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Conference of European Rabbis Meets in France
By Yisrael Rosner
This past Monday marked the opening of the opening of the Conference of European Rabbis meeting in Strasburg, France. This body, which assembles twice a year, was convened in Strasburg which is headquarters of the European Community and European Parliament. The purpose of this gathering was to coordinate a firm position regarding Jewish rights, to fight for the freedom of religion for Jews and their right to observe religious rituals [mitzvos] without interference from any governments, and to seek ways to cope with anti-Semitism which is on a dangerous upswing throughout the European continent, while mobilizing the European Parliament against its fomenters. To this purpose, joint meetings have been scheduled with the heads of the European Community and judges of the European Court for Human Rights.
The rabbis will deal with a wide array of topical subjects relating to Jewish communities, and will also go forth to various communities and visit educational institutions for chizuk purposes.
This three-day conference includes rabbis from different countries and cities as well as avos beis din and dayanim from most of the countries of the European Union, including: France, Germany, Britain, Holland, Belgium, Ukraine, Russia, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Gibraltar, Belarus, Italy and others.
The conference was opened with the reading of a letter from HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman and HaRav Chaim Kanievsky by the rabbinical administrator of the Conference and Rosh Yeshivas Toras Chaim in Moscow, HaRav Moshe Lebel. He reviewed at length the ongoing relationship of the Conference with Torah leadership, noting that the administration of this body is continually consulting with the Torah elders in every aspect of its activities. He also dwelled on the cooperation with the Chief Rabbi regarding the agreement recently signed by the Conference in Berlin to close breaches in the areas of conversion, Kashrus and agunos.
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