, we prayed for repentance. But very suddenly, the mood changed. We knew something was wrong when masked special forces with machine...

About Me

Bini Guttmann, from Vienna, Austria, is the President of the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS), the umbrella organization representing more than 160.000 young Jews between 18 and 35 in 36 countries.

Contact Me