EU Parliament
EU ParliamentReuters

During the opening session of the Conference of European Rabbis (CER) held this year in Toulouse, calls to fight anti-Semitism were backed strongly by members of the European Parliament in attendance. 

The EU members pledged their support to work for the continuation of a Jewish presence across the continent in the years to come.

In his opening address, the President of the CER, Chief Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, told delegates: "The children who were killed in Toulouse, were killed for the same reason as those Jews who were murdered seventy years ago during the holocaust, here in Europe.

"The doubling of anti-Semitic attacks in 2014 means we must fight resolutely against anti-Semitism and nip this phenomenon in the bud. We will continue to fight across Europe for the right to live safely on this continent as Jews.”

In a video message from European leaders unable to attend the biennial convention, the European Commissioner Frans Timmermans stressed the need to discuss more openly the role of religion with Europe. 

"Europe without the Jews is no longer Europe... we need your contribution to have this debate," Timmermans asked of participants.