ATTACKS AGAINST JEWS HAS STARTED – “WAKE UP, NEVER AGAIN IS NOW! – EUROPEAN JEWISH LEADER TELLS EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS.

US Ambassador Bill White, Madrid Community President Estrella Bengio and Christians for Israel, honoured at EJA Annual Conference.

Our Annual Conference Gala Dinner is an opportunity to honour and say thanks to the many good people, Jewish and non-Jewish Leaders, as well as Senior Political figures, for their steadfast support and positive actions in defence and in the promotion of Jewish life on the Continent. Previous recipients of our prestigious King David Award include Chelsea Football Club, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, Boris Johnson and the former President of Montenegro to name a few.

This year, for his bravery and single-minded determination to defend Belgian Jewry against legal attacks on circumcision, calling out Europe-Wide antisemitism, and for rallying the United States Presidency to the Jewish cause, the EJA awarded the 2026 King David Award to United States Ambassador to Belgium, His Excellency Bill White.

In his moving acceptance speech Ambassador White said:  “I’m Deeply honored to receive the King David Award. This recognition reflects President Trump’s unwavering commitment to combating antisemitism—not just in words, but in action. To Belgium’s Jewish community: you belong here, your traditions deserve protection, and your future must be secure.”

He also thanked the US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Ambassador Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun for joining the dinner, demonstrating this Administration’s steadfast support for Jewish communities worldwide, and for his encouraging and inspiring speech at the Gala Dinner.

We were also immensely proud to present the first-ever EJA Queen Esther Award to Estrella Bengio, President of the Jewish Community of Madrid, at our annual conference, held just after Purim. The story of Queen Esther is about courage, about stepping forward and refusing to look away. It is a story that continues to guide and inspire us. Estrella embodies these values. Through years of dedication, leadership, and commitment to Jewish life in Europe, she has made a real and lasting impact on her community and beyond.

Finally, we were honoured to present the EJA Mensch Award to Frank Van Oordt, Chief Executive Officer of Christian for Israel in the Netherlands, in recognition of his steadfast support for Israel and the Jewish people. Christians for Israel in the Netherlands, under the inspiring stewardship of Frank has stayed true to their fundamental values, in spite of protests, vandalism and the firebombing of their Israel Centre in Holland. They are true friends.

The European Jewish Association (EJA) learned with deep shock about the ruling of the EU Court of Human Rights against the human rights, freedom of religion and worship of Jews and Muslims.  “The implied determination of the distorted verdict is that the rights of these citizens to freedom of religion and worship are even less than that of animals.”  Says EJA Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin and warned that the severe restrictions on Jews to live according to their faith will lead to serious damage to the fabric of life throughout the continent.  The European Jewish Association calls on the Belgian Government and all other governments and Parliaments throughout the continent to immediately take all the necessary steps in order to change the ruling that discriminates against Jews and Muslims.

In a letter sent to European Heads of States, EJA’s European Leader’s Forum for Combatting Antisemitism headed by The 10th President of the State of Israel, Reuven Rivlin, and including former prominent European Heads of States: Sebastian Kurz, Manuel Valls, Matteo Renzi, Petar Stoyanov, Andrej Babiš, Prokopios Pavlopoulos, Borut Pahor, Milo Đukanović and Stefan Lofven, is calling on governments and parliaments to enact the laws that commit to maintaining the freedom of religion and worship of the continent’s citizens, including kosher and Halal slaughter.

Over the weekend, we were all shocked by the brutal antisemitic attack on a Jewish man in the French city of Yerres. While walking home from the mikveh, Mr. Cohen was violently assaulted by an individual who called him a “dirty Jew” and proceeded to physically beat him without stopping. The attack caused serious injuries, including trauma to his eye that required hospitalization. This latest assault comes amid a disturbing wave of antisemitic incidents taking place almost daily across France. EJA Chairman, Rabbi Menachem Margolin, has sent an urgent letter to Minister Bruno Retailleau, and Prefect Fabienne Balussou, calling for immediate reinforcement of security around synagogues and Jewish community centers , especially ahead of Yom Kippur.

The European Jewish Association (EJA) is appalled by the latest Antisemitism
incidents that took place in Croatia and in Greece, only a few days after the
unspeakable massacre against innocent civilians committed by Hamas in Israel. In
Split, Croatia’s 2nd largest city, a graffiti “Juden Raus” adorned with the “U” from the
WW2 fascist Ustasa regime that killed and deported thousands of Jews made its
appearance. In Thessaloniki, Greece’s 2nd largest city as well, the Holocaust memorial
mural at the main train station was desecrated with the inscriptions “Jews=Nazi” and
“Free Gaza”. Furthermore, a Jewish store was attacked, causing luckily only material
damage.

Commenting on the incidents in Croatia, EJA Managing Director Jorgos Papadakis
said: “It is hard to comprehend these acts of hatred against Jews in Europe. We have
been in Croatia two weeks ago, organized an international conference in Zagreb and
paid tribute to the thousands who perished at the notorious Jasenovac Death Camp.
We praised the country’s IHRA Chairmanship and the efforts made to eradicate
antisemitism. This is why it is surprising that we heard no words of condemnation from
the government. Using the exact same words the Nazis used before eventually leading
millions of Jews to their death cannot be perceived even as a bad joke.”, Papadakis
stressed out.

On Greece, Papadakis added: “As a Greek, I cannot even begin to comprehend such
acts of violence and hate in a city that lost almost its entire Jewish population, more
than 50 thousand souls, during the Holocaust. The authorities must send a strong
message by condemning this barbarism and bringing the culprits in front of justice.
Anything else would not be acceptable.”

Ends