Von der Leyen slams rise of antisemitism as 'old evil' at Brussels Hanukkah event

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Von der Leyen slams rise of antisemitism as 'old evil' at Brussels Hanukkah event  The European Commission president's comments come days after 15 people were killed at a Hannukah event on Sydney's Bondi Beach, one of Australia's worst mass shootings in years.  READ MORE : http://www.euronews.com/2025/12/17/von-der-leyen-slams-rise-of-antisemitism-as-old-evil-at-brussels-hanukkah-event  Subscribe to our channel. Euronews is available on Dailymotion in 12 languages

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00:00Thank you very much, dear Nehama.

00:04Chers Bourgmaestres, Rabbi Taville, Rabbi Marjolin,

00:09thank you for inviting me.

00:11I am so honoured to celebrate this holiday with you

00:15and light these candles.

00:18Hanukkah teaches us that a small light

00:21can push back a great deal of darkness.

00:25And this week, that lesson is sorely needed.

00:30I was devastated by the horrific shooting

00:33in Australia on Bondi Beach.

00:36It is simply heartbreaking.

00:40And as I light the Hanukkah this year,

00:44my thoughts are with the victims,

00:47their families and their friends.

00:50May the memory of those who are lost be a blessing.

00:55And may these Hanukkah lights remind us of the strength,

00:58the resilience and the courage of the Jewish community

01:03in Australia, in Brussels and around the world.

01:08We share your grief and we stand with you.

01:12Tonight, it is all the more important to celebrate

01:18this holiday joyfully and publicly.

01:22The best place for a Hanukkah, I am told,

01:26is the window of a house in public sight.

01:31This is because the lights of Hanukkah are meant to be shared

01:34to illuminate the streets and spaces around us.

01:40But today, too many Jews do not feel safe

01:45to light a Hanukkah in the window,

01:49or we are a kippah in public,

01:51or a star of David around their necks.

01:54Many must walk past armed guards

01:58to attend the synagogue

02:00and worry about sending their children to school.

02:05The night around us has indeed grown dark.

02:10The old evil is once again rearing its head.

02:14There can be no place for the poison of anti-Semitism,

02:23especially in Europe.

02:25Because freedom of worship,

02:27freedom of speech,

02:30freedom from fear,

02:32these are fundamental to our European Union.

02:37And today, this is our responsibility.

02:41We must ensure

02:44that Hanukkah can shine from windows across the continent,

02:50just as this one shines in Brussels tonight.

02:54In times when Jewish life is so much under pressure,

02:59I welcome all the more

03:01the creation of the House of Jewish Life

03:04in the heart of the European Quarter,

03:07dear Nehama and dear Avi.

03:11Because let me be very clear.

03:21Jewish history is European history.

03:25Jewish culture is European culture.

03:30And Jewish life must be able to flourish

03:32for Europe to flourish fully.

03:35This is something which is enshrined

03:38in our European Union.

03:41And this work starts with safety and security,

03:45particularly for places of worship.

03:48Our Union provides ongoing support

03:51for security at synagogues

03:53and other religious sites,

03:55but more must be done

03:58to bring all communities

03:59to the same level of preparedness.

04:03So we will continue to invest

04:06in practical protection measures

04:08because, my dear friends,

04:11praying should be a matter of belief,

04:14not an act of bravery.

04:16We are also working to fight

04:19anti-Semitic speech online

04:21with a dedicated network

04:24of trusted flaggers.

04:26We need to do more

04:28to prevent online manipulation

04:31of young people and vulnerable groups.

04:33And this is why next month

04:36we will launch new measures

04:39to prevent and counter radicalization

04:43and anti-Semitic narratives

04:45so that hate no longer festers and spreads.

04:51Safety measures like these

04:53are the first necessary steps.

04:56But we must go further.

05:00Hanukkah teaches us

05:01that when darkness gathers,

05:04we light the candle.

05:07This is true today.

05:10One of the strongest antidotes

05:12to anti-Semitism

05:14is a bright, thriving Jewish community.

05:19One of the strongest antidotes

05:21is this Jewish community

05:24to be present,

05:25to be seen.

05:27So in addition to these

05:29protective measures,

05:31our union is supporting

05:33Jewish history,

05:34Jewish culture,

05:36and education.

05:38And we are finding

05:39more opportunities

05:40to celebrate Jewish life in public.

05:45The last time I joined you

05:46at this ceremony,

05:48I made a promise.

05:50I made the promise

05:51that we would establish a prize

05:54to celebrate Jewish cultural heritage

05:56and its central role

05:59in shaping European identity.

06:02Well, tonight,

06:04I am glad to say

06:05that in 2026,

06:08we will announce

06:09the first winner

06:11of the Simon Vale Prize

06:13for European Jewish cultural heritage.

06:16and it was

06:26Simone Vale herself

06:28who said,

06:29the Judaism

06:30has more place

06:32for the values

06:34that it has brought me

06:36to the values of tolerance,

06:38of freedom of spirit,

06:42of democracy.

06:44Tolerance.

06:46Freedom of mind.

06:49Democracy.

06:49These are Jewish values.

06:54These are European values.

06:57And we will continue working

06:59to ensure

07:00they shape

07:02our public life.

07:05Dear friends,

07:07in a moment,

07:09after we have lit the candles,

07:10we will hear music.

07:14For as much as this holiday

07:16honors perseverance

07:18and courage,

07:20it is also a celebration.

07:24Music, laughter,

07:25good food,

07:26and good friends.

07:28These are the brightest lights

07:30of the season.

07:32Our candles against the dark.

07:35I wish the blessings

07:36of this holiday

07:37to all who celebrate.

07:40Thank you so much

07:41again

07:42and

07:43Chag Saimach.

07:48It could be pronounced better.

07:51Chag Saimach.

07:53Chag

07:54Saimach.

07:55Chag

07:56Saimach.

07:56Chag

07:56Saimach.

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