The Jewish Manifesto is a project of Oy Vey, inspired by Zwart Manifest (Black Manifesto). It emerged from conversations with hundreds of Jews in the Netherlands. Discussions began with a question and a reading, beginning and ending with conversations about Yael van der Wouden’s essay On (not) reading Anne Frank:
Het (niet) lezen van Anne Frank – De Gids (NL)
On (not) reading Anne Frank (EN)
We also imagined possible Jewish futures, discussed what can and cannot be repaired, and being Jewish in a non-Jewish world among other topics.
Importantly, in the long tradition of Jewish commentary on seminal texts, the manifesto is unfinished. It invites commentary. If you are interested in submitting commentary in English or Dutch and are a Jew in the Netherlands or with roots in the Netherlands, fill out the form below to contact us.
What’s More Jewish than Talking About What It Means to Be Jewish?
Jewishness is dynamic, shaped by history, community, and conversation. That’s why dialogue is at the heart of the Jewish Manifesto—a project designed to deepen understanding of Jewish life in the Netherlands and challenge the reduction of Jewishness to religion, the Holocaust, and the state of Israel. The Manifesto serves as both a reminder and a statement: our presence in this country is long and rich, and our lives embody far more than trauma, war, and pain.
At its core, the Jewish Manifesto reflects hundreds of conversations with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences. But it’s not a static document—it’s alive. With each edition, it evolves, incorporating new commentaries and expanding the conversation.
What Do Jews in the Netherlands Need to Feel Safe and Free?
This was one of the central questions we asked in our discussions. How do we ensure that Jewish culture and Jewish life have a place to thrive in Dutch society? How can antisemitism be effectively addressed? To answer these questions, we made a conscious decision: we would center voices that had been overlooked or underrepresented in institutional Jewish spaces, while welcoming those who were comfortable within them.
For some, institutional Judaism didn’t feel like home—whether due to gender and sexual identity, questions about lineage, the heavy securitization of Jewish spaces, or other reasons. To include these voices, we relied on personal outreach: coffee dates, one-on-one conversations, and word-of-mouth invitations. We knew that creating a co-authored document meant truly listening—especially to those seeking connection and community but unsure of where to find it.
A Jewish Approach to Learning
Our methodology was rooted in Jewish learning traditions. Every session began with a thought-provoking prompt—maybe a text, a short film, a brief presentation, or a song. Participants then paired up to discuss, in the classic chavruta (partnered learning) style, before returning to the larger group to share key insights. This method, used for centuries to study Torah and Talmud, ensured that every voice had space.
A Living Document, A Growing Movement
After 2 ½ years of conversations and 6 months of analysis, writing, and design, the Jewish Manifesto was launched on November 21, 2024—not just as a book, but as a movement. It arrived in the world with a celebration, a website, a soundscape, and, most importantly, an open invitation for more voices to join.