After six years at the helm of the IJC, Anu Ristola is passing the baton. Peter Goldfein, the current Vice President, has agreed to assume the role of Acting President. We thank Anu for her many contributions and she will remain an active IJC member.
Peter Goldfein, our new Acting President*, grew up in a vibrant Jewish community near Boston. While his family was not observant, they were part of a large congregation where he received a ‘fairly robust’ Jewish education. No wonder, when 20% of your neighborhood is Jewish. But after leaving for college, for the first time he met people who had never seen a Jew before. And during his professional life – both in the US and abroad – he has been part of Jewish communities large and small. So Peter is familiar with robust congregations and with smaller lay communities where having a full-time Rabbi is a luxury.
Peter has led a military career in the Air Force including stints in Stavanger Norway (where he met only one other Jewish family in his time there) Paris, Mons and Brussels. Since 2021, he has been on the international staff of NATO here in Brussels and is now a political advisor to NATO’s strategic HQ in Norfolk, Virginia.
On arriving in Brussels back in 2016, he quickly joined IJC and the Religious Affairs Committee (RAC). Peter values being active in a Jewish community and feels that it is important for Jewish families and individuals to support each other. ‘At IJC I see an opportunity to build deeper connections between members. Our demographics have changed since Deb and I arrived – shifting away from families and couples towards more single members. We need to make a special effort to weave closer connections between these different groups. When I see people getting something positive out of IJC, that adds to positive outcomes for all of us. It provides spiritual and emotional support – and that’s what makes me want to be involved.’
Coming in as Acting President from January 1, he says ‘I often feel that the IJC is on the verge of something bigger and better. Internally we need to expand our core of volunteers. Externally, I see two clear priorities: increase membership! We need to all keep our ears and eyes open for new members and step up our networking and visibility wherever we can. Second, we need to improve our relations with Beth Hillel. There are many mutual benefits to be explored in order to build a closer identity with the French-speaking community.’
When asked what his military background can bring to IJC, Peter does not hesitate: ‘I look at problems analytically and I know and value the importance of teamwork. We are always stronger when we work collectively.’
So let’s welcome Peter and support him as we build an ever stronger and more vibrant IJC!
*Peter is designated as Acting President until the next AGM, when members elect the board and the board then chooses its President.
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