The President of the Conference of European Rabbis, Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, will hold an urgent meeting in Brussels Monday with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.
The meeting is to take place against the backdrop of rising anti-Semitism and attacks in the Ukraine, France and other countries, and attempts to limit religious rights across the continent.
The rabbis will reportedly demand that the European Commission take significant measures for providing security for Jewish institutions across Europe, and that it block legislative initiatives against circumcision and ritual slaughter in some EU countries, and the ban on ritual slaughter in Poland and Denmark.
Rabbi Goldschmidt said "the situation of Jews in Europe today is like having two trains traveling at high speed toward each other, while we Jews stand on the tracks and do not know which train will strike us first.
“On one hand, our synagogues and community members are attacked by the new Europeans and especially young Muslims – 40% of Jews in France are careful not bear any sign of the Judaism in the street for fear of attack.
“On the other hand – old and secular Europe again issues new laws against immigrants and against the Jewish minority, although this time they are disguised as children's rights and animal rights.
“The question of whether there will be any Jews left in Europe in 20 years' time depends mostly on decisions to be taken over the next few years in Europe and the European Union. We are a small minority in the middle of a conflict between cultures in Europe, currently being played out between old and new Europe, said Goldschmidt.