#YouAreNotAlone – Supportive Messages for Israelis Under Fire

We at the EJA were shocked and saddened to learn of the passing of the son, alav ha-shalom, of Dutch Chief Rabbi Jacobs, our board member, Rabbinical Centre of Europe governmental affairs head and, above all, our friend.
The greatest tragedy a parent can experience is the loss of a child, whatever the circumstances. Most of us cannot envisage let alone begin to understand the pain that parents will go through.
All we can do is attempt to offer words of comfort, words of consolation, to be there for them, to sustain them with our thoughts and prayers.
To Rabbi Jacobs, Mrs Jacobs and family we extend our heartfelt condolences and say,
“May the Almighty comfort you among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.”

Press release: Joseph Goebbels villa & hate speech -EJA responds to Berlin government plan to sell or demolish Goebbels villa.

European Jewish Association (EJA) makes urgent appeal to Berlin’s Finance Senator (minister): “Turn Goebbels Villa into a World Center for Combatting Hate Propaganda!”

For immediate release

The European Jewish Association (EJA) makes urgent appeal to Berlin’s Finance Senator (minister) who recently announced that the Berlin government could no longer afford the costs of maintaining an abandoned villa once belonging to Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels.

In an official letter to Berlin’s Finance Senator (minister), Stefan Evers, EJA chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin responded to the city of Berlin’s intention to sell or demolish a villa once belonging Joseph Goebbels, by expressing EJA’s willingness to explore solutions regarding the preservation of the estate.

Addressing Berlin’s finance minister, Rabbi Margolin noted:

“Turning the villa that once belonged to one of the worst engineers of genocidal propaganda in human history into a center for political psychology, communication, and combating hate speech would be an important moral victory.

“EJA is ready to examine the possibility of promoting the idea of such a center and realizing it.

“91 years since the Nazis came to power, the free world is once again facing waves of lethal propaganda deliberately engineered to create a virtual reality that nurtures hate and destructive violence.

“It is precisely these days that Dr. Goebbels’ villa should not be demolished. Rather, it should stand as both an eternal reminder of the perilous dangers posed by hate speech as well as an important center for identifying hate trends that are on the rise at an alarming exponential rate in the entire western world, including Germany.”

“The European Jewish Association is interested in exploring the possibility of turning the estate of one of the worst engineers of genocidal propaganda in human history into a center for the study of political psychology, communication and the fight against hate speech.

“We are interested in implementing the matter together with the Berlin government”.

In his letter to Senator Stefan Evers, Rabbi Margolin concludes:

“Although this week marks exactly 79 years since Goebbels poisoned his six children and committed suicide in the infamous Hitler bunker, a reminder of an equally fascist and murderous leadership currently lurking underground in Gaza, we are again living in chilling times where people are seeking to destroy Jews – but now no longer only through words.

“Let us transform the villa, from where hate speech and genocidal thought was once spread, to place for spreading good. Doing so would be an important moral victory.”

For more details / request to interview Rabbi Margolin,
please contact your EIPA/EJA media advisor – Yossi Lempkowicz, Tovi Borins, Oliver Bradley, David Khalfa, or Juan Caldes

or Tal Rabina of the Israel team:
+972 50-5331027

“Is this the solution? Will the next advice be for me to cut off my beard? Or change my name?” asks Chief Rabbi Jacobs.
EU Jewish Association (EJA) Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin and Head of Governmental relations for the Rabbinical Centre of Europe Chief Rabbi Binyomin Jacobs (Netherlands) today expressed their disappointment and alarm at comments made by Germany’s respected antisemitism co-ordinatior, Dr Felix Klein, where he said that he wouldn’t advise Jews to wear Kippot (skullcaps) in some parts of the country.

Comunidad Israelita de Valencia is a prominent Jewish community organisation located in Valencia, Spain. It serves as a central hub for Jewish life in the region, offering a wide range of religious, cultural, and educational services to its members. The community provides facilities for worship, including a synagogue, and conducts various religious ceremonies and holiday celebrations. Additionally, the CIV supports educational programs, including Hebrew and religious studies for children and adults, fostering a deeper understanding and connection to Jewish heritage. The organisation also engages in charitable activities, supporting both local and international causes, and promotes cultural events to enhance the communal and spiritual life of its members. Through its comprehensive services and activities, Comunidad Israelita de Valencia plays a crucial role in sustaining and enriching Jewish identity and community in the Valencia area.