VIENNA, Austria—Amid escalating antisemitic incidents, particularly on university campuses in the United States and Europe, World Jewish Congress officials, led by Executive Vice President Maram Stern, convened in Vienna for the third European Conference on Antisemitism. Hosted by Austria’s Federal Chancellery, this high-level meeting on antisemitic hate crime provided a vital forum for Jewish leaders, government officials, and civil society representatives to discuss the rise in antisemitism, identify effective countermeasures, and underscore the roles of policymakers.
During the conference, Oskar Deutsch, head of IKG-Wien, Vienna’s Jewish community, highlighted the dire situations facing Jews today. He referenced the actions of a man who waved the Palestinian flag at the 79th anniversary commemoration of Mauthausen's liberation, showing blatant disrespect to the memory of its victims and those of the Holocaust. "Have we actually realized that 'Never again' is now?" Deutsch poignantly asked in his remarks at the conference.
The panel "Antisemitism as the ‘new normal?’ Addressing rising antisemitism effectively at universities and on social media," featured insights from Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, and Katharina von Schnurbein, EU Coordinator on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life. They emphasized the necessity for universities to uphold campus codes of conduct, revise curricula to accurately portray the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Jewish history, and promote programs celebrating Jewish heritage.
The conference also reaffirmed global commitments to the Vienna Declaration, emphasizing the need for international cooperation to combat antisemitism and encourage reporting of antisemitic incidents. This declaration, endorsed by representatives from fifteen EU nations, marks a significant step towards a unified strategy against antisemitism.
Ernest Herzog, Executive Director of Operations and Head of Combating Antisemitism, Intelligence & Security at the World Jewish Congress, underscored the increased focus on combating antisemitism. He stressed the crucial role of collaboration between governments and local Jewish communities in forming effective strategies. "Jews cannot fight antisemitism alone, and governments need local Jewish community insights to devise successful strategies," Herzog stated, while presenting a gap analysis on governmental efforts against antisemitism.
The gap analysis report underscores three essential measures governments should take to effectively combat antisemitism: the appointment of a dedicated Special Envoy by the government, the formulation of a comprehensive standalone national strategy targeting the eradication of antisemitism and the promotion of Jewish life, and the adoption and implementation of the IHRA definition. Without strategic positioning and proper implementation of these three pillars, countries are unable to effectively address the surge of antisemitism, the report argues.
The World Jewish Congress collaborates closely with Austria’s government to combat antisemitism and advance Holocaust remembrance globally. Austria is a key partner in WJC’s #WeRemember Campaign for International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Earlier this week, WJC President Ronald S. Lauder was honored with the the Grosse goldenes Ehrenzeichen mit dem Stern für Verdienste um die Republik Österreich by the Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen during a ceremony in Vienna. Having served as the United States Ambassador to Austria under Ronald Reagan, Lauder has maintained a lifelong commitment to nurturing Austria's Jewish community and ensuring the Holocaust is never forgotten.
