An European Jewish Congress delegation participated in the Civil Society Forum on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life organised by the European Commission in Brussels.
The event brought together over 250 European and international Jewish and non-Jewish organisations, as well as experts and activists from across Europe and beyond, to join efforts and work towards new concrete actions in the fight against antisemitism in the EU.
EJC Director of European Affairs Ariella Woitchik spoke at the first plenary session of the forum, titled “Jewish Life in Europe Since 7 October 2023,” alongside CRIF President Yonathan Arfi, Institute for Jewish Policy Research Executive Director Jonathan Boyd, and former President of the German Union of Jewish Students Hannah Veiler.
During her address, she discussed the normalisation of antisemitism in civil society and the growing isolation felt by Jewish communities after the Hamas massacre of 7 October, underlining the need to translate strategies and declarations into concrete actions and to tackle the prejudices that are deeply rooted in European societies.
She also highlighted that key priorities should include strengthening education among younger generations, improving judicial responses to antisemitic hate crimes, and tackling the spread of antisemitism online.
Among the best practices and initiatives to promote understanding and coexistence in our societies, she mentioned the EU-funded Resilient Communities Conference that the EJC will organise on 9 April, bringing together leaders from faith-based organisations and civil society to strengthen interreligious dialogue and foster best practices.
The RCC conference is part of the “BADRI – Bringing Awareness, Dialogue, and Resilience Improvement” project, funded by the European Union through the CERV programme. Under the same project, the EJC has also launched a series of educational cartoons called “Glad You Asked,” aiming to raise awareness about Jewish life and culture on social media among young people.
Ms Woitchik also commended the valuable work and long-standing support and commitment to the cause from the European Commission Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life Katharina von Schnurbein and her team.
EJC Head of Projects and Diplomatic Affairs Maria Bagdasarova, Policy Officer Dylan Bokler, and SACC by EJC Head of Crisis Management Elie Kagan were part of the EJC delegation to the Civil Society Forum, where they actively participated and engaged in meaningful exchanges across the various breakout rooms and sessions, presenting the work of the organisation and strengthening cooperation with a diverse set of stakeholders.
The Civil Society Forum on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish life is a flagship action of the EU Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life (2021-2030).
