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CER – Representing European Jewry at the European Union
Senior rabbanim from the Conference of European Rabbis took part in a top level meeting for leaders of religious faiths at the European Commission in Brussels May 30, 2006 under the chairmanship of the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Durao Barroso and the President of the European Council and Chancellor of the Republic of Austria, Wolfgang Schuessel. Joining representatives of all monotheistic faiths, the CER was represented at the four-hour meeting by Chief Rabbi Avraham Guigui Shlita' of Brussels, CER Permanent Representative to the European Union and by Chief Rabbi René Gutman Shlita' of Strasbourg representing the President of the CER and Chief Rabbi of France Joseph Haim Sitruk Shlita'. In the presence of President Barroso and Chancellor Schuessel as well as four other European Commissioners, the rabbanim called for legislative protection by the EU for Jewish religious freedom of expression most notably to enshrine the right for Jewish communities to be allowed to provide halachik slaughter of animals for meat in all EU member states. The rabbanim also noted the worrying growth of violence in European society and called for a greater imput of religion and morality into European education systems. Concern was also expressed at the growth of far-right and xenophobic and anti-Semitic parties in many European states and the need for the European Union to combat this worrying trend in European societies. European leaders pledged their continued commitment to interfaith dialogue with Chancellor Schuessel underlining the significance of the dialogue among religions. "Jacques Delors was right when he said, 'if we are to create Europe again, we must give it a soul and a faith.' We now need believers for the success of the EU project," Chancellor Schuessel said. Chief Rabbi Guigui said both he and Chief Rabbi Gutman had raised several key issues affecting the European Jewish Community, notably the rise of anti-Semitism across Europe. "Bringing together religious leaders from all the monotheistic faiths of Europe under the flag of the European Union is something that I regard as very positive" he said. "It gives a sign that the E.U. is committed to real interfaith dialogue and to integrating people of faith into the European discussion to build a better society." ENDS |
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