At the first pan-European Limmud FSU (former Soviet Union) conference, which opened in Windsor, England last week, Jewish leaders from around the world reacted to a report released earlier this week by the Community Security Trust showing anti-Semitic hate crime is at a record high in the UK.

“We’re all aware of the record number of anti-Semitic attacks that have been reported across the U.K.,” said Limmud FSU International Steering Committee Chairman Matthew Bronfman, who is an American businessman and philanthropist. “What are we doing about it? We’re gathering here, just outside of London – the UK’s largest Jewish community and place with the highest incidence of anti-Semitic hate crimes – to show the world who we are and why we’re important. Studying and learning and expressing our Judaism is how we fight this.”

“There is less anti-Semitism in Azerbaijan or Kazakhstan than there is in Europe right now,” said Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations Executive Vice Chairman Malcolm Hoenlein. “What did the Jews do wrong? It’s not what we did wrong; it’s what we did right. We are a strong and unified people – both in Europe and around the world – and the unity of the Jewish people will cause this resurgence of anti-Semitism to melt away.”

“There is more anti-Semitism in London than in any other European city. It’s shameful,” said Limmud FSU Founder Chaim Chesler. “We’re here in the UK to show that we are ready to fight back. Unlike on the eve of WWII, we will not be silent.”

Photo: Limmud FSU Founder Chaim Chesler speaking about the rise of anti-Semitism in the U.K. at Limmud FSU Europe.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem / Photo Credit: Ekaterina Nikitina)