For the first time in a decade, the Foreign Ministry invited the leaders of European Jewish communities for a leadership conference to discuss the challenges facing the ties between Israel and European Jewry.
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Planning for the event began before the swearing-in of the new government, some of whose members are a source of concern for European Jews and who are treated with automatic antagonism by the European Union and certain European governments.
The traditional European political establishment and most local media do not like right-wing Israeli governments, and judgment on the current coalition was passed even before they took office and began their work. It explains why too many European hands are involved in financing activities against such right-wing governments and efforts to thwart their policies. Israel should never have allowed such meddling in its internal affairs.
And yet, at the conference, the Jewish leaders did not focus on this – or the growing antisemitism, anti-Israel rhetoric and Muslim immigration – but on one challenge alone: the dwindling European Jewish population.
Many stressed that Israel was losing European Jewry, especially the young generation, who are increasingly renouncing their Judaism and distancing themselves from the Jewish state. And while most of the over 1.5 million European Jews live in large communities in France, Russia, Hungary, Britain, Ukraine and Germany, many also live in small and shrinking communities.
In the last 50 years – following the Holocaust – Europe's Jewish population decreased by 60%. A similar drop is expected within the next 30 years as well. The Ukraine war accelerated the process further, at least in the short term, although many chose to flee to other European countries.
The long-term consequences of the slow disappearance of European Jewry are increased assimilation, a lack of means to preserve Jewish identity, such as teachers in Jewish schools, financial difficulties, a growing sense of alienation by the younger generation, and – of course – rising antisemitism.
There are some communities in Central and Eastern Europe that have seen a trend of members joining after discovering their Jewish roots, but in Western Europe, the Balkans, and the Baltic states, the dwindling trend is clear.
As for the youngsters, many cut ties with Judaism and Israel due to the daily exposure to anti-Israel propaganda. In several European countries, this is encouraged by the political establishments who seek to weaken the Jews' connection to Israel lest Jerusalem uses it as leverage in the future as well as to ensure Jewish existence in their territory by eliminating the "threat" of aliyah.
The Jewish community leaders have previously appealed to the Israeli government, but say they received little to no help, except when it comes to security.
In its early days, Israel was aided by Jewish communities in Europe, and now they are asking to be helped in return: to receive financial support to preserve Jewish identity. They seek an Israeli strategy in preserving European Jewry.
And yes, this request contradicts the Zionist dream of seeing all Jews of the world immigrating to Israel, but Jerusalem can either choose to cling to a utopian idea or prevent the disappearance of an important part of Diaspora Jewry, which can help shape pro-Israeli policy in Europe, as is already done today.
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