To understand Auschwitz, EJA first brings Europe's leaders back to Kristallnacht - interview
While international Holocaust memorial delegations traditionally converge around International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27, the EJA chose the anniversary of Kristallnacht for its meeting.
The European Jewish Association (EJA) has chosen to bring European leaders to Auschwitz on the anniversary of Kristallnacht to highlight the importance of recognizing the early stages of rising antisemitism. This deliberate timing contrasts with the conventional practice of Holocaust memorial delegations aligning with International Holocaust Remembrance Day (January 27).
EJA Vice-Chairman Alex Benjamin explained that Kristallnacht, the pogroms of 1938, symbolizes the beginning of the end for European Jews, akin to witnessing the descent into catastrophe. The EJA aims to provide a stark reminder that societies can gradually slide from normalized social exclusion to catastrophe through a breakdown of civic norms and legal protections.
By bringing high-level politicians, ministers, and decision-makers to Auschwitz, the EJA hopes to puncture institutional complacency and encourage active measures to safeguard vulnerable Jewish populations. Benjamin emphasized that token statements of solidarity are insufficient without parallel policy enforcement and legislative safeguards.
The delegation also addresses the repackaging of traditional antisemitism under the guise of anti-Zionism, noting how political discourse often crosses the line from legitimate criticism into virulent prejudice.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
