Honorary Doctorate degree ceremony of President von der Leyen at the Ben Gurion University of the Negev

In her acceptace speech, President von der Leyen stated:

"As long as I can think, I was convinced of two very simple facts. First, there is no Europe without European Jews. And second, Europe and Israel are bound to be friends and allies. Because the history of Europe is the history of the Jewish people. Europe is Simone Veil and Hannah Arendt. Europe is Mahler and Kafka, and Freud. Europe is the values of the Talmud, the Jewish sense of personal responsibility, of justice and of solidarity."

She continued by saying:

"Today, almost 80 years after the Shoah, Jewish life in Europe is thriving again. (...) And yet, European Jewish life is also embattled and endangered. Antisemitism has not disappeared. It still poisons our societies. And antisemitic attacks happen today in Europe. It is a new threat, but it is the same old evil. Every new generation must take responsibility so that the past does not return."

President von der Leyen added:

"Our democracy flourishes if Jewish life in Europe flourishes, too. Throughout the centuries, the Jewish people have been ‘a light unto the nations'. And they shall be a light unto Europe for many centuries ahead. (…)

Long live Europe!

Am Israel Chai!"