Our Vision for the World Jewish Congress
About Us
Caterina Cognini
Caterina Cognini works for European Parliament Vice-President Pina Picierno, as she deals with the Holocaust Remembrance Day and fight against Antisemitism portfolios.
She completed a double Master's degree at Sciences Po Paris and LSE in European Affairs and Public Policy. Before her master, Caterina held the position of Policy Officer at the European Union of Jewish Students and of EU Affairs Officer at B'nai B'rith International.
She was also a Board Member of the World Union of Jewish Students between 2020 and 2023, and a WJC Lauder Fellow in the 2020-2021 cohort.
Caterina is a member of the WJC Executive Committee, representing the WJC NextGen community, and is part of the World Jewish Congress JD Academy. She currently holds the position of Treasurer in the EUJS board, as she was unanimously elected in 2023.
Dan Alpert
Dan currently serves as Chief of Staff to Delegate Linda Foley (D-15) in the Maryland General Assembly where he supports environment, transportation, and labor policy. Dan is also the founding Executive Director of Friends of JCC Budapest, an organization that supports Jewish life in Hungary.
Previously a JDC Global Jewish Service Corps Fellow in Budapest, Dan worked with JCC Budapest on global partnerships and US engagement efforts.
Dan received a Bachelors of Science in Marketing from the University of Maryland where he served as the Student Body President, representing the 30,000 students on campus.
Dan currently serves on the World Jewish Congress Executive Committee and is part of the World Jewish Congress JD Academy. He was a member of the second cohort of the Ronald S. Lauder Fellowship.
Our Mission
Our names are Caterina Cognini and Dan Alpert, and we are supporting one another for the Future Leadership seats on the Executive Committee. As the first two NextGen representatives to the World Jewish Congress Executive Committee, we've had the honor of attending committee meetings and various events while representing the voice of future leaders to our organization's highest committee.
While we may have grown up in different countries — Caterina in Italy and Dan in the United States — we each spent our teen and young adult life supporting the growth of local Jewish life and advocating for important causes facing those we know best.
Our paths crossed in the esteemed Lauder Fellowship, and now, we serve together in the Jewish Diplomatic Corps Academy. We are running together because of our shared guiding philosophy: Kol yisrael arevim zeh bazeh.
We have a shared vision for collaborating with communities to create a worldwide impact. We see this vision in three critical ways:
Unity
Our strength as a people comes from our unity. We are committed to strengthening these bonds by bringing together leaders and advocates, ultimately creating a global network of collaboration. Through inclusive and dynamic leadership, we believe that embracing diverse perspectives and increasing representation can only reinforce the foundation of a strong, united Jewish future.
Action
We must act with purpose, adapting our communication to reach more communities and ensuring our message is clear and unified. By equipping the Executive Committee with shared messages and resources, we aim to strengthen our advocacy on the issues facing the Jewish world today. We will also create meaningful spaces of remembrance to honor the Holocaust and call for the release of the hostages. Most importantly, we will embrace our tradition as we lead with action in mind.
Impact
Real impact comes from engagement, advocacy, and action. We will strengthen interfaith dialogue, build alliances, and stand up for Israel and smaller Jewish communities worldwide. Fighting antisemitism—online, on campus, and in politics—will remain a top priority as we push back against hate and misinformation with strength and unity.
We believe we are all truly responsible for one another in this global Jewish peoplehood.
Supported by
WUJS
World Union of Jewish Students
UCEI
Unione delle Comunità Ebraiche Italiane
WJC American Section
World Jewish Congress American Section
CCOJB
Comité de Coordination des Organisations Juives de Belgique