Europe Must Do More to Combat Anti-Semitism in Wake of France Assault

THIS IS THE JEWISH GROUP!

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) condemned last week the ghastly home invasion assault, rape and theft perpetrated against a Jewish couple in a suburb of Paris on December 1, which was apparently motivated by the perpetrators’ anti-Semitism and deep belief in the age old myth that all Jews have money.

In the aftermath of the events, ADL urged that more concrete steps need to be taken in order to educate youth in France – as well as in many other European countries – about the danger of anti-Semitic stereotypes, raise awareness among its adults, strengthen the work of law enforcement and establish trainings to ensure the protection of the Jewish community.

Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, issued the following statement:

We now know the age old anti-Semitic belief that Jews hoard money led to this unthinkable attack. A gang of known criminals chose this family because they are Jews, demanded money because they are Jews, and even told their victims they know Jews always have lots of money.

Such distorted notions – so widely held in the minds of the French people according to our recent polling – reinforce the idea for some who are willing to commit crimes to extort money that all you have to do is find a Jew to beat and rob. These heinous crimes against Jews show how stubborn, pernicious and poisonous the canard of Jews and money is. It stigmatizes, dehumanizes and tragically leads to violence. So when we shake our heads and ask in disbelief, ‘how can this keep happening?’ –this is how it happens.

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