Abstract: Contemporary works have shown that antisemitism is far from moribund in Europe and it is in this context that in 2012 was conducted extensive research in the EU on current perceptions and experiences of antisemitism among Jews in Europe. I present and analyze here results that relate specifically to Belgian Jews (438 subjects out of 6,200 in eight countries). The first objective of this work is to learn about the Jewishness of our sample. Hence, we find that 40% of the respondents identify themselves as secular Jews; 15% consider themselves liberals; more than a quarter say they “observe certain traditions”; one sixth define themselves as Orthodox Jews. The data confirm, at this point, that there is only a limited correlation between religiosity and Jewishness: less religious or even non-religious people tend to express an identification with, and commitment to, Jewishness that were not weaker than the Orthodox’. The various factions are also united by a general feeling that while Belgium cannot be considered as an antisemitic state, it is currently experiencing virulent antisemitism in wide milieus. This antisemitism is bound to a sharp anti-Israelism salient in public life, the media, and the Internet. More than a number of other communities in Europe, Belgian Jews see antisemitism reigning in their environment with a gravity. They testify that the Israel-Palestine conflict weighs on their sense of insecurity; they confess that they have often considered the option of emigrating and they openly accuse Muslim extremists of inciting antisemitism. Belgian Jews also feel more vulnerable to antisemitic attacks and tend to resent a weakening in their position in society. On the other hand, what grants support to the Belgian Jews in these circumstances is that they often belong to the properous segments of the population. Moreover, there is the vitality of the community where one finds multiple forms of expression and activity - magazines, radio, clubs, synagogues, museums, etc.- and above all, exceptional educational infrastructures. These resources allow Belgian Jews, if not to protect themselves against the virus of antisemitism, at least to face it.
Abstract: Since their recent dispersion from the former Soviet Union, Russian-speaking Jews (RSJ) have become the vast majority of Germany’s longstanding Jewry. An entity marked by permeable boundaries, they show a solidarity and commitment to world Jewry, including Israel, but feeble identification with their hosts. The identification with the larger Jewish community leads to a wide consensus concerning the importance of offering Jewish education to the young. The study presented here explores the influence of the RSJ community, their relationship with German speaking Jews, and the ways in which the RSJ identification with world Jewry influences Jewish education opportunities for the young. Utilizing surveys of the largest Jewish communities in Germany, interviews of leading public figures, and a comprehensive overview of the Jewish educational framework available in Germany, this book seeks to present a description and analysis of the Jewish population in Germany including its attitudes, activities, expectations, and identify formulations.
Abstract: This is a research report about a large-scale investigation of the Jewish population of Germany, the major current challenges facing it, and its educational institutions. The project was carried out at the initiative of the L.A. Pincus Fund for Jewish Education in the Diaspora and in cooperation with the following foundations: Chais Family Foundation, The Pears Foundation, Schusterman Foundation – Israel, Edmond J. Safra Philanthropies, Severyn Ashkenazy, and The Rosalind & Arthur Gilbert Foundation. Volume 1 first presents the survey that was undertaken among close to 1,200 respondents throughout Germany; the various sections focus on the following: a general characterization of this population, a systematic analysis of the attitudes of its new members, a comparison between veterans and newcomers, and data that particularly concern the issue of Jewish education. During this research, we also investigated and analyzed the general landscape of Germany’s Jewish educational institutions, before conducting a content analysis of individual interviews of leading figures of Germany’s Jewish population that focused on how they perceive the present-day challenges of this Jewry.
