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:
Our recent briefing at the UK Parliament, within the House of Lords, in collaboration with UK Israel Future Projects and hosted by Lord Bew, was a highly successful occasion.
The session included an insightful presentation by Mr. Itamar Marcus, Director of Palestinian Media Watch. He explored Palestinian ideology and policy in the context of events leading up to October 7th, providing valuable insights into the potential developments of Gaza leadership. This discussion particularly focused on the significant challenges within the broader Palestinian Authority ideology.
The event drew a diverse audience, including parliamentarians, journalists, presidents of Israel societies at London universities, think tank representatives, and key members of the Jewish community.
Antisemitic incidents caused by far-left (1,019 reported incidents) and far-right (1,021) perpetrators were almost identical and accounted for 67% of all recorded incidents. Islamic extremists accounted for 18.7% of all recorded antisemitic events (571), while 14.3% were categorized as unattributable (435).
The CAM report analyzed antisemitism trends in the USA, United Kingdom, Germany, the Middle East, and the rest of the world as a separate category. The report analyzed 1,174 incidents in the USA, 292 in the United Kingdom, 134 in Germany, 334 in the Middle East, and 776 in other countries around the world.
The antisemitic behavior analyzed in the report took on different shapes depending on the geographic location in question. For example, 49.5% of incidents in the USA were committed by right-wing perpetrators compared to 29.7% from far-left antisemites. However, the UK had 40.4% of their incidents perpetrated by supporters of left-wing ideology in comparison to 20.2% from the right-wing.
Further, only 5.2% of US-based incidents were Islamic, whereas that figure stood at 15.8% in the UK, 14.2% in Germany, and 94.3% in the Middle East.
The antisemitic incidents also differed in nature based on geography: 76.9% of Middle East incidents included hateful conduct and speech, 20.7% included use or threats of violence, and 2.4% were acts of vandalism. While the UK had a similar profile for hate speech (75.7% of incidents), vandalism was prevalent nearly six times more than in the Middle East (13.7%) and violence was nearly half (10.6%).
American antisemites were far less likely to utilize hate speech (52%) and had by far the highest rate of vandalism (39.7%) among the areas surveyed.
The report further identified four concerning trends based on their data: the rise of left-wing antisemitism, the increase on US college campuses, the persistence of right-wing antisemitism, and the significant year-over-year spike in 2023.
The CAM report said 2024 was the first year since they began tracking antisemitic incidents that the frequency of left-wing incidents was nearly the same as right-wing incidents. The report also highlighted the spike in campus antisemitism, with a notable 34.9% increase in reported antisemitic incidents on US campuses in 2023.
Rabbi Menachem Margolin, EJA Chairman: “Don’t Force Jews to once again go through a selection.”
(Brussels 23 October 2023) Responding to news that Hamas will release 50 hostages of dual nationality, European Jewish Association Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin, who heads the organisation that represents hundreds of communities across the continent, called on European governents to immediately grant citizenship to the remaining hostages, urging them not to put Jews through another selection process.
In a statement today, the EJA Chairman said
“If Hamas are now releasing hostages with dual nationalities the answer is clear. Every European government should immediately grant citizenship to the remaining hostages.
“I urge European governments most sincerely, please don’t force Jews to once again go through a selection.”
The European Jewish Association, representing hundreds of Jewish communities across the continent invited Political figures and Jewish Leaders from Europe to Zagreb and the Jasenovac death camp in Croatia, against the backdrop of the Hamas Massacre in Israel, an act that has profoundly affected Jews across Europe. The Conference began with a minute silence for all those butchered by Hamas last weekend.
Gary Koren, Israel’s Ambassador Ambassador to Croatia in welcoming the Conference delegates from Portugal to Bulgaria, said:
“This conference in Zagreb is now needed more than ever. Hamas is ISIS, and this war started with the blessing of Iran. Israel has no choice but to win and obliterate Hamas. This is the darkest of times, and there is no way to describe the pain our nation is going through, but we will prevail like we always do.”
Croatia’s former President Kolinda Grabar–Kitarovic said that the attacks against Israel represent “an existential attack against the normalization of the Abraham Accords.
It will have tremendous geopolitical effects, and sadly, antisemitism will only spike.”
Deputy Remy Rebeyrotte, the Secretary of the National Assembly in France, responding to European Jewish Press reports that since the weekend there have been 50 reported acts of antisemitism in France, responded:
“There have been over 202 antisemitic attacks in France in the last couple of months.
The Ministry of Interior is stepping up security measures in synagogues and all Jewish Schools.We see yet again conspiracy theories running deeply rooted in antisemitism. This time from the far left saying Jews control the world, the banking industry, etc.
“I want today to express support of France for Israel. The children of Israel are our children. All parties are condemning except for the extreme left with Melenchon”
Dragan Primorac, president of the Croatian-Israel business club, stated, “Evil is the antithesis of honor. Croatia is staying shoulder to shoulder with Israel. Evil will not prevail.”
Head of Combatting Antisemitism at the World Zionist Organisation Raheli Baratz Rix, who partnered with the EJA for the Zagreb conference, in an address from Israel said:
“Israel is under attack. They killed in a massacre of young Jews because they were Jews. This barbaric act is only murderous racism, which has only one name antisemitism. You cannot stay silent again. We fight for humanity. Israel will stay strong and will win.
Natan Albahari, a Serbian Member of Parliament added,
“It pained me to see what happened at the music festival in Israel. It’s unimaginable. There is no justification for those crimes. I am only one MP, but will use every platform at my disposal to make sure that message is shared in Serbia.”
Konstantinos Karagounis, a Greek MP and Member of EJA’s Advisory Board was scathing in his criticism of the Hamas Massacre in Israel:
“All political parties of Greece stand firmly in solidarity with Israel. EU leaders must reassess their policy towards Hamas, Hezbollah, and towards all these terrorists. I think we are all under attack. Not just Israel. Failure to act will endorse such brutality.
Terrorist activities must face unwavering consequences.”
William Daroff, the CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organisations, in an impassioned speech to delegates, said:
“We need to make the world aware of what happened. They want to do Israel Judenrein. The only answer is Unity. We are strong when we are one. The IDF will succeed. We will survive as a people. Israel is our lifeline.”
Adel Benita, a citizen of Modi’in, Israel, whose husband was stabbed to death 40 times in a previous terror attack, spoke to delegates from the podium and said:
“Terrorism doesn’t differentiate between race or nationality.
“What we saw this past Shabbat and holiday – forty babies butchered, young people shot at a festival – how can we understand? How can those families cope in response to their loved ones being butchered and raped?
“This could happen to you in Europe. Terrorists don’t differentiate between race, gender, and nationality.
“I’m begging you to open your eyes and to ensure your leaders fight against antisemitism so this doesn’t happen again.”
It’s a challenging time for Jewish communities in Europe. Anti-Semitism is on the rise as populism and the politics of the lowest common denominator are gaining traction. Our communities often need round the clock protection and our practices and customs such as keeping Kosher are under pressure from increasing political interference.
