Opinion | In Europe, Jews still need protection Israel today

Thursday will mark the 16th International Holocaust Remembrance Day around the world.

It is a day that reminds us of the most tragic events human history has ever known, cruel acts committed by the Nazi tyrant on the bleeding soil of Europe.

And yet, I feel that some European leaders have not yet internalized the most important lesson, and that is that where a person's right to live according to his faith is being challenged, his right to live at all will also be challenged.

The Holocaust did not begin with the Vanza Conference or Kristallnacht, but with a long line of laws and decrees passed to isolate, discredit and delegitimize Jewish culture and religion. These efforts culminated in the "Final Solution." Even today, the rise in cases of anti-Semitism in Europe cannot be separated from the restrictions on the Jewish way of life, which began in the European Court of Justice and later spread to some of the member states.

The Jewish communities in Europe face repeated difficulties, which affect their way of life. Along with the widespread anti-Semitism that intensified in the shadow of the Corona, decisions were made that harmed religious freedom. About 12 countries currently ban the slaughter of kosher slaughterers, backed by the European Court of Justice. Following a lawsuit by Jewish and Muslim organizations, after an injunction was issued banning slaughter while living in Belgium, the European Court of Justice ruled in 2020 that governments are allowed to ban the practice of slaughter training, to promote animal welfare, he said. This decision was soon used in other places, as in other provinces in Belgium and Greece.

To the same restrictions on freedom of religion can be added, of course, the great daily incitement in the public sphere.

In the past year, there has been a surge in antisemitic incidents in Europe that were also directed against the State of Israel, in part because of Operation Wall Guard, which also included burning flags and harsh statements.

At the same time, there was another trend of thousands of tags on social media against the "Jewish elite", including the directors of the "Modern" and "Pfizer" vaccine companies, accusing them of spreading the virus and taking over the lives of Europeans through it.

In recent years, European governments and organizations have indeed stepped up their efforts to combat anti-Semitism through new initiatives.

The European Council, which includes 47 countries, has issued a detailed recommendation to prevent and combat anti-Semitism.

The European Commission, for its part, has presented its own strategy for combating anti-Semitism and promoting Jewish life, which includes funding for the protection of communities.

Alongside this tremendous and valued effort, European leaders need to understand that if they really want to encourage and protect Jewish life, they must also protect traditions and rituals.

Anti-religious legislation must stop.

The danger to the Jewish way of life and tradition is a danger to the lives of the Jews themselves in Europe.

The union is in a special position where it is able to protect the Jewish communities, and it needs to do more, and quickly.

We must not remember only the final and tragic outcome of the Holocaust, but also the things that led there.

For the six million victims who were murdered during the Holocaust on European soil, and for living in it now.

The author is the President of the Conference of European Rabbis and the Chief Rabbi of Moscow

Were we wrong?

Fixed!

If you found an error in the article, we'll be happy for you to share it with us