On the 21-22 March this year in Budapest, the EJA is gathering Jewish Leaders for a flagship Annual Conference. There is a lot of attention given on the high and rising levels of antisemitism in Europe. The Old Continent had 9,5 million Jews before the Second World War and today there are slightly more than one million and many are leaving.
The Jewish Community of Oporto (EJA official member) will be present at the event led by Rabbi Menachem Margolin and has already explained its opinion on the future of Jews in Europe.
According to a letter sent to EJA signed by Isabel Lopes, Vice President of the organization, "The European Union wants to see Jewish life flourishing in Europe by 2030. It is possible to promote the return of the Jewish people, their culture and religion, but as soon as Jewish communities start making their mark in European territory, the influential antisemites in society will attempt to destroy Jewish life bit by bit, synagogue by synagogue, organisation by organisation, using the same methods once employed in the Soviet Union. The far-right's problem is far from the only one. The material image of the Jew is spread all over the place, which is exacerbated when he is an Israelite."
Lopes adds "Seeing that history repeats itself, and that today you might find many Jews where there will be none tomorrow, the Jewish Community of Oporto has taken legal measures to ensure that should the Jews ever abandon Portugal, their assets will be given to the Jewish Agency for Israel."
