With the European Jewish Association (EJA) conference taking place this week in Poland, Arutz Sheva spoke to Rabbi Menachem Margolin, Chairman of EJA, about the urgent need to combat the problem of anti-Semitism in Europe.
“We invited 150 senior politicians, members of parliament and senior ministers from across Europe to come here to Krakow to commemorate 83 years since Kristallnacht because we truly believe that Holocaust remembrance is a very important fight against anti-Semitism," Margolin says.
When asked if it is important for the battle against anti-Semitism to be connected to the history of the Holocaust, he explains that it is very important to do so as “unfortunately, we have no other choice.”
“We truly believe that. Indeed, not only to pay respect to the victims, but it is very important to bring people to Auschwitz-Birkenau to realize how dangerous it can be if he would allow anti-Semites to continue their plans.”
Margolin adds that Holocaust denial and revisionism is still a big problem.
“Every person in the world should come and realize what tragedy should happen if we would allow this hatred to continue," he says.
While Margolin remarks that there are good people who understand the importance of Holocaust education in Europe, he laments the fact that there is not an urgency to remedying the situation, and he has an important message for EU politicians.
“We are here to make sure they will understand that the issue of anti-Semitism is not something that can continue to be postponed but it’s something that has to be dealt with immediately," he says.