The Rabbinical Centre of Europe (RCE) will on Monday hold an event at the European Parliament discussing the future of the Jewish community in Europe.
The event titled "Is Multiculturalism Sustainable in Twenty-First Century Europe?" will be addressed by Rabbi Yonah Metzger, Chief Rabbi of Israel and Jan Truszczynski, Director General for Education and Culture at the European Commission.
The discussions will be held under the patronage of Jerzy Buzek, President of the European Parliament.
The issues that will be discussed pertain to the future of European Jewry as a result of the rise of anti-Semitism, especially from Moslem extremists, and the attempts to ban or curtail Jewish practices like Shechitah or Jewish ritual slaughter.
"There are many current threats to the future of European Jewry and unfortunately few have identified the root causes," said Rabbi Arye Goldberg, Deputy Director of the RCE. "It is vital that we hold consultations on these matters in the presence of the European political leadership."
The event will be attended by MEPs, over 100 rabbis, lay leaders of the Jewish community and Israel’s Minister of Religious Affairs, Yaakov Margi.
"There is cause for alarm and it is incumbent on European rabbis to be at the forefront of this battle," Rabbi Goldberg continued.
"The debate surrounding multiculturalism in Europe is perhaps a crisis of identity on the continent. As religious and identifiable Jews, rabbis need to make their voices heard both within the community and in wider society on these vital issues."
The event will also mark the 10th anniversary since the founding of the Rabbinical Centre of Europe, an organization representing over 700 European religious leaders dedicated to meeting the needs of Jewish communities in Europe.