POLICY WORKSHOP

ADDRESSING RISING IN EUROPE

Katharina von Schnurbein | European University Institute

Conference Room

Villa La Fonte, Via delle Fontanelle, 18 - San Domenico di Fiesole

23 - 24 APRIL 2018

PROGRAMME

23 APRIL

09.30 - 10.00 Opening of the seminar Moderator: Katharina von Schnurbein | European University Institute Opening remarks by Brigid Laffan | Director of the Robert Schuman Center Opening remarks by Daniel Schwammenthal | Head of AJC’s Transatlantic Institute, Brussels Opening remarks by Khalid Hajji | European Moroccan Oulema Brussels

PANEL 1: ANTISEMITISM IN ITS DIFFERENT FORMS - CHALLENGES IN WESTERN AND EASTERN EUROPE AND EFFECTIVE INSTRUMENTS TO COUNTER IT

Surveys and data collection of incidents show that Antisemitism is on the rise in many European countries. However, the way it is expressed and thus perceived by the Jewish communities various significantly across Europe. It ranges from the fear of life – threatening attacks to age old prejudices and conspiracy theories, to denial or distortion of memory. This implies the need for different instruments to effectively tackle Antisemitism in society. This panel will look at the different challenges in Eastern and Western Europe, show policy responses and concrete suggestions for improvement.

10.00 - 12.30 Moderator: Ronny Naftaniel | Executive Vice President of CEJI Michał Bilewicz | University of Warsaw, Faculty of Psychology, Faculty Member Aaron Verständig | Head of the Jewish community in Sweden Dervis Hizarci | Kreuzberg Initiative against Antisemitism (KIgA) Rachel Century | Development Manager, Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (HMDT) Discussion

12.30 -13.30 Lunch

PANEL 2 : ANTISEMITISM IN THE MIDDLE OF SOCIETY – THE CHALLENGE OF RECOGNITION

13.30 - 15.30 While the Jewish communities have pointed to a perceived increase of Antisemitism for many years, in many European countries mainstream societies seem to remain ignorant of this threat and deny the growing problem for and non-Jews alike. This is partly due to the fact that Antisemitism is narrowly projected only on the Holocaust while Jew-hatred has reappeared and is expressed in new forms. While it is in most societies regarded as unacceptable to express overt racial or religious fascist Antisemitism, Antisemitic prejudices when wrapped in anti-Zionism or anti-establishment conspiracies expressed by progressives, liberals and from within the migration society seem much less disputed. These more recent expressions of Antisemitism, linked to the history of Zionism and the foundation of the State of 70 years ago, can be just as poisonous in the public debate as traditional Antisemitism and their effect on the Jewish communities in Europe can be as devastating. For many policy makers, journalists and opinion-leaders the line between justified criticism of Israel and Antisemitism seems blurred. This panel will look into the means of increasing recognition of all forms of Antisemitism in mainstream society, such as the usefulness and application of the IHRA definition on Antisemitism in achieving better data collection, more targeted training of law enforcers and teachers.

13.30 - 15.30 Moderator: Richard C. Schneider | Journalist and author, former Correspondent of ARD to Tel Aviv and Rome Joachim Bergström | Special envoy Antisemitism, Islamophobia and Racism, Sweden Alina Bricman | President of the European Union of Jewish Students James Renton | European University Institute Canan Yasar | Head of Muslimische Jugend Österreich Benjamin Steinitz | Head of Research and Information Centre on Antisemitism, Berlin (RIAS)

Afternoon Programme reserved to Speakers and External Participants only

15.45 Bus transfer to Synagogue

16.30 Guided tour of the Florence Synagogue

17.00 - 18.30 Discussion with Daniela Misul | President of the Florence Jewish community and Imam Izzeddin Elzir | Florence Muslim community

20.00 Dinner downtown

24 APRIL PANEL 3 : ADDRESSING ANTISEMITISM WITHIN THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY – COALITION BUILDING AND CHALLENGES IN EUROPEAN MULTICULTURAL SOCIETIES

A 2016 poll by the Anti-Defamation League showed that Antisemitism among the Muslim community in some Western European countries is two to three times higher than the overall toll. The largest threat perceived by Jews across Europe stems from perpetrators “with a Muslim extremist view” according to the FRA Jewish perception survey in 2013. Reasons for Antisemitism among Muslims in Europe may vary: social exclusion, the Middle East conflict, cultural narratives, conspiracy theories. The recently adopted resolution by the German Bundestag “Fighting Antisemitism” states that “accepting Jewish life in is a benchmark for integration”. This panel will look into whether and how this benchmark could become a benchmark for integration across Europe, also in countries that were less implied in the Holocaust and thus have a different collective memory. The panel will highlight successful ways in addressing Antisemitic prejudices among Muslim communities, supporting Muslim voices and discussing the challenges ahead.

09.30 - 11.30 Moderator: Esther Voet | Editor in Chief Dutch Jewish Weekly Susanne Raab | Head of Section on Integration at the Austrian Ministry on Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs (BMEIA) Ahmed Larouz | CEO Bridgizz & Co-Founder and Author 180 Amsterdammers Johanna Barasz | Deputy Interministerial Delegate on the fight against Racism and Antisemitism Charles Asher Small | Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP)

11.30 - 12.30 Summary and practical conclusions by the moderators

12.30 -13.30 Light lunch