It has been seven decades since the first Conference of European Rabbis (CER) opened its headquarters in London. But since Brexit, the organisation has been looking for a new home.
ADVERTISEMENTThe idea behind it was to bring together an alliance of Jewish leaders, to support and protect through political influence Jewish communities across Europe.
Now the CER will be housed in the German city of Munich. Shimon Cohen, a London-based member of the Conference of European Rabbis, explained to Euronews the reason behind the move.
“There was a perfectly sensible understanding right across our membership that London was no longer the place to be for that influence on European policy,” he said.
“The reality is it’s not going to be the chief rabbi of the UK that the EU parliament listens to and therefore we have to be headquartered in part of the EU.”
The Conference of European Rabbis was formed in London shortly after the end of the Second World War.
“The destruction of European Jewry started in Europe, that’s where Hitler had his putsch,” Conference of European Rabbis president Chief Rabbi Goldschmidt said.
“Therefore, it is very symbolic that we are coming back to Munich, with the support of the government and we are in the process of rebuilding European Jewry.”
Munich is renowned for being where Adolf Hitler began his rise to power in Nazi Germany. Now, in the year 2023, the Bavarian town is home to an influential Jewish movement.