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The MJLC is proud to share the superb contribution of the Chief Rabbi of Brussels, CER Representative to European Institutions in Brussels, and MJLC Member, Rabbi Albert Guigui during the dialogue seminar hosted by the EU Parliament with churches, religious, and philosophical organisations on raising awareness of disinformation and foreign interference.

The seminar can be viewed in its entirety at: https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/webstreaming/article-17-tfeu-dialogue-seminar-with-churches-religious-and-philosophical-organisations-on-the-impo_20240213-1300-SPECIAL-OTHER

The principles of freedom of religion are upheld inconsistently across various parts of Europe. So says Mufti Nedzad Grabus, Co-Chair of the Muslim Jewish Leadership Council (MJLC), and Mufti of Slovenia’s Islamic Community.  In theory, says the Mufti, every European can say that there is a law in their country that protects religious values.  Yet in practice, a look at countries like France (whose anti-separatism bill, critics say, is aimed at suppressing Islam) and Switzerland (whose population recently voted for a ban of face coverings in public, including those worn by Muslim women) has highlighted a growing schism between freedom of religion in principle and freedom of religion in practice.

Under the guise of defending European values, some nations are attacking Muslim culture (through “burqa bans”, circumcision bans and bans on ritual slaughter) and, in so doing, forsaking meaningful efforts to create cohesion among their increasingly diverse communities.  This results in two major issues that need urgent redress at the European level, says the Mufti.  The first is the problem of hate speech, which predominantly thrives online, against followers of minority European religions like Islam and Judaism. The second relates to limitations being placed on minorities who want to practice their religious beliefs.

It is no secret, says the Mufti, that across Europe, politicians have their own agendas for Muslims. “In some places, they actively work to support initiatives that counter hate speech, or protect freedom of religious expression. In other places, they choose to be blind to issues that disproportionately affect Islam, or other minority religions,” says Grabus.

According to the Mufti, a major part of the challenge is the underrepresentation of Muslims in mainstream society, a fact borne out by a 2020 study published by Cambridge University Press, which highlighted a disproportionally low representation of Muslim communities in Europe. “This is the reason behind the lack of Islamic perspectives in the types of repressive legislation now coming into force in some European countries”, says the Mufti. “Muslims need to be able to amplify their legislative voices. That is a crucial issue.  Because, in a number of European countries, they live in marginalized areas.  I don’t just mean physical marginalization.  It’s much broader than that. There are very few Muslim intellectuals contributing to the discussion on how to develop legislation that respects the rights of all people.”

The dearth of influential Muslim figures in academia, politics and culture in Europe, translates to low levels of representation for Muslim priorities in European legislation, adds Grabus.  And the only way this can be resolved is in partnership with stakeholders from Europe’s majority religion:  Christianity.  “We can’t address any serious religious rights issues in Europe without consulting with our Christian friends in the Catholic and Protestant Church.  We need their help.”

Icons like Yusuf Islam (the singer formerly known as “Cat Stevens”) and Mohammed Ali (the boxer formerly known as “Cassius Clay”) are often cited as models of how to translate global recognition into a greater understanding of Islam.  However, these conversions happened nearly half a century ago.  And the stars’ message of peaceful Islam has become much harder to recall than the present narrative of Islam as a security threat, propagated in parts of present-day Europe.  This has resulted in the religion of Islam being framed through the singular lens of a “security issue”. A disastrous narrative, says the Mufti, as it needlessly creates enmity amongst the very societal groups governments must harmonize, if they are to achieve social cohesion.

Minority religious groups – especially Islam – need to engage the right stakeholders, says Grabus.  The right partner is also one who can command an audience. Drawing an analogy between the standing of various religions with the geopolitical power of EU member states, the Mufti says,  “There are countries which, while they are part of the European Union, wield little to no influence.  And the reverse is also true.  When one of the major Western European powers makes a statement, everybody pays attention.  But if somebody from the eastern part of Europe makes a similar statement, or even says the same thing first – no one listens.”

This is not fair.  But, says the Mufti, such is life. “It is why we are very thankful to our colleagues from the Jewish side of the MJLC, and also to our Christian brothers.  The believers, not the politicians. Our partners in the MJLC and members of the Catholic and Protestant Churches have shown that they support dialogue, integration and understanding.”

The Mufti is skeptical of  politicians who center their rhetoric around claims of protecting Christian values, while advocating for practices antithetical to the teachings for that religion. “They say they want a revival of Christian values, yet they speak very negatively about others.  We have the same problem in Islam,” adds Grabus.  “There are those who claim to be Muslim, yet they misuse the religion for their own selfish purposes. The weaponization of religion, in any context, is very problematic.”

Education, says the Mufti, especially in schools, is the solution to the rising tension between followers of faith traditions and an increasingly secular European outlook that is pushing a growing body of legislation to curb religious freedoms. Last December, the European Court of Justice ruled that member states can do away with a religious exemption to ban killing without stunning – clearly interfering with the freedom of Muslims and Jews to manifest their religion through ritual slaughter practices.  “Education can  help us understand that tolerance and social harmony does not come from creating “inferior” and “superior” groups.  It can help us realize that, when we speak against the Other – against Jews, against Muslims, against black people, against different subjects…we create perceptions about the Other that actually lead to tragic consequences and deep divisions in  society.  For this reason, we need to redefine what is happening in European schools”

Mufti Grabus believes that Europe is still a place where people of different faiths can express their religion.  “But we need to be cautious about changing legislation,” he says.  “And singling out one religion for a restriction on their rights to act in accordance with their beliefs.” Looking ahead, the hope remains that all of Europe can learn to move beyond mere tolerance of the Other to a positive embracing of difference.  That is what will sustain authentic co-existence.

By Iris Jumbe

Religious hatred often begins in schools. On June 17, the Institute for Freedom of Faith and Security in Europe (IFFSE), initiated by the Conference of European Rabbis (CER), hosted a virtual meeting on how religious hatred can be countered in both schools and the educational sector.

In the online discussion of the Institute for Freedom of Faith & Security in Europe (IFFSE) moderated by the prestigious security expert Peter Neumann, from King’s College London, Co-Chair of the MJLC, President of the Conference of European Rabbis, Moscow’s Chief Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, spoke of a great shadow cast on Europe by religious hatred that is dangerous for society as a whole.

The Vice-President of the umbrella organisation of Jewish organisations in France (CRIF), Yonathan Arfi gave an insight into the situation in the French education sector. “Schools play a central role in the fight against religious hatred”, Arfi stressed. In recent years, however, many Jewish pupils in France have switched to private schools. The background is stigmatisation and attacks. Arfi also recalled the attacks carried out by Mohammed Merah, who killed three Jewish children, their teacher and three soldiers in Toulouse in 2012.

Marcus Scheff, CEO of impact-SE, an organisation that analyses schoolbooks and curricula for compliance with UNESCO-defined standards on peace and tolerance, underlined the power that textbooks hold. “They can serve to either increase the tolerance or intolerance of societies”. He looks with great concern at the Middle East region, especially at the Palestinian territories. “School books there are a blueprint for radicalisation and extremism”, he warned. Values to be taught such as moderation, tolerance and peace-making are completely absent from these textbooks. Even though there has been progress in the curricula in the region and these values are being taken up by some countries, such as Saudi Arabia, there are still negative examples, Scheff underlined. In Turkey for instance, under President Erdogan, a radicalisation of the curriculum is taking place in which jihad is glorified in schools and an aggressive neo-Ottomanism is taught as a central value. Iranian textbooks call for the demonisation of Jews and Israel and convey Iran’s hegemonic claim in the region.

Monika Hohlmeier, member of the European Parliament and former special rapporteur of the Committee on Terrorism, condemned the Palestinian Authority’s failure to act against incitement in textbooks and insisted that educators receiving EU-funds abide by UNESCO standards against hate. She called on the EU’s executive body to ensure funds promote peace and tolerance in schools. “It has to be ensured that all third entities only use Union funds to provide for textbooks and teaching material that reflect common values and fully comply with UNESCO standards promoting peace, tolerance and co-existence in school education”. She emphasised that teaching tolerance should be a priority for every European government, and that no government should allow this vital task to be “outsourced” to third countries.

Yonathan Arfi illustrated how important it is to overcome stereotypical narratives and also to convey historical contexts correctly, using the example of how the Holocaust is addressed in French schools. Teachers often reported that they encountered protests from pupils during lessons on the Holocaust, Arfi explained. Many students had the impression that enough is enough with the memory of Nazi crimes. “But there is a need for exchange, also about the commemoration of historical events,” he warned. Moreover, Jews are often treated only as victims; their positive contributions to French and European culture are rarely a topic at schools.

In general, the issue of hate and false narratives in the educational sector continues to be underestimated. It requires an urgent change of course across the education sector and more engagement.

Peter Rosengard, who founded and chairs Since 9/11, a UK charity which teaches students about the events, causes, and consequences of 9/11, demanded that teaching tolerance and harmony, respect and peaceful coexistence should be the basis of any curriculum. “Just as we are currently vaccinating the world against Covid-19, we must also vaccinate the world against hatred”, he said.

“The most important goal of school education must be to convey a sense of complexity to reconquer lost territories in schools”, Yonathan Arfi pointed out. This also applies to current topics such as the Middle East conflict.

“Education is a crucial key, because everything in life is shaped by the impressions and experiences one gathers as a child”, Chief Rabbi Goldschmidt said. “At the same time, it must be ensured that religious education does not hurt any child, but takes other faiths into account”. The President of the Conference of European Rabbis called also for a better education of religious leaders. “Hate and false narratives increase the danger of growing extremism and terrorism. Therefore, not only students but also religious leaders must be taught the fundamental principles and values of Europe”, he underlined.

END

About the MJLC

The Muslim Jewish Leadership Council – Europe (MJLC) is a leading voice for interfaith dialogue in Europe.  Founded in 2016, in response to a rising tide of populism and xenophobia in Europe, including islamophobia and antisemitism, the Council is made up of nearly 40 leaders and lay representatives of Europe’s Muslim and Jewish communities.  Together, they consult on, and coordinate, interreligious activities at European level in order to encourage trust between followers of the Jewsh and Muslim faiths, and to foster an appreciation for the differences among European citizens.

For media enquiries: office@mjlc-europe.org

The Muslim Jewish Leadership Council – Europe (MJLC) today issued the following statement on the vandalism of three Muslim graves in Domžale cemetery, Slovenia, where red liquid was poured over the graves and pieces of meat placed on them. 

“As an organization that was formed to jointly promote and protect the shared rights of Jewish and Muslim communities in Europe, the MJLC is disgusted and horrified by the Islamophobic vandalism that took place over the weekend at Domžale Cemetery, in Slovenia, where grave sites were desecrated with red liquid and pieces of meat.  Such acts are an insult to those who are buried there and an attack on Slovenia’s Muslim community.   We condemn, in the strongest terms, this hateful action, and urge the Slovenian police to undertake urgent efforts to preserve and protect the sanctity of this cemetery, and other sites of key importance to Muslim heritage.

We hope the person(s) responsible are found swiftly and brought to justice.  And we stand in solidarity with our Muslim brothers and sisters, in the face of  this disturbing apparent act of bigotry.  It is an affront to the entire Slovenian society and to people of good will everywhere.”

By Imam Sheikh Mohammad Ismail DL
The Muslim Chaplain
The University of Sheffield, UK

The Muslim community and the Jewish community lived side by side in Europe for a very long time. The greatest example of the prosperity and active role of the Jewish community was under the Muslim rule in Spain. The signs of such wonderful coexistence are still preserved to this day. This cohabitation was for the betterment of all mankind as the Jewish community heavily contributed to the education and development and they were highly respected as a community of knowledge and noble scholarship. Later, Jews who left Spain a large number of them moved to the West African Muslim majority countries such as Morocco, Tunisia and many other neighbouring countries. They lived and cohabited for centuries and some still do to this day with peace and prosperity. In the recent history, in 1940 when Nazi Germany Racist leadership, started targeting Jews and discriminating against them, stolen their wealth, committed ethnic cleansing and finally 6 million human beings were brutally killed just because they were Jews. At that difficult time, Balkan Muslims supported the Jewish community. Albania a majority Muslim country provided refuge and secure home for thousands of Jews.

Since the rise of the numbers of Muslim community in Europe, we have seen tremendous increase in Racism, Islamophobia and anti-Semitism. In fact, we have recently seen that right wing and left wing both targeting Jewish and Muslim communities. Demanding the removal and banning of their basic human rights. One such recent example is a Belgium court judgment on banning the slaughter of Kosher and Halal. See the detail in the articles:

• https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-55344971
• https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/courts-absurd-bid-to-define-shechita-for-jewish-communities-in-europe
• https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/europe/belgium-s-ban-on-halal-meat-preparation-upheld-by-eu-court-1.1130850

There are many more examples of discriminations, attacks on places of worship and businesses, racist graffities on greaves and walls. Attacks on Muslim women and elderly is a daily routine in some areas. Some regions demanding a ban on boys’ circumcision.
As a result of this very worrying situation developing, in 2016 KAICIID came forward and supported both communities to establish good working relationship so both communities can work and support each other in the current situation. I am very proud to be part of this excellent community project. An organisation of European Muslim and Jewish Leaders Council was set up MJLC. Since that time, the organisation slowly and gradually working to address the most needed issues in different ways as well as standing united against racism, Islamophobia and Anti-Semitism as well as extremism.

As a result for the first time COREIS and Bosnian Muslims Association in Italy organise an international event to mark the International Holocaust Remembrance Day on 24th January 2021. I am grateful that I was invited to speak on behalf of EULEMA about my role in MJLC.

We remember this day to remind ourselves and the world the terrible crimes against humanity were committed when 6 million innocent people were killed because of their religion.

On 27th January 1945 Auschwitz was liberated. The UN and whole world declared that no genocide will take place anywhere, no ethnic cleansing will take place and all religious practices will be freely allowed and respected.

Sadly, we saw the genocide of the Bosnian Muslims on the European Soil and it continues elsewhere. We need to stand in solidarity with each other to stop such crimes against humanity.

Jewish and Muslim communities in today’s Europe are faced with racism, Antisemitism and Islamophobia as well as discriminatory laws.

We ask all political parties in Europe to think carefully and please do not repeat 1940s mistakes again. It is incredibly sad to see that there are some elements in European politics who are silent about Racism, Islamophobia, Antisemitism and all forms of discriminations. We demand that the European institutions ignore the right wing and left-wing lobbies and show respect to religious and cultural rights of Muslim and Jewish communities as well as other minorities. I am proud of The United Kingdom Government which has allowed all religious rights to be respected and accommodated within the legal framework.

I ask every free mind person to stand united against all forms of discrimination to support our communities.

(Imam Sheikh) Mohammad Ismail DL
The Muslim Chaplain
The University of Sheffield, The Octagon Centre
Sheffield S10 2TQ. 01142229752
University of Sheffield The Chaplaincy Centre
The Muslim Chaplain
Our University

COREIS (Islamic Religious Community) in Italy and CIBI (Islamic Community of Bosniaks in Italy) held a webinar in honour of the victims of the Jewish families, to commemorate the liberation of the Jewish community in Europe from hatred, discrimination, persecution, violence and to renew the sacred values of brotherhood that are implemented when respect for religious symbols and traditions are shared in peace and justice.

Sunday January 24th 2021
from 4 pm CET to 6 pm
facebook.com/coreis.giovani
COREIS Italian Muslim Youth

Watch the video

Programme

Vice President Roberta Metsola, European Parliament

Excellency Faisal Bin Muammar, KAICIID Secretary General

Dermana Seta, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, President CER European Rabbinical Council, MJLC co-President

Mufti Nedzad Grabus, Mufti of Slovenia, MJLC co-President

Rabbi David Rosen, KAICIID Board of Directors

President Nermin Fazlagic, CIBI

President Noemi Di Segni, UCEI

Shaykh Muhammad Ismail, EULEMA United Kingdom

Rabbi Lody Van de Kamp, The Netherlands

President Senaid Kobilica, Norway

Hazan Igor Kozenjakin, Bosnia

Imam Ahmet Tabakovic, Italy

The ruling of the European Court of Justice on 17 December last on the prohibition of non-pre-stunned slaughter in Flanders and Wallonia. (Halal/Kosher).

The date is 9 November 2020. The European Jewish community commemorates tonight the “Kristallnacht”, the indescribable events which took place on this date in 1938 in Nazi-Germany. That night, hundreds of synagogues were set on fire and thousands of Jewish owned shops and businesses were looted and destroyed. Many Jews were arrested and sent to concentration camps. The exact number of fatal victims caused by that brutal violence has never been confirmed.

During the commemoration service the first Vice-President of the European Union Frans Timmermans addresses the Dutch Jewish community. “Without a Jewish community, Europe is no longer Europe.” These are words similar to the ones of the French President Hollande a few years ago after another anti-Semitic incident at a Jewish cemetery in his country: “I know the feeling of fear that prevails among the Jewish people. But our Republic is stronger than hatred. Anyone guilty of anti-Semitism or racism will be relentlessly tracked down, arrested and convicted”.

Barely a month after the speech of European Commissioner Timmermans, his European Court of Justice rules on December 17. “The ban on kosher and halal slaughter in Flanders and Wallonia, parts of the European Union, is not in conflict with religious freedom within Europe. This ruling gives rise to the possibility for all Member States throughout the European Union to ban ritual slaughter”.

During the same Kristallnacht commemoration in which Frans Timmermans speaks, the Protestant Church of the Netherlands “confesses publicly guilt about its role during the Second World War towards the Jewish community. “We fell short in speaking and being silent, in acting, in attitude and in thought.”

Just four weeks after Timmerman’s words and the church’s confession of

guilt, the European court is stretching out a helping hand to its member states to seriously obstruct the Jewish community in performing its religious duties, this time by banning the act of kosher slaughter.

A duty that should be fulfilled by virtue of the Jewish religious legislation. In the same way, this obstruction also applies to the Islamic community in Europe.

Apparently this infringement of religious freedom for the Islamic and Jewish faiths does not seem to concern other religious communities in Europe very much. The commotion about the church’s confession had not subsided yet, and once again the church “falls short in speaking and keeps silent in acting, attitude and thought”.

The church does not react on the religious restrictions that befall Muslims and Jews, this time in a united Europe.

Frans Timmermans calls out that “A Europe without a Jewish community is not Europe”. About such a Europe Mr. Timmermans does not have to worry. There will be no Europe without Jews. Jews are Europeans. We Jews have been for almost two thousand years European residents and will continue to be so. Our communities will not relocate for just a steak or meat ball.

What will be the result of this kind of interpretation by the European Court of Justice of the fundamental rights such as the right to religious ideology, is a Europe where “freedom of religion” has no meaning.

And this will not only be applicable to Judaism and Islam, but for Christianity and any other religion or conviction as well.

This ban is not about animal welfare, this is not about equating animal rights with human rights. It is about the exclusion, discrimination, and doing injustice towards entire communities within our European society. Once again, Jews and Muslims are portrayed as citizens whose “barbaric customs” and religious beliefs are still lingering on somewhere in the dark Middle Ages while the rest of Europe boosts proudly about its 21st century civilization.

In the Netherlands, the Party for the Animals has already prepared its new parliamentary bill to ban kosher and halal slaughter. The Dutch Islamic and Jewish communities have not forgotten how, just a few years ago, they were abandoned by a large majority in Parliament during an earlier attempt to ban the religious acts of slaughter. A repetition of this is certainly not ruled out with this judgment of the European Court.

For our communities, this means that we would have to obtain our meat in a different way. For the rest of Europe, it means an irreparable damage to its dignity when freedom of religion is being applied in this way. It presents an irreversible step towards a polarizing and discriminatory Europe which is in strong contradiction to the reason why European countries committed themselves to a United Europe after the tragedies of the Second World War.

While I am writing these words, an email comes in from the European Coordinator on combatting Anti-Semitism. This message briefly informs the Jewish community that the Handbook for Using the New Definitions of Anti-Semitism has been published. This handbook was commissioned by the European Commission together with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) with the support of the German Presidency of the European Union.

This letter is accompanied by a statement from Margaritas Schinas, a colleague of Frans Timmermans, also Vice President of the European Union. Mr. Schinas tells us Jews that “We must fight anti-Semitism wherever we come across it. Jewish life is part of our society and we are committed to protecting it ”.

In other words: The European Court of Justice creates the possibility for the anti-Jewish measure of banning ritual slaughter in all the member states of the European Union.

At the same time, the two vice-presidents of the Union are speaking out against any form of anti-Semitism within European society. “Jewish life is part of our society”.

I assume that these two leaders in the European Union, if they are really committed to what they are saying, would now be heading for Luxembourg. There they will demand from their own Court of Justice that this ruling on ritual slaughter must immediately be dismissed.

Mr. Frans Timmermans and Mr. Margaritas Schinas are committed to do so in order to save their own credibility. And at the same time, they must demonstrate that our European civilization will not accept this gross violation of fundamental rights of freedom of religion.

This is the English translation of an article published by Rabbi Lody B. van de Kamp (Amsterdam) which was published on the 12^th January 2021 in the Dutch Magazine Nieuw Wij.

https://www.nieuwwij.nl/opinie/beperking-fundamentele-rechten-is-onacceptabel/

“Nieuw Wij, New We” is a online platform that aims to connect cultures, religions, philosophies and individual citizens.

Synagogue Tree of Life during the Shabbat-services
27th October 2018

Words can not express our feelings of sorrow and sadness about this horrifying attack against humanity.

An attack on a place of Divine worship is an attack on all places of worship.

This heinous hate crime perpetrated against peaceful worshippers in a synagogue in Pittsburg, USA, reminds us that hate speech and vilification of Minorities and immigrants bring with them disastrous consequences.

The European Muslim Jewish Leadership Council (MJLC) prays to the Lord Above to strengthen our respective communities in their struggle of bringing a true peace and prosperity for our own communities and far beyond. This as a shining example in our fight to protect the rights of all minorities in our world.

Vienna, 28^th October 2018 / 17 Safar 1440  / 18 Marchesvan 5779