Rabbi Moshe Lewin, Vice President of the Conference of European Rabbis, special advisor to the Chief Rabbi of France and Rabbi of Lorraine, has emphasised the need for resilience and unity in the face of the growing challenges facing the Jewish community in Europe.
The Rabbi was visiting Amsterdam as part of a delegation including French and Belgian imams, led by Imam Hassan Jallumi, President of the Conference of Imams of France. The delegation came to Amsterdam to condemn recent violent antisemitic attacks against Israelis. During their visit, the delegation toured the Anne Frank House and sent a clear message: “We cannot tolerate such displays of hatred and violence.”
Rabbi Lewin cited data in a new report by the National Coordination for Combating Antisemitism showing that, since October 7, more than 96 per cent of European Jews have reported encountering antisemitism in their daily lives.
Additionally, he quoted findings from the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (EUFRA), which reported a 400 per cent increase in antisemitic activity since the conflict in Gaza.
“Antisemitism in Europe is on the rise,” Rabbi Lewin said, “but personally, I have not encountered incidents in Paris. Antisemitism is not exclusive to Europe. It exists in the US and elsewhere in the world.”
Rabbi Lewin said he remains confident in the strength of the Jewish community in Europe and believes it can continue to thrive, despite the escalating challenges.
Rabbi Lewin also spoke positively about Azerbaijan, describing it as “a country that loves Israel. Azerbaijan stands with Israel and joins us in combating antisemitism and incitement, despite its predominantly Muslim population,” he noted. According to Rabbi Lewin, the partnership between Israel and Azerbaijan offers a positive model of cooperation between Muslim-majority countries and both Israel and the Jewish diaspora.
But he was critical of the relationship between the French government and Israel. “I believe the French government’s hostility towards Israel is driven by personal reasons against the current Prime Minister,” he explained. He added that left-wing factions in France had recently requested the government ban Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering the country. Smotrich had been expected to attend a gala event this week but ultimately canceled his participation.
Rabbi Lewin lamented a low point in Israel-France relations and expressed regret that personal disagreements between leaders are impacting diplomatic ties. “It’s unfortunate when leaders choose a hostile approach towards Israel solely due to disagreements with its Prime Minister,” he stated.