Anti-Semitism Survey Shocks European Representatives

“I don’t believe it!” This was the initial reaction of the ambassadors and representatives of 23 European countries when the results of a comprehensive survey commissioned by the Anti-Defamation League were published this week. The survey produced worrying results regarding levels of anti-Semitism and the violation of religious freedoms in every country.

The ambassadors and state representatives saw the results of the survey at a meeting that was held last week in Brussels with the leaders of the European Jewish Association (EJA) at the European Union. Among those who spoke at the meeting were Rabbi Binyamin Jacobs, Chief Rabbi of Holland, Rabbi Menachem Margolin, director of the EJA at the European Union and the Rabbinical Center of Europe, Dr. Shimon Samuels of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, Joel Rubinfeld of the Belgian League Against Anti-Semitism, and Mark Gardner of the British organization the Community Security Trust.

Also present at the meeting were ambassadors and representatives of Estonia, Austria, Ukraine, Italy, Bulgaria, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovenia, Poland, Portugal, Finland, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Romania, and Sweden.

The ambassadors were shocked to hear about the levels of anti-Semitism in Europe. Each one admitted that no country has any excuse and said that a serious plan needs to be developed to handle this issue.

Rabbi Margolin told the ambassadors that the purpose of the meeting was not to accuse any European governments, but to hold an emergency gathering to warn various governments and to emphasize the importance of dealing with this issue in every single country.

Rabbi Margolin asked the ambassadors to request from their governments the establishment of a department with the authority to handle the issue of anti-Semitism under the direct supervision of the prime minister or president.

“Only a department with wide-ranging powers could handle the issue of anti-Semitism, also from the security point of view of protecting the Jewish communities, educating the younger generation against anti-Semitism, organizing activities that would show the population the tremendous contribution that the Jews of Europe have made to European culture and the economy, and much more,” Rabbi Margolin said.

Also present at the meeting were the Chabad shluchim at the European Union headquarters, Rabbi Michoel Rosenblum, Rabbi Avi Tawil, and Rabbi Mendy Pewzner, who helped to organize the event.

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