Meeting with H.E. Evarist Bartolo, Minister for Education and Employment of the Republic of Malta.

September 9, 2019

Earlier today a delegation composed of representatives from the European Jewish Association (Alex Benjamin, Director of Public Affairs), our partners from the Action and Protection Foundation /Hungary/ (Ferenc Olti, Board Member of the Hungarian Jewish Cultural Association and Kálmán Szalai, Secretary) as well as Chabad Jewish Centre of Malta (Rabbi Chaim Segal and Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Segal, Co-Directors) has met with H.E. Evarist Bartolo, Minister for Education and Employment of the Republic of Malta, and members of his secretariat.

The main topic of discussion has been the European Curriculum and Textbook Project against Antisemitism, which is based on a successful seven-year-long initiative recently concluded in Hungary. Earlier this year it has also received a “best practice” status from the European Commission. The cornerstone of the initiative is better familiarisation of youth with the history, culture and contributions of the European and local Jewish community, thereby facilitating mutual understanding, social dialogue and, of course, being able to more effectively combat and even prevent expressions of Antisemitism.

The project’s main idea is to adapt some of the Hungarian initiative’s elements in national educational curriculums – with, of course, the utmost consideration to local rules and practices. In order to do that, we approach national and/or regional educational authorities and professionals across the EU with the aim of establishing a dialogue, which might later transform into concrete proposals and potentially implemented items to be studied by the younger generation.

In the course of a productive conversation lasting more than an hour, touching upon the various aspects of the project, H.E. Mr. Minister has reciprocated interest in cooperation. We are most grateful to His Excellency and look forward to a fruitful partnership.

That said, this is just the first of many such meetings prospectively taking place in a number of EU Member States. More shall take place over the coming months.

Additional Articles

Antisémitisme : en Europe, l'inquiétante anomalie française

A Budapest, sur les bords du Danube, les mines des représentants des principales associations juives européennes paraissent graves. Réunis en Congrès en Hongrie les 20 et 21 juin, ils décrivent une montée franche de l’antisémitisme pendant la pandémie, avec une explosion des théories du complot accusant la communauté juive. Comme le montre l’affaire de la fresque d’Avignon cette semaine, une peinture représentant Emmanuel Macron manipulé par l’économiste Jacques Attali, la France n’est pas épargnée par cette poussée antisémite.

La France, un cas à part

Pour la première fois, lors de ce Congrès, la European Jewish Association a dévoilé un index de qualité de la vie juive en Europe. Ce classement des pays européens mêle plusieurs facteurs comme la lutte contre l’antisémitisme, la sécurité ou le respect de la liberté religieuse. D’après cette étude, menée pendant deux ans par le statisticien britannique Daniel Staetsky, du Jewish Policy Research, les nations les plus bienveillantes à l’égard des communautés juives seraient l’Italie et la Hongrie, les moins bienveillantes la Belgique et la Pologne.

https://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/monde/europe/antisemitisme-en-europe-l-inquietante-anomalie-francaise_2175865.html

Split, Croatia: French Jewish School Kids wake up to find giant Swastika daubed outside their hotel

European Jewish Association (EJA) contact PM, President and Ministers to register concern
EJA Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin, “this will be an unforgettable holiday and experience for these children, for all the wrong reasons…a reminder that we can never become complacent or let our guard down when it comes to antisemitism.”
(Brussels 19 July 2022) A group of French Jewish schoolchildren staying at a hotel in the small town of Trilj near Split, Croatia woke up yesterday to a giant swastika daubed on the pavement in front of their hotel, a clear antisemitic act.
The Brussels based European Jewish Association was informed about the act by their representative in Croatia, Mr Romano Bolkovic. Mr Bolokovic contacted the offices of the Prime Minister, President and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Internal Affairs Respectively, as well as informing the Israeli ambassador. The police are currently conducting an investigation into the incident.
Speaking today, EJA Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin said,
“What an absolute shame. Whilst I am certain that the views of the individual and group responsible for painting a giant swastika are not representative of the vast majority of Croatians, the act and nature of this attack – because that is what it is- is still a deep cut to Jews everywhere.
“As adults we are sadly used to hate, yet we continue to do all that we can to shield our children from it. That a group of French Jewish Children on holiday in Croatia have had such a vicious and visible introduction to this hate is tragic.
“Waking up to see a huge red swastika daubed outside their hotel, the symbol of pain and murder to Jews everywhere says clearly, you are not wanted here. It is the burning cross, the noose around the tree to Jews. This holiday for these children will now be an an unforgettable one, for all the wrong reasons.
“Whilst I am confident that the police will get to the bottom of this incident, and whilst the strong words of condemnation coming from the highest offices in Croatia are of comfort, we still have much work to do an antisemitism. This attack is a reminder that we can never afford to be complacent and let our guard down.”
Jewish Chronicle

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.

 

Jewish Chronicle

#LightingEurope Second and Third Day of Chanukah

As a part of our #LightingEurope canpaign we are happy and honored to have head of the board of the Jewish Community of Barcelona “Comunidad Israelita de Barcelona”, Madam Elisabeth Buch for the second candle and Binyomin Jacobs, Dutch Chief Rabbi for the third candle with some special words for Chanikah:


 
 

Additional Communities
United Kingdom
Ukraine
Turkey
Schweiz
Switzerland
Spain
Slovakia
Serbia
Russia
Romania
Portugal
When you click on "Donate" you will be redirected to a secure donation page