By Howard Goldstein
While some Jewish leaders have talked of European boycotts, others believe that dialogue and cooperation are the best vehicles toward improving the situation for European Jews.
Rabbi Ronald Brown, spiritual leader of the Reform Temple Beth Am in Merrick, recently returned from a four-day trip to UNESCO (the United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organization) in Paris, France.
Brown, who is vice president of the non-denominational NABOR (North American Boards Of Rabbis), is a frequent visitor to the Jewish communities of Europe. "Usually I am there doing outreach, but this mission was a little different," Brown said. "I was part of a committee sent to engage in a dialogue between NABOR and the Roman Catholic Church with Parisian Cardinal Jean Paul Listagur."
A European dialogue is not a discussion, but rather, guests read from prepared papers with an audience present. Several panels, comprising eight representatives each, spoke over two days to an audience of Parisian Catholics, Jews, theologians and UNESCO workers.
Brown read a paper voicing his concern over rising anti-Semitism in France. In addition to anti-Semitism couched in anti-Zionist lingo becoming chic again among Europe's self-proclaimed intelligentsia, violence and vandalism against Jews have reached an all-time high since World War II, with France in the lead. Between Sept. 9, 2000 and Nov. 20, 2002, there were 330 anti-Semitic crimes committed in Paris alone.
"The response to my paper was harsher than I had anticipated," Brown said. "Basically, I was told I was overreacting and that there is no anti-Semitism in France, despite the fact that at times, three to four anti-Semitic attacks per day have been reported."
The majority of physical attacks on Jews and synagogues in France is carried out not by the French themselves, but by North African Arabs who have rapidly grown in number in France.
Rabbi Brown was particularly concerned when a high-ranking church official, whom he chose not to name, referred to the daily attacks on Jews by Muslims as "urban violence, not anti-Semitism."
Brown said, "Urban violence is random. These attacks are calculated towards Jews. I am disappointed in that comment, and I said so."
Brown said that central Paris has been relatively quiet since the election of President Jacques Chirac, with Jews in that part of the city feeling slightly safer. Brown said constant, negative media attention finally forced Chirac to crack down on anti-Semitic acts in Paris.
But it was another story in the outlying suburbs, where Brown said his colleagues found a concerned Jewish community who believed they were the targets of bigotry. French Jews told NABOR rabbis that Muslims would frequently yell out "Yehud!" (Arabic for Jew) and accost anyone who responded.
French Jews also believe the intellectual climate in France supports the rise in anti-Semitism, with the violence often being rationalized as a response to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Many of the rabbis who came with Brown to Paris were admonished by their congregants not to go, but Brown thinks such activities are important. "I am concerned for the Jewish community throughout the world, especially in the light of history," he said.
"It is important that rabbis and Jewish leaders remain in contact with and support their fellow Jews all over the world. We must let Jewish communities, especially smaller ones such as those in Europe, know that they have support from the larger world Jewish community and our friends.
"Dialogue," he added, "is important on all levels, or you live with misrepresentations on both sides."
According to Rabbi Brown, all Jews have the obligation to be aware of what is going on in the world. "I did not go [to France] on behalf of myself, but on behalf of the congregation [Beth Am]," he said. "The congregation was very happy that I attended the event because it does boost awareness. Besides that, Jews can contact a myriad of Jewish organizations for suggestions on how to help with the current situation."
