From the BBC:
“German Jews warned not to wear
kippas after rise in anti-Semitism”
Skullcaps - or kippas - are
traditionally worn by Jewish men The
German government's anti-Semitism commissioner has urged Jews to avoid wearing
skullcaps in public. Felix Klein warned Jews against donning the kippa in parts
of the country following a rise in anti-Semitism. He said his opinion on the
matter had "changed compared with what it used to be". Israel's
President Reuven Rivlin said the recommendation amounted to "an admittance
that, again, Jews are not safe on German soil". A sharp increase in the
number of anti-Semitic offences was recorded by the German government last
year. Official figures showed 1,646 hate crimes against Jews were committed in
2018 - an increase of 10% on the previous year. Physical attacks against Jews in Germany also
rose in the same period, with 62 violent incidents recorded, up from 37 in
2017. Speaking to the Handelsblatt newspaper, Justice Minister Katarina Barley
said the increase in anti-Semitic crimes was "shameful for our
country".
What did Mr Klein say?
"I cannot recommend to Jews
that they wear the skullcap at all times everywhere in Germany," he told
the Funke newspaper group. Mr Klein suggested "the lifting of inhibitions
and the uncouthness" of society could be behind the spike in anti-Semitic
crimes. The internet, social media and "constant attacks against our
culture of remembrance" may be contributing factors, he said. He also called for police officers, teachers,
and lawyers to receive training to clarify "what is allowed and what is
not" when "dealing with anti-Semitism". His comments came weeks
after Germany's top legal expert on anti-Semitism said the prejudice remained
"deeply rooted" in German society. "Anti-Semitism has always
been here. But I think that recently, it has again become louder, more
aggressive and flagrant," Claudia Vanoni told the AFP news agency.
How has Israel's president
responded?
Mr Rivlin said he was
"shocked" by Mr Klein's warning and considered it a "a
capitulation to anti-Semitism". "We will never submit, will never
lower our gaze and will never react to anti-Semitism with defeatism, and expect
and demand our allies act in the same way," the Israeli president said. He also acknowledged "the moral position
of the German government and its commitment to the Jewish community".
Why is anti-Semitism on the rise?
Jewish groups have warned that a
rise in popularity of far-right groups is fostering anti-Semitism and hatred of
other minorities throughout Europe. Since 2017, the far-right Alternative for
Germany (AfD) has been the country's main opposition party. AfD is openly
against immigration but the party denies holding anti-Semitic views. However, a
number of comments from their politicians, including remarks about the
Holocaust, have drawn criticism from Jewish groups and other politicians. Last
year, a survey of thousands of European Jews revealed that many were
increasingly worried about anti-Semitism.
^ Here's an idea: If the Germans
really wanted to show that Jews were welcomed in Germany then all Germans (Jews
and non-Jews) would wear the kippa everywhere. Instead the Germans want the
Jews to hide. ^
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