CER Meets President J M Barroso

Brussels - 25-Jan-05

A delegation of the Conference of European Rabbis met with President J M Barroso at his office in Brussels.  President Barroso was accompanied by Mr C Tavares, who heads the GOPA group at the European Commission, as well as Ambassador M Weninger, who is the Interfaith Co-Coordinator for the Commission.  The CER delegation consisted of its President, Chief Rabbi J Sitruk, Chief Rabbi A Guigui of Brussels, Dayan J Abraham of the London Beth Din, who was representing Chief Rabbi Sacks, Cllr A M Dunner, Executive Director of the CER, and Professor J Klener, President of the Belgian Consistoire. 

President Barroso welcomed the delegation and expressed his pleasure at being able to meet with the leading Rabbinical organisation in Europe dealing with inter-European affairs.  He stated that the CER had to play an important role in Europe by monitoring both the moral and ethical issues that the Commission is constantly dealing with, as well as keeping a check on the problems of anti-Semitism.   Chief Rabbi Sitruk stressed the role of religion and the example and standards which can be set for the nations of Europe.  "When the world faces crises such as the Tsunami, it is religious faiths that are able to meaningfully focus on the terrible traumas caused by such a catastrophe".

Another issue that was raised was the relationship between the European Commission and Israel.  President Barroso was extremely positive on this issue and expressed his hope that the new leadership within the Arab authority would in fact change the whole atmosphere in the Middle East.  He hoped that Europe would play an important role in that process.  Dealing with anti-Semitism, it was agreed that a joint NGO would be formed together with the EJC and the Commission to carefully monitor anti-Semitism, and report back to the Commission with recommendations. 

The President presented Chief Rabbi Sitruk with a beautifully illustrated volume depicting the history of Portuguese Jewry.

It is planned that the first meeting of the newly formed NGO will be towards the end of February, and will report directly back to President Barroso on its deliberations.