On March 21, together with the Europa-Institute of Bar-Ilan University, KAS-Israel welcomed Dr. Ariel Muzikant in Israel. Muzikant is vice-president of the European Jewish Congress as well as former vice-president of the World Jewish Congress and has been President of the Jewish Community in Austria and Vienna. In his talk, he outlined the current challenges and threats to the European Jewish community. While there is no coherent picture in Europe and the situation of European Jews varies in different countries, an overall feeling of unease prevails. In a third of the European countries, right-wing populists or right-wing extremists have come into positions of power, engaging in the dismantling of the post-war and post-soviet democratic order. Muzikant explains that he is not sure yet whether this will remain a temporary phenomenon, but says that there are worries within Jewish community which – as he puts it – has a “special antenna” for such critical developments. He also expressed his concerns about the Israeli government not taking the fears of the European Jews into account properly. Jews can only live in Europe, Muzikant says, if it sticks to the democratic system. They cannot feel safe in countries where press, justice, police, intelligence and different kinds of institutions are enforced to political conformity.

Summarized by Jonathan Rößler