In a full page published Monday in Belgian French-speaking daily La Libre, one of the country’s leading newspapers, the European Jewish Association (EJA), an umbrella group for various organisations providing support to Jewish communities, calls on the Belgian government for action on anti-Semitism following the May 24 deadly attack at the Jewish museum in Brussels.
''In the history of Europe, each time that murderous and violent anti-Semitism appears, it’s an advance warning of grave danger for the rest of society,’’ the EJA writes.
''Faced with an urgent and increasing awareness of the anti-Semitic and anti-democratic extremism that always go hand in hand, it is essential to react in a swift and appropriate manner.’’
The EJA, which calls for support to its initiative, urges the Belgian government, as well as the governments of all 27 other EU member states ‘’to put in place an official governmental body, under the supervision of the Prime Minister, to fight against anti-Semitism with all available means and tools at their disposal.’’
It also suggests that all Belgian schools integrate at least one hour a month of education of the Holocaust, anti-Semitism and all other forms of racism on their syllabus. ‘’To reinforce in their education programmes democratic values and a respect for all minorities.’’
Political leaders, journalists and other opinion formers are invited by EJA to make the population, and in particular school students, aware of the importance of solidarity and responsible citizenship.
‘’We would like to invite you to support our campaign by donating an hour of your time to speak in a school across Europe on the phenomenon of anti-Semitism and racism. Should you be interested in doing so, we will organize an assembly in a school at a time convenient for you,’’ says EJA’s Director General, Rabbi Menachem Margolin.