European Jewish Congress Executive Vice-President Raya Kalenova and Director of European Affairs Ariella Woitchik participated in the 8th Meeting of the Working Group on the Implementation of the EU Strategy on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life in Brussels.
The meeting brought together representatives of national Jewish communities, international and civil society organisations, national ministries, and high-level officials of the European Institutions.
Discussions focused on the current state of national strategies and action plans to combat antisemitism, Holocaust remembrance, and the growing challenges faced by Jewish communities amid rising anti-Jewish hatred and recent terrorist attacks in Australia and the United Kingdom.
EJC Director of European Affairs Ariella Woitchik participated in a panel discussion on the challenges facing Jewish communities in Europe today. She warned that “Jewish life, not only religious but also cultural, could be silenced on the continent” and regretted that, despite the level of hatred and daily intimidation and violence faced by Jewish communities, antisemitism is often not considered a “public problem.” Even worse, sensitivity to it has decreased in wider society.
She further highlighted the growing alienation of Jewish communities in Europe, which feel abandoned not only by broader society but, paradoxically, by some anti-racist movements. She noted that these movements frequently exclude the fight against antisemitism from their agendas and, in some cases, have even become vehicles for it.
Ms Woitchik also emphasised that “all stakeholders fighting alongside Jewish communities must acknowledge that the main driver of contemporary antisemitism is anti-Zionism and the constant demonisation of the State of Israel, with terrible repercussions for Jewish citizens, who are often called upon to take a stand for or against Israel.”
For her part, EJC Vice-President Raya Kalenova stressed the urgent need to ensure the protection and support of Jewish leaders and the heads of visible Jewish organisations. In several countries, this has become an emergency situation, where security and institutional assistance are insufficient to guarantee their safety.
While countries such as France, Germany and Austria provide structured protection and support, almost all others still lack adequate measures. Raya Kalenova underlined that safeguarding Jewish leadership is not optional, but a core responsibility of governments in the fight against antisemitism.
