CONGRATULATIONS LETTER ON BEHALF OF EUROPEAN JEWISH ASSOCIATION

We’re happy to conclude our Activist Bootcamp event in Paris where Jewish community leaders and advocacy experts spoke for two days Bootcamp. The event focused on empowering activists to combat rising antisemitism and strengthen pro-Israel advocacy efforts through hands-on workshops and expert-led discussions.

Distinguished speakers included:
•⁠ ⁠@JoelMergui President of the consistoiredeparis
•⁠ ⁠Raheli Baratz (Rix), Ph.D Head of the Department for Combating Antisemitism & Enhancing Resilience, World Zionist Organization – ההסתדרות הציונית העולמית
•⁠ ⁠Ben-Dror Yemini Respected Israeli journalist and author
•⁠ ⁠@Alex Hearn, Director of Labour Against Antisemitism (UK)
•⁠ ⁠@Tal Rabina Director of Strategy, European Jewish Association
•⁠ ⁠Jonathan Tal, Online Activism Expert
•⁠ ⁠Jesse Pilz Social Media Expert, StandWithUs Française
•⁠ ⁠Yaron Chayat, Global Consultant and AI Tool Developer
•⁠ ⁠Yael Landman, Director, @EUCareProject
•⁠ ⁠Alex Benjamin Vice-Chairman for Content and Communications, The European Jewish Association

The agenda featured sessions on deconstructing antisemitism, mastering social media for advocacy, enhancing security awareness, and developing debating skills. Participants also explored Jewish Paris in a tour of the historic Marais quarter, concluding with reflections at the Mémorial de la Shoah.

#paris #îledefrance #france #bootcamp #israel #activism
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The EJA sends a big Mazal Tov and a heartfelt Kol Hakavod to our affiliated friend Max Lowenstein, Chairman of the NIHS Brabant community in Eindhoven, Holland. Today, to mark King’s day in the Netherlands, Mr Lowenstein received a medal on becoming a Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau. A well deserved recognition for his years of dedicated service to the community in Eindhoven and to the wider community in general.

Rabbi Margolin’s clarification: He never claimed that every Jew should carry a gun
Rabbi Menachem Margolin, General Director of the European Jewish Association (EJA), made the following clarification:

Contrary to what has been written, Rabbi Margolin is not the Rabbi of Brussels but the Director of the Rabbinical Center of Europe, which represents 700 rabbis across Europe, and General Director of the European Jewish Association, a federation of Jewish organisations active at European level.
2. Rabbi Margolin never asked that every Jew carries a gun and does not advocate widespread gun use. Where licenses are issued, Rabbi Margolin calls for guns to be used responsibly and in self-defence. Referring to recent events, Rabbi Margolin has said that given the serious current climate, where Jews are afraid to go to the synagogue, to Jewish school or kosher supermarket, each Jewish institution – whether synagogue, school, kindergarten, or Jewish store… should be protected by the authorities across Europe. Should governments find they are unable to ensure the protection and security of institutions and Jewish citizens, in the long-term Rabbi Margolin called on Europe’s Interior Ministers to review current gun licensing laws “to allow designated people in the Jewish communities and institutions to own weapons for the essential protection of their communities, as well as receiving the necessary training to protect their members from potential terror attacks.”
With regard to recent claims regarding the content of Rabbi Margolin’s calls on the subject of gun licensing, the EJA Director concluded in no uncertain terms: ”Let there be no doubt, we are asking that all weapons will be issued for self-protection only, and to designated personnel that will undergo thorough investigation and training by local authorities.”
3. Rabbi Margolin thanks the Belgian Government for taking very seriously the protection of the Jewish community.
4. Rabbi Margolin repeats once again that he never claimed that every Jew must carry a gun!