European Jewish Association

14/10/2026

Dear Katharina,

You have stood beside Jewish communities through some of our darkest days. When fear and grief weighed heavily on us, your solidarity reminded us that we were not alone.

There is a Jewish teaching that “a little light dispels much darkness.” Through your compassion, your courage and your determination, you have helped bring that light when it was needed most.

For nearly eleven years, you have listened to our concerns, spoken up for our safety and worked tirelessly for a Europe where Jewish life can flourish. Your commitment has meant so much to so many.

From all of us at the European Jewish Association, thank you for standing with us, and for putting that solidarity into action.

As you prepare to become Germany’s Federal Government Commissioner for Jewish Life and the Fight against Antisemitism, we warmly congratulate you and wish you every success.

Our gratitude and friendship will follow you from Brussels to Berlin.

14/10/2026

On 14 October 1943, Jewish prisoners rose up at Sobibor, a N**i killing centre in German-occupied Poland.

Around 300 prisoners escaped. Only about 50 survived the war.

Today, 83 years later, EJA honours those who resisted against overwhelming odds and remembers the at least 167,000 people murdered at Sobibor.

Behind every number was a person. A child, a parent, a loved one. A life brutally taken.

Remembering the Shoah also means remembering Jewish resistance, courage and dignity. At Sobibor, prisoners fought for a chance to live. We have a responsibility to preserve their stories and pass them on.

May the memory of the victims be a blessing.

Historical source and photographs: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Individual photo credits appear in the carousel.

13/10/2026

13/10/2026

Stockholm 1. Oslo 0.

In Stockholm, Robert E. Hall and Michael Woodford have been recognised for research that helps policymakers respond to economic shocks. Behind inflation figures and economic models are families trying to make ends meet. Their work deserves celebration.

In Oslo, the decision to award the Peace Prize to Navi Pillay raises profoundly troubling questions.

In 2022, her fellow UN commissioner Miloon Kothari invoked the “Jewish lobby” when discussing control of social media. Pillay defended him, arguing that his remarks had been misrepresented. For EJA, that response fell far short of the unequivocal rejection such rhetoric demands.

Now Hamas, the terrorist organisation responsible for the October 7 massacre, has welcomed her Nobel award. Its applause should give the committee serious pause.

A Peace Prize carries a responsibility: to uphold human dignity consistently, confront prejudice and recognise the suffering of all victims.

Jewish communities deserve those same principles, without exceptions or double standards.

We congratulate Hall and Woodford. And we call on the Norwegian Nobel Committee to confront the concerns surrounding its choice.

Jewish lives, Jewish safety and Jewish dignity cannot be an afterthought.

13/10/2026

Some say Europe has already lost the fight against antisemitism.
I refuse to accept that.
Every week I sit with ministers, mayors and police chiefs who want to act — and many do.
Yes, the numbers are alarming. Yes, too many Jews hide their kippah.
But giving up is exactly what the haters want.
We don't need despair. We need laws enforced, schools that teach, and leaders who stand up — before, not after, the next attack.
Europe without Jews is not Europe. We are staying, and we will keep fighting.

12/10/2026

An important visit. A shared commitment to fighting extremism.

EJA was delighted to welcome Imam Hassen Chalghoumi to Brussels, where he came to register a new association: the Conference of European Imams.

We welcomed the opportunity to hear about this initiative and its mission to combat extremism. Cooperation between our communities is essential to confronting hatred and building a safer future.

We look forward to working with the Conference of European Imams very soon.

12/10/2026

Standing together when it matters most.

At a recent Christians for Israel gathering, EJA Special Envoy and Belgian MP Michael Freilich expressed his gratitude for the organisation’s unwavering solidarity with Jewish communities.

“Difficult times show you who your real friends are. While many shy away, you have never wavered in your public support. That means the world to us.”

EJA Ambassador Ralph Pais was also present at the gathering.

At a time when Jewish communities across Europe face growing challenges, meaningful partnerships and steadfast friendships are more important than ever.

The European Jewish Association deeply values those who continue to stand alongside Jewish communities, not only in words, but through their actions.

Solidarity is most meaningful when it remains strong in difficult times.

11/10/2026

THIS WEEK IN JEWISH EUROPE
5–11 October 2026

A week of remembrance, growing concerns for Jewish safety, and demands for institutional accountability.

🇬🇧 UNITED KINGDOM
New JPR research highlights the anxiety affecting British Jewish communities. Jewish people must be able to live openly, practise their faith and participate in public life without fear.

🕯️ 7 OCTOBER
Three years after the Hamas massacre, we remember those murdered and stand with survivors and families. Remembrance demands a continued commitment to confronting antisemitism and the glorification of terrorism.

🇪🇺 EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
Calls for an EU strategy against Islamist entryism put institutional vigilance and funding scrutiny on the agenda. Protecting democratic values requires transparency and action.

NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
EJA condemns the decision to award Navi Pillay the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, given her record on Israel. International institutions must uphold impartiality and equal standards. Jewish concerns deserve serious consideration.

🇧🇪 BRUSSELS
Footage supplied to EJA shows “Intifada” chants at a march on 10 October. Such rhetoric cannot be divorced from the history of violence that makes it deeply threatening to Jewish communities.

Our message is clear: Jewish life in Europe must be safe, visible and free.

Swipe through this week’s stories and share.

09/10/2026

Seven years ago, on 9 October 2019, a far-right terrorist attempted to force his way into the synagogue in Halle, Germany, while worshippers gathered for Yom Kippur.

The synagogue door held. Fifty-two people inside survived.

The attacker murdered Jana Lange outside the synagogue and Kevin Schwarze at a nearby kebab restaurant. Others were injured, and survivors continue to carry the trauma.

Today, we remember Jana and Kevin. We stand with the survivors, their families and the Jewish community of Halle.

Jewish communities’ safety must never depend on a door holding against a gunman.

Remembrance demands action: effective protection, accountability and an unwavering response to antisemitism and extremist hatred.

Jewish life in Europe must be safe, visible and free.

08/10/2026

October 7, 2026. Dam Square, Amsterdam.
On the anniversary of the massacre, in front of the National Monument to the victims of WWII: "WE SUPPORT HAMAS".
Hamas is on the EU terrorist list. Open support for it, on this day and at this monument, is not "freedom of expression".
The Netherlands cannot look away.
European Jewish Association
Roberta Metsola Rob Jetten - Minister-president Rob Jetten
—
7 oktober 2026, de Dam in Amsterdam. Op de verjaardag van het bloedbad, bij het Nationaal Monument: "WE SUPPORT HAMAS". Hamas staat op de EU-terrorismelijst. Openlijke steun aan Hamas is geen vrijheid van meningsuiting. Nederland mag niet wegkijken.
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