Europe trembles, Jews take stock
Europe: A place you can die for just being Jewish
At the EJA summit in Madrid, Jewish leaders demanded urgent action against antisemitism, warning that democratic values are at stake across Europe.



In Madrid, over 150 Jewish leaders gathered for the European Jewish Association (EJA) conference. They issued a serious warning to Europe’s governments: curb the rising tide of antisemitism or risk the erosion of democratic values. The summit, themed “Build or Leave? The Moment of Truth for European Jewry,” focused on the growing hostility toward Jews on streets, campuses, and in politics, coupled with institutional inaction.
“Europe has once again become a place where you can die just for being Jewish,” said Manuel Valls, former French Prime Minister, calling the crisis a “war for the soul of the continent.” Rabbi Menachem Margolin, EJA chairman, accused leaders of ignoring blatant hatred. “We’re not asking: we’re demanding our rights,” he declared.
A new EJA-Ipsos survey of 4,400 Europeans revealed chilling trends: 28% of young people encounter antisemitic rhetoric masked as activism, 65% link worsened attitudes to the Middle East conflict, and 20.4% blame local Jews for the war. Nearly half (49.3%) say media coverage encourages antisemitism.
The conference adopted a six-point plan, demanding a legally binding antisemitism definition, public tolerance campaigns, and accountability in academia. It also called for recognizing campus radicalization as a security threat and establishing a Jewish task force to coordinate legal and political efforts.
“Antisemitism is a symptom of a society’s illness,” said British author Douglas Murray. “Any society sheltering antisemites will crumble.” As Europe’s Jewish communities brace for an uncertain future, their message is clear: silence is complicity. But will anyone listen?
Ynet contributed to this article.
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