The victory against antisemitism: The conference of European Rabbis convenes in Munich

Amidst the rising wave of antisemitism in Europe and the recent pogrom in Amsterdam, the biannual conference of the Standing Committee of the Conference of European Rabbis (CER) convened in Munich, with the participation of dozens of rabbis, dayanim (religious judges), and community leaders from across the continent.

The conference, held at the ‘Westin Grand Munich’ hotel, was led by CER President Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt and Chairman of the Standing Committee, Dayan Rabbi Menachem Gelley. Among the prominent guests was Rabbi Moshe Mordechai Farbstein, Head of the Hebron Yeshiva and President of the Berlin Rabbinical Seminary, who delivered a special lecture to young rabbis as part of the training seminar “Building and Developing Communities,” organized by the CER.

In parallel to the central conference, the rabbis held meetings with senior officials from the Bavarian government, including Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann and Minister for European and International Affairs Florian Herrmann, under tight security provided by the Munich police and local security services.

The CER’s “Rabbinical Training Program,” launched four years ago, played a central role in the conference. The program aims to train young rabbis to lead communities across the continent, emphasizing halachic knowledge, education, and outreach. Participants in the program include graduates of the Torat Chaim Yeshiva in Moscow, with mentorship provided by senior CER rabbis.

During his speech, Rabbi Goldschmidt addressed the pogrom in Amsterdam, stating, “The world is watching to see how the Netherlands will respond. If this pogrom goes unanswered, we will witness similar events spreading throughout Europe.” He further noted that, 86 years after Kristallnacht, the images from Amsterdam evoke memories of those horrific events, urging European governments to take concrete steps to protect Jewish communities.

Rabbi Goldschmidt announced the success of new training programs and highlighted that graduates of the Berlin Rabbinical Seminary are already serving communities across Germany, including the ‘Bnei Zion’ synagogue, which was rebuilt after its destruction on Kristallnacht.

The conference also addressed other key issues, including strengthening ties with Israel, ensuring halachic standards for conversions, and expanding the activities of rabbinical courts in Europe. Biannual activity reports presented during the conference emphasized the CER’s ongoing efforts to strengthen Jewish communities across the continent.

Rabbi Moshe Lebel, director of the training program, said, “Our response to antisemitism is to strengthen Torah study and Jewish communities. We witness a spiritual thirst among Jews in Europe, and we will continue to train rabbis who will lead these communities forward.”

The conference concluded with a unified call to strengthen Jewish unity and prepare the next generation of rabbis to lead with wisdom and unwavering commitment to their communities.

This article was written in cooperation with Shuva Israel