World Jewish Congress and Allies Rally Behind EU Antisemitism Envoy Amid Attacks

By: Tzirel Rosenblatt

The World Jewish Congress (WJC) on Monday announced that it had joined dozens of leading Jewish organizations and communities across Europe and beyond in issuing a forceful public statement of support for Katharina von Schnurbein, the European Commission’s Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life.

The collective letter, sent to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner, rejected what it described as “recent unfounded and pernicious criticism” directed at von Schnurbein and lauded her more than a decade of dedicated service to European Jewry.

As the letter makes clear, the attacks on von Schnurbein are not simply a matter of individual reputational assault—they strike at the very credibility of the European Union’s institutional efforts to counter antisemitism, particularly during a period of unprecedented hostility toward Jewish communities in the wake of the Hamas-led atrocities of Oct. 7, 2023.

Since her appointment in 2015 as the EU’s first coordinator on antisemitism, Katharina von Schnurbein has become a central figure in developing and implementing European strategies to address antisemitic hatred and ensure that Jewish life remains viable on the continent.

The WJC’s letter highlighted her “tireless work” and “great integrity”, noting that she has spearheaded efforts to create cross-border frameworks for security, education, cultural engagement, and law enforcement cooperation.

“Over the past decade, Ms. von Schnurbein has worked tirelessly and with great integrity to strengthen European policies and initiatives that protect Jewish communities and ensure that Jewish life can flourish across our continent,” the letter stated. “Her mandate has always been grounded in European values, democratic principles and the urgent need to defend the Jewish community against hatred and discrimination.”

The emphasis on democratic legitimacy is significant: in defending von Schnurbein, the WJC and allied organizations are also defending the EU’s broader identity as a polity rooted in human rights and the rejection of racism in all forms.

The letter also underscored von Schnurbein’s leadership in confronting what it called the “tsunami of Israel-related antisemitism” that has swept across Europe since Oct. 7, 2023.

Following the Hamas-led massacre in southern Israel—the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust—Jewish communities throughout Europe have faced a tidal wave of harassment, intimidation, and violence. Synagogues have been vandalized, Jewish schools have faced threats, and Jewish students on campuses have reported a climate of pervasive hostility.

In this context, von Schnurbein has consistently stressed that antisemitism cannot be excused or rebranded as legitimate political criticism when it crosses into delegitimization of Jewish life or incitement against Jews. The WJC letter noted: “In all her work she has listened to the lived realities of Jewish communities, including the tsunami of Israel-related antisemitism that has swept throughout Europe and the world since Oct. 7, 2023, which she has been steadfast in addressing.”

By framing her defense of Jewish dignity as an essential test of EU credibility, the signatories placed von Schnurbein’s work squarely within the European project’s moral core.

Von Schnurbein’s critics, the letter suggested, have accused her of bias simply for refusing to downplay or dismiss threats to Jewish life. For Jewish organizations, this criticism is both misplaced and dangerous.

“It is therefore deeply troubling to see her accused of ‘bias’ simply because she refuses to trivialize or ignore threats against Jews,” the letter emphasized. “To attack her for defending Jewish dignity and security is, in effect, to challenge the European Union’s own credibility in combating antisemitism.”

The argument resonates deeply with many Jewish leaders, who have grown increasingly alarmed at attempts to discredit antisemitism monitors and coordinators when their assessments prove uncomfortable to political actors. By defending von Schnurbein, the WJC and its allies are also defending the principle that antisemitism cannot be relativized, minimized, or subjected to double standards.

The relationship between von Schnurbein and the World Jewish Congress has been described as both constructive and indispensable. Over the years, the WJC has collaborated with her office on educational initiatives, policy coordination, and public advocacy campaigns designed to strengthen Jewish resilience in Europe.

Perhaps the most significant achievement of this collaboration is von Schnurbein’s role as co-chair of the WJC-initiated Special Envoys and Coordinators Combating Antisemitism (SECCA) Forum.

The SECCA Forum has emerged as a crucial multilateral platform, convening government officials, international organizations, Jewish communal representatives, and subject-matter experts to:

Share best practices for monitoring and countering antisemitism.

Coordinate cross-border strategies for Jewish community security.

Enhance global cooperation in data collection, education, and enforcement.

In a period of rising global antisemitism, SECCA’s work has only grown more urgent. Von Schnurbein’s stewardship has provided continuity and legitimacy to the effort, ensuring that Jewish voices remain at the center of policy deliberations.

The letter of support for von Schnurbein did not originate solely in Brussels or Strasbourg—it represents a global alignment of Jewish organizations concerned with the trajectory of antisemitism in Europe. The WJC’s stature as an umbrella organization for Jewish communities worldwide lent additional weight to the appeal.

The signatories underscored their solidarity not only with von Schnurbein personally but also with the principle that antisemitism in Europe is a global Jewish concern. Given the continent’s history and the symbolic weight of European Jewry, the stakes of the EU’s policy approach reverberate far beyond its borders.

In rallying behind Katharina von Schnurbein, the World Jewish Congress and its partners have sent a clear message: defending Jewish life in Europe is not negotiable, and those entrusted with this mission must not be undermined by spurious accusations.

As the letter to Ursula von der Leyen and Magnus Brunner made clear, von Schnurbein’s work embodies the EU’s commitment to democracy, pluralism, and the dignity of its Jewish citizens. To erode her credibility, Jewish leaders argue, would be to erode the EU’s own standing in the global fight against hatred.

At a time when Jewish communities face what many describe as the most serious crisis of antisemitism since the postwar era, such support is not merely symbolic. It is a recognition that institutions and individuals who have proven steadfast must be defended if Europe is to remain true to its values.

The WJC’s endorsement, echoed by dozens of organizations across Europe and beyond, is therefore not only a personal defense of von Schnurbein—it is a rallying cry for the European Union to remain firm, uncompromising, and credible in its battle against the oldest hatred.