Summer wishes from Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life

Dear friends,

Summer is finally here and we all have been looking forward to recharge. The pandemic has all greatly influenced our work and personal lives. I hope this summer you will be able to enjoy some great times with family and friends.

It has been a year with many successes and positive developments, thanks to passionate and dedicated people, fruitful collaborations and unity in overcoming challenges, while also getting used to a new normal. Wishing you all an excellent well deserved summer break and a safe return in September with lots of energy, fresh ideas and plans for your professional and personal lives.

Keep healthy and enjoy the summer!

Sincerely,

Katharina von Schnurbein

Margaritis Schinas, European Commission Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life said:

“This autumn we will present the first-ever EU strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life. We want an ambitious and operational framework, bringing together EU and Member States’ efforts to fight this centuries-old hatred. Europe must remain a place where Jewish people feel free and safe to lead their lives and practice their religious traditions like every other member of our society. A place where they see a future for their youth. We are working hand-in-hand with the European Parliament to bring this strategy closer to citizens. This is not a concern only for Jewish communities but for our core values and our European way of life as a whole.“

The Working Group against Antisemitism in the European Parliament has been calling for concrete measures to step up the fight against antisemitism at European level. The Working Group Chairs welcomed the initiative of European Commission for a Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life in the EU.

The event started with a keynote address from Commission's Vice-President Margaritis Schinas who congratulated the efforts and success of the project and presented the upcoming first ever Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life in the EU. Vice-President Schinas stated:

"Both of your projects have been extremely meaningful to the European Commission. Thye allow us to put back on the European map over 3200 Jewish cemeteries sites that have been forgotten and often in dire need of preservation. (…) Cemeteries, if we look at them through the prism of time, are in fact an expression of life, (…) of community life, of burial rites, and of coming and going from generation to generation. Mapping these cemeteries and recalling the long history of the Jewish communities living in these localities contributes to safeguarding Jewish heritage, to recalling that Jewish life has been, is and will continue to be an essential part of what Europe stands for."

Katharina Schnurbein, European Commission Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, sent a video message thanking ESJF for their efforts on preserving Jewish heritage, by mapping and restoring Jewish cemeteries in Europe.

The event was presented in partnership with Centropa and the Foundation for Jewish Heritage.

Katharina von Schnurbein contributed to the plenary discussion on the IHRA definition, emphasising it’s practical applicability. She started her contribution to the working group on Jewish life by stating:

"When it comes to Jewish life, indeed there are threats, but we also see a lot of positive developments. (…) It is important to highlight the challenges, and to address them. This is what the upcoming strategy will do. But we also want to highlight and foster the vibrant and divers Jewish life in Europe.”

The event was organised by the Ministry of Forign Affairs of the State of Israel.

You can watch the full discussion on the 'IHRA - Definitions, Role and Status' here and on the 'Ensuring Continuity of Jewish Life in Europe' here.