400 Jewish Students Find Strength at Historic Chabad Campus Event in Europe
Edited by: TJVNews.com
The streets of Budapest pulsed with a rare energy. For months, Jewish students across Europe had been facing an unrelenting wave of antisemitism. On university campuses, they had been harassed, shouted down, and made to feel like outsiders simply for being Jewish. Many had begun hiding their Magen Davids, hesitating before speaking Hebrew in public, and withdrawing from student life altogether.
But for one powerful weekend, that changed. Pegisha Europe 2025 was not just a gathering—it was a turning point. It was a moment of defiance, a declaration that Jewish life in Europe is not only surviving but thriving.
From March 21-23, Budapest became the epicenter of Jewish pride as more than 400 Jewish students from over 50 campuses across the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and beyond united for a weekend unlike any other. This was the first time Pegisha had taken place in Europe, a bold and ambitious step by Chabad on Campus International. Despite the logistical challenges, the organization was determined to bring this transformative experience to Jewish students who needed it most.
“We knew it wouldn’t be easy,” said Rabbi Yossy Gordon, CEO of Chabad on Campus International. “But in a time when Jewish students in Europe are feeling more vulnerable than ever, we couldn’t just stand by. We had to show up for them.”
In the months leading up to the event, the atmosphere for Jewish students had become increasingly hostile. Following the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel, antisemitism on European campuses exploded. Jewish students were ostracized, doxxed, and even physically threatened. Many found themselves isolated, struggling to express their identity without fear. Pegisha Europe shattered that isolation.
“We’ve seen Pegisha change lives in America,” Rabbi Gordon continued. “But here in Europe, at this moment in time, it was more than just transformative—it was essential. These students needed to see that they weren’t alone. They needed to feel Jewish pride again.”
Pegisha was more than a retreat—it was a rallying cry. It featured electrifying speakers, thought-provoking discussions, uplifting prayers, and joyous celebrations of Jewish life. But most importantly, it gave students a space where they could drop their fears and embrace their identity without hesitation. Many attendees walked in carrying the weight of their experiences—fear, anger, exhaustion. They walked out standing taller, with a renewed sense of confidence and belonging.
For Dean, a Jewish student from Madrid who had spent his life keeping his Jewish identity hidden, Pegisha represented more than just a weekend away—it was a pivotal moment of empowerment.
“Before Pegisha, I felt like I had to shrink myself to be safe,” he admitted. “This wasn’t just another Jewish event. This was the first time in a long time that I felt proud—truly proud—to be Jewish. It reminded me that I belong.”
The significance of this moment cannot be overstated. Jewish students in Europe are at a crossroads. They can either shrink in the face of adversity or rise above it. Pegisha Europe 2025 was about choosing the latter.
“Every Jewish student deserves a space where they can embrace their identity without fear,” said Rabbi Avi Weinstein, COO of Chabad on Campus International. “Now, more than ever, we needed to provide them with that space.”
The echoes of history remind us that Jewish survival has always depended on unity. Pegisha Europe 2025 was a defining stand against those who seek to divide and diminish the Jewish presence in Europe.
For Dean and hundreds like him, Pegisha Europe 2025 was more than just a weekend—it was a pivotal moment in Jewish history. It was a bold, unshakable response to those who sought to intimidate and silence Jewish students.
In the face of hatred, Jewish pride shone brighter. And in Budapest this past March, that pride was unstoppable.
