Amsterdam’s police were taken by complete surprise; they had never seen such a demonstration. Dozens of Jewish Rabbanim, dressed in traditional rabbinic garb, marched in neat, orderly rows on the sidewalk of one of the city’s main streets, bearing a sign that read: “Bring home our kidnapped teenagers!” Passersby read the sign and asked what it was about; and they heard about the three teenaged boys who had been kidnapped in Israel by Hamas terrorists. Local journalists wrote about the demonstration, which gained many sympathizers. This disconcerted organizations hostile to Israel; they refused to respond to questions by the local media; thus there was no counterargument to the Rabbanim and to the message that they bore.

This was one of the highlights of the conference, in which dozens of young Rabbanim from all over Europe participated. This was the third such annual event for the European Young Rabbis’ Forum, initiated and sponsored by the Rabbinical Center of Europe. This year’s Forum was a three-day event, beginning on 18 Sivan and held in Amsterdam. It was graced by highly professional, dynamic speakers who discussed Jewish education, marital relationships, counseling, recruiting funds, and more.

If anyone was not convinced of the importance of this conference, his doubts disappeared the moment he entered the conference hall and saw the dozens of Rabbanim who had come from every corner of Europe – from Ukraine and Russia, from Cyprus and Italy, from France and Kyrgyzstan, from Poland and Hungary, from Belgium and the Netherlands, and from other countries as well.

Only after they were assembled in the convention hall in Amsterdam did it become known that some of the young Rabbanim in attendance had driven for almost six hours just to arrive at an airport where they could board a flight to come to participate in this unique, fascinating experience of the RCE’s European Young Rabbis’ Forum.

During the three days that the Rabbanim spent together, they discussed issues they were currently facing in dealing with their respective communities; how to balance their family responsibilities with their rabbinic activities; how they could fulfill their personal visions in leading their communities; interpersonal communications; how to deal with tension and burnout; how to raise financial support for their many activities, and much more.

The highly respected lecturers Harav Chaim Shlomo Diskin, Rav of Kiryat Ata, psychologist Rabbi Dr. Eyal Unger, and Harav Natan Rosen, senior lecturer in academia, enthralled the participants for many hours as they explained how to deal with these issues, and the Rabbanim returned to their homes and communities armed with a “chest” full of helpful new tools and methodologies. Harav Haim Hillel Azimov, Rav of the Jewish community of northern Cyprus, gave an enlightening lecture, including a slide presentation, showing how to persuade donors to contribute to community activities, sharing with the Rabbanim his rich experience.

Between the lectures and workshops, in the hallways and during the meals, the Rabbanim conversed, sharing their knowledge and experiences involving self-sacrifice in their everyday struggles, in their solitude, in the difficulties they encounter in providing a Torah education for their children, and in obtaining kosher food.

Although the lecturers had spoken at other, similar conferences, they were greatly impressed with the mutual respect the Rabbanim had for one another, and with the young rabbis’ own fascinating stories and their strength of spirit.

Harav Binyamin Jacobs, chairman of Holland’s Vaad Harabbanim and member of the Council of European Rabbis, invited the Rabbanim to visit the place where many of Holland’s Jews were rounded up, transported and murdered during the Holocaust. Rabbi Levi Stiefel of Lipetsk, Russia, recited the Keil Malei Rachamim prayer, and Rabbi Meyerson, head of the kashrus division of Holland’s Chief Rabbinate, recited Kaddish. From there the Rabbanim went on to tour Amsterdam’s ancient Portuguese shul, where they davened Minchah with the local Jews.

Following Minchah, the Rabbanim went to the city’s center, where they held the march that so impressed and amazed the local residents. The Rabbanim carried a sign in English and Dutch and called upon other religious leaders to join in the call to bring the kidnapped boys home safely.

That night a chanukas habayis was held in the center of town, inaugurating the new Chabad house for Israelis, run by Rabbi Akiva Camissar and his wife. This Chabad house is available to every Jew. The Rabbanim stayed through the night, sharing interesting experiences based on their many activities.

At the end of the seminar the Rabbanim all thanked the RCE’s administration, and especially its director Harav Menachem Margolin, who had worked tirelessly, day and night, to make the Young Rabbis’ Forum all that it was. They also expressed their admiration and their thanks to the staff of the RCE, headed by deputy director Harav Aryeh Goldberg and assisted by Harav Mordechai Biton, Harav Avraham Abba Turetsky and Harav Yossi Beinhaker, who are involved in the activities of the Rabbanim throughout the year and who are always available to assist them with anything they need.