Rabbis and Community Honour Victims at Oporto Cemetery Memorial

“The Jews of Europe have had to deal daily with the Fallout of the virus but also with anti-Semitic plots and threats of cuts in the security budgets of Jewish synagogues and institutions,” said Rabbi Margolin, Chairman of the European Jewish Association who initiated the event.
 
Jewish communities across Europe have been severely affected by the Corona epidemic and challenges associated with lockdowns.
 
The Jewish death toll is estimated to be in the thousands. Community leaders say that in many cases the strict rules in place prevented many Jews from attending the funerals of their loved ones, and estimated that a significant number of Jews had died and were buried in civil burials as a result of the restrictions in place.
 
In order to enable European Jews to mourn and share the memory of their loved ones, Rabbi Menachem Margolin initiated the launch of a virtual Yizkor event in memory of Jewish corona victims via Zoom.
 
Omar Yankelevich, the Chief Rabbis of Israel and dozens of Jewish community leaders and rabbis from across the continent were in attendance.
 
The event also saw JNF Chairman Danny Atar announce that a tree will be planted in memory of each of Europe’s corona victims.
 
During the event, Diaspora Minister Omer Jankelevich greeted those present on behalf of the Israeli government, stating that: “we share pain, the diaspora’s pain is our pain and we in Israel know that our pain is also yours. We must mourn but we must also rebuild. And it is time for concrete actions. That is why I am heading up a 100,000 shekel fund to help support Jewish development in the diaspora, to deepen our shared bonds.”
 
Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel David Lau and Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rishon Lezion, Yitzhak Yosef reminded that “G-d when he asked Moses to count Israel, he didn’t want just numbers, but names. The letters of G-d are in every name, and every one of us is special. When we mourn, G-d mourns too. We must find our strength, in our names, so interwoven with G-d to overcome, to deepen our commitment to Judaism, and to honour our loved ones.”
 
President of the French Consistoire Joel Mergui and Paris Chief Rabbi Michel  Guggenheim that “we have all carried a heavy burden. And we have cried at the loss, but also at our inability to embrace and support each other because of quarantine and lockdowns. We owe it to those who have passed to ensure that we do what we can to ensure that our synagogues will be packed as we approach the high holidays, that we show them the honour that comes from our strength to continue and to come back to our houses of prayer, stronger, more resilient and with a renewed determination to ensure a Jewish future.”
 
Belgian President of the Jewish Community of Philip Markiewicz:
 
“We suffered tremendous pain, but there was also tremendous solidarity, amongst our communities but also as society as a whole towards our communities and vice-versa. The Jewish contribution to society must continue, it must deepen. We must do this for our shared future full of optimism and hope, but also to honour the memory of our loved ones.”
 
Chairman of the European Jewish Association (EJA), Rabbi Menachem Margolin,
 
“The Corona epidemic has severely damaged many Jewish communities across Europe but has strengthened our belief that we all look out for and after one another.
 
Along with dealing with the terrible crisis, we have witnessed daily the strength of the Jewish spirit and the countless acts of kindness within Jewish communities across the continent. And so, this memorial event is on the one hand a commemoration of the  many victims of the virus and on the other is to honour, strengthen and cherish the resilience and fortitude shown by Europe’s Jewish communities. “

On 22-23 September, Jewish community leaders and advocacy experts from across Europe gathered for the European Jewish Association’s two-day 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:
* Joel Mergui, President of the Paris Consistoire
* Raheli Baratz-Rix, Head of the Department for Combating Antisemitism & Enhancing Resilience, World Zionist Organisation
* 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, Community & Projects Manager for ACT—IL
* Jesse Pilz, Social Media Expert, StandWithUs
* Yaron Chayat, Global Consultant and AI Tool Developer
* Yael Landman, Director, EU Care Project
* Alex Benjamin, Vice-Chairman for Content and Communications, EJA

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

We are delighted to announce the commencement of our yearly conference in Amsterdam. This significant event focuses on tackling the concerning and increasing surge of antisemitism within our community.

Through impactful keynote speeches and dynamic panel discussions, we will explore solutions and responses to this troubling trend. The conference serves as a vital rallying call for all those committed to combating discrimination and halting its further advancement.

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The European Jewish Association is a prominent and influential organisation dedicated to representing, advocating for, and fostering the interests of the Jewish community across Europe. Founded on unity, tolerance, and inclusivity principles, the EJA bridges diverse Jewish communities and European societies.

#BringThemHomeNow #NeverAgainIsNow #NotOnMyWatch

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