to the dedication ceremony by Brussels
chief rabbi Albert Guigui (right) and Brussels
Jewish community chairman Raymond Cahen
photos Reuters
In a ceremony hosted by the Conference of European Rabbis (CER) and the local Jewish community, the main synagogue ‘La Régence’ in the Belgian capital Brussels has been rededicated as the ‘Great Synagogue of Europe’. A special plaque was unveiled by the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso. The chief rabbi of Brussels Albert Guigui, recited a special prayer for Europe: “May Europe live happy and prosperous, may it be great and strong through union and concord. May Europe remain faithful to its vocation and defend the rule of law and liberty everywhere."
In his speech to the congregation, which included Belgian government ministers, senior EU diplomats, members of the European Parliament, chief rabbis from a number of European countries and representatives of other faiths, President Barroso called the dedication “a testimony of confidence towards Europe." He stressed the "essential role" played by the Jews in the construction of a united Europe after the Holocaust. "History and culture of Europe owe a lot to the Jews."
Barroso added: “More than ever before, the world needs inter-cultural dialogue. Europe and its institutions contribute to it. The actors in civil society need to very actively participate in this, and religious traditions have their role to play.” Ending his speech in Hebrew, Barroso thanked the organizers for their initiative and wished all the Jews in Europe “Chag Shavuot Sameach” (Happy Shavuot).
Britain’s chief rabbi and CER associate president Sir Jonathan Sacks told the congregation: “After the Holocaust, Jews could so easily have said: there is no place for us here [in Europe]. Instead, they turned to the future, determined to rebuild at least a fragment of what had been destroyed. And that, the faith of which the Conference of European Rabbis is the living symbol, may yet be the greatest single gift of Jews and Judaism to the Europe of today: the principled defeat of tragedy in the name of hope.”
The CER was established in 1956 as the representative organisation of Europe’s chief rabbis. It federates Jewish religious leaders in over 40 European states and includes all of the continent’s chief rabbis and senior rabbinical judges. Its president is France’s chief rabbi Joseph Sitruk, with Sir Jonathan Sacks serving as associate president.
