“Anti-Semitism across Europe is rising and needs to be dealt with and fought against decisively,’’ said EU foreign policy chief and European Commission Vice-President Federica Mogherini who hosted the annual Chanukah event organized Wednesday in Brussels by the European Jewish Community Center (EJCC).
The event, led by Avi and Nechama Tawil for the ninth consecutive year, took took place at the Berlaymont building, the premises of the European Commission.
Mogherini, who arrived from Kiev where she held talk with the Ukrainian leaders, said she was very happy to participate in the traditional lighting of the Menorah, called Chanukiah, a nine-branched candelabrum lit during the eight-day Jewsh holiday.
In her warm address, she wished the European Jewish community as well as Jews in Israel and elsewher a ‘’Happy Chanukah’’.
During the ceremony, Rabbi Menachem Margolin, Director General of the European Jewish Association (EJA), stated that: "During Chanukah, we celebrate the triumph of light over darkness. However, the world we live in can become very dark when even the European Court of Justice makes a decision to remove Hamas from the terror organization blacklist. We will use the next couple of months in order to demonstrate the true nature of Hamas to EU officials as well as the entire world."
In closing the event, Mogherini told Rabbi Margolin of the decision made by European Union General Court to remove Hamas from the EU list of terror groups, that the Islamist group should stay on the list and although she cannot do anything to address what is a procedural issue, she understands the sensitivity and the importance of the matter and therefore wanted to express her opinion.
EJJC Director Rabbi Avi Tawill thanked Mogherini for hosting the event and said: "A strong and united EU is one of the best ways of promoting the wellbeing of the Jewish community and all other communities across Europe.
The EJCC, which is a member of the EJA umbrella group, promotes Jewish culture within the European multicultural project.