This past Sunday (April 30), the Members of the Standing Committee of The Conference of European Rabbis convened in Warsaw and opened their program In the Warsaw Marriott hotel in central Poland.
The rabbonim were invited to gather in Warsaw in order to fortify the Jewish kehilla there and its institutions. The agenda included many topical issues involving European Jewry including the initiative of anti-Semitic legislation against shechita and circumcision in many countries on the continent.
The president of the Committee, HaRav Pinchas Goldschmidt, addressed the audience, which included government representatives and said:
"Not far from here, a memorial gathering took place recently commemorating 80 years since the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto. We must remember that the first law passed by the Third Reich aimed at shaking the legitimacy of Judaism and religious practice was the law against kosher slaughter. We here, rabbis and judges of Europe, thank the Polish government institutions of law and order for dismissing legislation against ritual slaughter in the Seim parliament. But there still remain pockets of anti-Semitism in Europe which seek to stifle our efforts.
"We will continue to determinedly demand and act through the institutions of the European Union and the governments to allow us complete freedom of religion. We must be able to supply kosher meat according to our law, to educate our children according to Jewish tradition and preserve our unique way of life. At this time, these freedoms are in clear and immediate danger. To our dismay, the entire world saw how lack of legitimacy was translated in the past and during these present times as well."
Gedolei Yisrael sent messages to the rabbis.
To see their letters click here.
