By: Fern Sidman

In a poignant reflection of the deepening crisis of antisemitism gripping Europe since the outbreak of the Gaza war, dozens of rabbis from across the continent gathered this week in the Dutch city of Eindhoven to undergo intensive self-defense and Krav Maga training. As reported by VIN News on Wednesday, the initiative represents a growing recognition among Jewish religious leaders that their personal safety — and that of their communities — can no longer be taken for granted.

The training was organized by the Rabbinical Center of Europe (RCE), a prominent organization representing over 850 rabbis across the continent. According to the information provided in the VIN News report, the sessions mark the first time in recent memory that such a wide-ranging cohort of Jewish clergy has engaged in physical security preparation — a development that speaks volumes about the changing landscape for Jews in 21st-century Europe.

“In today’s Europe, rabbis feel they are at risk every time they step outside,” said Rabbi Aryeh Goldberg, director of the RCE, in comments published by VIN News. “This training is a direct response to that reality.”

The course, held at a secure training facility in Eindhoven, combines Krav Maga — the Israeli martial art renowned for its efficiency in real-world confrontations — with situational awareness instruction and emergency threat response. Rabbis from France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and beyond participated in the multi-day workshop, which also included simulations of synagogue intrusions and violent street attacks.

The effort is more than symbolic. Since Hamas’s October 7 massacre in Israel and the ensuing military campaign in Gaza, Jewish communities across Europe have faced a disturbing and well-documented spike in antisemitic violence. In France, the government reported a more than threefold increase in antisemitic acts in the months following the war’s outbreak. The United Kingdom, meanwhile, saw nearly 2,000 antisemitic incidents recorded in early 2024 alone — a staggering figure that represents the highest volume ever reported in a comparable timeframe.

Even the Netherlands, traditionally viewed as a relatively safe haven for European Jewry, has seen its security foundations shaken. According to the information contained in the VIN News report, recent months have witnessed a spate of physical assaults against rabbis, harassment of Israeli nationals, and antisemitic chants and aggression at football matches involving Jewish-affiliated teams. These developments have made clear to Jewish leaders that reactive security strategies are insufficient in an increasingly hostile environment.

Rabbi Menachem Margolin, who serves as chairman of both the Rabbinical Center of Europe and the European Jewish Association, said the decision to offer self-defense training to rabbis was taken after repeated pleas to national governments for more robust protection went unanswered. Rabbi Margolin emphasized the need for systemic governmental action — not just symbolic gestures.

“Our rabbis are not military men,” he said. “But they are public figures, visible targets, and defenders of Jewish life in cities where hate is again stalking the streets. European governments must step up security around synagogues and enforce meaningful consequences for antisemitic hate crimes.”

The European Jewish Association, under Margolin’s leadership, has been among the most vocal critics of state authorities who, according to the VIN News report, have been slow to respond to threats — especially in cities where antisemitic protests have escalated from speech to violence. Both organizations have called for pan-European legal reform, including the criminalization of incitement against Jews and explicit bans on the glorification of terrorist groups such as Hamas.

The training in Eindhoven also served to bolster morale. Several rabbis told VIN News that the opportunity to connect with colleagues across Europe and share strategies for resilience had a “deep emotional impact,” especially for those coming from communities where police protection has either diminished or been rendered ineffective by political inaction.

Beyond the immediate physical benefits of learning Krav Maga, participants noted that the training sent a message to both their communities and their adversaries: Jews will not be driven into hiding.

“This is not about fighting,” one Belgian rabbi told VIN News. “It’s about standing tall — walking to synagogue with dignity and the knowledge that we are not helpless.”

The initiative in Eindhoven is expected to be the first of several such sessions organized by the RCE in the coming year. Plans are already underway for similar self-defense training in Berlin and Paris, and that the organization is working to secure private funding to help underwrite these efforts, particularly for rabbis in financially struggling communities.

As Europe contends with the ripple effects of conflict in the Middle East, Jewish leaders say the continent must confront the rise of homegrown hate with the same urgency that it applies to other public security threats. Until that happens, said Rabbi Goldberg to VIN News, Jewish leaders will continue to take whatever measures are necessary — even if that means learning how to physically defend themselves in the streets they’ve walked in peace for generations.

“We are spiritual shepherds,” he said. “But today’s shepherd must also be a shield.”