Survey: Nearly 25% of European Jews Afraid to Be Jewish

[Levite]

I thought this article in Tablet magazine was a rather sobering, if unsurprising, piece of news. I have cousins in France, and they have been saying for years now how it has been getting ever worse for their community (near Paris), and they cannot wear their kippot in public anymore, because some of their friends have been attacked by anti-Semites.

Tablet magazine[/URL]]
An expansive new survey by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights has found that nearly a quarter of European Jews fear to openly identify as Jewish, including 50 percent of Swedish Jews, 40 percent of French Jews and 36 percent of Belgian Jews. And this is only one of the study’s shocking discoveries. Similarly disturbing, 37 percent of Romanian Jews, 35 percent of Hungarian Jews, 31 percent of Belgian Jews, and 21 percent of British and Swedish Jews, reported experiencing anti-Semitism in the past year.
Perhaps the most distressing finding was this one noted by JTA:

More than 75 percent of respondents said they do not report anti-Semitic harassment to police and 64 percent said they do not report physical assaults, with 67 percent saying that reporting incidents was either “not worth the effort” or otherwise ineffectual.
​

These new findings, coupled with sustained efforts to ban circumcision and kosher slaughter, paint a grim portrait of Jewish life in Europe, just over 65 years after the horrors of the Holocaust. Whether they will provoke any soul-searching among the European Union countries that commissioned the survey remains to be seen.

Thoughts?

 

[Zardoz]

-For any DIR or discussion sub-forum that is colored blue, non-members of that area are limited only to respectful questions, and are not allowed to make any non-question posts.

-For any DIR or discussion sub-forum that is colored green, non-members of that area may make respectful posts that comply with the tenets and spirit of that area. This includes questions, as well as knowledgeable comments.

This forum is blue, not green.

 

[Flankerl]

I wasnt asked.


And about circumcision and ritual slaughter: I understand why they would ban it. Its something completely and entirely alien to their various cultures.

When you think about it its extremely funny that all this humanism(because thats all that it is) which many many jews actively supported for decades now turns around and bites them in the butt.
You cant run around and demand that the rights of children should be respected and no physical harm should befall them only to scream "evil antisemite!" when exactly that is seen through.
Same goes for ritual slaughter. It doesnt help if Rabbis advocate and defend it. They are religious authority figures which equals stupidity and mistrust in many areas of europe. Also there simply is no science about it.



So all things considered if find this all extremely amusing.

 

[CMike]

I thought this article in Tablet magazine was a rather sobering, if unsurprising, piece of news. I have cousins in France, and they have been saying for years now how it has been getting ever worse for their community (near Paris), and they cannot wear their kippot in public anymore, because some of their friends have been attacked by anti-Semites.



Thoughts?

Very saddening:sad:, but not surprising.

It kind of ties into the thread I started regarding jews and guns.

 

[CMike]

I think it's a little more than "a climate where people can feel that they are being targeted." If this was really about banning certain practices without targeting specific groups, there would be exemptions for religious groups.

But, in fact, the majority of European non-Jews are not circumcising their baby boys, nor are they practicing Jewish or Muslim ritual slaughter. It is disingenous to imagine that these laws are not directed primarily at Jews and Muslims. These practices are central to Jewish and Muslim life. Banning them is equivalent to saying that Jews and Muslims can only remain in your country if they give up the practice of their religion.

And in any case, this goes beyond those things: this is also about tolerance for thuggery, street violence, and a culture of anti-Semitism in Europe-- even in historically tolerant places, as this article about anti-Semitism encountered in Copenhagen discusses.

Also, BTW, you should really change your "Religion" title to something reflecting Judaism if you're going to respond to posts in the Judaism DIR. Unless you aren't Jewish, in which case you shouldn't be responding to posts here.

Right on.:yes:

These practices are central to judaism, and are therefore, telling jews that they can't legally practice their religion.

It's not okay. These countries, especially the very anti semitic country of Nowary need to respect other people's religion, and do what they can to accomodate them, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone.

What is very hypocritical of Norway which makes it illegal to kosher meat, is that hunting is very big there.

An animal dying from a bullet is far more painful, than the few seconds it take an animal to die by sechting it.

 

[CMike]

I wasnt asked.


And about circumcision and ritual slaughter: I understand why they would ban it. Its something completely and entirely alien to their various cultures.

When you think about it its extremely funny that all this humanism(because thats all that it is) which many many jews actively supported for decades now turns around and bites them in the butt.
You cant run around and demand that the rights of children should be respected and no physical harm should befall them only to scream "evil antisemite!" when exactly that is seen through.
Same goes for ritual slaughter. It doesnt help if Rabbis advocate and defend it. They are religious authority figures which equals stupidity and mistrust in many areas of europe. Also there simply is no science about it.



So all things considered if find this all extremely amusing.

Please provide the list of all the jewish males who feel that they were treated unfairly by being circumcised?

 

[Flankerl]

It's not okay. These countries, especially the very anti semitic country of Nowary need to respect other people's religion, and do what they can to accomodate them, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone.

Oh boy not this again.

That one article really is holy to you isnt it?

 

[CMike]

Oh boy not this again.

That one article really is holy to you isnt it?

You really are jewish?

You seem to be against the central tenents of judaism.

Levite and I disagree with just about everything, but I think this one issue jews agree upon. That issue is the right to practice their religion.

 

[Flankerl]

Please provide the list of all the jewish males who feel that they were treated unfairly by being circumcised?

Doesnt matter. People in europe got this crazy idea that kids shouldnt be harmed if it cant be avoided.

And for them circumcision is something that can be avoided.


Let your rage out but it wont change a thing and btw you dont get any allies in some countries if you call them antisemites because you have to import your meat.

 

[Caladan]

Related:

Anti-Semitism and Malmö are words that frequently appear together. Jews are turning their back on the southern city in the wake of several incidents while potential Jewish tourists have expressed concern over the city's safety. The Local's Patrick Reilly donned a kippah for a day to find out what the situation is really like.

Fear and giggles: A day as a Jew in Malmö - The Local

 

[Flankerl]

You really are jewish?

Ah another low point. They come by fast these days.

You seem to be against the central tenents of judaism.

Its a central tenent of judaism to slaughter animals in the kingdom of norway?

Levite and I disagree with just about everything, but I think this one issue jews agree upon. That issue is the right to practice their religion.

Import your meat. Problem solved.

Iam so wise I should write Torah commentary...

 

[Caladan]

Iam so wise I should write Torah commentary...

It really is a shame that spiteful persecution/discrimination against Jewish communities is blended with political/social stands which challenge religion.
I believe that if these two dimensions are addressed on their own ground and terms the points would come across more efficiently.

There is a distinction to be made between shooting Jewish kids at school as we saw in France last year, to the challenges Judaism experiences in Europe. Although I'm not justifying all reasons (or even mentality) behind attempting to ban Jewish (and Muslim) traditions, it is somewhat natural, that in modern secular Europe religious ritual slaughter among other things is going to be challenged. I think its interesting to note that many people in modern Israel voice their objection to Kosher slaughter, and some even to circumcision (at least ideologically).

 

[CMike]

Originally Posted by CMike
Please provide the list of all the jewish males who feel that they were treated unfairly by being circumcised?

Doesnt matter. People in europe got this crazy idea that kids shouldnt be harmed if it cant be avoided.

And for them circumcision is something that can be avoided.

Then they don't have to perform it.

It does matter. If these people were harmed where are all the people who were circumcised complaining that they were circumcised?

Let your rage out but it wont change a thing and btw you dont get any allies in some countries if you call them antisemites because you have to import your meat.

The problem is that very anti semitic states like Norway make it illegal to import meat unless it's in very small quantity.

Therefore for religious jews in Norway they have to have a very elaborate and difficult process to import enough meat for holidays.

 

[CMike]

A thread I started regarding one of the most anti semitic countries on earth - Norway.

http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/3422826-post1.html

 

[Flankerl]

Then they don't have to perform it.

It does matter. If these people were harmed where are all the people who were circumcised complaining that they were circumcised?

Fun fact: All people should be equal before the law. So if circumcision isnt allowed in one country it should be forbidden for all people in said country.

The problem is that very anti semitic states like Norway make it illegal to import meat unless it's in very small quantity.

Therefore for religious jews in Norway they have to have a very elaborate and difficult process to import enough meat for holidays.

Source? Oh and not that one source you love.

I actually have a cousin living there. Very oppressed. Like really oppressed. She's so oppressed she doesnt know she's oppressed.

 

[CMike]

Fun fact: All people should be equal before the law. So if circumcision isnt allowed in one country it should be forbidden for all people in said country.

Very cute, especially when the law effects only the people of one religion.


How jews slaughter cows has absolutely no effect on anyone else.


Secheting a cow is done intentionally in a way to cause no pain to the cow.

And if the Norweigans truely cared about animals then hunting wouldn't be so big there. Killing an animal via hunting is far more painful to the animal than the process of killing a cow in judaism.

I actually have a cousin living there. Very oppressed. Like really oppressed. She's so oppressed she doesnt know she's oppressed.

No kidding. If you are assimilated then it doesn't matter.

I'm talking about orthodox jews who actually want to practice their religion.

 

[Flankerl]

Actually we slaughter animals the way we do to cause as little pain and stress as possible. No pain at all during the slaughter is a pipedream.

Where did i state how she feels about her religion? Are you psychic or something like that?

 

[CMike]

Actually we slaughter animals the way we do to cause as little pain and stress as possible. No pain at all during the slaughter is a pipedream.

Where did i state how she feels about her religion? Are you psychic or something like that?

Yup.

It's not hard. It sounds like you if you had a vote you would vote to keep jews from being able to practice their religion.

You are on the wrong side.

If you totally assimilate into their culture then you wouldn't have a problem in Norway.

if you were kosher, visibly jewish, and pro-Israel, you would have a big problem in Norway.

 

[Flankerl]

So again: Slaughtering animals in the Kingdom of Norway is a mitzvot? Care to cite the passage of it?

Waiting for it. Take your time.

Yup.

It's not hard. It sounds like you if you had a vote you would vote to keep jews from being able to practice their religion.

You are on the wrong side.

You are one unlikeable person.
Yeah iam probably not a true torah jew. Next step would probably be to classify me as a non-jew. With that obviously arrives the classification as an antisemite.

Could you please try and keep your american way of "discussing" things(completely demonising anyone thats doesnt share your opinion) in your country and out of a forum that has become dear to me? Thanks.

 

[Levite]

So again: Slaughtering animals in the Kingdom of Norway is a mitzvot? Care to cite the passage of it?

As much as it pains me to agree with Mike, and as much as I wish to distance myself from his disrespect to you, I do think it is simply wrong for Jews in Norway or anywhere else to be forced to import their meat if they wish to keep kosher.

This is who we are. This is our way. If countries want to outlaw it, fine, that may be their prerogative, but in that case they should be clear that tolerance and pluralism are not part of their national values. If that's the case, then the onus is on the Jews living there to decide whether they will import their meat, not eat meat, not keep kosher, or move to a more welcoming and tolerant country.

But it is beyond disingenuous, it is either lying or delusional, for a country to outlaw practices that are specific only to Jews and Muslims, and then claim that they are tolerant, pluralistic, and welcoming of everyone.

They can't have it both ways.