An EJC delegation consisting of President Dr. Ariel Muzicant, Executive Vice-President & CEO Raya Kalenova, and Presidents of European Jewish Communities held a series of bilateral meetings in Israel with high-level politicians and Israeli organisations.
The EJC delegation held meetings with Austrian Federal Minister of European Affairs and Constitution Karoline Edtstadler and Israeli Minister of Diaspora Amichai Chikli.
Subsequently, the delegation met with officials from the Jewish Agency for Israel and Taglit-Birthright.
Among the topics discussed in the meetings were the relations between Israel and the Diaspora, challenges in Europe, the necessary continued response to rising antisemitism, and the security threats faced by European Jewish communities. Best practices from Austria were also raised.
EJC leaders participated in the AJC Global Forum 2023 in Tel Aviv and held official meetings with its CEO Ted Deutsch, AJC Europe Director Simone Rodan-Benzaquen, Director of International Jewish Affairs, Rabbi Andrew Baker and AJC Transatlantic Institute Director Daniel Schwammenthal.
During these meetings, it was agreed that concrete strategies for cooperation will be developed to foster European Jewish life and tackle the rise of antisemitism as well as Holocaust distortion and denial.
“There are so many enemies of the Jewish people, it is high time we put our heads together,” EJC President Ariel Muzicant said.
The two leading Jewish organisations will also work to address the challenges posed by the proliferation of disinformation campaigns and the threats posed by extremists to European Jewish communities.
“We want to look at how we can best convey to European governments why these are very serious threats, not just for Jews but for Europe as a whole,” AJC Europe Director Simone Rodan-Benzaquen said.
The previous week, EJC Executive Vice-President and CEO Raya Kalenova joined the WJC delegation in Jerusalem to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the State of Israel.