Anti-semitism

#AntiSemitism: What future for Jewish communities in Europe?

Published

10 years ago

September 23, 2016

The current situation in Europe of anti-Semitism and future prospects for Europe’s Jewish communities will be debated at a conference hosted by European Parliament President Martin Schulz and First Vice President Antonio Tajani in Parliament’s premises on Tuesday afternoon (27 September). Anti-Semitism and attacks against Jews in Europe have grown in recent years.

Tajani (EPP, IT), who is responsible for inter-religious dialogue for the Parliament, will open the conference, which will be closed by Commission First Vice President Frans Timmermans and President Schulz.
Antonio Tajani said: “The faces of anti-Semitism are many, but the virus is one. Deluding ourselves that Europe is immune is the biggest mistake. There is no incentive to keep our guard up if we fail to see that anti-Semitism is still alive among us too, even where persecution and discrimination have eliminated any Jewish presence. The greatest danger for Europe is to be impoverished in its history and culture by a slow and steady exodus of European Jews. It is against this risk that we must be united and determined”.Among the invited guests, who will participate in the debates, are former Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth Lord Jonathan Sacks, who will deliver a keynote speech on 'The Mutating Virus: Understanding Anti-Semitism', European Rabbis Conference President Pinchas Goldschmidt, Brussels Chief Rabbi Albert Guigui and French philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy.

MEPs Fulvio Martusciello (EPP, IT), President of the delegation to Israel, Cecilia Wikström (ALDE, SE), Vice-Chair of the Working Group on Anti-Semitism, and Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar (S&D, ES), chairman of the Working Group, will lead the panel discussions respectively on the current situation on anti-Semitism in Europe, national patterns and experiences and future prospects.

You can follow the whole debate via webstreaming here. The programme is available in English and French.

The event is organized in the context of TFEU Art. 17, which provides for an open, transparent and regular dialogue with EU institutions and churches, religious associations, and philosophical and non-confessional organisations.

This is the second event in 2016. The first was held in April and concerned European Muslims facing radicalization. Other events in this context took place in 2015, covering tackling radicalism and fundamentalism through education and the persecution of Christians in the world.

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