Olga first participated at the WUJS Congress held in Shoresh near Jerusalem in 1998.
“I remember the feeling of enthusiasm and excitement at the sight of hundreds of Jewish leaders from all around the world sharing the same songs, tradition, history, Zionism. I must admit that feeling has been following me until today. It is an unbelievable source of inspiration.
As head of the Serbian Union of Jewish Students, Olga became a regular WUJS activist. In 2004 she ran to become WUJS chair, although she lost the elections, she was soon after elected the chair of EUJS. While serving at EUJS, she also occupied a seat on WUJS Executive, and participated in several WUJS elections heading the Steering Committee, etc.
WUJS and EUJS shaped the way she perceives the world and largely contributed to how she defines herself as a Jew and as a person. Through WUJS she met many fantastic friends from all around the world, with whom she remains close until this day. Jewish student activism allowed her to have a voice as a minority in Serbia and in Europe and to feel she can contribute to a global Jewish discourse. Finally, she met her husband at the WUJS Congress held in Jerusalem in 2008.
Olga Deutsch is the director of Europe Desk at NGO Monitor, a Jerusalem based research institute which analyzes and reports on the output of the international NGO community. The organization was established with the objectives of producing and distributing critical analysis and reports on the activities of the international and local NGO networks, for the benefit of government policy makers, journalists, philanthropic organizations and the general public. Olga manages a team of 5 and is responsible for the overall strategy and operations in Europe. Ms. Deutsch regularly publishes opinion pieces and is a regular speaker on a variety of issues in Israel and Europe. Olga is also a member of the International Women Forum in Israel.
Prior to joining NGO Monitor, Olga has held senior positions in the private sector in Europe and Israel focusing on strategic consulting and international business development in telco, high tech and the manufacturing industry. Before moving to Israel in 2009, she served as the Chairperson of the European Union of Jewish Students, an umbrella organization for 34 national unions. In 2008, she received the International Leadership Prize from the American Jewish Committee. Olga served on the Board of Directors of the Balkan Children and youth Foundation presided by Mr. Martti Ahtisaari, winner of the Nobel prize forPeace in 2008; and on the Executive Board of an international network Kol Dor. Olga graduated from the University of Belgrade and University of Munich with degrees in banking, insurance, and finance. She was awarded a Fellowship with the Ford Motor Company, graduating at the School of International and Public Affairs of Columbia University in New York. Olga is fluent in Serbian, English, German and Hebrew.
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