A Jewish leader urged European Jewry ‘’to stay in Europe’’ at a time when Jews are called to leave the continent out of fear for their security.

‘’Many voices call for Jews to leave Europe to go to Israel but we call them to stay here,’’ said Rabbi Menachem Margolin, General Director of the European Jewish Association (EJA), at a memorial ceremony for the victims of last month's terror attacks in Brussels.

On March 22, 32 people were killed and more than 300 injured in bombings at Brussels airport and at a metro station near the EU headquarters.

At the ceremony which paid tribute to the memory of the victims, religious leaders and political figures gathered together and send a message of dialogue to fight darkness.

‘’We call on European leaders to encourage their religious leaders to strengthen those who promote peace and respect,’’ said Rabbi Margolin.

Seven memorial candles were lit by assembled dignitaries, including European Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis and Belgian Interior and Security Minister Jan Jambon.

Rabbi Margolin also urged European governments to support religious activities in order to avoid funding of radicals from foreign countries and to demonstrate zero tolerance toward racism and incitement.

He denounced the embedded ideology behind these attacks which, he said, reveals a misinterpretation of religion, lack of investment in education and tolerance toward incitement ‘’that have deadly consequences.’’

The ceremony, which was co-hosted by the European Jewish Community Center (EJCC), opened with a moving video message from Walter Benjamin, who was severely injured in the attack at Brussels Airport.

‘’It’s highly time for the entire communities to reconnect and build bridges rather than walls. Building bridges only produces hatred,’’ was his message.

Also addressing the ceremony, Belgian Minister Jambon took the opportunity to ask all religious communities to fight together and stressed that ‘’terrorists cannot destroy our society.’’

‘’We have to protect our norms and values with everything we have got,’’ he added as he mentioned the fact that ‘’we have lived for too long in the illusion of the protected island where peace is self-evident.’’

‘’I call on all religious communities, all people who mean well towards the world, to fight together,’’ Jambon said.

For Safdi Redouan of the Platform of Flemish Imams, ‘’the virus called IS not only threatens non-Muslim communities but all mankind and perhaps mainly Muslims.’’ Rather than pointing the finger to the other we must move from exclusion to participation of the Muslim community.’’

‘’In order to insure our future, we need to act with firmness together with all religious and non-religious communities to defend the values of enlightened democracy,’’ concluded Philippe Markiewicz, President of the Jewish Consistory of Belgium.