A survey the RCE took of a representative group of 179 Jewish communities in Eastern and Western Europe revealed that 70 percent of Europe’s Jews today avoid revealing that they are Jews, and some 85 percent will not even bring their children to shul to hear the shofar blown on Rosh Hashanah.

Rabbi Menachem Margolin, director of the European Jewish Association, said that rabbis and community leaders are reporting that with rising anti-Semitism and the nationalistic atmosphere that is developing in response to the heavy influx of Muslims to European countries, there has been a significant decrease in the number of Jews who participate in Jewish community activities. At the same time, the Jewish communities have been making great efforts to persuade more Jews to participate in the Rosh Hashanah prayers. Security is being greatly increased, and, relative to attendance last year, more Jews have indicated that they intend to come to shul with their families on Rosh Hashanah.

“Rabbanim and community leaders throughout the continent are reporting that, unfortunately, more and more Jews are avoiding any public identification with Judaism,” said Rabbi Margolin, and he called upon the government of Israel to strengthen Jewish education in the Diaspora. “Most youngsters whose parents avoid identifying as Jews will not retain any link to the Jewish nation and its heritage. This is a very dangerous trend not only for Judaism in Europe; it presents a strategic problem for the State of Israel as well.

Rabbi Margolin pointed out that the various Jewish organizations throughout Europe are lobbying the European Union and their respective governments to increase security at shuls and Jewish institutions, and to breathe the spirit of Judaism into every city where Jews live.

“Today, however,” he said, “we are facing a double-flank attack: On one side, there are repeated waves of blatant anti-Semitic harassment due to anti-Israel sentiment, and on the other side, especially in light of the Islamization of many cities throughout Europe, there is the ugly face of nationalism and xenophobia.” Rabbi Margolin also called upon Israel’s government to join the effort to address these challenges through a multifaceted approach to changing the situation.

RCE deputy director Rabbi Aryeh Goldberg responded to the situation, declaring that the members of the RCE’s presidium and of its rabbinical council fully support Europe’s rabbanim and community leaders, who are doing everything possible to ensure that the upcoming holiday season will be a time of safety and security for the many mispallelim who will fill Europe’s shuls and Jewish centers during that period.

Rabbi Goldberg commented with sadness that despite the repeated requests of Rabbanim and community leaders for government officials throughout Europe to denounce anti-Semitic acts against Jews, we have yet to hear such statements from them. The anti-Semitic atmosphere among certain segments of European society has found expression in the string of anti-Semitic acts that have become increasingly common in recent times.

According to Rabbi Goldberg, there is a rising trend of anti-Semitism, and it is only proper for Israel’s leaders to turn to their counterparts in Europe, so that steps will be taken immediately to stem the tide.