Dozens of Jewish organisations in Germany have called on the government to crack down on antisemitism following a string of anti-Jewish attacks.
In an open letter signed by 38 groups, the country’s Jewish Forum for Democracy and Against Anti-Semitism (JFDA) on Monday outlined a policy statement, urging Berlin to condition funds for civil and religious organisations on them issuing public declarations distancing themselves from antisemitism in all its forms.
The statement called on authorities to take the experiences of attack victims more seriously and increase their investment in support projects and democracy promotion programs. It called for recognition that antisemitism is an “attack on the entire liberal democratic community.”
It urged the government and all state-funded groups to adopt the working definition for antisemitism devised by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.
It also said the fight against anti-Semitism should take into account its prevalence over centuries and not be equated with other prejudices such as hatred of Muslims.
“Antisemitism cannot be successfully fought as a mere subcategory of racism,” the German-language statement said. “Antisemitism, racism and Islamophobia cannot be equated.”
