Elon Musk to visit Auschwitz, lead panel on antisemitism and Holocaust

Tesla and X owner Elon Musk is expected to participate in a conference next week in Poland, focusing on combating antisemitism as well as honoring the remembrance of the Holocaust. Musk is expected to speak on stage with conservative American Journalist Ben Shapiro. 

Musk will be the guest speaker at the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, organized by the EJA, the Association of Jewish Organizations in Europe, during its annual delegation of European leaders to Auschwitz on January 22-23. 

Among the prominent figures who have confirmed their participation this year are UN representative Miguel Moratinos, ministers and parliamentarians from the European Union, Germany, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Ireland, Greece, Austria, and others.

Other key speakers on the panel

The conference will also feature Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, Yad Vashem Dani Dayan Chairman, and others. During the conference, an announcement will be made regarding establishing a Leaders' Forum to Combat Antisemitism, led by the tenth President of Israel, Reuven Rivlin. Joining him in this announcement at the conference will be former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, former French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, and others.

During the symposium, European leaders will discuss more effective ways to combat rising antisemitism in light of the war in Gaza.

In September, The Jerusalem Post revealed that Musk agreed to visit Auschwitz following a heartfelt request from (EJA) Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin. Musk shared his past, which had many Jewish connections. "I actually went to Hebrew preschool in South Africa when I was a kid. Now, I don't know if I'm sort of genetically Jewish or what, but maybe somewhere. I am aspirationally Jewish."

This pivotal moment unfolded during a live discussion on Musk's X platform, where Margolin implored Musk "to walk there, to feel it, to understand it," and Musk, in reflection, offered a tentative yes to the proposal. This profound gesture comes against the backdrop of escalating tensions between Musk and the organized Jewish community, driven by a surge in antisemitism on his social media platform.