Live Blog | United Nations General Assembly 2026

NEW YORK – Meeting at the Consulate General of Hungary on Wednesday, President András Baka and WJC President Ronald S. Lauder touched upon the dangers of far-right extremism in Hungary, mutually agreeing that the safety of the Jewish community must remain a priority for the new government. WJC President Lauder congratulated President Baka on his recent presidential election and thanked him for his strong commitment to ensuring that Hungary continues to do everything in its power to safeguard its Jewish community.

The meeting spotlighted the local efforts of the WJC-affiliated Federation of the Hungarian Jewish Communities in preserving the historic importance of Jewish life in Hungary and its dedication to ensuring that Jewish life continues to flourish despite regional challenges. Lauder also pointed to the Javne Lauder Jewish Community Schools in Budapest as an important example of how education can help ensure a strong and vibrant future for Jewish life in Hungary.

There are approximately 44,800 Jews currently living in Hungary. The Hungarian affiliate of the World Jewish Congress is the Federation of the Hungarian Jewish Communities.

NEW YORK – WJC President Ronald S. Lauder welcomed European Parliament President Roberta Metsola to his residence on Wednesday for a meeting focused on the challenges facing Jewish communities in Europe and the importance of continued leadership in combating antisemitism. Lauder thanked President Metsola for her continued commitment to supporting Jewish life in Europe, combating antisemitism, and preserving Holocaust remembrance.

Ambassador Lauder also expressed his appreciation for Metsola’s efforts to resist the politicization of antisemitism, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that the fight against antisemitism remains focused on confronting hatred and protecting Jewish communities across the European Union. The discussion also underscored the importance of continued cooperation between the European Parliament and the World Jewish Congress in addressing the challenges facing Jewish communities across Europe.

At the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, the World Jewish Congress honored President Metsola for her extensive efforts to combat antisemitism and support Jewish life across European Union member-states.

The World Jewish Congress and representatives of major American Jewish organizations met with Polish President Karol Nawrocki at the Polish Consulate in New York on Wednesday morning to discuss Poland’s national action plan on antisemitism, Holocaust restitution and memory, and engagement with the Jewish community.

The Jewish representatives raised concerns about the implementation of Poland’s national strategy to combat antisemitism and support Jewish life. They urged President Nawrocki to support advancing the strategy across the Polish government. Nawrocki said responsibility rests primarily with the relevant ministries and that he would convey the concerns raised to the appropriate ministers.

The discussion also addressed outstanding issues related to private and communal Jewish property restitution, the preservation of Jewish heritage and Holocaust sites, and the importance of accurate Holocaust education and remembrance. Nawrocki emphasized the importance of Jewish history and heritage as part of Poland’s national history.

The participants also discussed continued engagement between the Polish presidency and the Jewish community, including through the annual Hanukkah reception. Jewish organization representatives highlighted the importance of presidential recognition of Jewish communal life in Poland and welcomed continued opportunities for engagement.

There are approximately 10,000 Jews currently living in Poland. The Polish affiliate of the World Jewish Congress is the Union of Jewish Religious Communities in Poland.