Following the terror attacks in Paris, Rabbi Menachem Margolin of the European Jewish Association (EJA) called on all the EU countries to pass legislation giving special license for Jewish people to carry guns. Some people aren’t happy about that, and tell YWN that his words are “undermining to the Jewish communities”.
In response to his remarks, European communities have issues a joint statement posted below. The initiative was taken today. Signatures of other communities are expected to follow those who already put theirs.
To whom it may concern,
We, the elected leaders of the national and representative Jewish community organisations across Europe, wish to state unequivocally that comments made recently by Menachem Margolin, Director of the European Jewish Association, regarding a desire to “arm” European Jews do not in any way represent the views of European Jewish communities.
Mr. Margolin lacks any expertise or authority to speak on these critical issues on behalf of the Jews of Europe, and therefore lacks all the basic components for Jewish community responsibility.
It is unfortunate, and indeed potentially dangerous to the welfare of our communities, that such comments were widely reported in the press last week in the wake of the terror attacks in France, a period when our community organisations were in constant contact with our governments and security agencies to protect our members and their families.
Mr. Margolin’s association of irrelevant and unrepresentative self-created groups does not in any way convey upon him a role as a spokesman or representative of our communities. He has never been chosen nor elected to any such role.
Our organisations are uniquely recognized as the official interlocutors for our Jewish communities in all our countries.
It is therefore that we call upon the political echelon at the national or pan-European level to treat Mr. Margolin’s comments as those only of an individual bearing no relationship whatsoever to the expressed views and concerns of the democratically-elected leadership of our communities, working together and united under the umbrella of the sole collective voice of European Jewry, the European Jewish Congress.
SIGNED BY:
Vivian Wineman
President, Board of Deputies of British Jews
Maurice Sosnowski
President, Coordinating Committee of Belgian Jewish Organizations
Ruben Vis
Executive Director, Jewish Communities of the Netherlands
Oscar Deutsch
President, Jewish Community of Vienna
Lena Posner-Korosi
President, Council of Swedish Jewish Communities
Ervin Kohn
President, The Jewish Community of Oslo
Petr Papousek,
President, Federation of Jewish Communities in the Czech Republic
Aurel Vainer
President, Federation of Jewish Communities of Romania
Yaron Nadbornik
President of the Jewish Community of Helsinki
Ognjen Kraus
President, Coordinating Committee of the Jewish Communities in the Republic of Croatia
José Oulman Carp
President, Jewish Community of Lisbon
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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12 Responses
1. Except for the United States (which its unique traditions emphasizing personal freedoms), most countries don’t allow people to carry guns.
2. A person untrained in use of guns is more likely to shoot themselves in the foot than to shoot a terrorist.
3. Why fight to defend the right to live in golus? European Jews can freely move to Israel, and probably North America (since they are now fleeing ethnic and religious persecution and therefore qualify for asylum).
This statement is written like a bunch of 2 year olds Rabbi Marglin gave a statement that Jews should carry guns and he backed it up with sound reasoning these rabbis put out a counter statement and do nothing to refute his reasoning behind his statement. they sound like the typical Jewish victim complex, were rabbi marglin sounded like a well thought out statesman
Because of community “leaders” like these we usually end up in gas chambers. Yiden should ignore these “Executive Directors” and “Presidents”. What a bunch of self important clowns.
This reminds me of Sharpton, Jackson, NAACP etc (lehavdil). They keep their peopel down, in order to maintain their own lifestyles as wealthy powerful advocates.
If yidden protected THEMSELVES in Europe they wouldn’t need such “leaders” to advocate for them as court jews. This is merely a job protection statement: Don’t rely on the tools that hkb”h has provided for us to defend ourselves… rely on us, your “leaders”. We promise we’ll only allow ..tops … 10% of us be sacrificed in any future concessions we make to our gracious host countries. We’ve got a pretty good track record… there’s only been a scant few pogroms recently. Please don’t act like “vekarno tarum” yidden. When they hit you, just take the beating and thank them for allowing us to be here and enrich them. Stay bent over, cowering….. that’s the European Jewish way.
this is asinine. “akuperma says:
2. A person untrained in use of guns is more likely to shoot themselves in the foot than to shoot a terrorist.”
A TRAINED soldier in the IDF or, lehavdil, the US ARMY is actually more likely to shoot himself in the foot than shoot a terrorist since a) they have more interaction with thier firearm(s) and b) habit breeds neglect. Injuring yourself with your firearm has nothing to do with shooting proficiency or regular lessons or military level training. The training doesn’t matter: it’s following the 4 rules of gun handling. Soldiers violate them and get injured all the time.
The mashal is false, and the nimshal is no reason for a competent adult not to carry a gun. You get driving lessons and a license to legally drive a car. So too, if you choose to carry a gun, you – as a grown adult – can choose to get lessons and a license as well.
There’s no such thing as a gun accident, it’s carelessness and disregard for the 4 golden rules that cause so called “accidents”. Guns do not fire by themselves – that is an “AD”. AD’s are very very very rare. ND’s are common, as are shoitim.
What’s the big deal? all he said was to have one in case of terrorism. So the ‘Tzadikim’ who make up the ‘authorities in Europe are not happy about Jews being able to defend themselves…
I’m still not understanding what’s wrong with carrying a gun.
akuperma you are mistaken on so many levels
1.thats why rabbi marglin suggested to carry guns because its not allowed if it was allowed he wouldnt have to
2.a person untrained with guns is not more likely to shoot themselves its a made up lie from the gun hating liberals. gang member street thugs do a good job killing people and they are untrained. a gun is really not that complicated to use, ive owned them for many years a tought lots of friends to shoot. my wife picked it up in about 10 min.
3. saying that living in israel is not galus is kefirah and to imply that in israel you wouldnt need a gun is delusional
To a kuperman
Before anyone gets a gun in any civilized country they go through training on its use and safety.
Your point number 3 is too ridiculous to comment on
these people are elitists like I recall the UJA/jcrc types living in expensive, ARMED guard areas with other elitists non-jews who dont effect them.
Just to clarify; they only want terrorists to have guns. What a bunch of morons!
The Nazis, yemach shmam, first made laws against gun ownership, then went around Germany collecting the (many) guns from Jewish baalebatim, then went around Germany collecting Jewish baalebatim!
It’s much harder to resist a tyrannical government if you are unarmed!
Similarly it’s very hard for unarmed Jews to protect ourselves against the Muslim people who glorify death!
U’vacharta bachaim, v’nishmartem meod l’nafshoseichem, and Hashkeml’hargo !