Putin invites European Jews fleeing anti-Semitism to come to Russia
Chief Rabbi of Russia Berl Lazar and President of FEOR took part in the meeting of the Russian head of state with representatives of the European Jewish Congress.
At the meeting, the President of Russia invited European Jews fleeing anti-Semitism to come to Russia.
The European Jewish Congress (EJC) is an international non-governmental organization established in 1986 and uniting 42 Jewish communities in Europe (about 2.5 million people). The EJC headquarters is located in Paris, the offices operate in Berlin, Brussels, Budapest and Strasbourg. Since 2007, the president of the congress is Vyacheslav Kantor.
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Vladimir Putin: Dear friends, let me warmly welcome you to Moscow.
I would like to say at the beginning of the conversation that we consider your organization, which is one of the most representative non-governmental European organizations, as a natural ally of Russia in the fight against xenophobia, anti-Semitism, various manifestations of extreme views and, of course, as our direct allies in preserving the memory of the Second World War, the consequences of this catastrophe on a universal scale, the Holocaust.
I want to thank the members of your organizations for the fact that they directly - perhaps, like no one else - prevented and prevent the heroization of Nazism, and do it openly, clearly, without any hesitation and very effectively - perhaps one of the few who directly state their position on this issue. This is the first one.
Second. I would like to note that, you probably know about it, our representatives of Judaism (judaism is one of the traditional Russian religions, which is actually reflected in the law) conduct very active social, religious activities.
As you know, the Museum of Tolerance was opened in 2012 on the basis of the Jewish Center. I've been there myself and I must say that it makes a big impression. I think that this is not just a center for those who profess Judaism, or not just the center of the Jews of Russia - it is a center of national importance, which also tells about different pages of the history of our country, and everything is done there very talentedly.
You know that the Schneerson library is deployed there, which for some time was a bone of discord with representatives of the American Jewish community. But I hope that now, when these books have become the property of everyone who wants to get acquainted with them, who wants to work even scientifically, which is also, apparently, of considerable interest, I think that there should no longer be such sharpness. I hope that everyone who wants, who really wants to hold these books in their hands, work with them, has such an opportunity. In my opinion, the situation has changed dramatically.
But it's not just that the Jewish community or communities work in Russia in large cities, their activities are deployed almost throughout the Russian Federation. I won't reproduce it for memory now, but new synagogues and secular centers are opening. Recently, another center was opened near Moscow. I still don't have enough time to get there, but the rabbi invited me, I'll definitely come over and have a look. I saw everything in the pictures, everything is done in a very modern way, at the same time quite modestly. It is both an educational center and a religious center.
And, as I have already said, in the regions of the Russian Federation life develops in this sense: both clerical and secular. I would like to note that we find full understanding with representatives of Jewish communities. I hope it will be like this in the near future.
I think we met with the Executive Committee in 2007. We hope that we will be able to establish an intensive dialogue with European Jewish structures - it is possible directly, or through our representatives, they are sitting to my left and right.
Welcome again! I'm very glad to see you.
V. Kantor: Thank you very much, Vladimir Vladimirovich, for your kind words.
And we, of course, know that you are a true friend of the Russian community and help the community not only morally, but also in all possible dimensions and senses. And even the fact that you know that such a wonderful synagogue has opened on Rublevka, and that you are going to come there, for us is, of course, a very important signal of the daily participation of the President of Russia in the current life of the community.
Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich, this is actually the third meeting with the President of Russia. And you took a personal part in the congress projects. This is, first of all, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz by the Red Army - an anniversary that we will soon celebrate again, literally in a few days, throughout Europe. We are grateful to you for the fact that the conversation has always been open and trusting, even on very sensitive topics.
And this time we came to you with a very frank conversation, because our news is alarming. The situation of Jews in Europe today is the worst since the end of World War II. Jews are gripped by fear, and a new exodus of Jews from Europe is quite real.
V.Putin: Yes, I saw, watched these reports. There people are afraid to wear a bale in public places, they even try to hide their nationality. Yes, there is such a problem. But I don't think it's still as bad as you say - the worst situation since World War II.
V. Kantor: Worse than one might assume, Vladimir Vladimirovich.
V. Putin: Well, maybe.
V. Kantor: Anti-Semitism in Europe has been growing for the last three years: 40 percent per year - I now take very harsh cases of anti-Semitism, not a trifle. For example, there is more emigration from yesterday's still prosperous France than from Ukraine, which is affected by civil conflict.
Why are Jews fleeing from yesterday's still prosperous Europe? They are running, as you rightly said, not only because of terrorist acts against our communities in Toulouse, Brussels, Paris, Copenhagen, now in Marseille, but also because of the fear of just appearing on the streets of European cities.
At the next congress, we will discuss the topic of community security for the first time in practice, as European states can no longer fully ensure the security of Jewish communities.
The activity of addressing the issue of countering extremism, racism, anti-Semitism is sacrificed to electoral priorities. The threat comes not only from terrorists, but also from the so-called normal economic migrants who fall into a cultural environment alien to them. An example of that is the Cologne crisis. Long-term adaptation, education has no alternatives in this case. But migrants from the Greater Middle East create a new normal for themselves in Europe - this normality is not safe for everyone else.
By the way, the main principle of building the communities' own security is to train and create an infrastructure of professionals and volunteers, connecting the Jewish community and power structures in the pre-crisis and crisis period. Unfortunately, the British, who have been creating this structure for 50 years, were right - and created the so-called gold standard in this case. You know, recently I was literally impressed, positively impressed, that British Prime Minister David Cameron presented a detailed plan of state financial support for the security of the community in England at the annual meeting of this specialized organization, which deals with the security of the Jewish community.
We have always said that Jews are probably the most peaceful, tolerant, law-abiding Europeans. But they are the first and easiest target of hatred and violence, not only by Islamic extremists, but also by national radicals. In particular, recently we received a signal from the French National Front with a proposal for consolidation, meaning against migrants. The president of the French community, one of our most respected presidents and the president of the largest community in Europe, Roger Cookerman, raised this issue to the Executive Committee of the Congress, and we unanimously decided on the inadmissibility of consolidation with the ultra-right.
In the fat, rich years, liberal democratic Europe coped with the problems of non-cultural communities. But since the beginning of the crisis, Europe has changed. We see here an explosive growth of nationalism, xenophobia, racism, like mushrooms, right-wing radical movements grow. Manifestations of Islamic fundamentalism and extremism spur these moods. And this is not only today in France: Germany, Great Britain, as well as Greece, Hungary, Sweden and Italy. The continent has never outlived a centuries-old disease: during the period of socio-economic crises, it is again affected by the virus of anti-Semitism. Therefore, Jews who remember the horror of the 1930s at the genetic level are leaving Europe.
Vladimir Putin: Let them come to us, let them come to us. We are ready.
V. Kantor: This is a fundamentally new, fundamental idea, we will discuss it at the congress for sure. I hope we will support you.
V. Putin: We left in the Soviet Union - let them come back.
V. Kantor: You know, we want to express a really high appreciation of your policy, since the situation of Jews in Russia today may be the best in Europe. But we are actually talking about a community, the second largest after France.
But in fact, modern European anti-Semitism has no root relationship with the Jews themselves, it is a manifestation of a very serious systemic disease: Europe cannot cope with civilizational, migration and terrorist challenges. For example, the editor of the Charlie Hebdo newspaper wrote a week ago: "The executioner now decides who is Jewish and who to execute. We all became Jews," I quote the newspaper editor.
European Jews themselves are tired of condolences over the Holocaust - they expect practical steps from Brussels, from national governments. And European leaders very often in many countries for various reasons show irresponsibility in specific solutions to issues, including the so-called closed ethnic communities, whose members often commit aggression.
The criterion of responsibility, in our opinion, can only be this: isolation violates the laws of the country or not. For comparison, I will say that any Jewish community in the world is guided by the main Talmudic principle, the chief rabbi will not let me exaggerate in this regard: the law of the country, the responsibility of the leader is precisely to apply his national law regardless of the political situation.
A systemic disease of this kind requires systemic treatment. Common actions of Russia, the United States and the European Union to combat terrorism in all its forms are urgently needed. Therefore, our congress strongly supports the actions of the Russian Federation against the "Islamic State". The Russian Aerospace Forces are not only fighting threats and challenges for Russia - they protect Europe, we understand this well.
Actively acting against IS, Russia seeks to restore peace and stability not only in Syria, but also in the Greater Middle East - to the same extent as in Russia. The threat of nuclear terrorism has become even more real now: a "dirty" bomb, the explosion of nuclear facilities or isotopes in a medical center, and so on. The "Islamic State" already controls the laboratories of the University of Mosul in Iraq, where 40 kilograms of uranium compounds were seized. According to some estimates, this is quite enough to create a "dirty" bomb.
Thus, summarizing, I think it is possible to draw your attention to the following initiatives. On anti-Semitism: to support the recognition of anti-Semitism as a criminal offense at the level of legislation; to support efforts and measures to ensure the security of Jewish organizations; to support the development of special continuous educational programs: kindergarten, school, university - to instill in students the basics of safe tolerance.
On global terrorism, including nuclear terrorism: it is necessary for the leaders of Russia, the United States and the leading countries of Europe and the world to recognize that countering nuclear terrorism is the highest priority to ensure international security; to immediately reanimate and strengthen cooperation on all previously adopted initiatives and resolutions of the UN Security Council on nuclear terrorism; to convene an emergency UN General Assembly on Terrorism (I would believe that the creation of the seventh UN Main Committee specializing in this issue would be very important in this matter); to ensure maximum cooperation between special services and operational bodies to identify and suppress attempts to seize nuclear materials and prepare nuclear terrorist attacks.
But without the highest political interaction, which you always insist on, this most relevant global project will be very vulnerable. We all really need responsible leadership and international unity. We need Russia to play an important role in the coalition to counter global terror and anti-Semitism.
Vladimir Vladimirovich, I often think about why the memory of the Holocaust has never become a vaccine against anti-Semitism that destroys any country. We understand that with it, with anti-Semitism, the trampling of common basic values, traditions, family, property and life itself begins. And therefore memory alone is not enough - unity is necessary, as it has power.
We sincerely thank you for the fact that you have always been, remain and, I hope, will be a friend of the Jewish people.
Thank You.
Source: https://mjcc.ru/news/putin-priglasil-evreev-evropyi-v-rossiyu/