Jewish leaders in Europe call orgs to reject 'intersectionality' due to Zionist exclusion
Jewish leaders from across Europe called on Monday on Jewish organizations to reject “intersectionality” due to Zionist exclusion which creates a lack of solidarity with Jews. They also called on Israeli politicians to rise above differences, and urged legislation that bars from office EU politicians with avowed antisemitic positions.
These claims were voiced at the European Jewish Association (EJA) Annual Conference in Porto, Portugal yesterday.
Titled “Shaping the Future of European Jewry Together,” the conference was held in partnership with the Jewish Community of Porto and the EMIH Jewish community of Hungary headed by Rabbi Shlomo Koves. Over 100 presidents and board members of Jewish communities across Europe attended, along with government and regional special envoys for Combating Antisemitism.
The two-day conference included panel discussions on national plans for combating antisemitism, online hate, a new youth leaders program for campus activity and youth experiences of hate, ending Nazi memorabilia trade, bringing forward a women’s leadership forum and more. EJA is a Jewish-European NGO, and is one of several umbrella Jewish organizations. It was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Brussels.
The conference culminated in a resolution passed by vote in a show of hands that will be forwarded to governments across Europe and to the Leadership of the European Union institutions, stating that antisemitism is unique and must be separated in national plans from other forms of hate.
The resolution also calls on Jewish organizations to reject “intersectionality” due to Zionist exclusion and a lack of solidarity with Jews, as well as on Israeli politicians to rise above their differences in the current tense political climate. It also urged governments to push for legislation barring from office EU politicians with avowed antisemitic positions.
Notable figures addressing the conference included European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas, The General Secretary of the French Inter-ministerial delegation for the fight against racism and antisemitism Mrs. Elise Fajgeles, the Personal Representative of Chairman in Office on Combating antisemitism OSCE Rabbi Andrew Baker, Chair of the Woman’s Impact Forum at the World Jewish Congress Ruth Wasserman Lande, World Zionist Organisation Head of Department for combating antisemitism Raheli Baratz-Rix and the CEO of NGO Monitor Prof. Gerald Steinberg.
- May 17, 2023
Rising antisemitism focus at European Jewish Association conference
(May 15, 2023 / JNS) Jews from across Europe gathered to address the continent’s growing antisemitism problem at the European Jewish Association’s annual conference in Porto, Portugal, on Monday.
“We are one community undivided by borders. When we speak with one voice, we are stronger together,” said EJA Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin.
“As we meet, governments across Europe are coming forward with plans affecting Jewish life in Europe. We must ask ourselves what kind of future we want to see. And what part all of us can do to make that vision a reality,” Margolin added.
The two-day conference, “Shaping the Future of European Jewry Together,” includes panel discussions on various countries’ national plans for combating antisemitism, the challenge of fighting online hate, and a new campus leadership program sponsored by EJA.
“Antisemitism is on the rise and unfortunately, Jewish institutions across the continent are required to invest more and more in security,” said European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas.
“The data show that approximately 38% of the Jews in Europe are considering leaving Europe because they feel unsafe. This is a shame and it’s the responsibility of every government in the E.U. to protect its Jewish citizens,” he said, adding that 19 E.U. governments have released national action plans to combat antisemitism.
Reject “intersectionality”
The conference proposed a motion calling for antisemitism to be separated from other forms of hate and urging other Jewish groups to reject “intersectionality,” a theoretical framework that separates groups into “oppressed” and “privileged.”
“Antisemitism is unique and must be treated as such,” according to the motion, which notes that unlike other hatreds, it is “state-sanctioned in many countries,” “given cover by the United Nations” and denied to be racism by other groups targeted by hatred.
“There is little to no solidarity or empathy towards Jewish communities from other groups affected by hate when antisemitic atrocities occur or when Israelis are murdered in terrorist acts,” the motion notes.
“As years go by after the Holocaust, some social and political movements in Europe may want to forget it and say that antisemitism is just another kind of hatred, nothing unique about it. This is a dangerous attitude for the future of the Jewish community in Europe,” said Rabbi Slomó Köves, president of EMIH (The Association of Hungarian Jewish Communities).
“Antisemitism … requires separate attention and action from other forms of prejudice. While we stand in solidarity with all those who fight against hate, we cannot allow our struggle against antisemitism to be subsumed within broader ‘intersectional’ movements that fail to acknowledge the unique and specific nature of anti-Jewish bias or reject our connection to Zionism,” he said.
Gabriel Senderowicz, president of the Jewish Community of Oporto, said, “Many European governments confuse Jewish life with Jewish heritage. They think of Judaism as ancient houses that have been rehabilitated and some municipal museums that open on Shabbat.
“I am honored to be president of a community that has synagogues that respect traditional Judaism, that has kosher restaurants, films of history, a Jewish museum closed on Shabbat, and a Holocaust Museum that welcomes 50,000 children a year and teaches them that the aim of the Final Solution was to exterminate the Jews and not minorities in general,” Senderowicz said.
Amichai Chikli, Israel’s minister of Diaspora affairs and combating antisemitism, said in a video message that Israel’s government is troubled by trends in Europe, citing the plan of the European Students Union to “embrace the BDS movement.” He noted that the move would make life difficult for Jewish students on European campuses.
“Against these threats and many more, we will have to work together, determined and wisely,” Chikli said.
https://www.jns.org/rising-antisemitism-focus-at-european-jewish-association-conference/
- May 17, 2023
Porto : sommet de l'European Jewish Association sur le thème de l'antisémitisme
L’EJA a proposé une motion faisant valoir que l’antisémitisme est unique et ne devrait pas être regroupé avec les autres formes de haine
Des Juifs de toute l’Europe se sont réunis pour aborder le problème croissant de l’antisémitisme lors de la conférence annuelle de l’Association juive européenne (EJA) à Porto, au Portugal, lundi.
- May 17, 2023
European Jewish leaders gather in Portugal’s Porto to observe community’s revival
PORTO, Portugal — Dozens of European Jewish community leaders convened in the Portuguese city of Porto on Monday for a conference on communal strategies, including lessons from how the city’s local Jews have attracted hundreds of new congregants.
“The leaders of the Jewish community of Porto can be a great example of how just a few individuals who believe in Judaism, in the future of Jewish life, can do magnificent work,” said Rabbi Menachem Margolin, the director of the European Jewish Association, a Brussels-based lobby group that hosted the conference in Porto.
- May 17, 2023
יו"ר איגוד הארגונים היהודיים באירופה: "תמיד יהיו תירוצים לאנטישמיות"
הועידה השנתית של איגוד הארגונים היהודיים באירופה (eja) נערכה השנה דווקא בפורטו, פורטוגל. יו״ר האיגוד, הרב מנחם מרגולין, מספק הסבר מעניין לבחירה הזו. ״פורטו נבחרה משתי סיבות: בזכות ההיסטוריה העתיקה והחשובה של הקהילות הספרדיות באירופה, ולאור העובדה שפורטו היא קהילה לדוגמא: קטנה, מורכבת מבודדים שהחליטו להתאגד ולהקים גוף לתפארת״.
הועידה התכנסה בצל זינוק נוסף במספר התקריות האנטישמיות ביבשת, כמעט בכל מדינה. בכינוס סיפקו דוברים מגרמניה, בריטניה, צרפת ועוד הצצה לעולם הקהילתי שלהם על כך המשתמע מכך:, דנו בדרכים להתמודד עם שנאת- היהודים וחתמו על הצהרה משותפת, הקוראת למנהיגי מדינות אירופה להתייחס לאנטישמיות כאל פשע שנאה ייחודי ויוצא דופן, על כך המשתמע מכך.
- May 17, 2023
"38% מיהודי אירופה שוקלים לעזוב בגלל פחד מאנטישמיות"
- May 17, 2023
“An anti-Semite will never love Israel”
Anti-Semitism is the radicalisation of racism
Pretending to inform with disinformation and hoaxes
- May 17, 2023
Cuestionar el derecho a existir de Israel es una línea roja
La EuropeanJewishAssociation, EJA por sus siglas en inglés, ha iniciado su conferencia anual en la ciudad de Oporto, en Portugal, coincidiendo con los 75 años desde la independencia de Israel y el centenario de la comunidad judía en la ciudad portuguesa que comienza a dar pasos cada vez más grandes en el presente. En un encuentro que ha reunido a líderes, representantes y periodistas de las comunidades judías (aunque también con excepciones) se ha promovido una sentencia al antisemitismo que crece en Europa y amenaza con expandirse hacia el resto del mundo.
La votación y ratificación de los líderes judíos para llevar la discusión del antisemitismo a Bruselas fue el cierre de una jordana que deja una sensación y una valentía para ir por nuevos desafíos.
Mientras los cohetes de la Yihad Islámica desde la Franja de Gaza cruzaban a territorio israelí y los atentados terroristas se incrementaban desde el norte hasta el sur, alrededor del mundo se lograba detectar más de 50 ataques antisemitas por día. Sobre esta cifra, entre otras cosas, puede concluirse que en la realidad estos ataques son muchos más que los que se denuncian.
Al mismo tiempo en España, un país democrático y que abraza el estado de derecho, la comunidad judía de Barcelona era atacada en su sinagoga Maimónides. Pocos meses antes, la alcaldesa de la ciudad catalana, Ada Colau, promovía la ruptura de los lazos de hermanamiento con Tel Aviv y lo presentaba como una deuda pendiente en su activismo político. En año 2023, la alcaldesa de Barcelona hizo política con el antisemitismo. La situación es todavía peor en países como Holanda, donde los representantes de la comunidad señalan el temor y rechazo de los judíos a vivir allí, en Bélgica, la capital de la Unión Europa o en Alemania.
La desinformación y la falta de rigurosidad periodística a la hora de cubrir el conflicto en Oriente Medio queda siempre en evidencia ante cada escalada entre Israel y grupos terroristas de los territorios bajo control palestino. Esta distorsión ocurre en América Latina como también en Europa, en donde los títulos de muchos medios de comunicación equiparan la defensa de un país soberano y la conformación de una agrupación denominada, ni más ni menos, como yihad.
Aunque sea hasta absurdo aclararlo, jamás puede inferirse que en Oriente Medio hay un enfrentamiento simétrico, sino una utilización del terrorismo escudado en hombres, mujeres y niños civiles a quienes utilizan de escudos humanos cuando los operativos de las FDI desbaratan células yihadistas en la Franja de Gaza o en Judea y Samaria.
El punto central de la conferencia en Oporto tiene que ver con el antisemitismo frente al exponencial crecimiento de los ataques, hostigamiento y persecución ya no sólo contra los judíos, sino también contra los no judíos que defienden a Israel o que simplemente no abogan en equiparar a un país con el terrorismo. La desinformación en la política del Medio Oriente lleva a un regadero de violencia y guerra discursiva en las principales redes sociales.
Hay un reclamo persistente de los líderes de las comunidades judías europeas para controlar y ser proactivo en la denuncia del contenido antisemita que se revista de teorías conspirativas y una espiral del racismo. La preparación y el activismo que promueven los grupos de líderes jóvenes es para destacar: es importante llevar más y mejor información a las universidades que son las casas de estudio en donde se están formando académicamente los dirigentes de un futuro no tan lejano.
En este sentido, una de las patas jóvenes de la organización, Juan Caldes Rodríguez, presenta su plan desde Bruselas que debería ser considerado también para auxiliar a las comunidades judías en América Latina que están emprendiendo una batalla muy desigual contra el antisemitismo en países donde los grupos proiraníes y el islamismo toma cada vez más fuerza alimentándose de la baja calidad institucional, judicial y democrática. La lucha contra el antisemitismo debe ser parte de la agenda política iberoamericana, impulsando y formando a quienes decidan pelear por la verdad.
Dos días junto a la EJA en Oporto permiten a un no judío, como es mi caso, conocer parte de la realidad que las comunidades viven. Resulta increíble escuchar en el año 2023 que hay una comunidad que busca ser excluida y es constantemente amenazadaante de los ojos de una opinión pública internacional que no sabe, no puede o no quiere enfrentar al enemigo en común. El silencio aturde y la comunidad judía comienza a alertar y a moverse para que el pasado no se repita.
- May 17, 2023
יהדות ועידת חירום נגד האנטישמיות באירופה התכנסה בפורטוגל
מנהיגי הקהילות היהודיות באירופה התכנסו אתמול בעיר פורטו שבפורטוגל ביוזמת איגוד הארגונים היהודיים באירופה (EJA) לכינוס חירום נגד האנטישמיות הגואה ביבשת, בהשתתפות נציגים מממשלות אירופה הממונים על המלחמה באנטישמיות. המשתתפים קיבלו החלטה המקדמת בברכה את תוכניות הממשלות השונות למלחמה באנטישמיות, אך הביעו דאגה עזה על הנטייה לקשר את הפעילות נגד האנטישמיות לזו נגד
הגזענות בכלל וצורות אחרות של אפליה.
לטענתם, האנטישמיות היא ייחודית. המנהיגים יצאו נגד עקרון ה”אינטרסקציונליות” הפופולרי היום וקבעו שיש מעט מאוד אמפטיה לקהילות היהודיות מצד קבוצות מותקפות אחרות, בגלל תמיכתן של אותן קהילות יהודיות בישראל. המנהיגים קראו למסודות האיחוד האירופי לקדם החלטה שתאסור על בעלי עמדות אנטישמיות לכהן בתפקידים רשמיים במוסדות האיחוד.
“אנו מחויבים למדינת ישראל תחת כל ממשלה נבחרת ומתפללים להגברת הלכידות החברתית בארץ. קוראים לפוליטיקאים הישראלים לזכור שלהחלטות אפילו להצהרות על אפליית מיעוטים בישראל השלכות חמורות על חיי יהודים באירופה”, ציינו המנהיגים. יו”ר איגוד הארגונים היהודיים, הרב מנחם מרגולין, אמר כי מנהיגי הקהילות הפועלים נגד האנטישמיות אינם זוכים לשיתוף פעולה מצד הפוליטיקאים במדינות השונות ועליהם להתאחד בפעילותם. המנהיגים דורשים מהאיחוד גם פעילות מתואמת למלחמה בהכחשת השואה.
סגן הנשיא לענייני קידום חיי האזרחים באירופה של נציבות האיחוד האירופי, מרגריטיס שינאס, אמר כי יישום תוכנית הפעולה האירופית מתקדם, אך עדיין 38% מהיהודים ביבשת הודיעו על רצונם לעזוב אותה. הנציבות מטילה על כל הממשלות את האחריות ליישום תוכנית המלחמה באנטישמיות לצד בנייתם של החיים היהודיים באירופה. 19 מדינות באירופה פרסמו עד כה תוכנית למלחמה באנטישמיות.
במהלך הכינוס הוקרנה הודעת וידיאו מוקלטת של עמיחי שיקלי, שר התפוצות והמאבק באנטישמיות והשר לשוויון חברתי, שבה התייחס שיקלי לחשיבות המלחמה באנטישמיות. הכינוס נערך גם כמחווה של הזדהות עם קהילת יהודי פורטו, שנמצאת במשבר קשה ביחסיה עם השלטון הפורטוגלי מאז מרץ בשנה שעברה, כאשר הואשמה בהנפקה בלתי חוקית של אישורים לצורך קבלת אזרחות פורטוגלית לישראלים רבים, ובין
היתר לאוליגרך הרוסי רומן אברמוביץ’.
נשיא הקהילה בפורטו, גבריאל סנדרוביץ’, אמר ל”מעריב” כי הנתק עם השלטונות נמשך עד היום.תומר אלדובי, מייסד הפורום למאבק
נגד אנטישמיות ברשת, מסר כי בתקופת מגפת הקורונה ומאז תחילת המלחמה שפרצה באוקראינה, בעקבות הפלישה שלהצבא הרוסי, יש עלייה ניכרת בפוסטים אנטישמיים.
Read more https://www.maariv.co.il/amp/jewishism/Article-1007159
- May 17, 2023
Some 38% of European Jews consider leaving due to antisemitisim
“The Dutch government is spearheading a crucial investigation into the fate of Jewish property looted during the Holocaust. However, a disheartening reality emerges as a staggering 80 cities, towns and villages in the Netherlands decline to participate in this vital mission,” according to Dutch Chief Rabbi Binyomin Jacobs.
- May 17, 2023
ISRAEL AND GAZA: OPERATION SHIELD AND ARROW
Following the beginning of Israel’s operation names “Shield and Arrow” – which to date has resulted in the killing of three senior Islamic Jihad operatives in Gaza City and Rafah – we have attached the following points for your use.
1- This is an action that Israel has undertaken following months in which the terrorist organization Islamic Jihad has repeatedly fired unprovoked missiles at Israel.
2- The missiles that the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip fire are aimed only at the civilian population. In the past few days the terrorist organizations have fired over 100 missiles towards the southern population centres whilst parents were coming to pick up their children from school and kindergartens. Just imagine what would happen if a missile hit a school or kindergarten…
3- Israel had warned the terrorist organizations on numerous occasions and demanded that they stop firing missiles towards Israel. Despite these repeated warning, they continued to provoke and launch missiles and rockets.
4- For years the residents of the south of Israel have felt like hostages. Every few weeks the terrorists decide to fire rockets at civilian settlements. Thousands of families including small children flee to shelters.
5- Israel only targets terrorists: only those people who fire missiles towards Israel and only those who wage war against Israel and/or send other people to fire missiles and carry out acts of terrorism against Israel.
6- No other country in the world would put up with the firing missiles and rockets at population centres on its territory without responding.
7- Israel wants to live in peace and mutual respect with all its neighbors, including the Gaza Strip, but Hamas and the Islamic Jihad do not accept the existence of the State of Israel and call for its destruction together with Hezbollah and Iran.
8- Iran is the source and the head of the snake directing terrorism and arms to the terrorist organizations surrounding Israel.
9- Israel has nothing against the civilian population in the Gaza Strip and it does
everything in its power to avoid harming innocents and even brings thousands of workers from Gaza into its territory every day to work inside Israel. In addition Israel supplies Gaza with electricity and other civilian needs. This is at a time when the terrorists in Gaza are using the civilian population as human shields and even firing missiles towards Israel from population centres and, as we have seen many times, from schools and kindergartens.
10- There is no closure on Gaza and no blockade, Gaza has a border with the Egyptians and those who want to leave and come to Gaza, do so.
11- Instead of investing the hundreds of millions that Gaza receives as aid from many countries in the world, in education, the development of the city and infrastructure, the leaders of the Hamas terrorist organization that controls Gaza invest the money in the production of missiles and rockets, in the purchase of weapons and bombs and in the digging of offensive tunnels in order to harm the residents of Israel.
- May 9, 2023
27 janvier : Journée de la mémoire de la Shoah. Le Reportage de RCF Loiret dans un ghetto juif
La rédaction de RCF Loiret a pu visiter le camp de concentration de Theresienstadt, situé aux portes de Prague. Parmi les milliers de personnes qui y ont été enfermées, un jeune juif, Zelman Brajer provenait d’un camp d’internement et de transit Loirétain. Le journaliste Gabriel Laprade a retracé le chemin de déportation de cet homme, jusqu’au lieu de sa libération.
Soixante-dix-huit ans après la fin de la deuxième Guerre mondiale, on tend malheureusement à oublier que ce conflit et la Shoah ont eu sur la vie quotidienne de millions d’homme et de femmes. Il ne faut pas penser que l’holocauste du peuple juif soit juste une notion contenue dans les livres d’histoire. Cette tragédie a touché des personnes communes qui ont été arrachées de leur quotidien, de leurs familles, de leurs amis.
L’une de ces personnes – l’artiste polonais Zelman Brajer – a été arrêté à Paris en 1941 et transféré dans l’une des “portes” des camps de la mort nazis, qui étaient situés dans le Loiret. En effet Zelman Brajer (1919-2003) est prisonnier du “camps d’internement et de transit”, comme l’appelaient les nazis, de Beaune-la-Rolande. Avec son jumeau de Pithiviers, lui aussi situé dans le Loiret, ce camp a été le point de départ de plus de 18.000 personnes. Presque toutes ont trouvé la mort dans les “lager” de Hitler.
Zelman Brajer est d’abord prisonnier à Auschwitz, puis transféré à Terezin. Le 8 mai 1945, l’artiste polonais retrouve sa liberté.
Theresienstadt est une forteresse fondée en 1784 aux portes de Prague qui, pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale, a été utilisée par les nazis comme ghetto. D’abord, des juifs tchèques et des célébrités y ont été enfermés, puis des juifs venant du Danemark et des Pays-Bas y ont été envoyés.
Au total, plus de 140 000 personnes sont passées par le ghetto. 35 000 y ont perdu la vie, et 88 000 ont été déportées et assassinées.
Sur place, Gidon Lev, survivant de l’holocauste et de Theresienstadt de 87 ans, est retourné au ghetto pour en faire la visite. Il dédit aujourd’hui une partie de sa vie au travail de la mémoire, en sensibilisant les plus jeunes sur les réseaux sociaux Instagram et TikTok : TheTrueAdventures.
- February 5, 2023
Terezin ghetto survivor Gideon Lev: We must fight for a better world,agaist hatred of any kind
We must fight for a better world, against anti-Semitism, against hatred of any kind against anyone, minority or religion, we can do it, you can do it, and your children and grandchildren, declared 87-year-old Gideon Lev, a survivor of the Terezin ghetto, on the occasion of a conference organized by the European Jewish Association (EJA), in Prague and Terezin, before the commemoration, on Friday, of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Rabbi Menachem Margolin, the president of the EJA, declared, during a meeting with journalists, that “every place has a different message”, and “the main message of Terezin for us is ‘fake news’, the fact that the Nazis tried to claim that they treated the Jews in a very good way”.
This fake news helped them to be praised by many people, instead of being attacked and arrested and Terezin released. Since today we are faced with a lot of ‘fake news’, which is one of the things that allows anti-Semites to incite, it is important for us to address this in particular, added Menachem Margolin.
The director of the British organization Labour Against Anti-Semitism, Alex Hearn, spoke at the EJA conference about how fake news about Jews represents a pattern as old as anti-Semitism itself. Hearn pointed out that anti-Semitism goes beyond political lines and is used by people to gain power or feel powerful. He also spoke about contemporary anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and the role of social media in their dissemination.
There are so many things that the Jews are accused of, including the fact that they do not play a role in this horrible war between Russia and Ukraine, said Menachem Margolin.
Truth is no longer based on scientific facts, but on viral news and social media. Things happen faster. We have to fight against fake news that pops up quickly on our phones. Macron himself has been presented as a puppet of the Jews because he is a former banker and he has money. Fake news uses the same stereotypes against Jews, again and again. We have to fight against all fake news. If we don’t fight it, it spreads, and it spreads very quickly, said French parliamentarian Prisca Thevenot, spokeswoman for the Renaissance party of President Emmanuel Macron.
We have to understand that social media works extremely fast. It is not enough to make laws to keep up with the technological challenges, we have to be quick to ban hate speech on social media, said the Austrian parliamentarian David Stogmuller.
As far as he is concerned, the Portuguese parliamentarian Alexandre Poco emphasized the importance of education in combating anti-Semitism.
Although our problems may not be as great as those of other countries, we must continue to invest in education. A proactive attitude continues to be necessary. We have strong ties with Jewish communities. We continue to promote Jewish life, even though we are a Catholic country, he said during the conference.
If we allow the enemies of democracy to shout, then we risk the end of democracy. The anti-Semites must be made to feel that they have no chance and that they will be made to pay the consequences, warned Sigmount Königsberg, commissioner for anti-Semitism for the Jewish community in Berlin.
For his part, Joel Mergui, the president of the Paris Consistory, which has led “the largest Jewish community in Europe for 20 years”, said that he decided to encourage the members of this community to continue living on the Old Continent as long as they had decision-makers with them in the fight against anti-Semitism and radical Islam.
From your words and actions we will have the certainty that we have a future in Europe, he conveyed to the officials present at the conference.
Coming from Israel especially for the events of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day in the Czech Republic, Gideon Lev is, at almost 88 years old, not only a page of living history, but also a very lucid mind.
The man, born in 1935, in Karlovy Vary, told the participants in English, German and Czech about the events he experienced when he was still a child, many of which left an indelible impression on him.
When the Nazis occupied the Czech Republic, it was the end for the Jews in the country. The Jews couldn’t stay out at night, they couldn’t have radios, and pretty soon they were all moved to Terezin, which was called a ‘relocation camp’. But it was far from that. They put us in crowded barracks, there was no space, the children and women could only see their fathers and husbands from the window, walking in silence, Gideon Lev said.
“Arbeit macht frei” is one of the most cynical Nazi atrocities. In reality, you are free when you are dead, he pointed out, referring to the words in large letters placed at the entrance to Nazi concentration camps.
“Vernichtung durch Arbeit”: destruction through work, that’s what the Nazis wanted, he added.
We must fight for a better world, against anti-Semitism, against hatred of any kind against anyone, minority or religion, we can do it, you can do it, and your children and grandchildren. And that’s what we must do, pleaded the survivor of the Terezin ghetto.
Although he is 87 years old and seems far from the age when someone would start a career as an influencer on Tik Tok, Gideon Lev has, for a year, had an account on this very popular network especially among young people, fueled with the help of a Hollywood content creator, Julie Gray. Two years ago, she wrote a book called “The True Adventures of Gideon Lev”, then thought of making him a Tik Tok account to promote sales. The effect was far beyond expectations.
We now have 414,000 followers, of which 62% are under the age of 34 and 67% are women. In the last 60 days, we have 2 million views, 80,000 comments, 200,000 likes and 4,000 reshares. These are really big numbers. He has an impact on the largest social network in the world. (…) In my experience, young people want to learn about the Holocaust. Fighting anti-Semitism on social media is a huge opportunity. But we have to organize, we need better digital security, centralized shared resources. And we need to make better content, said Julie Gray.
Emma Gunsberger, head of the Czech Union of Jewish Students, claims that there are currently over 4,000 Jews in the Czech Republic.
The problem is that the associations are mainly in the big cities and the Jewish heritage in the smaller towns in the country is largely lost. In every small village you can find an old Jewish cemetery, a synagogue, but the community no longer lives there. If there is someone with Jewish ancestry there, they are usually completely detached from their Jewish identity. So Jewish life is mainly in the big cities and mainly here in Prague, she told AGERPRES.
However, where there are Jewish communities, the number of members is increasing.
The community is growing in Prague because we have Jewish schools, where Jewish children can go and do secular studies like in any normal school, but also Jewish and Hebrew studies. Through these schools we bring back Jewish customs and rituals in Jewish families, she explained.
Emma admits that in the Czech Republic anti-Semitism still exists, but usually “it’s just verbal abuse, it’s not violent”.
There is anti-Semitism, but it’s mainly from uneducated people who don’t know who Jews are and have never met one. It’s very different from the rest of Europe, she said.
It is very easy to put other things on the agenda of those who make decisions. We have to make sure that the problem of anti-Semitism will not be left aside because of other political issues, said Rabbi Menachem Margolin.
At the same time, he pleaded, more must be done so that countries like Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania, which had large Jewish communities, have a Jewish life.
https://www.stiripesurse.ro/terezin-ghetto-survivor-gideon-levwe-must-fight-for-a-better-worldagaist-hatred-of-any-kind_2763415.html
- February 5, 2023
La Asociación Judía Europea le entregará un premio a Adidas por cortar lazos con Kanye West
La Asociación Judía Europea (EJA) honrará a Adidas por su decisión de romper lazos con el rapero Kanye West.
El presidente de EJA, el rabino Menachem Margolin, entregará el premio King David a Amanda Rajkumar, miembro de la junta ejecutiva de recursos humanos globales, personas y cultura de Adidas.
Dicho reconocimiento se llevará a cabo este martes durante una conferencia que comenzó el lunes en Praga y el antiguo campo de concentración de Theresienstadt, en República Checa.
Más de 100 líderes, parlamentarios y diplomáticos de toda Europa encenderán velas el martes en memoria de las 33.000 personas que murieron en Theresienstadt y los más de 88.000 prisioneros deportados a campos de exterminio. El evento se produce antes del Día Internacional del Recuerdo del Holocausto dedicado a la memoria de las víctimas del Holocausto, el viernes.
La Asociación Judía Europea le entregará un premio a Adidas por cortar lazos con Kanye West
- February 5, 2023
Supravieţuitor al ghetoului din Terezin: ‘Trebuie să luptăm pentru o lume mai bună, împotriva urii de orice fel’
„Trebuie să luptăm pentru o lume mai bună, împotriva antisemitismului, împotriva urii de orice fel împotriva oricui, minoritate sau religie, putem să o facem, voi puteţi să o faceţi, şi copiii, şi nepoţii voştri”, a declarat Gideon Lev, în vârstă de 87 de ani, un supravieţuitor al ghetoului din Terezin, cu prilejul unei conferinţe organizate de European Jewish Association (EJA), la Praga şi Terezin, înainte de comemorarea, vineri, a Zilei Internaţionale de Comemorare a Victimelor Holocaustului, transmite agerpres.
Rabinul Menachem Margolin, preşedintele EJA, a declarat, în cadrul unei întâlniri cu jurnaliştii, că „fiecare loc are un mesaj diferit”, iar „principalul mesaj al Terezin pentru noi este ‘fake news’, faptul că naziştii încercau să pretindă că i-au tratat pe evrei într-un mod foarte bun”.
„Aceste ştiri false i-au ajutat să fie elogiaţi de mulţi oameni, în loc să fie atacaţi şi arestaţi şi Terezin eliberat. Întrucât astăzi ne confruntăm cu multe ‘fake news’, care sunt unul dintre lucrurile ce le permite antisemiţilor să incite, este important pentru noi să abordăm acest lucru în special”, a adăugat Menachem Margolin.
Peste 100 de parlamentari, oficiali guvernamentali, ambasadori şi lideri ai comunităţilor evreieşti europene au făcut, la începutul acestei săptămâni, front comun împotriva ştirilor false antisemite şi s-au angajat să promoveze iniţiative educaţionale împotriva urii în cadrul conferinţei EJA de la Praga şi a unei vizite la ghetoul de la Theresienstadt.
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Ghetoul de la Theresienstadt a fost prezentat de nazişti ca fiind o „aşezare evreiască” şi un „ghetou luminat”, dar faptele istorice dovedesc că acestea au fost „fake news”, deşi filmele de propagandă naziste şi pregătirile făcute la faţa locului în scopul de a ascunde cruda realitate au reuşit să păcălească inclusiv o delegaţie a Crucii Roşii venită în vizită la faţa locului în timpul războiului. Circa 120.000 din cei 160.000 de evrei care au fost trimişi aici au murit în timpul Holocaustului, între care 14.000 de copii. Unii dintre ei au fost trimişi în camerele de gazare de la Auschwitz, în timp ce mulţi au murit de foame şi de boli. Circa 40.000 de oameni au murit în ghetoul de la Terezin.
„Fake news”, teoria conspiraţiei şi rolul reţelelor sociale
Directorul organizaţiei britanice „Labour Against Antisemitism”, Alex Hearn, a vorbit în cadrul conferinţei EJA despre cum ştirile false despre evrei reprezintă un tipar la fel de vechi ca antisemitismul însuşi. Hearn a subliniat că antisemitismul merge dincolo de orientările politice şi este folosit de oameni pentru a câştiga putere sau pentru a se simţi puternici. El a vorbit, de asemenea, despre teoriile contemporane ale conspiraţiei antisemite şi despre rolul social media în diseminarea lor.
„Sunt atât de multe lucruri de care evreii sunt acuzaţi, inclusiv de faptul că nu joacă un rol în acest război oribil între Rusia şi Ucraina”, a spus la rândul său Menachem Margolin.
În cadrul conferinţei, o serie de parlamentari şi lideri ai comunităţilor evreieşti au vorbit despre influenţa reţelelor sociale în calitate de catalizator al adoptării teoriilor antisemite care reprezintă o ameninţare directă pentru siguranţa personală a evreilor europeni.
„Adevărul nu mai este bazat pe fapte ştiinţifice, ci pe ştiri virale şi social media. Lucrurile se întâmplă mai repede. Trebuie să luptăm împotriva unor ştiri false care ne apar repede pe telefon. Macron însuşi a fost prezentat ca o marionetă a evreilor pentru că este fost bancher şi are bani. Ştirile false folosesc aceleaşi stereotipuri împotriva evreilor, din nou şi din nou. Trebuie să luptăm împotriva oricărei ştiri false. Dacă nu le combatem, se răspândesc, şi se răspândesc foarte repede”, a declarat parlamentarul francez Prisca Thevenot, purtătoare de cuvânt a partidului Renaissance, al preşedintelui Emmanuel Macron.
„Trebuie să înţelegem că social media lucrează extrem de repede. Nu este suficient să faci legi să ţii pasul cu provocările tehnologice, trebuie să fim rapizi în a interzice discursurile care incită la ură de pe social media”, a afirmat la rândul său parlamentarul austriac David Stogmuller.
În ceea ce-l priveşte, parlamentarul portughez Alexandre Poco a subliniat importanţa educaţiei în combaterea antisemitismului. „Deşi problemele noastre ar putea să nu fie atât de mari ca ale altor ţări, trebuie să continuăm să investim în educaţie. O atitudine proactivă continuă să fie necesară. Avem legături puternice cu comunităţile evreieşti. Continuăm să promovăm viaţa evreiască, deşi suntem o ţară catolică”, a spus el în cadrul conferinţei.
„Dacă le permitem duşmanilor democraţiei să strige, atunci riscăm sfârşitul democraţiei. Antisemiţii trebuie făcuţi să simtă că nu au nicio şansă şi că vor fi făcuţi să plătească consecinţele”, a avertizat la rândul său comisarul pentru antisemitism pentru comunitatea evreiască din Berlin, Sigmount Königsberg.
La rândul său, Joel Mergui, preşedintele Consistoriului din Paris, care conduce de „20 de ani cea mai mare comunitate evreiască din Europa”, a spus că a decis să încurajeze membrii acestei comunităţi să continue să trăiască pe Bătrânul Continent atâta timp cât îi vor avea alături de ei pe decidenţi în lupta împotriva antisemitismului şi a islamismului radical. „Din cuvintele şi din acţiunile dumneavoastră vom avea certitudinea că avem un viitor în Europa”, le-a transmis el oficialităţilor prezente la conferinţă.
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https://blacknews.ro/supravietuitor-al-ghetoului-din-terezin-trebuie-sa-luptam-pentru-o-lume-mai-buna-impotriva-urii-de-orice-fel/
- February 5, 2023
Czech Terezín survivor uses TikTok to shed light on Holocaust
- February 5, 2023
Bundestagsabgeordneter Müller-Rosentritt: „Kampf gegen Antisemitismus muss hellwach geführt werden“ – Politiker, Parlamentarier und Vertreter von jüdischen Organisationen aus ganz Europa trafen in diesen Tagen in Prag zusammen, um über den Kampf gegen den Antisemitismus zu diskutieren. An der Veranstaltung nimmt auch der Bundestagsabgeordnete Frank Müller-Rosentritt (FDP) teil. Zu Beginn der Konferenz sprach Martina Schneibergová mit dem Parlamentarier aus Chemnitz. | Radio Prague International
Herr Müller-Rosentritt, Sie sind zu einer internationalen Konferenz nach Prag gekommen, die kurz vor dem Internationalen Holocaust-Gedenktag stattfindet. Halten Sie einen Vortrag, oder nehmen Sie an der Diskussion teil?
„Die Veranstaltung dauert zwei Tage lang: heute (am Montag, Anm. d. Red.) in Prag mit einer Delegation von Politikern aus ganz Europa, sogar mit dem Vizepräsidenten des Europäischen Parlaments und mit einer Vertreterin der größten jüdischen Gemeinde in Paris. Ich bin als einziger deutscher Parlamentarier dabei. Am Dienstag fahren wir alle gemeinsam nach Theresienstadt, um nach einer ausführlichen Führung den Holocaust-Opfern zu gedenken.“
- February 5, 2023
The boy used by the Nazis to conceal truth of Holocaust
Gidon Lev still remembers the day the Red Cross delegation came to visit Theresienstadt concentration camp, where he had been held for three years. He was nine years old.
It was 23 June 1944. The delegation toured the site, inspected its conditions, and examined detainees for signs of Nazi cruelty.
“There was a central park and we children could never go to it,” he told the JC in Prague ahead of a visit to the camp this week.
“On the day that the Red Cross came, they stood 100 metres away and took photographs.
The guards took children like me by truck from our barracks and brought them to the place and said ‘spielen’, ‘play’.
There were swings there, what do children do? They play.” Unwittingly, young Gidon had been co-opted into a Nazi propaganda exercise aimed at concealing the true aim of the Final Solution from the world.
- February 5, 2023
Des centaines de dirigeants visiteront l'ancien camp de concentration de Theresienstadt
“Ce qui s’est passé à Terezin est le meilleur exemple des conséquences que peuvent entraîner les fake news”
120 dirigeants, parlementaires et diplomates de toute l’Europe se sont réunis à Prague pour visiter l’ancien camp de concentration de Theresienstadt, où ils allumeront des bougies à la mémoire des 80 000 victimes juives, à l’occasion de la Journée internationale dédiée à la mémoire des victimes de la Shoah qui aura lieu vendredi.
L’Union des organisations juives d’Europe, qui organise l’événement, a lancé l’opération d’allumage des bougies pour la Journée internationale de la Shoah, qui sera distribuée à tous les parlements d’Europe.
Le président de l’Union des organisations juives d’Europe, le rabbin Menachem Margolin, a déclaré à l’ouverture de la conférence que ce qui s’est passé à Terezin est le meilleur exemple des conséquences que peuvent entraîner les fake news. Les nazis ont utilisé le camp comme une “vitrine” pour conjurer les critiques internationales sur les mauvais traitements qu’ils infligeaient aux Juifs dans les ghettos et ont présenté des gens apparemment heureux, y compris des enfants qui mangent à leur guise et mènent diverses activités culturelles – alors que la plupart d’entre eux étaient plus tard transféré dans les camps d’extermination.
“Terezin est un camp où les nazis ont tenté de montrer par la manipulation de films et de photographies un ‘ghetto modèle'”, a-t-il déclaré. “Aujourd’hui, dans le contexte de l’épidémie de Covid-19, de la guerre en Ukraine et de la diffamation d’Israël, les antisémites utilisent exactement les mêmes méthodes. Le Juif est le bouc émissaire. La polarisation en politique contribue à répandre l’antisémitisme. La législation contre l’abattage rituel en Europe s’inscrit dans cette ambiance. De moins en moins de Juifs en Europe se permettent de montrer leur judéité sans crainte. Si les Juifs quittent l’Europe, ce sera un très mauvais signal de l’état du continent”, a-t-il expliqué.
Margolin a appelé à une coopération entre les parlements, les gouvernements européens et les communautés juives pour lutter contre l’antisémitisme.
46% des incidents antisémites en 2022 ont eu lieu en Europe et 39 % en Amérique du Nord. La propagande occupe 39% des actes antisémites, le vandalisme 28%, les violences physiques 14%, les violences verbales 11% et la délégitimation 7%, a indiqué le nouveau rapport de l’Organisation sioniste mondiale pour l’antisémitisme.
- January 24, 2023
European leaders declare war on antisemitic fake news
Over 100 members of parliament, government officials, ambassadors and European Jewish leaders, gathered in Prague and in the Theresienstadt camp on the eve of International Holocaust Remembrance Day to discuss ways of dealing with fake news and conspiracy theories against Jews in the media, social networks and the rising Anti-Semitism in Universities across the continent.
The Theresienstadt concentration camp was “marketed” by the Nazis as a “Jewish settlement” and an “enlightened” ghetto, but the historical facts prove that in complete contrast to ‘Fake News’ About 120,000 of the 160,000 Jews who were interned there perished in the Holocaust, including about 14,000 children. Some were sent to the gas chambers in Auschwitz, many died of starvation.
According to EJA Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin:” Even today, fake news poses a tangible danger to the well-being of Jews throughout Europe, a tool of hatred that is unfortunately strengthened by social networks and mixes conspiracy theories against Jews. The dozens of European leaders who responded to our call to come to Terezin pledged to fight against fake news that encourages anti-Semitism and implement educational programs to eradicate it.”
During the conference and the tour, the European elected officials heard the personal testimony of Gideon Lev, a Holocaust survivor from the Theresienstadt camp, who in recent years has become a “TikTok star” who fights against anti-Semitism: When the Nazis took over the Czech Republic, it was the end for Jews in the country. Jews couldn’t stay outside at night, couldn’t own radios and soon enough we were all moved to Terezin camp which was called a “Resettlement camp”. But it was far from it. they put us in very crowded barracks, there was no space, wives and children couldn’t see their husbands, unless from windows marching in silence. “Arbeit Macht Frei” Is one of the most cynical Nazi atrocities: you are free when you are dead. The fight against antisemitism and combatting hate against Jews and any other minority is something we can and should all do”.
Later in the conference, a series of members of parliament and Jewish leaders from around the continent discussed the influence of social networks as a catalyst for the adoption of anti-Semitic theories that pose a direct threat to the personal security of European Jews.
Member of the French Parliament and spokeswoman of Renaissance Party (President Macron’s Party), Prisca Thevenot said: “Truth is no longer based on scientific facts but on viral and social medias. Things are going faster. We must fight against false items that are appearing quickly on our phone. Macron was presented himself as a puppet of the Jewish people because he is a former banker and has money. Fake news are using the same tropes against the Jews, time and time again. We must fight against every fake news. If we don’t fight them, they spread and spread very quickly.”
MP DAvid Stogmuller from Austria added regarding social media: “We have to understand that social media works extremely fast. It is not enough to make laws to keep up with technological challenges, we must be quick to ban illegal social media hate speech.
MP Alexandre Poço from Portugal said emphasized the importance of education: “Although our problems may not be as large as other countries, we still must invest in education. A proactive attitude continues to be necessary. We have strong ties with Jewish communities. We continue to promote Jewish life, although we are a Catholic country. Our country is aware and will not stop working.
Joel Mergui, President of Consistoire de Paris, France stressed to the elected officials and decision makers in the audience: “I have been in charge for twenty years of the biggest Jewish community in Europe. The new Anti-Semitism burst into the open in the early 2000s and resulted in anti-Semitic murders that tainted France and Europe’s recent history. In spite of this tragedy, I have decided to keep going and encouraged my community members to keep living in Europe as long as we have people and decision-makers on our side who fight against anti-Semitism and radical Islamism. It is from your words, from your acts that we will have the certainty of having a future in Europe.”
Sigmount Königsberg, Antisemitism Commissioner Jewish Community of Berlin warned:
“If we allow the enemies of democracies to shout, then we risk the end of democracy. Antisemites must be made to feel that they have no chance and that they will be made to pay the consequences.
The director of the British organization, ‘Labour Against Antisemitism’, Alex Hearn spoke to the convention regarding how fake news about Jews are a pattern as old as antisemitism itself. Hearn emphasized that antisemitism goes beyond political allegiances and is used by people to gain power or feel more powerful. He also spoke about the contemporary, all-encompassing antisemitic conspiracy theory and the role of social media
The conference participants were shocked by the testimonies of Jewish students from the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy and Spain who reported about great ignorance among their fellow students regarding Jewish matters (many of them have never met a Jew before) and some even said that they have to deal with anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli hate speech in universities across the continent and the unresponsiveness of the heads of the universities to come out against this phenomena.
Rabbi Margolin awarded the prestigious ‘King David Award’ to Amanda Rajkumar, Executive Board Member for Global Human Resources, People and Culture of ADIDAS for the company’s decision to sever all commercial ties with singer Kanye West following his anti-Semitic statements. Upon receiving the award, Rajkumar stated that: “We have responsibility to influence and take action. The hate speech of our former partner (Kanye West) was unacceptable and although we are not always right, this time we made the right decision. We will continue supporting Jewish communities and stand for love and against all forms of hatred, racism, and discrimination.
Anna Azari, Ambassador of Israel to the Czech Republic addressed the conference’s participants and said: “The Czech Republic is the friendliest state to Jews and the State of Israel in Europe. It was the first who helped the state in its war of independence by providing arms and today it is, a leader in helping the Ukrainians and absorbing half a million of refugees.”
- January 24, 2023
European Jewish group honors Adidas for dropping Kanye West
(January 24, 2023 / JNS) Meeting at the European Jewish Association conference in Prague and the Theresienstadt Ghetto/Camp in the Czech Republic, legislators and senior European government officials declared war on antisemitic fake news and committed to encouraging educational programs against hatred.
During the conference, the EJA presented Adidas with the prestigious King David Award for its decision to cut all commercial ties with musician Ye, aka Kanye West, following his antisemitic remarks.
Ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which falls on Friday, more than 100 members of parliament, government officials, ambassadors and European Jewish leaders gathered to discuss how to deal with fake news and conspiracy theories against Jews in the media and social networks, and rising antisemitism in universities across the continent.
According to EJA Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin: “Even today, fake news poses a tangible danger to the well-being of Jews throughout Europe, a tool of hatred that is unfortunately strengthened by social networks and mixes conspiracy theories against Jews.
“The dozens of European leaders who responded to our call to come to Terezin pledged to fight against fake news that encourages antisemitism and implement educational programs to eradicate it,” he said.
- January 24, 2023
״קונספירציות סביב המלחמה באוקראינה הן השלב החדש באנטישמיות״
עשרות נציגי ממשלות וחברי פרלמנטים מרחבי אירופה השתתפו היום (שלישי) בטכס אזכרה לקורבנות השואה, שנערך באתר מחנה טרזין (טרזיינשטאט) בצ׳כיה. הטכס נערך לקראת יום השואה הבינלאומי ביוזמת איגוד הארגונים היהודיים באירופה ובמסגרת כנס כלל-אירופי שדן בסוגיית המאבק בתיאוריות קונספירציה אנטישמיות ברשתות החברתיות, בתקשורת ובאוניברסיטאות.
הבחירה לקיים הטכס במחנה טרזין, שהיווה מחנה מעבר למחנות ההשמדה עבור יהודים ממדינות מרכז ומערב אירופה, נבעה מהשימוש שעשו הנאצים במחנה כ״גטו ראווה״ יצוגי, כדי לרמות את דעת הקהל העולמית באשר להשמדתם של יהודי אירופה בגטאות ובמחנות ההשמדה.
״מחנה הריכוז טרזין ׳שווק׳ ע”י הנאצים כ׳התיישבות יהודים׳ רגילה״, הדגיש בכנס יו”ר איגוד הארגונים היהודים באירופה (EJA), הרב מנחם מרגולין,״אך בניגוד מוחלט ל’פייק ניוז’ הזה כ-120,000 מתוך 160,000 היהודים שנאסרו בו נספו בשואה, בהם כ-13,000 ילדים. חלקם נשלחו לתאי הגזים באושוויץ, רבים מתו מרעב. גם היום הפייק ניוז מהווה סכנה מוחשית לשלומם של היהודים ברחבי אירופה, כלי שטנה שמועצם לצערנו ע”י הרשתות החברתיות ומלבה תיאוריות קונספירציה נגד יהודים. עשרות המנהיגים האירופים שנענו לקריאתנו להגיע לקראת יום השנה הבינלאומי לשואה, דווקא לכאן, לטרזין, התחייבו להיאבק בפייק ניוז המעודד אנטישמיות ולהטמיע תוכניות חינוכיות למיגורה”.
הרב מרגולין הדגיש את תיאוריות הקונספירציה שהאשימו את היהודים בהפצת מגיפת הקורונה וכן בפרוץ המלחמה באוקראינה כדוגמאות העכשוויות ביותר למסורת הפצת תיאוריות קונספירציה אנטישמיות, שתוצאותיהן עלולות להיות קטלניות כבעבר.
במהלך הטכס בטרזין נשא דברים גדעון לב, ניצול שואה מהמחנה, שבשנים האחרונות הפך “לכוכב טיקטוק” הנלחם באנטישמיות. לב שרד את השהות במחנה עם אמו. סבו נפטר ממחלות בטרזין. אביו נשלח לאושוויץ, ומת בדרך מאושוויץ לברגן-בחזן. ״כשהנאצים השתלטו על צ’כיה, זה היה סופם של היהודים במדינה״, העיד לב, בן ה-87, ״יהודים לא יכלו להישאר בחוץ בלילה, לא יכלו להחזיק במכשירי רדיו ועד מהרה הועברנו כולנו למחנה טרזין שנקרא ׳מחנה יישוב מחדש׳, אבל הוא היה רחוק מזה. הכניסו אותנו לצריפים צפופים מאוד, לא היה מקום, נשים וילדים לא יכלו לראות את בעליהם, אלא אם כן מבעד לחלונות צועדים בשתיקה. המשפט “Arbeit Macht Frei” (“העבודה משחררת”) הוא אחד מהזוועות הנאציות הציניות ביותר: אתה חופשי כשאתה מת. איני זוכר במדויק כיצד שרדתי כילד את החיים כאן. ילדים רוצים לחיות;ילדים אינם רוצים למות. המאבק באנטישמיות ומאבק בשנאה נגד יהודים וכל מיעוט אחר הוא משהו שכולנו יכולים וצריכים לעשות”.
- January 24, 2023
EU Parliament President: We're not doing enough to fight antisemitism
The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, European Commissioner for neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varheyli, Secretary of the National Assembly of France, MP Caroline Janvier, President of Parliament of Czech Republic, Markéta Pekarová, Prime Minister of Montenegro, Dritan Abazović joined Ministers and Members of Parliaments from 23 European countries gathered at the Auschwitz extermination camp as part of the annual European Jewish Association’s Leaders Delegation to fight anti-Semitism. The delegation included a Gala Dinner where the President of the European Parliament and Commissioner received awards for services to the Jewish People and Israel respectively.
During her first visit to Auschwitz, President of European Parliament, Roberta Metsola stated that: “It is my duty and responsibility to protect people in Europe from antisemitism, we will not forget and will not let this happen again. we must fight propaganda and antisemitic narratives and we don’t only need a strategy against antisemitism, we need action to bring Judaism again to Europe. ”
European Commissioner for neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varheyli affirmed that it is his duty to come to Auschwitz and stated that: I really fear thar what happened here can happen again. The best way to combat antisemitism is to promote Jewish life. It is not enough to say never again, we must do something. My message to the Europeans: There is only one victory over death, that is life”
Rabbi Menachem Margolin, Chairman of the European Jewish Association stated that: “Times of war and economic crisis always serve as a platform for a serious escalation of anti-Semitism. Therefore, especially these days – more than any period since World War II, European leaders are required to act with greater determination to eradicate anti-Semitism both in the field of education and in the field of legislation. Defaming the Jewish people and the Jewish state is the definition of incitement and not freedom of expression and attacks on the Jewish way of life is an infringement of freedom of religion and worship. we expect each and every one of the heads of parliament, ministers and officials who accepted our invitation to return tomorrow to their country and to implement educational programs on the obligatory lessons from the Holocaust as well as essential changes in legislation against anti-Semitism and xenophobia.”
As part of the special gathering, the European leaders placed wreaths at the “Death Wall” compound in Auschwitz and lit memorial candles on the ruins of the gas chambers in Birkenau. Members of the delegation heard chilling testimonies from Holocaust survivor and President of Antwerp Jewish Forum, Baroness Regina Suchowolski-Sluzny, and Keren Knoll, granddaughter of Mireille knoll, Holocaust survivor who was murdered in antisemitic attack in Paris in 2018.
Secretary of the National Assembly of France, MP Caroline Janvier said: “Every political leader should visit Auschwitz to remember that man is capable of the worst, and that modernity doesn’t prevent the worst from happening.”
President of Parliament of Czech Republic, Markéta Pekarová said: “It is Very important to show to young generations what happened in Auschwitz and throughout the Holocaust to keep the memory. Seeing with our own eyes is important. Violations of human rights are unacceptable. It is the responsibility of all European politicians to eradicate antisemitism – Let us not repeat the tragic mistakes of our ancestors. These evils must be stopped.”
Prime Minister of Montenegro, Dritan Abazović said: “We must be careful about what happened here. we should educate young generations that this shouldn’t and must not be repeated. This visit is a contribution to promote a culture of memory and anti-discrimination and is the duty of every EU leader is to visit Auschwitz.”
- November 10, 2022