Today’s attack at the Jewish Museum in Brussels is horrifying and deeply troubling. Our sympathies are with the families of the victims of this cowardly act. This is not simply an attack on one group of people, but an attack that strikes at the heart of an inclusive, respectful, and peaceful Europe.

The immediate need in such a vicious attack is to care for the victims and to catch the perpetrators. But we must also understand the mechanisms which lead to such incidents, such as that in 2012 at the Jewish school in Toulouse.

Hate crime monitoring is an essential part of the process of understanding, preventing and responding.
The need for adequate European wide security measures for vulnerable Jewish institutions and buildings is more pressing than ever. It is a responsibility of the state to keep its people safe.

All of this though is not enough to prevent the escalation of hatred and violence. Education against anti-Semitism, racism and all forms of hatred is absolutely essential to give room to the many cultures and religions in Europe. We cannot accept that the existence of European Jewry will be jeopardized.

CEJI calls on the Belgian government to take with utmost seriousness the many indications of an increasingly hostile environment for Jews in Belgium.

About CEJI:
CEJI – A Jewish Contribution to an Inclusive Europe stands with individuals and organisations of all religions, cultures and backgrounds to promote a diverse and inclusive Europe. Through the programme, Facing Facts!, CEJI trains civil society organisations how to monitor hate crimes in order to advocate for effective prevention and intervention measures. CEJI works to combat prejudice and discrimination and to promote social cohesion through training and education, dialogue initiatives and advocacy at a European level. www.ceji.org

For additional information, or to arrange an interview, please contact
Robin Sclafani, CEJI Director
E-mail: robin.sclafani@ceji.org
Cell:+32(0)486.640.822 or +32(0)2.340.9622