Top rabbi: Brexit bad for us
THE PRESIDENT of the Conference of European Rabbis (CER) has spoken of his regret at Britain’s decision to leave the European Union, saying it has “made life more difficult” for Jews in mainland Europe.
Speaking at the CER’s biennial convention in Amsterdam earlier this month, Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, who is also the Chief Rabbi of Moscow, told the JC: “One voice which was a very strong voice for religious freedom in a very secular Europe was the voice of the United Kingdom.
“Today, after Brexit, that voice is not being heard any more inside Europe, which I also think is having a negative impact on freedom of religion issues in Europe,” he said.
“Maybe for Britain it’s better, but for us in Europe it has made life more difficult.”
Other prominent rabbis at the event discussed elections in their own countries. In reference to the Austrian presidential elections last year, Rabbi
Arie Folger, Chief Rabbi of Vienna, said: “We suspected that a not insignificant number of the members of the Jewish community were considering to vote for the far-right candidate.” He said this was due to “concerns regarding rising Muslim antisemitism”. Austrian Jewish leaders considered that a massive mistake.
The fact the election was close run meant that “suddenly our few thousand votes mattered.
“The community went out and we campaigned [for the left-wing candidate Alexander Van der Bellen].
“It had never happened that the Jewish community came out with an official statement supporting a candidate. In this case, we felt it was too foolish to fall into the trap [of the far right].” Rabbi Folger referred to Mr Van der Bellen, who won the election, as “a wonderful person who truly understands the depth and breadth of antisemitism, having publicly recognised that 20th-century antisemitism predated the Nazis by many years in Austria, too.”
Rabbi Haim Korsia, the Chief Rabbi of France, discussed the presidential election in France earlier this month. “Amidst the simcha we cannot forget the threat of a dark future,” he said.
“Thirty-four per cent of people voted for Marine Le Pen, the Front Nationale, 12 million didn’t vote, and over three million [spoiled their ballots].
“This vote was a question of values — which France we want. We don’t want France to be very little, we want France to dream. The National Front proposed to close the door, a ‘Frexit’ from our values of liberation and freedom.”