Abstract: In the wake of the Holocaust and the post-war reconstruction of Greece’s historic city centers, many Greek synagogues were demolished, abandoned, or appropriated, erasing centuries of Jewish architectural and communal presence. This study presents a thirty year-long research and documentation initiative aimed at preserving, recovering, and eventually digitally reconstructing these “lost” synagogues, both as individual buildings and within their urban context. Drawing on architectural surveys, archival research, oral histories, and previously unpublished materials, including the recently rediscovered Shemtov Samuel archive, the project grew through the use of technology. Beginning with in situ surveys in the early 1990s, it evolved into full-scale digitally enhanced architectural drawings that formed the basis for further digital exploration, 3D models, and virtual reality outputs. With the addition of these new tools to existing documentation, the project can restore architectural detail and cultural context with a high degree of fidelity, even in cases where only fragmentary evidence survives. These digital reconstructions have informed physical restoration efforts as well as public exhibitions, heritage education, and urban memory initiatives across Greece. By reintroducing “invisible” Jewish landmarks into contemporary consciousness, the study addresses the broader implications of post-war urban homogenization, the marginalization of minority heritage, and the ethical dimensions of digital preservation. This interdisciplinary approach, which bridges architectural history, digital humanities, urban studies, and cultural heritage, demonstrates the value of digital tools in reconstructing “lost” pasts and highlights the potential for similar projects in other regions facing comparable erasures.
Abstract: The monograph contains the results of the author's research on the European Union's (EU) policy regarding the "Jewish question", as well as the characteristics of contemporary Jewish communities in Europe. It analyzes current issues related to the development and implementation of the EU Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life (2021–2030).
It is argued that the development of new legislation to combat antisemitism, based on the definition of antisemitism proposed by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), as well as the implementation of effective measures to support the development of Jewish life (the term "Jewish life" refers to the development of the traditional way of life of the Jews), are important tasks not only for the EU but for the entire civilized world. European efforts in these areas can serve as a benchmark and model for the United States, Canada, and other countries where such practices are just beginning to be established.
The author also analyzes the challenges of combating antisemitism in the EU and the reasons for the increasing emigration of Jews from the European continent. The monograph is intended for political scientists, historians, civil servants from EU countries and EU candidate countries, students of humanities, and all those interested in Jewish Studies.
Abstract: The research examines changes in online antisemitic narratives following the Hamas terror attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 and the subsequent war. These events led to a rise in antisemitism across Europe, underscoring the need to analyze how antisemitic narratives evolved online.
Conducted simultaneously in Hungary, Italy, Poland, and Romania using a unified methodology, the study focused on online textual content, including articles, comments, and Facebook posts. It analyzed content from 1–15 April in both 2023 and 2024, reviewing nearly 7,000 pieces per country. The research methodology and categories were finalised in late 2023 and early 2024, with data collection beginning in spring 2024. The final report was completed in December 2024.
The research was based on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, adopted by 43 countries and several international organizations, including the EU and most of its member states.
Abstract: The research examines changes in online antisemitic narratives following the Hamas terror attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 and the subsequent war. These events led to a rise in antisemitism across Europe, underscoring the need to analyze how antisemitic narratives evolved online.
Conducted simultaneously in Hungary, Italy, Poland, and Romania using a unified methodology, the study focused on online textual content, including articles, comments, and Facebook posts. It analyzed content from 1–15 April in both 2023 and 2024, reviewing nearly 7,000 pieces per country. The research methodology and categories were finalised in late 2023 and early 2024, with data collection beginning in spring 2024. The final report was completed in December 2024.
The research was based on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, adopted by 43 countries and several international organizations, including the EU and most of its member states.
Abstract: The research examines changes in online antisemitic narratives following the Hamas terror attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 and the subsequent war. These events led to a rise in antisemitism across Europe, underscoring the need to analyze how antisemitic narratives evolved online.
Conducted simultaneously in Hungary, Italy, Poland, and Romania using a unified methodology, the study focused on online textual content, including articles, comments, and Facebook posts. It analyzed content from 1–15 April in both 2023 and 2024, reviewing nearly 7,000 pieces per country. The research methodology and categories were finalised in late 2023 and early 2024, with data collection beginning in spring 2024. The final report was completed in December 2024.
The research was based on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, adopted by 43 countries and several international organizations, including the EU and most of its member states.
Abstract: Antisemitism is still a significant problem in Polish society. This is the conclusion that emerges from the quantitative data from previous years and the statements of our interviewees.
Within the Jewish community, members often report encountering antisemitism in the form of unsavoury jokes and stereotypes rather than overt discrimination. However, conversations around the Holocaust and Polish-Jewish history frequently lead to antisemitic stereotypes and hate speech. Interestingly, the Holocaust is often the subject of jokes. This may be attributable to the perception of Jews as a historical minority who once lived in Poland.
In educational settings, courses on the Jewish community are overwhelmingly historical, primarily focusing on World War II. Almost all respondents, except non-Jewish youth, agree that contemporary Jewish topics are seldom covered in schools. This gap in multicultural education has led to a lack of understanding about nondiscrimination and minority-related issues across various age groups in Polish society.
While younger generations appear to be more tolerant toward minorities and more open to learning about them, the term "Jew" is still reportedly used as an insult among them. Discrimination is not limited to the Jewish community; focus group respondents also identified Ukrainians, Roma, people of colour, and the LGBTQ+ community as other discriminated groups. Despite the majority of focus group participants being women, only one person in each group cited women as a discriminated-against minority.
Abstract: In general, the Jewish population in Hungary has a high level of education and is in a good position socially and financially, according to the available literature and our interviewees. Those who identify as Jews are mostly non-religious and consider themselves predominantly European citizens or equally Jewish and Hungarian. According to research, the level of antisemitism in Hungary increased significantly around 2010, presumably due to the rise in popularity of the far-right Jobbik party. Since 2015, the available data show that the level of antisemitism has not changed significantly. At the same time, most interviewees reported a general increase in antisemitism in the country, citing the internet as the primary cause, as well as the family background, deficiencies of the education system, the polarisation of society, and the government‘s Soros campaign. In Hungary, antisemitism is most often manifested in the form of conspiracy theories, but other forms are also present (e.g. emotional antisemitism, new antisemitism). According to the available data, the most common form of antisemitism is hate speech. The number of hate crimes is negligible. At the political level, antisemitism emerged from the second half of the 2000s in connection with Jobbik and has been one of the tools of far-right parties (currently Mi Hazánk – Our Homeland) ever since, albeit in a less direct form than before, disguised by coded speech and appearing mainly as conspiracy theories. Although the Fidesz government announced zero tolerance towards antisemitism in 2013, it has focused its communication on several issues related to antisemitism in recent years. These include the campaign against George Soros, the glorification of antisemitic politicians (e.g. Miklós Horthy) and artists (e.g. Albert Wass) between the two world wars, the distortion of the memory of the Holocaust, and the fight against the global external enemy. Antisemitism is also present in the sports fan milieu, primarily in the football fan scene and especially in the ultra scene. According to a 2017 survey, half of Hungarian Jews have experienced antisemitism in their lifetime, and all of our Jewish interviewees mentioned such experiences. Many of them highlighted the government‘s antisemitism-related doubletalk’s negative effects on their sense of security. While antisemitism is undoubtedly present in Hungary, research and interviewees also suggest that society is much more prejudiced towards other minorities, especially the Roma, the LGBTQ+, and migrants. According to first-line practitioners, the extent to which antisemitism is present among students depends on the school. When it appears among students, it is primarily present in verbal forms, and often, there are no real antisemitic sentiments in the background. Several interviewees identified education as one of the most important tools to reduce antisemitism.
Abstract: This document was prepared based on the analysis of materials found through documentary research, in particular on materials and sources made available by the CDEC Foundation and the Union of Italian Jewish Communities (UCEI) portal, and on the analysis of data acquired through the responses of the interviewees intended to provide structured and documented information on the phenomenon of antisemitism in Italy today. In particular, the report focuses on the situation of Italian Jewish communities and Jewish life in its social, political, economic, cultural and religious dimensions.
The most substantial part of the report concerns the level of antisemitism in Italian society, its prevalent forms and the areas in which it manifests itself. With reference to the different manifestations of antisemitism, it’s pointed out which stereotypes are present in society and which are the most prevalent. From this analysis, it’s clear that the forms and areas in which antisemitism manifests itself differ according to the degree of schooling, cultural formation and socio-economic background of the perpetrators of antisemitic acts. Hence, it is difficult to identify the profile of the antisemite rigidly. The areas where acts of hatred and hate crimes are most prevalent are social media and sports, particularly soccer. Still, even in the political debate, it is evident that more or less latent forms of antisemitism related to Nazi-fascist ideology are present for far-right movements and anti-Zionism for the extreme left wing.
The report also aims to highlight which other minorities are most discriminated against in Italy and what stereotypes and prejudices associated with them, as well as what are the intersections between antisemitism and other forms of racism and intolerance. Considerable space is, finally, devoted to the educational strategies implemented in schools to counter and prevent antisemitism as the direction of the Italian Ministry of Education and Merit (IMPE) points to the dissemination and implementation of the Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism (2019) in public schools and the promotion of a culture of dialogue and peace.
Abstract: This research report presents the findings of an extensive study conducted in Romania between March and September 2023, focusing on the multifaceted issue of antisemitism in the country. The study provides an analysis of the contemporary situation of Jewish communities in Romania, the prevalence and perceptions of antisemitism, and
its intersection with other forms of intolerance.
Additionally, the report examines efforts to prevent antisemitism through educational initiatives. The research reveals that antisemitism in Romania has deep historical roots, and it is still pervasive and widespread. It typically takes the form of latent stereotypes and prejudices, manifested in narratives that are deeply intertwined with complex
conspiracy theories and nationalist interpretations of Romanian history. Many individuals are unaware
of the current-day expressions and manifestations of antisemitism, and this lack of awareness further
exacerbates the problem. Although Romania has introduced legislation in recent years to combat
antisemitism and other forms of discrimination and intolerance, the enforcement and implementation
of these laws are inconsistent and sporadic.
A positive development is the introduction of Holocaust education as a mandatory subject in high schools, starting in 2023. However, there are challenges in the effective implementation of this curriculum. Teachers call for clearer guidelines, training, and updated educational materials to ensure the new curriculum fulfils its goals. The research underscores the pressing need for efforts to acknowledge and address antisemitism in Romania. These efforts should include increasing awareness about contemporary manifestations of antisemitism, consistent enforcement of
existing legislation, and working collaboratively across sectors to strengthen Holocaust education
initiatives. These steps are essential in combating the deeply entrenched antisemitism in the country
and promoting a more inclusive and tolerant society for all.
Abstract: The research presented in this article was inspired by an interest in analyzing how antisemitism features in civic orientation courses for newly arrived immigrants in Sweden. In Sweden, as elsewhere in Europe, migration policies have changed in recent years emphasizing integration and adaptation to national norms and values, including ideals such as democracy, gender equality, freedom of speech, etc. One novel task assigned to the course organizers and the teachers (referred to as civic orientation communicators) is to address issues of antisemitism among immigrants. The data for this article have been generated through interviews with communicators and leaders of such course activities. Two research questions are explored: First, how antisemitism is interpreted by the interviewees, and, second, what experiences of encountering antisemitic expressions during courses they report. The data have been analysed using Thematic Analysis. The results show that a clear majority of the communicators holds a reductionistic interpretation of antisemitism, limiting it to specific historical events and violence against Jews, rather than viewing it as a type of discourse that is contemporary and continuously reproduced. It is argued that the reductionistic interpretation of antisemitism leads to a situation where antisemitic attitudes and comments are not perceived as antisemitic, nor responded to at an ideological level during the courses.
Abstract: The article examines the challenges of antisemitism-critical education in Germany in the aftermath of the events of October 7, 2023. It highlights how structural deficits, limited professional training, and the constraints of funding frameworks often leave educational practitioners unable to adequately identify or address antisemitism. Empirical evidence demonstrates that schools and youth welfare organizations frequently rely on repressive measures rather than dialogical approaches, which complicates the protection of Jewish students. The article outlines the theoretical foundations of antisemitism-critical education, differentiates it from preventive education paradigms, and discusses its implications for the German educational landscape. It further critically considers the dependence on project-based funding, the predominance of security-oriented logic, and the strong institutional focus on schools. Finally, it argues for an emancipatory approach to antisemitism-focused education in Germany, emphasizing multi-professional collaboration, structural reform, and the creation of learning environments that go beyond a purely preventive framework.
Abstract: Israel-related forms of antisemitism belong to the most widely distributed patterns of this hatred. Despite the broad covering of the Middle East conflict in the German public discourse, this subject is not prominently represented in the education system (teacher training, school books, etc.). To address teachers’ insecurities and make specific didactical offers, a range of pedagogical handouts has been published since the 2000s. However, the didactical characteristics and appropriateness of these materials have not been analyzed on a broader scale. This paper offers a rare documental focus, as it presents the results of work with a research corpus that includes 195 scenarios of civic education on the topics of the Middle East conflict and Israel-related antisemitism, for which the approach of Qualitative Content Analysis has been used. Based on this research, a typology of didactical approaches has been developed, taking into account didactical and content-related dimensions. This typology can be used to precisely identify and address currently existing lacunae in antisemitism-related education. In addition, this paper discusses the specific contributions of educational materials of each type to antisemitism prevention as well as their non-intended effects.
Abstract: This article explores how Holocaust education can be reimagined through the lens of Critical Theory—particularly the work of Theodor W. Adorno—in order to more effectively confront contemporary antisemitism. While Holocaust education is often invoked as a response to rising antisemitism, its actual impact in this regard remains contested. Drawing on Adorno’s reflections on antisemitism and education after Auschwitz, the article highlights both the emancipatory potential and the limitations of education. Central themes include the importance of early childhood education, the critique of ideology, and the tension between pedagogical aims and societal structures. The article proposes eleven impulses for rethinking Holocaust education, emphasizing, among other points, the need to turn toward the subject, the dangers of half-education (Halbbildung), and the importance of linking historical specificity with sociological insight. Rather than offering a prescriptive model, it outlines a conceptual framework that situates Holocaust education within a broader project of social critique and enlightenment. Ultimately, it argues that Holocaust education alone cannot prevent antisemitism, but can meaningfully contribute to resisting it.
Abstract: The synagogues that suffered the ravages of World War II in Central and Eastern Europe faced an uncertain future. A limited number managed to retain their original religious functions, while the majority were either neglected or repurposed for entirely different uses. In the last thirty years, numerous towns and cities have started to “rediscover” these buildings as vital components of local history and culture. With their original roles as pivotal religious, cultural, and social centres for Jewish communities inevitably diminished, issues of ownership, control, and authenticity have emerged. The ongoing debate about whether these structures represent “Jewish heritage” or a more expansive cultural heritage that encompasses local, national, and international dimensions remains unresolved. This study examines the situation in Bucharest, which once boasted a significant Jewish population that has since dwindled. Although many synagogues have been lost over time, four have recently been restored, showcasing their fascinating eclectic architectural styles. These buildings now serve a combination of religious, social, cultural, and museum functions, gradually reintegrating them into the city’s identity and practices. Nonetheless, challenges and disagreements emerge, within the Jewish community itself, regarding the management and representation of these sites, as well as their inclusion into the tourism dynamics.
Abstract: This chapter seeks to analyse the entanglement of exclusionist ideas in antisemitic and anti-feminist thought in Poland and Europe from the late nineteenth century to the present day. It will consider discriminatory politics, practices, and violence against women, Jews, and other groups that were perceived as ‘Other’, drawing on cases from Germany, Poland, and Hungary in a comparative approach. Since connections between exclusion, sexuality, and violence during the nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first centuries are currently undergoing reinterpretation, the chapter will also examine developments and examples of anti-gender ideology and right-wing populism in contemporary Poland and Europe and discuss the dangers such shared forms of ressentiment pose to democracy.
Abstract: The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) commissioned Schoen Cooperman Research to conduct a comprehensive national study of Holocaust Knowledge and Awareness in the Netherlands.
Schoen Cooperman Research conducted 2,000 interviews across the Netherlands. The margin of error for the study is 2 percent. This memo presents our key research findings and compares these findings with prior Claims Conference studies, which were conducted in five other countries.
Our latest study finds significant gaps in Holocaust knowledge and awareness in the Netherlands, as well as widespread concern that Holocaust denial and Holocaust distortion are problems in the Netherlands today.
We found that 23 percent of Dutch Millennials and Gen Z respondents believe the Holocaust is a myth, or that it occurred but the number of Jews who died has been greatly exaggerated – the highest percentage among Millennials and Gen Z respondents in all six countries the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against
Germany has previously studied.
Further, 29 percent of Dutch respondents, including 37 percent of Dutch Millennials and Gen Z respondents believe that two million or fewer Jews were killed during the Holocaust. Moreover, despite the fact that more than 70 percent of the Netherlands’ Jewish population perished during the Holocaust, a majority of Dutch respondents (53
percent), including 60 percent of Dutch Millennials and Gen Z, do not cite the Netherlands as a country where the Holocaust took place. Finally, 53 percent of Dutch respondents believe that something like the Holocaust
could happen again today.
Abstract: Following the introduction of a religion question in the 2001 Census of England and Wales, and its inclusion in the two subsequent censuses of 2011 and 2021, multiple analyses have concluded that the strictly Orthodox Jewish population, known as haredim, has most likely been consistently and substantially undercounted on each occasion. Beyond technical concerns about enumeration accuracy, this is a pressing social problem since a high proportion of this community is young, lives in overcrowded conditions and is economically vulnerable. Previous attempts to investigate the nature of this suspected undercount have been focused on assessing missing individuals while assuming that haredi households have been enumerated accurately. Here, geographical information is used which takes advantage of the fact that, like many ethnic minority groups, the haredi population forms voluntary enclaves, presenting the possibility to directly compare detailed household counts at the postcode sector level held by the community, with equivalent data from the 2021 Census. In doing so, it is demonstrated that the assumption of accurate household enumeration is probably incorrect and that there is credible evidence to indicate that compared with community records, haredi households were undercounted by between 21% and 26% in the 2021 Census.
Abstract: Introduction
School-based vaccine programme delivery offers convenience to parents, and reduces the burden on primary care capacity. Vaccine coverage among school-age children is lower in Hackney (northeast London), and post-pandemic coverage recovery has been limited in Hackney compared to London and England. Hackney is home to the largest Orthodox Jewish (OJ) population in Europe where most children attend independent faith schools. This study aimed to assess (i): vaccine programme delivery gaps via independent OJ schools in Hackney; and (ii) the primary care catch-up and commissioning strategies undertaken to help close gaps.
Methods
Qualitative evaluations of national incident responses for poliovirus and measles tailored to underserved communities in northeast London (2022–24). Data consisted of in-depth semi-structured interviews (n = 53) with public health professionals, healthcare practitioners, community partners, and OJ parents. Vaccine clinic visits (n = 11) were conducted in northeast London, affording additional (n = 43) focused and opportunistic interviews with OJ parents attending for catch-up.
Results
Evaluating the delivery of routine and outbreak vaccination campaigns to school-age children demonstrates that independent OJ schools in Hackney are a key programme delivery gap, directly impacting access to catch-up and routine adolescent programmes. OJ parents reported that they did not receive relevant vaccine programme information and invitations for school-age children via independent faith schools. Primary care-led outreach clinics were hosted to offer school-age immunisations to OJ adolescents, but did not offer HPV vaccines. Sub-commissioning community organisations to liaise with independent schools may be a strategy to help resolve this delivery gap, but would require responsibilities within school-age immunisation partnerships to be clearly assigned.
Conclusion
Limitations in vaccine programme delivery via independent faith schools in northeast London may play a role in suboptimal vaccination coverage. Programme gaps must be addressed to help ensure that every eligible child is invited for, and can access, routine vaccination via accessible pathways.
Abstract: This study explores the religious practices of the general Ukrainian population and the Jewish community, focussing on their role in fostering social identity and psychological resilience in contemporary Ukraine. It examines how religious rituals, as key sociocultural mechanisms, contribute to a collective sense of belonging and help individuals adapt to social and cultural disruptions, especially during national crises like the war in Ukraine. The article compared religious trends and the level of secularisation among European and Ukrainian Jews. Particular emphasis was placed on religious rituals in the context of social upheavals and national conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine, where religion and rituals became a support for individual and collective psychological resilience. The sociocultural, psychological and spiritual aspects of rituals, as well as the impact on the formation of positive emotional and cognitive coping strategies, were studied. The application of Tajfel’s theories of social identity, Durkheim’s concept of rituals, and Bolby’s approaches to psychological resilience provided a deeper theoretical justification for the role of rituals in strengthening both individual and group resilience. Based on an interdisciplinary analysis, it was determined that religious rituals not only supported cultural continuity but also formed new models of social interaction and adaptation to modern challenges. The study has contributed to a broader understanding of the relationship between religious activity, social structure and psychological mechanisms of resilience, which was especially important in the context of current crisis events.
Abstract: After the Holocaust, in which 87 per cent of Greek Jewry was annihilated, communities confronted the challenge
of survival with limited resources. In many cases, synagogues and communal properties were sold and demolished
to support the surviving Jewish populations or to establish new institutions, such as the Jewish Museum of Greece.
This process illustrates a critical social dilemma: whether the continuity of community should be ensured through
the maintenance of living institutions or through the preservation of monuments as bearers of collective memory.
But what occurs when members of the community object to leadership decisions or challenge institutional
authority? This article examines the interplay between antisemitism and internal mechanisms of exclusion within
the Jewish communities in Greece, and how these dynamics shape both communal identity and the urban
landscape. Drawing on archival research and documentation of synagogues initiated by the author in 1993, it
highlights the tension between assimilation and self-preservation expressed both socially and spatially. Traditional
Jewish neighbourhoods, with their defensive layouts and gates, embodied a morphology of protection that
reinforced boundaries while becoming landmarks within historic city centres in cities such as Veroia, Komotini,
Kos, and Serres. The discussion situates the destruction and preservation of synagogues within broader patterns of
urban renewal, reconstruction, and transformation, where redevelopment often erases valuable cultural heritage,
and considers how such processes engage the voices that object to this erasure. Framed through the thought of
Ricœur, Arendt, and Levinas, the argument also emphasizes the moral responsibility of the researcher, alongside
that of community members, to act as a guardian of memory, recognising that the loss of monuments constitutes
both an urban and existential rupture, with implications for present and future generations.
Abstract: While Jewish immigration to the State of Israel is a key component of Zionist ideology, emigration has been discouraged and vilified. Yet, Israeli Jewish citizens have been leaving throughout. This paper chronicles the approaches of the State of Israel towards its citizen diaspora, which shifted from rejection to the realisation of Israelis abroad as a fait accompli, and a resource for the state. At the same time, it depicts the self-organisation of Israeli citizens abroad, and their on-going ties to the State of Israel, even if they are highly critical of it. To elaborate on this dialectic, the paper zooms in on Israeli citizens in Germany. In consequence, I argue that the secularised notion of the ‘love for the Jewish people’ (ahavat yisrael) can be extended to ahava be’ad ha’medinat yisrael (love for the State of Israel) in the present to conceptualise the on-going relationship of Israeli citizens abroad to Israel, and its implementation by the state.
