The Conference of European Rabbis, led by Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, has called on European Union interior ministers to intensify security measures, as result of the Hamas attack on October 7, which led to a surge in antisemitic hate crimes and threats against Jewish communities across Europe,
The group, representing 40 chief rabbis from the continent, sent a poignant letter urging the European Union to dismantle terrorism-supporting organizations, penalize supporters of Hamas, and ensure the overall safety of Jewish communities amid the rising tide of antisemitism.
Led by Goldschmidt, the president of the Conference, the organization sent a strongly-worded letter to the interior ministers of European Union countries. The letter, backed by the signatures of 40 chief rabbis of Europe, stated, "The lives of Jews in Europe are in danger. The responsibility for their security is in your hands."
Highlighting the recent surge in threats and attacks, the letter read: "Jews in Europe have once again become the primary target for hate crimes and terrorist attacks. In the past two weeks, Jewish communities across the European Union have had to confront threats to their lives, attacks on synagogues, businesses, and even assassination attempts. This is a painful reminder of the darkest hours in Europe's history."
Europe's Jews should be able to live without fear
The letter emphasized that the European Jewish community should be able to live without the fear of persecution. "In today's Europe, Jews should not have to worry about sending their children to school or wearing a kippah in public. We demand that you enforce the full extent of the law for any expression or act of antisemitism."
Furthermore, the Conference called for decisive action against terror-supporting organizations and those who publicly support Hamas's crimes. The organization urged, "Take action to dismantle organizations that support terrorism and do not grant citizenship to individuals who publicly support Hamas's crimes. Our role as the Conference of European Rabbis is to ensure the peace and rights of Europe's Jews. Your role is to ensure that Jewish life in Europe continues to flourish, alongside the European values of peace, freedom, and democracy."
Goldschmidt reiterated the urgency of their plea, emphasizing, "Enhance security around Jewish communities. Punish and penalize anyone and any organization supporting the heinous crimes of Hamas." The ball is now in the court of European leaders to ensure the safety of their Jewish communities.
As published earlier on Tuesday, France has witnessed a shocking surge in antisemitic incidents since the October 7 Hamas massacre in southern Israel. A staggering 819 such acts have been reported – nearly double the total for all of 2022, according to the latest report confirmed on Monday by French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin.