Conference of European Rabbis

Angela Merkel honoured for opposing antisemitism

By Zoe Winograd, May 23, 2013

German chancellor Angela Merkel has been awarded the Lord Jakobovits Prize for European Jewry by the Conference of European Rabbis.

At a ceremony in Brussels on Wednesday Ms Merkel was honoured for her support of the German Jewish community and her outspoken denunciation of anti s emitism throughout Europe.

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Israel rabbinate backs Berlin rabbi over oral suction

By Zoe Winograd, April 24, 2013

The Chief Rabbinate of Israel has written a letter in support of Berlin’s Chabad Rabbi Yehudah Teichtal, who has come under fire for including the practice of metzitah b’peh – direct oral suction of blood from the wound – in his son’s circumcision.

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Milah UK to protect Jewish circumcision in Britain

By Sandy Rashty, November 2, 2012

A new group, Milah UK, has been launched to promote the practice of Jewish circumcision in the UK.

The new group will serve all members of the community, from strictly Orthodox to Liberal Judaism.

Milah UK is jointly chaired by Dr Simon Hochhauser, former president of the United Synagogue and Prof David Katz, from the defence division at the Board of Deputies of British Jews.

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European Jewish leaders call for new legislation

March 22, 2012

on a visit to London this week, the Chief Rabbi of Moscow and President of the Conference of European Rabbis, Pinchas Goldschmidt, called on the European Parliament to boost security for threatened minorities in the wake of the killings in Toulouse.

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Rabbis condemn 'desecration' of Brussels mosque murder

By Jennifer Lipman, March 14, 2012

European rabbis have offered their condolences following the fatal attack on a Brussels mosque earlier this week.

The imam of the the Shi'ite Rida Mosque in Brussels's Anderlicht district was killed on Tuesday when an extremist threw a petrol bomb into the building.

Abdallah Badou, a 46-year-old father of four, died of smoke inhalation after he tried to put out the fire.

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Praise as compromise nears for Dutch kosher meat slaughter ban

By Jennifer Lipman, December 14, 2011

Rabbis and Jewish groups have welcomed the emergence of a deal to block a proposed ban on kosher and halal meat slaughter in the Netherlands.

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Rabbis in Poland to discuss Dutch kosher meat ban

By Jennifer Lipman, November 1, 2011

Several hundred rabbis are in Poland this week for a conference to discuss issues including the Dutch ban on kosher slaughter of animals.

It is the largest gathering of its type since Poland's Jewish community was decimated by the Nazis.

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Son fights to move mother from Christian cemetery

By Marcus Dysch, July 29, 2010

A bereaved son has described his frustration after an unsuccessful three-year battle to have his mother's body moved from a Christian cemetery to a Jewish resting place.

Eugene Linder's late mother, Biba Skodnik, is buried in Finland. He has pleaded with the country's Prime Minister and President to allow him to reinter her in Switzerland, where his family now lives.

But despite the assistance of London-based Rabbi Aba Dunner of the Conference of European Rabbis, Mr Linder has failed to receive permission from the Finnish authorities to move her.

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Converts not recognised

May 23, 2008

The Conference of European Rabbis will not recognise Israeli conversions, particularly those of Rabbi Haim Druckman, head of the Chief Rabbinate’s State Conversion Authority. It says it opposes “Israeli rabbis shuttling to Europe especially to perform a conversion”.

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