BUDAPEST (JTA) — Experts on anti-Semitism in Europe gathered for a conference in Budapest.
At the two-day forum that began Thursday at Central European University, the experts are exploring ways — particularly political activism — to combat the rising tide of anti-Semitism on the continent.
The embassies of Israel, the United States, the Netherlands and Poland, as well as the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, organized the event, titled "Anti-Semitism in Present-Day Europe."
Aliza Bin-Noun, the Israeli ambassador to Hungary, said the conference is part of a long-term program to fight worldwide anti-Semitism.
Looking at Hungary, Bin-Noun told Politics.hu that it is a "negative phenomenon" that the xenophobic, paramilitary Hungarian Guard had inducted several hundred new members at a public ceremony Sunday in Budapest. A local court last year disbanded the far-right group, whose black uniform and insignia are reminiscent of the Nazi era, but the Guard is appealing.
Andras Kovacs, a Jewish studies professor at Central European University, told Nepszabadsag, the largest Hungarian daily, that it was "just a coincidence" that a syposium on contemporary anti-Semitism was taking place in Budapest on March 19 — the 65th anniversary of Hungary’s annexation by Germany.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
