Is Jewish life viable in Europe today?

Admin June 9, 2016

Historic adoption of definition of anti-Semitism, first proposed by SWC's Mark Weitzman, and now adopted by international bodywill force European countries to confront the growing crisis head-on

Decades after the defeat of Nazi Germany, anti-Semitism is resurgent across much of Europe. This upsurge of anti-Semitism, together with the continuing

threat of Islamist terrorism, andthe spread of Holocaust denial and trivialization, are finally forcing European leaders to acknowledge the crisis. “If there’s no future for Jews in Europe, there’s nofuture for Europe” said Frans Timmermans, First Vice President of the European Commission.

But now there is a small but important ray of hope.

Just last week there was a major breakthrough. Thirty-one mostly European countries officially adopted a working definition ofanti-Semitism declaring, “Anti-Semitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.

Photo: Mark Weitzman with IHRA Chair, Romanian Ambassador Mihnea Constantinescu

Simple words but words adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) with the goal of getting politicians to act against hatred of Jews and toensure that the Memory of the Shoah is preserved and protected.

Policy experts and diplomats seen gathered at the IHRA Plenary in Bucharest in May 2016, where a working definition of antisemitism wasadopted. Photo: IHRA

SWC Director of Government Affairs, Mark Weitzman, Chair of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliances' Committee on Antisemitism and Holocaust Denial told mediaoutlets after the vote, “Persuading so many countries to agree on the definition … was an extremely significant step in trying to deal withanti-Semitism.”

But, this is just the beginning. The Center will push for the resolution’s adoption at the OSCE, at the European Union, to demand that the signatories take concretesteps against anti-Semitism. We will continue to combat anti-Semitism from the halls of the United Nations, of Congress and the Parliaments of the world and standsteadfast with our Jewish students on our nation’s university campuses.

We have alwayscounted on your support to be able to to tackle these critical issues at home and abroad. In today’s changing and challenging climate, we need your continuing generoussupport.

Thank you

1 min read

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