EJA Delegation to Auschwitz November 2025
This year, our delegation to Auschwitz was more vital than ever. For over two years, Jewish communities across Europe and around the world have faced unprecedented levels of antisemitism, escalating from hate speech to physical violence and even murder. We have said it before: antisemitism did not end with the liberation of Auschwitz. It never died!
This year, we came to a painful realization: we can no longer simply ask, call, or plead with leaders to act against antisemitism. We cannot continue living behind walls, concrete barricades, and constant police protection around every Jewish institution. Stronger measures are needed, along with a new definition and framework of protection.
That is why this delegation was so vital. During this year’s gathering, EJA Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin called on Europe to finally recognize Jewish communities as a protected minority, with all the legal safeguards such recognition entails.
This year, we gathered in Krakow just days before the 87th commemoration of Kristallnacht ,the Night of Broken Glass, to honor the memory of the victims, to stand against hatred and antisemitism, to reject Holocaust denial and justification, and to say in one clear voice: the fight against antisemitism is not only a Jewish issue, it is a European one.
We wish to thank all our guests who traveled from near and far to join us , to listen, to remember, and to learn not only about the horrors of Auschwitz’s past but also about the troubling reality of today.
Our deepest gratitude goes to former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson for joining us in Auschwitz and for his steadfast support of the Jewish people and communities worldwide. We also thank our dear friends, partners, and every guest who continues to stand by us and support our efforts over the past two years and beyond.
- November 12, 2025
David Lega as appointed as EJA new Secretary General
EJA is very proud to announce this morning the appointment of David Lega as our new Secretary General!
Over the past year, David has served as our Senior Advisor on Advocacy, doing an excellent job and bringing his wealth of political, diplomatic, and leadership experience and skills to the role. His appointment will significantly strengthen EJA’s mission to represent and defend Jewish life, values, and interests across Europe.
David, a former Member of the European Parliament from 2019 to 2024, was one of the few Jewish parliamentarians. He served on the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Subcommittee on Human Rights, and was a board member of the European Parliament Working Group on Antisemitism. He also founded the Abraham Accords Network in the European Parliament, creating a cross-party platform for dialogue, cooperation, and peace between Europe and the Middle East.
Throughout his mandate, he was known for his strong and unwavering advocacy for Israel, his defense of human rights, and his commitment to combating antisemitism across Europe and in his native Sweden.
David Lega, newly appointed Secretary General, said:
“It is a great honor to take on this responsibility at a time when the challenges facing Jewish communities in Europe are both complex and urgent. The EJA has been at the forefront of advocacy for Jewish life and Israel in Europe, and I look forward to continuing this work with determination and hope. My goal is to strengthen our partnerships, deepen our impact and make sure that Jewish voices in Europe is not only heard, but respected.”
Rabbi Menachem Margolin, Chairman of the European Jewish Association, said:
“David Lega has already proven his deep commitment to the Jewish people and to our shared values. His leadership, integrity and international experience make him the right person to help steer our organization into the future. In this role, David will be responsible for managing EJA and EIPA operations and implementing the organization’s strategy, led by Tal Rabina , together with myself and our Vice Chairman, Alex Benjamin . We are delighted to welcome him as Secretary General and look forward to the energy and vision he will bring to the role.”
Under Lega’s leadership, the EJA will continue to strengthen its advocacy in European and national institutions, promote education and remembrance, and stand firmly against antisemitism in all its forms.
- October 22, 2025
EJA Contributes to Landmark Training on Antisemitism in Sweden
For the first time ever, Sweden’s national team of prosecutors specializing in hate crimes invited external speakers to their training. EJA was represented by our Senior Advisor, David Lega, who joined Professor Christer Mattsson from the Segerstedt Institute to discuss the new forms of antisemitism that Jews in Europe face today. Together, they addressed the growing phenomenon of “Israelized” antisemitism, where hostility toward Israel turns into hatred of Jews.
Helping prosecutors recognize and understand these patterns is essential to ensure that modern antisemitic crimes can be prosecuted, creating much-needed legal precedents for all of Europe. EJA is honored to have been invited, and we hope other countries will follow Sweden’s example.
- October 20, 2025
Urgent Call for a Thorough Investigation into the Antisemitic Attack on Mr. Cohen
Over the weekend, we were all shocked by the brutal antisemitic attack on a Jewish man in the French city of Yerres. While walking home from the mikveh, Mr. Cohen was violently assaulted by an individual who called him a “dirty Jew” and proceeded to physically beat him without stopping. The attack caused serious injuries, including trauma to his eye that required hospitalization. This latest assault comes amid a disturbing wave of antisemitic incidents taking place almost daily across France. EJA Chairman, Rabbi Menachem Margolin, has sent an urgent letter to Minister Bruno Retailleau, and Prefect Fabienne Balussou, calling for immediate reinforcement of security around synagogues and Jewish community centers , especially ahead of Yom Kippur.
- October 1, 2025
Hundreds of Rabbis Across Europe speak of Total Abandonment and Exodus of Jews, Urge EU Leadership to Act Now
EJA Chair Rabbi Menachem Margolin;
“Europe is at a breaking point. Jewish families are asking themselves if they still have a future here. Words of solidarity are no longer enough. The Rabbis message is clear: We need urgent, concrete action to ensure that Jews can live freely, safely, and without fear in their own countries. Eighty years after Auschwitz was liberated, the idea of a mass exodus of Jews from Europe is unthinkable – and yet that is the path we are on unless leaders act decisively, now.”
- September 17, 2025