In an interview with the Austrian daily newspaper Kurier, the head of Vienna’s Jewish Community has spoken of a sharp increase in the amount of Antisemitic crimes reported this year. In summing up the situation Oskar Deutsch also commented on the increasingly difficult situation in a host of European countries including Hungary, Sweden and France. WUJS understands the worry spreading across European Jewish communities as both radical Islam and the Far-Right appear to be gaining strength across the backdrop of economic woes and apathy in the general public.
Deutsch speaks of physical attacks against Jews and Roma in Hungary and lays the blame directly at the EU for allowing Antisemitism to carry on without a full outcry. “The EU Fundamental Rights Agency in Vienna should fulfill its mandate. I see it there, but it takes no action.” Deutsch actively welcomes the Jews of Hungary to move to Vienna, stating that as President of the community there he is determined to keep it an open city with an expanding community.
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WUJS is becoming increasingly troubled by both the lack of awareness among younger generations and the complacency of the older ones. WUJS is actively calling upon its member unions to take part in planned rallies, across the globe, that will coincide on the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust.
TheWZO Communications Center is hosting a unique evening in the Israeli city of Holon planned for the 27th January 2013. Natan Sharansky will be in attendance and throughout the evening there will be pictures from broadcasts of rallies taking place simultaneously from around the world.
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Over the next few days WUJS will be releasing a list of planned rallies and student coordinators. Please check back for more details, or be in touch with your home union to see what they have planned.
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For further information contact info@wujs.org.il or follow our facebook page ‘World Union of Jewish Students‘ or twitter feed ‘JewishStudents’.
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The World Union of Jewish Students is the international umbrella organization for 48 national Jewish student unions from all over the world.
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