The task at hand is simple but important. Dig deeper. Look for nuance. Write about what’s changing, growing, new.
My goal during six months of reporting on Jewish Europe — kicking off with my arrival in Paris on Thursday morning — is to challenge narratives of European Jewish life that focus exclusively on the Holocaust and anti-Semitism.
See, there’s more going on than just that.
The United Kingdom just got its first Jewish fraternity — a chapter of Zeta Beta Tau at the University of Nottingham.
The French city of Avignon is hosting the inaugural conference on European Jewish culture and innovation in just a few weeks.
And Iceland, which only counts about 30 Jews among its ranks, has a Jewish first lady who lights a Chanukah menorah each winter.
European Jewish life is rich and layered, quirky and offbeat.
My job these next six months is to take a closer look. Through my reporting, I hope to bring Jews around the world into the synagogues and community centers of cities like Paris, Budapest, Berlin and London. It’s a dream come true, especially for a recent journalism graduate addicted to travel.
My itinerary is beyond flexible. I’m traveling where the news takes me. Have a story idea or want me to visit your city? Email me at europe@jta.org and enter our contest here for the chance to win a $100 American Express gift card and have me cover your story.
Stay tuned to this blog and follow along on Facebook and Twitter. We’re in this together, and it’s shaping up to be an exciting ride.
