Photo: European Commission coordinator for combating anti-Semitism and fostering Jewish life in Europe Katharina Schnurbein and LJC chairwoman Faina Kukliansky.

The European Union’s working group for implementing strategies for combating anti-Semitism is meeting in Bucharest, the capital of Romania. Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky is there discussing the issues in Lithuania and other countries with high-ranking European Commission and international organization officials.

More than 80 guests, European Commission officials, representatives of different international organizations and local Jewish communities along with specialists from across the EU as well as guests from the Ukraine and Moldova are attending the three-day conference organized by the Government of Romania and the EC. The point is to discuss how to fight anti-Semitism, including implementing national strategies, discussing progress made in implementing the EU strategy for combating anti-Semitism and fostering Jewish life in Europe, lurking dangers, Holocaust distortion and denial and the value of preserving memory.

The EU adopted its first strategy for combating anti-Semitism and fostering Jewish life in Europe in 2021, setting the direction of EU policy in this regard from 2021 to 2030. The EU strategy has three main pillars: 1) to stop all forms of anti-Semitism; 2) to preserve and pass on Jewish culture; 3) to encourage academic research, education and Holocaust commemoration. TO achieve these goals a permanent working group was convoked.

Photo: Romanian Rabbi Rafael Shaffer meets LJC chairwoman Faina Kukliansky.

Photo: World Jewish Congress vice-president Boris Lozhkin meets LJC chairwoman Faina Kukliansky. He is also president of the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine, and first vice-president of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress.