Boris Lozhkin, JCU President, for 7D News
Last month, a report from the EU’s agency on fundamental rights found that anti-Semitic discrimination was on the rise across Europe. Four out of five British Jews considering anti-Semitism a major problem in British politics, with a third consider leaving Britain. In general, 89% of British Jews say anti-Semitism has increased in the six years since the last survey. Almost half of all Jews in France and Germany considered emigrating as they no longer feel safe.
The issue of anti-Semitism reflects wider trends happening in Europe. Following the refugee crisis precipitated by the conflict in Syria, we have seen a growth in support of populist parties, who often use immigration as an issue with which to exacerbate societal divisions. Here we see a growing pattern of intolerance towards others – the rise of anti-Semitism is symptomatic of this.
Following recent trips to London and Paris earlier this month, I met with senior representatives of these important Jewish communities to discuss anti-Semitism. As well as discussing ways in which to deal with this issue, I was asked about the situation in Ukraine.
While there has been a long history of anti-Semitism in Ukraine and openly anti-Semitic policies during the Soviet occupation, the situation has improved dramatically since Ukraine gained independence in 1991. Our current Prime Minister and the current Head of the Presidential Administration are both Jewish, something that would have been unimaginable a few years ago. Today, the Ukrainian authorities are extremely active in the fight against anti-Semitism.
According to a 2018 Pew Research Centre survey, Ukraine is the least anti-Semitic country in Central and Eastern Europe. Only 5% of Ukrainian people would not accept Jews as their fellow citizens, compared to 14% in Russia, 18% in Poland and 22% in Romania.
We should however remain extremely vigilant and proactive to prevent and tackle the potential re-emergence of widespread anti-Semitism in our country. As President of the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine, this is undoubtedly my top priority.
There is no silver bullet in the fight against anti-Semitism, and we must combine a zero-tolerance policy with education and holocaust remembrance. It is for this reason that the JCU launched the “Righteous of my City” initiative, to recognise the supreme sacrifices Ukrainian people made protecting the lives of Jews during the Second World War, at the risk of their own lives. This project seeks to keep alive the memory of the Holocaust and of the 2,619 Ukrainian Righteous Among the Nations, naming streets and public areas after them to inspire Ukrainians today.
Education about the Holocaust is lacking in numerous countries including Ukraine largely because of the Soviet occupation. Today, the JCU is actively engaging with the authorities to improve this. We believe a local, decentralised approach, where people learn about the history of their local communities, is a powerful way to create proximity between Ukrainians today and those who lived during WW2.
The Righteous Initiative is a hugely exciting and innovative project and I will be working with Jewish community groups across Europe to share instances of best practice. The Righteous initiative is not only about stopping anti-Semitism. By celebrating and recognising those who acted against their best interests to save others, we can foster a climate of tolerance towards all ethnic and religious minorities.