The Council of European Rabbis held its annual meeting in Paris yesterday. In the course of a stormy session that lasted several hours, the Council addressed a variety of issues, including a number of incidents in which educators had molested children in various Jewish schools in Europe. The Council decided to publish a strong message to all Jewish educational institutions in Europe that all cover-up and whitewashing of such incidents must stop, and every incident must be dealt with seriously and in consultation with a professional. It was decided that a special committee would be formed, under the leadership of Harav Binyomin Jacobs, shlita, chief rabbi of Holland, and Harav Yitzchak Rubin, shlita, one of Manchester’s prestigious rabbis, who has also been chairman of the Rabbinical Council of the Provinces of England. The committee will keep in contact with the educational institutions and will assist them with counseling and dealing with these incidents.

Many of the major and senior rabbis of the continent came from the far corners of Europe to attend this meeting of the Council of European Rabbis. Among others, the members of the presidium were there: Harav Yirmiyah Kohen, shlita, Av Beis Din of Paris, who hosted the Council; Harav Yisrael Yaakov Lichtenstein, shlita, rav and Av Beis Din of London’s KF Badatz; Harav David Moshe Lieberman, shlita, chief rabbi of Antwerp’s “Shomrei Hadas” congregation and one of the senior European rabbis; and Harav Gershon Mendel Garelik, shlita, rav and Av Beis Din of Milan’s “Ohel Moshe” congregation. Also in attendance were the other members of the Council: Harav Yaakov David Schmahl, shlita, dayan in Antwerp’s “Shomrei Hadas” congregation; Harav Moshe Tuvia Weisberger, shlita, rav and Av Beis Din of Budapest’s “Adas Yerei’im” congregation; Harav Baruch Oberlander, shlita, rav and Av Beis Din of Budapest’s “Chevrah Shas” congregation; Harav Yitzchak Niazov, shlita, Sefardic rav of Vienna; and Harav Avraham David, shlita, one of the most prominent dayanim of London’s Sefardic community.

Among other timely and important topics, the Council discussed the issue of bris milah in Germany, which was stirred up once again after a blogger decided to open a case in court against Berlin’s Rav Yehuda Teichtal, shlita, who recently made a bris for his newborn son in Berlin. The rabbis of the Council made a formal declaration stating that under no circumstances may the governments of any country become involved in the mitzvah of bris milah, and they instructed the leaders of the Rabbinical Centre of Europe to discuss this matter with the governments of each country.

During the meeting, the heads of the Rabbinical Centre of Europe, director Harav Menachem Margolin and deputy director Harav Aryeh Goldberg, presented a review of the organization’s activities and of what is happening in the European communities.

France’s leading rabbanim were also invited to this meeting, including: Harav Moshe Aryeh Bamberger, shlita, rabbi of the city of Metz; Harav Yechiel Brandt, shlita, Rosh Kollel in Sersil; Harav Avraham Pewzner, shlita, rav of France’s Lubavitch community; Harav David Alfasi, shlita, rav of the Vitre region; Harav Meir Malka, shlita, rav of Calais; Harav Michael Shmerler, shlita, Av Beis Din of Strasbourg; and others.

Members of the Council of European Rabbis – the executive board of rabbis that heads the Rabbinical Centre of Europe – are the leading rabbis and heads of beis din on the European Continent. At the Council’s annual meeting the most burning issues that affect Jewish life in Europe are addressed and decisions are made. Each year the Council meets in a different European capital.