Rabbi And Students Abused In Germany

by Justin Cohen - Thursday 6th November 2008


The Rabbinical Centre of Europe this week expressed shock and called on German authorities to rid the country of extremist organisations after a senior rabbi and a group of students were subjected to a barrage of anti-semitic abuse and had a burning object thrown in their direction.

The latest incident to target members of the country's Jewish community came only days before the world marks the 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht when synagogues across the country were set ablaze.

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An investigation was immediately launched into Sunday's attack in Berlin's Charlottenburg district, during which police say a Mercedes reversed towards the van carrying the Jewish group and the car's occupants shouted anti-semitic insults.

"We are totally shocked to find time and again, that particularly the country that should have been dispersing messages of tolerance to all European countries, has been once again the arena of a severe anti-semitic incident, similar to the one that just occurred," said a statement from the Rabbinical centre of Europe.

"We maintain that Berlin must put an end to nationalistic and neo-Nazi organisations within its boundaries, otherwise, we have no guarantee that history will not repeat itself (may God forefend)."

Stephen Kramer, of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, described the incident as "serious" but insisted it wasn't a reason to see an increase of the general threat level faced in recent years. "I am confident that the Berlin police takes all measures necessary to investigate the offenders and will identify the suspects. From the current state of investigation we are confident that this was not a planned attack but rather an escalated situation during traffic, which Rabbi Teichtal managed successfully because of his professional and calm reaction. No doubt, the actions by the suspects have been clearly anti-semitic. As soon as the police have more information we will be informed and decide if other measures have to be taken."

A note of defiance was also sounded from within the community. Rabbi Taichtal's assistant Rabbi Shmuel Segal said: "This event actually encourages us to continue our Jewish orientated activities in the city. In every case we encounter instances if darkness; we are motivated to increase our efforts to spread out more light."

Meanwhile, Berlin last week saw the opening of the Silent Heroes Memorial Centre which uses diaries, photos and audio to focus on the Germans who risked their own lives to help Jews during the Shoah.

Saying the resource was "long overdue", Kramer told the Jewish News: "So far only Yad Vashem honoured those true heroes. It is quite strange that it took so long for those heroes to be honoured by the Germans themselves. Germany should be very proud of those true heroes."

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