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MJLC Statement on the Ambassadors Programme

We, the Muslim Jewish Leadership Council – Europe are delighted to announce that the MJLC Ambassadors have finalised their project proposals and have begun work on their projects which will bring the Muslim and Jewish communities in Warsaw, Frankfurt, London, and Spain closer together.

The MJLC Ambassadors Programme is intended to build up a network of young European leaders from the Jewish and Muslim faiths who share enthusiasm for interfaith work, consult regularly and can coordinate interreligious activities through city chapters in order to spread accurate information about their faiths and traditions and to promote their communities’ shared rights and interests. The MJLC Ambassadors Programme will cover projects in four European cities involving a total of eight young Jewish and Muslim “Ambassadors”, mentored by locally based MJLC members and contacts and reviewed with the help of trainers.

Following the initial three-day in-person training held in December 2022 in Warsaw the MJLC Ambassadors in each city are putting their newly-acquired skills into practice through a small joint project funded by a grant of up-to EUR 5,000 provided by the MJLC.

After having worked with the Ambassadors to finalise their project proposals we are encouraged and impressed by their creativity, hard work, and strong drive to promote cooperation between the Muslim and Jewish communities in their cities. We will continue to support and offer guidance to our Ambassadors as their projects progress. We wish them the best of luck in implementing their projects and we look forward to seeing the fruits of their hard work over the next six months.

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Rabbiner und Imam: Leben in einer Zeit des religiösen Analphabetismus

Von Naz Kücüktekin und veröffentlicht im Kurier am 17/12/2022

Schlomo Hofmeister ist seit 2008 Gemeinderabbiner von Wien. Tarafa Baghajati ist Imam sowie Obmann der „Initiative muslimischer ÖsterreicherInnen“. Sie setzen sich beide als Teil des „Muslim Jewish Leadership Council“ für interreligiösen Dialog ein. Der KURIER traf die beiden bei der Konferenz „European Policy Dialogue Forum“, um über die Herausforderungen für Religionsgemeinschaften,  Spiritualität und Konflikte zu sprechen.

KURIER: Ein Rabbiner und ein Imam an einem Tisch. Ein Bild, das noch immer ungewöhnlich wirkt. Warum eigentlich?

Schlomo Hofmeister: Weil viele Witze so beginnen… Aber es ist einfach unerwartet. Im Prinzip sind das alles interreligiöse Zusammenkünfte.

Tarafa Baghajati: Viele haben automatisch Konflikte und insbesondere den im Nahen Osten vor Augen. Hinzu kommt, dass wir in Österreich beide einer Minderheit angehören. Und manche denken, uns irgendwie zusammenbringen zu müssen. 

Hofmeister: In unserer westlichen Gesellschaft gibt es oft auch die Annahme, dass religiöse Menschen intolerant sind und von anderen nichts wissen und nichts wissen wollen.

Sprich, Außenstehende bekommen gar nicht mit, dass ohnehin Kommunikation stattfindet?

Hofmeister: Nicht alles, worüber die Öffentlichkeit spricht, findet tatsächlich statt und nicht alles, was stattfindet, wird in der Öffentlichkeit besprochen. Das sind immer nur die Gipfel des Eisbergs. Die sozialen Medien haben noch mehr dazu beigetragen, dass Dinge außerhalb ihrer eigenen Proportionen wahrgenommen werden.

Inwiefern? 

Hofmeister: Auf sozialen Medien kann jeder schreiben, was er will. Wenn er die richtige Reichweite hat, wird das auch multipliziert. Das kann vollkommen außerhalb der Proportionen herausgeblasen werden. Und damit fehlen die Größenverhältnisse.

Baghajati: Dazu kommt, dass wir in einer Zeit des religiösen Analphabetismus leben. Die Menschen wissen viel zu wenig über die eigene Religion, geschweige denn über die anderen.

Manchmal hat man das Gefühl, eher das Gegenteil ist der Fall. Etwa, wenn es um Antisemitismus in muslimischen Communitys geht. 

Hofmeister: Antisemitismus ist ein großes Problem, auch in der muslimischen Community. Dagegen anzugehen heißt aber nicht einfach, nur diesen zu verurteilen, sondern auch, proaktiv Aufklärungsarbeit zu leisten. Das haben jüdische Gemeinden in ganz Europa mittlerweile verstanden.

Baghajati:  Und manche Kräfte versuchen in der Tat, Muslime gegen Juden auszuspielen. Unter anderem, um sich selber vom Antisemitismus reinzuwaschen. Da wird dann gesagt: Wir haben gar kein Problem mit dem Antisemitismus, das ist euer Problem, das ist ein Migranten-Problem, ein muslimisches Problem. Bis dahin, dass man bei den Flüchtlingen sagt, man muss Angst vor ihnen haben, weil sie Antisemitismus mitbringen. Als ob es in Europa noch nie Antisemitismus gegeben hätte. Und in diesem Sinne:  Ja, das ist die eigene Herausforderung, jegliche Diskriminierung zu erkennen und dagegen zu kämpfen.

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A Rabbi and an Imam: Living in a time of religious illiteracy

Translated from “Rabbiner und Imam: “Leben in einer Zeit des religiösen Analphabetismus”” by Naz Kücüktekin and published in Kurier on 17/12/2022. Read the German version.

Schlomo Hofmeister has been the municipal rabbi of Vienna since 2008. Tarafa Baghajati is the imam and chairman of the “Initiative of Muslim Austrians”. Both serve on the board of the “Muslim Jewish Leadership Council” for interreligious dialogue. The KURIER met the two at the “European Policy Dialogue Forum” organized by KAICIID to discuss the challenges faced by religious communities, spirituality and conflicts.

KURIER: A rabbi and an imam at a table. An image that still seems unusual. Why is that?

Schlomo Hofmeister: Because a lot of jokes start like that… But it’s just unexpected. In principle, these are inter-religious gatherings.

Tarafa Baghajati: Many automatically have conflicts in mind, especially in the Middle East. In addition, we both belong to a minority in Austria. And some think they have to bring us together somehow.

Hofmeister: In our Western society, there is often the assumption that religious people are intolerant and don’t know anything about others and don’t want to know anything.

In other words, outsiders don’t even notice that communication is taking place anyway?

Hofmeister : Not everything that the public talks about actually takes place and not everything that takes place is discussed in public. These are always just the tip of the iceberg. Social media has done even more to make things seem out of proportion.

In what way? 

Hofmeister: Everyone can write whatever they want on social media. If he has the right range, that will also be multiplied. That can be blown totally out of proportion. And so the proportions are missing.

Baghajati: In addition, we live in a time of religious illiteracy. People know far too little about their own religion, let alone about the others.

Sometimes one has the feeling that the opposite is the case. For example, when it comes to anti-Semitism in Muslim communities.

Hofmeister: Anti-Semitism is a big problem, also in the Muslim community. Tackling it does not simply mean condemning it, but also proactively raising awareness. This is something that Jewish communities throughout Europe have now come to understand.

Baghajati: And some forces are indeed trying to pit Muslims against Jews. Among other things, in order to distance themselves from anti-Semitism. Then they say: We don’t have a problem with anti-Semitism, that’s your problem, that’s a migrant problem, a Muslim problem. To imply that you have to be afraid of refugees, because they bring anti-Semitism with them. As if there has never been anti-Semitism in Europe. And in that sense, yes, that is its own challenge, to recognize any discrimination and to fight against it.

Mr. Baghajati, you mentioned the Middle East conflict earlier. What role does this play in the communities here?

Baghajati: The most important thing is that we separate between our common life as citizens in Austria and between a conflict that is taking place in another geographical part of the world. Our appeal is that a conflict taking place elsewhere should not cloud our contact in Austria. Moreover, talking to each other on different topics does not mean having to have the same opinion.

What framework conditions must politics provide for a successful interreligious dialogue?

Hofmeister: Historically, religions as representatives of civil society have been given a very high level of recognition in Austria. The exchange among religious societies and the willingness of politicians to accept them are very exemplary. In this respect, we in Austria are certainly above average in Europe.

Baghajati: I can confirm that. But especially in the times of the Austrian People’s Party – Freedom Party of Austria (centre right and right wing) government, with the tightening of the Islam law, we already had the impression that Austria was moving away from its role as a role model.

Hofmeister: I understand the frustration about the Islam law. Some things should have been done differently. But the basic principle of the Islamic law, just like that of the Jewish law, is actually a model.

Baghajati: That’s what we ourselves demanded.

Hofmeister: Many people demand that. Many Muslim communities in Germany don’t get that. Most European countries don’t have anything like that.

The trend in recent years is that the proportion of people who describe themselves as religious is continuing to fall. Is religion losing relevance in Austria?

Hofmeister: Institutionalized religion is certainly something that became less and less important in Europe in the 19th century. In our generation, I see a further drifting away from religion, but also a search for spirituality. And when people don’t find that in their own religion, they look for another religion or other way to live out that spirituality. To summarize: Religion is not disappearing. It is rather a turning away from the institutions, from the establishment.

Baghajati: I also believe that we face great challenges as religious communities. We are in a time when not everyone can afford everything they could afford a few years ago. The religions must radiate ideas of solidarity and social cohesion. It must add some warmth to the social coldness, without necessarily wanting to proselytize.

How do religious communities also have to deal with issues of the day, such as the climate crisis or

identity issues?

Hofmeister: The entire rabbinic literature of the last 2000 years deals with the principles of the Torah, Jewish law and how they are to be applied to changing times. But perhaps religions are sometimes a bit slow and wait to see if an issue will resolve itself. And there are some topics that boil up and then disappear again. It takes time for that to become established in practice, in the rabbinic debate.

Baghajati: Issues such as genetic engineering, environmental protection, dealing with armament and nuclear. Abortion or euthanasia. On all these things, there is a great deal of Islamic literature that also disagrees with each other. This is where scholars are called to provide answers and to be anti-discriminatory. It takes courage from the religious communities to stand up, to be there, in order to have a positive effect on society as a whole.

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Religious Slaughter, Minority Rights, and Animal Welfare

Last week the European Commission hosted a conference on freedom of religion with regards to ritual slaughter which many members of the MJLC attended. As ritual slaughter is a hotly debated topic and a matter of the utmost importance to practicing Muslims and Jews, I spoke with MJLC board members Rabbi Michael Schudrich, the Chief Rabbi of Poland, and Imam Yahya Pallavicini, Vice President of CO.RE.IS (The Islamic Religious Community of Italy) about the nature of laws restricting Kosher and Halal slaughter, the importance of dietary law to both faiths, animal welfare, and future steps to protect freedom of religion in Europe.

History of bans on ritual slaughter and political motivations behind them

In the past decade there has been a rapid proliferation of laws in European countries which ban or severely restrict the practice of ritual slaughter. One such law, passed in Belgium in 2017, was recently upheld by the EU Court of Justice setting a precedent that will allow similar laws all over Europe.

While these restrictions may appear to be a modern phenomenon driven by a concern for animal welfare, bans on ritual slaughter are by no means a recent trend and were also typically justified by concern for the wellbeing of animals.

Switzerland was the first country in Europe to pass a ban on ritual slaughter in 1893 shortly after the invent of stunning as a method of slaughter with proponents of the law arguing that Kosher slaughter (shechita) was inhumane. Stunned slaughter at the time was performed by striking the animal in the head with a hammer prior to its slaughter. The next law on animal rights in Switzerland was passed nearly one hundred years later in 1978 and battery farming was permitted until 1992.

Other countries in Europe followed suit with Norway banning ritual slaughter in 1929, Germany banning it in 1933 as one of the first laws passed after Hitler came to power, and similar bans were being debated by the Polish Sejm just months before the German invasion.

While some of the proponents of these laws may have been genuinely concerned for animal welfare antisemitism was a strong driving force behind their passage. The purpose of these laws for their antisemitic proponents was to make life as difficult as possible for their Jewish countrymen as methods of stunning both then and now damage the body of the animal prior to its slaughter which is forbidden by both Muslim and Jewish dietary law.

Rabbi Michael Schudrich

From a perspective of marginalizing Jews these laws were quite effective, when asked about the practical effects of banning Kosher slaughter Rabbi Schudrich responded, “If there were no Kosher meat available then many Jews would start leaving the country, and you would see the country’s Jewish population shrink.”

Much like laws passed almost a century ago modern legislation seeking to ban or restrict ritual slaughter is supported by a bizarre coalition of well-meaning animal rights activists and ill-intentioned religious bigots, the key difference being that these modern religious bigots are targeting Muslims as well.

When asked about the motivations behind laws banning religious slaughter Rabbi Schudrich responded, “Movements to ban ritual slaughter both historically and today have nothing to do with animal welfare but overwhelmingly have to do with limiting the Muslim and Jewish population. In other words, if we don’t allow shechita and Halal slaughter then we’ll have fewer Jews and fewer Muslims. Today there are animal welfare people that are misinformed and believe that religious slaughter is unnecessarily cruel and causes pain to the animal while the goal of shechita is to minimize the pain inflicted upon the animal.”

Imam Pallavicini agreed with this sentiment stating, “Let us be very careful about the hidden agenda of some individuals and politicians who propose banning a long-standing religious right and practice in Europe just to empower anti-religious, antisemitic, and anti-Muslim sentiments.”

Animal welfare and religious freedom

Imam Yahya Pallavicini

Imam Pallavicini also emphasised that the argument should not be between animal welfare and religious freedom “When religious slaughter is practiced according to the correct principles and methodology taught by the Rabbis and Imams who have regularly received training and authorization it implements a very strict and natural concern for animal welfare. The reference in the holy Qur’an to animals such as the bee, the ant, the elephant, the cow, and the spider is an example of respect for animals according to Islamic religious teachings. Of course, this has nothing to do with the bad behaviour of a few Muslims who pretend to be experts in slaughtering and have no education but only arrogance to perform a “ritual slaughter” that contradicts religious sensitivity and respect for the laws and rules of European societies.”

Rabbi Schudrich agrees that religious slaughter is humane and argues that it is even more humane than stunned slaughter “There have been studies done by academic institutions about stunned slaughter that found that 15-20% of the time the stunning fails and the animal experiences horrible pain, while shechita, when done correctly, never fails and if done incorrectly, which is a rare occurrence, would not be kosher. Another thing that most do not realize is that when one is doing the shechita they believe that they are fulfilling a commandment from G-d and take the entire process very seriously whereas a worker performing stunning is doing what his boss told him to do which is usually done well but the personal investment in the success of the procedure is on a completely different level.” Rabbi Schudrich also emphasised that when taking the suffering of the animal into account it is insufficient to only focus on the slaughter of the animal “Another issue I see is that people are focused on the last 30-60 seconds of the life of the animal and not the conditions the animal experiences during its life. We should be concerned about modern practices such as force-feeding and crowding animals into cramped spaces for most of their lives.”

Dialogue and steps for the future

Both Imam Pallavicini and Rabbi Schudrich are committed to humane ritual slaughter and are grateful to the European Commission for engaging in dialogue on this matter and carefully listening to arguments made by a variety of Muslim and Jewish religious leaders.

Rabbi Schudrich stated “I am very grateful to the EU Commission. They took the step; this is something we need to talk about let’s sit down and talk about it without heavy rhetoric but rather concretely about what can be done to make the situation better.” When asked about the next steps he said “I believe that if we keep working together and improving education on this topic things will improve. Some people approach it and say, “let’s find a compromise” I say let’s do 100% for animal welfare and let’s do 100% for Jewish law, we don’t have to compromise we can find a solution that is 100% acceptable for both sides.”

Imam Pallavicini was very much in agreement stating “The correct approach on this topic of religious slaughtering in Europe should not be to ban religious rights and freedom but rather to develop a serious consultation with reliable Rabbis and Imams and experts on this topic, in order to establish an inter-institutional, multi-disciplinary, inter-religious coordination and shared responsibility for the training and management of this religious requirement for Jews and Muslims in Europe. We need dialogue and cooperation between local authorities, veterinarians, slaughterhouses, and Jewish and Muslim experts regularly authorized by their religious organizations. This coordination will avoid any misleading practices and develop a positive synergy between secular Institutions and religious pluralism. It will also avoid any discrimination for religious minorities through the artificial pretext of an exclusive standardization of rules and the ideological abuse of animal welfare.”

While it is impossible to say with certainty whether laws banning or restricting religious slaughter will be repealed or continue to proliferate it is of vital importance to see these laws for what they are, a targeted attack on religious minorities which hides behind the guise of concern for animal welfare. If the public can be made aware of the compatibility between ritual slaughter and animal welfare, then this excuse will be rendered powerless and expose these laws for what they truly are.

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Muslim-Jewish Leadership Council Statement on the Commemoration of the Srebrenica Massacre

COVER: (Left to Right) Imam Pallavicini, President of the Italian Muslim Religious Community, Prof. Grabus, Mufti of Sarajevo, and Chief Rabbi Rosen, Director of International Interreligious Affairs at the American Jewish Committee, offer prayers representing the MJLC at the Srebrenica Genocide Memorial in Potočari. Photo by Amel Emric/KAICIID

The Muslim-Jewish Leadership Council (MJLC) is a group of religious leaders from two faiths and across Europe who have chosen to join forces to protect Muslim and Jewish rights and dignity in Europe and to build greater understanding and support between their communities. As religious leaders, we frequently face questions that require thought and sensitivity to assess or select a course of action we consider right and in line with our faiths. However, in certain instances there can be no doubt whatsoever. When contemplating a genocide – the murder of more than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys and displacement of thousands of unarmed Muslim civilians in July 1995 – regardless of the opaque and painful context of warfare in which it takes place, we believe that not only religious leaders but people of every faith must know it is utterly wrong and reprehensible and join both the call and the commitment to prevent it ever happening again.

As the MJLC also stood in Auschwitz-Birkenau in January this year, as a gesture of solidarity and respect for our Jewish brothers and sisters, so we stand in Srebrenica today. We are grateful for the welcome and support of the Rais al-Ulemma, Husein Kavazović and Igor Kožemjakin, hazzan of the Jewish Community of Sarajevo as well as the hospitality of Prof. Nedžad Grabus, Mufti of Sarajevo and Dr. Mustafa Ceric. We recognize and mourn the terrible wrongs committed against Bosnian Muslims on the basis of their religious and ethnic identity. Whether the targets of such atrocities are Jews, Muslims or followers of any other religion, we utterly condemn objectification and discrimination against people of a particular faith, ethnicity or culture. If indulged by society, these are the first steps which can lead to hate crimes on a huge scale. At a time when Europe once again faces war upon its territories and military strength determines the fates of whole populations and what is reported about them, we see that observing the most stringent standards of international law is vital to preventing the killing of innocents, torture of prisoners and destruction of culture, faith and history once again. We call for all European citizens, and particularly those in positions of responsibility in their countries, to be vigilant against genocidal tendencies in Ukraine. We call upon them to seek for ways to stop violence and suffering, to shelter and protect victims of war and forced migration, to protect holy sites and places of cultural significance, and to take a stand to uphold common values. These include the democratic principles of justice, equality, a free press, freedom of belief and its practice and protection of minorities. They also include the human responsibilities all our faiths prompt us to hold dear: the duty to make peace, to support and defend those in need, to seek and tell the truth and to strive to understand and demonstrate compassion and respect for one another. Let us resolve to follow and uphold these principles, even and especially when it is hard to do so.

Mwemorial center Potocari near Srebrenica , Bosnia. 11.july.2022. Photo Amel Emric
A mourner at the Srebrenica Genocide Memorial, Potočari” Photo by Amel Emric/KAICIID

Today we honour the memory of those who lost their lives in and around Srebrenica and the families who suffer and miss them. We pray for the stabilization and healing of Bosnian society, and for a lasting peace throughout the region. We trust that we, together with the other religious representatives gathered here, may be messengers and enablers of that peace. We call for politicians and community leaders to commit and continue to work towards a safe, neighbourly and flourishing society and we entrust ourselves and those for whom we mourn into G-d’s everlasting care.

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Standing Together: Rabbi and Imam Attend International Holocaust Remembrance Day Ceremony at Auschwitz-Birkenau Death Camp

Photo: Religious leaders commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day at Auschwitz-Birkenau, credit: Weronika Kuzma for KAICIID

At a time of increased anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim hate, and xenophobia in Europe, it is a powerful moment when a rabbi and an imam stand side-by-side in solidarity, with Holocaust survivors, one another, and on behalf of Europe’s Jews and Muslims.

On Thursday, 27 January Rabbi Michael Schudrich, Chief Rabbi of Poland and Imam Adham Abd El Aal, representative of the Grand Mufti of Poland in Warsaw, did just that at the International Holocaust Remembrance Day (IHRD) ceremonies at Auschwitz-Birkenau, a Nazi death camp where more than 1.1m people, mostly Jews, were killed.

The pair are part of the Muslim Jewish Leadership Council-Europe (MJLC), a KAICIID-facilitated organization founded to serve the need to free members of religious minorities from prejudice, false claims, discrimination, and violence…

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MJLC Statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2022

Photo: Religious leaders share prayers at Auschwitz-Birkenau on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, credit: Weronika Kuzma for KAICIID

Today, united in a sense of sorrow and determination, we members of the Muslim-Jewish Leadership Council jointly remember the unspeakable horrors of the Shoah, when Nazis and their collaborators murdered 6 million Jews. As leading imams and rabbis of Europe, we commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day together because we agree that we must never forget the truth of what happened across Europe which started with hate speech and ended in genocide. We want to honour together the Jewish victims and the grief of those who mourn them in spiritual unity, remembering our common Abrahamic roots and engaging together as European citizens and believers in moral solidarity against discrimination.

As Muslim and Jewish leaders, we join hands in the fight against Islamophobia and anti-Semitism. The Holy Qur’an states: “So remember Me, and I shall remember you. Give thanks unto Me, and disbelieve not in Me” (II: 152) and “O you who believe! Remember God with frequent remembrance” (XXXIII: 41). We shall never forget the horrible acts of the Nazis who betrayed their moral depravity by preventing Jewish citizens and believers  practising their faith and living as equals. Such crimes shall never happen again! We want to ensure that the whole breadth of European society- regardless of faith, culture or party- utterly condemns them. We want to honour the memory of the victims, our brothers and sisters and fellow citizens of Europe. In a joint prayer today, we offer our spiritual support.

We must pass the history of the Holocaust to the next generations to keep real the promise of “never again” and to prevent future genocides. Holocaust deniers and minimizers continue to attempt to influence the public discourse, yet the facts of history are not up for question. We all must remain vigilant and speak out against discrimination and intolerance wherever it occurs and keep the memory of the Shoah alive. When hatred goes unchecked, violence and mass atrocities can result in tragedy. We therefore commit our hearts and efforts to friendship, to education, to free discourse, and to hope in humanity.

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Vacancy: Applications welcome for position of MJLC Coordinator until 28th February 2022

Organizational setting

The MJLC is a charitable, non-profit association based in Austria. By strengthening Muslim-Jewish relations and advocating for minority rights in Europe, the MJLC contributes to the development of a pluralistic society that appreciates diverse identities and promotes the dignity of all European citizens in order to foster their empowerment and coexistence.

The MJLC was founded in 2018 by rabbis under the aegis of the Council of European Rabbis (CER) and by European imams, thanks to the facilitation of the International Dialogue Center (KAICIID). It was created in order to counteract misinformation and mistrust concerning the Muslim and Jewish communities in Europe- both among their members and in the rest of society- and to combat the rising levels of islamophobia and anti-Semitism which affect them. The MJLC offers a platform where leaders of both religious communities can consult and coordinate joint activities. These include spreading accurate information about their faiths and traditions and promoting their communities’ shared rights and interests in Europe. It is hoped that the example of Muslim and Jewish religious leaders meeting and working side by side will encourage trust, respect and solidarity among their followers and European society in general.

Role

The MJLC Coordinator is recruited to manage and ensure the smooth functioning of the MJLC Executive Board, which consists of two Chairs, two Vice Chairs, a Secretary and a Treasurer. As the executive of the MJLC, the Board must take decisions and implement the MJLC’s plan of action with the support of other MJLC organs and working groups. The Coordinator’s task is to lead administrative and programmatic processes withing the MJLC, organizing and implementing initiatives and running the internal processes and communications smoothly, fairly and inclusively in accordance with the MJLC statutes and Austrian law.

As the MJLC depends upon building trust and equal and active collaboration between Muslim and Jewish communities throughout Europe, the Coordinator’s task is to promote that trust and encourage that exchange. This entails maintenance of the highest ethical standards, diligent information-sharing and arrangement of consultation opportunities between Muslim and Jewish members.

The Coordinator will report to the MJLC Co-Chairs and provide relevant information to the MJLC Secretary and Treasurer. The Coordinator serves as the primary interface between the MJLC and the Austrian authorities as well as MJLC’s collaborating partners at working level. The Coordinator will work closely with the Focal Point at the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) to maintain an informed and close link between the two organizations.

Requirements:

  • University degree (Bachelors degree or equivalent)
  • At least five years of project management experience
  • Skills/Experience in fundraising
  • Excellent communication and writing skills in English
  • Working competency in written and spoken German
  • Excellent competency with Microsoft Office
  • Demonstrated ability to find tactful compromises and observe highest standards of honesty, fairness and integrity
  • Willingness to travel for MJLC activities
  • Willingness to occasionally work during unusual hours to produce time-sensitive products

Of advantage:

  • Experience of running an Austrian NGO or business
  • Interest in and experience of dealing with religious actors and communities
  • Awareness of Muslim/Jewish affairs in Europe
  • Knowledge of financial software
  • Experience of managing a team/staff
  • Experience of policy-relevant communications and advocacy
  • Knowledge of other European languages (e.g. French, Portuguese)
  • Being based in Vienna

Position

  • Full time (40 hours/week)
  • Working from home (compensation €300/year) phone provided
  • Minimum salary €46,000/ year brutto

To apply

Please send a CV and letter of application to office@mjlc-europe.org by 28th February 2022. Only complete applications will be considered.

The MJLC is committed to diversity and inclusion and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all religious, ethnic and social backgrounds to apply.

Responsibilities in detail

The MJLC Coordinator:

  1.  Programmatic Work

    1. Leads the planning, organization, implementation and evaluation of activities carried out by the MJLC according to the annual activity plan and strategy, ensuring a high quality of delivery and outputs;
    2. As part of 1.1, undertakes procurement of services, arrangement of logistics, guest management, liaising with partners and service providers, and assistance with conducting and recording activities as required;
    3. Develops and implements the annual work plan including creating detailed budgets, project methodology, risk management and evaluation of different activities;
    4. Drafts project documents (concept notes, agendas, lists of participants, evaluations, funding applications) for the consideration of the Board;
    5. Monitors and tracks project progress, success stories and lessons learned;
    6. Ensures that quality project reports are produced, submitted and circulated in a timely fashion.

  2. Administration

    1. Plans, arranges and monitors a schedule of meetings for the Board, its Working Groups and the General Assembly, keeping detailed records of these meetings;
    2. Administers processes associated with governance and membership of the MJLC according to the statutes, including statutory register filings;
    3. Maintains a record of MJLC activities, including a database of contacts and quarterly/annual reports which comply with European and Austrian legal requirements;
    4. Creates, maintains and runs MJLC policies and systems for approval, data storage and procurement;
    5. Works closely with the MJLC’s selected legal services and requests, contributes to and circulates legal documents required for the MJLC’s work;
    6. Ensures that MJLC is compliant with data protection legislation.

  3. External Relations and Communications

    1. In consultation with the Board, supports the MJLC in developing and nurturing relations with relevant stakeholders in Europe; including drafting content for agreements which clearly define areas of common interest, expected results, and the commitments and responsibilities of the various parties for approval of the MJLC Board.
    2. Creates and maintains a communication strategy and media policies, and keeps the MJLC website and social media accounts populated and updated on a regular basis;
    3. Drafts and publishes MJLC communications, including public statements, official correspondence, digital communications and publications, brochures and reports, as required;
    4. Produces success stories in accessible formats that highlight the outcomes and results to raise the profile of the MJLC and its work in Europe;
    5. Develops briefing packs, factsheets, achievement reports and similar materials to enhance MJLC’s profile, access and fund-raising efforts;
    6. Leads on identification, contracting and management of communications service providers;
    7. Fields media enquiries, by directing journalists to the authorized MJLC spokespersons, as nominated by the MJLC Chairs.

  4. Finance and Grant management

    1. Working closely with the Treasurer, manages the budget and finances of the MJLC, monitoring spending against the annual budget and work plans;
    2. Sets up, runs and monitors financial processes for the MJLC, ensuring efficiency and accountability as well as compliance with Austrian law;
    3. Drafts the MJLC’s annual narrative and financial reports;
    4. Organizes the auditing of the MJLC finances on an annual basis;
    5. Supports design and delivery of grant-making initiatives;
    6. Maps resource mobilization opportunities beyond the contributions of the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) and incrementally applies for and secures such funding.

  5. Miscellaneous

    1. Upon agreement with both Co-Chairs, undertakes any other tasks related to programmes in Europe related to the MJLC mission.
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MJLC condemns the ban on kosher and halal slaughter in Greece

We, the Muslim-Jewish Leadership Council – Europe, are deeply concerned about the ban of kosher and halal slaughter practices by the judgement of the Hellenic Council of the State Δ 1751/2021. The judgment annuls the Joint Ministerial Decision of 2017 which made an exemption for religious food preparation in the law that prevented slaughter without anaesthetic.

The Muslim-Jewish Leadership Council- Europe seeks to promote positive Muslim-Jewish relations and to advocate for the rights of Muslim and Jewish religious minorities in Europe. We maintain that there can be no fair and coherent freedom of religion in Europe, or true multiculturalism, if religious minorities cannot fully practise their faiths. The ban of kosher and halal preparation of meat for both Muslim and Jewish communities in Greece cuts deeply into their rights and sharply contradicts messages from European governments that they are committed to a future for Muslims and Jews as equal citizens and residents in Europe. This judgement prevents Muslims and Jews living freely in Greece and at the same time lawfully observing some of the most ancient and central traditions of their faiths, to which animal welfare happens to be crucial. Such religious practices have a fundamental place in the spiritual and cultural identity and daily life of Muslims and Jews in Europe, perhaps more so than is the case for the majority of Europeans. Thus a change in the law such as judgement 1751/2021 is not just an inconvenience placed upon one segment of the Greek population; this judgement prevents Muslims and Jews in Greece from being equal and respected members of Greek society.

The MJLC calls upon Greek authorities to work closely with the Muslim and Jewish authorities in their country to review the legislation and its effects upon the rights of religious minorities in Greece to find a solution which is acceptable to all parties. We urge Greek lawmakers to include representatives of religious communities in decision-making which will affect their right to practice their faiths freely, to ensure that it is sufficiently protected. And we call upon the Greek government to feel the weight of its responsibility to safeguard the wellbeing of all Greeks and those in Greece for the sake of ensuring a diverse yet peaceful, cohesive and thriving society.