At the Jewish Community Center in Lyon, France, two weeks ago, the meeting of the Standing Committee of the Conference of European Rabbis took place. Dozens of chief rabbis, heads of rabbinical courts, and judges from most European countries gathered under the leadership of the conference's president, Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, and the chairman of the standing committee, Rabbi Menachem Gelley, to discuss various issues concerning Jewish communities in Europe.
Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, in his opening remarks, stated, "The member states of the European Union need to talk less and do more to protect the Jews of Europe." He provided a comprehensive review of the conference's activities with EU institutions and member governments and the manifesto published by the conference ahead of the EU elections, urging European leaders to commit to combating antisemitism with renewed vigor and determination.In a conversation with Maariv, Rabbi Goldschmidt added that the conference was very successful and that the topics discussed would immediately begin to be addressed. He also emphasized the need to pressure various governments to recognize the Iranian government as terrorists, stating, "They finance protests worldwide, and we must boycott them for the safety of European Jews."
One significant initiative announced at the Conference of European Rabbis was a groundbreaking plan to assist community rabbis across the continent. The conference will provide a package of religious services worth thousands of euros to participating communities. According to the plan, the conference will send expert rabbis in areas such as mikveh inspection, Jewish status verification, organizing lectures, and more. Communities will 'purchase' this package in exchange for a regular subscription to receive ongoing community services.
Rabbi Aharon Shmuel Baskin, the conference's secretary-general and head of the community development department, presented the biennial report to the standing committee. He stated that the conference had held and operated 26 programs, activities, courses, and meetings through its Munich headquarters.
These included rabbinical studies, a third cycle of the rabbinical training program, a program for rabbis' wives, a program for graduates of the rabbis' wives program, training mikveh attendants in Hebrew and English, family and Jewish home training courses and seminars, a pilot school for rabbis' children, kosher certification courses in Hebrew, English, and Russian, a Chevra Kadisha course, participation in the Bible quiz in Germany, and more.
The conference also held a program for graduates of the rabbinical training program, a course for wedding officiants, a mediation course, a coaching workshop for rabbis, an ambassador training seminar as part of the Jewish Ambassadors program, a pre-Shavuot study evening, and numerous Torah, philosophy, and thought classes available to communities. They also offered matchmaker training and a European matchmaking system.
Importance of the conference
In a conversation with Maariv, Rabbi Baskin emphasized the importance of empowering rabbis and teaching them leadership. "Most rabbis participate based on intuition, but to grow, we need to connect with management colleges and teach leadership," he said. Rabbi Mordechai Zolt, the chief military rabbi of Germany, shared with Maariv that the military is the only unit in Germany without hatred toward Israel. "Soldiers and officers understand what Israel is going through due to military discipline and support Israel," he said, noting the sharp increase in Jewish soldiers in the German army and the need to assist them. "I came here to discuss our work to help and advance Jews in Germany," he added.
Rabbi Avichai Apel, the rabbi of Frankfurt, told Maariv, "The community is very active, and we see this in our cooperative work. We face challenges in education, assimilation, and recently, antisemitism. Despite the city's ban on protests, we see problems everywhere, leading to a trust crisis among community members." Professor Solomon Koren, a prominent community member, told Rabbi Apel, "We used to feel safe in Frankfurt, but now we need to be cautious." Rabbi Apel noted that attending the conference gave him the strength and support to continue his work for the Jews of Frankfurt and Germany in general.
Rabbi Yosef Dweck, the chief Sephardic rabbi of London, told Maariv that their challenges involve connecting with the youth, embracing the modern world while preserving tradition, and working together with rabbis to gain tools to help. "The Conference of European Rabbis provides strength to tackle issues like antisemitism and various problems in the Jewish world," he said.
Rabbi Menachem Gelley, chairman of the standing committee of the Conference of European Rabbis, added in a conversation with Maariv, "The conference's role is essential, providing a place for the rabbinate to raise current issues and discuss together how to continue with Jewish tradition amid today's challenges. Whether it's antisemitic problems or bans on kosher slaughter or circumcision, together we are a force that can bring important issues to the forefront and change laws by explaining why these things are important to the Jewish people."
In the afternoon, the rabbis visited the special Jewish Museum located in the Lyon community center. The museum educates non-Jewish school students about Judaism and its commandments, aiming to foster friendly relations with Jewish communities. The museum receives around 3,000 young visitors annually and includes a VR room that explains the Sabbath. The head of the president's office, Mr. Gadi Gronich, said that the museum would host the Bavarian Minister of Culture next month and work to replicate a similar model in Munich and across Europe.A museum volunteer shared with Maariv that although she is not Jewish, volunteering there has given her knowledge and understanding of what happens to Jews worldwide and in Israel. "I think my perspective on Jews and Israelis has changed since I started volunteering here, and it's important for people to come and learn what it means to be Jewish," she said.