#24: Combating Anti-Zionism / Antisemitism; Jewish Life in Europe; Hate vs Hope; Faith & Secularism
Description
In this episode of Beyond the Bubble, Andras welcomes Katharina von Schnurbein, European Commission Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life for an educative discussion on combating these.Katharina shares her background growing up near the Iron Curtain in Bavaria, her studies in Slavonic languages, and her early work with the European Union in Prague during the Czech Republic’s accession. She describes her path into EU institutions, where she became responsible for dialogue with religious and non-confessional organisations, and later appointed as the first coordinator on antisemitism in 2015.The conversation explores how antisemitism has evolved in Europe, the balance between free speech and hate speech, and the role of EU institutions in supporting Jewish communities. Katharina explains the 2021 EU strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, the importance of education, data collection, and cooperation with national governments, as well as the challenges posed by social media and foreign disinformation.Andras and Katharina discuss the complexity of defining antisemitism, its overlap with anti-Zionism, and the dangers of collective responsibility.They also focus on the positive dimension of fostering Jewish life in Europe, from community resilience and cultural heritage to new EU initiatives on Jewish culture and education. Katharina shares her perspective on hope, responsibility, and why ensuring Jewish life can thrive openly in Europe is a shared democratic task.https://www.linkedin.com/in/katharina-von-schnurbein%F0%9F%8E%97%EF%B8%8F-b3701413/
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