We expressly welcome the appointment of Dr Felix Klein as Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the Fight against Antisemitism. We know Dr Klein and hold him in high regard, both as a person and professionally.
“For Jewish life in Germany” means not only being “for” something, but unfortunately also being “against” something: Jews are an integral part of mainstream German society. Antisemitism is any attempt to attack that relationship. In its various guises, antisemitism today is once again more prevalent and more aggressive than it has been for many decades. We therefore regard the appointment of a commissioner as the right and necessary political response to this development.
The chairman of the WerteInitiative, Elio Adler, comments: “We believe that Dr Klein has the important task of showing that combating antisemitism is not only in the interest of Jews, but must far rather be understood as a task for society as a whole. In fighting antisemitism, one also addresses a number of other problem areas along the way, and resolving them matters for the survival of our pluralistic society. Whoever fights antisemitism automatically strengthens the free way in which we wish to live together in Germany, as well as freedom of opinion, pluralism and equality between the sexes, and protects the LGBT community.”
The WerteInitiative, as a civil-society voice of Jews living in Germany, has long called for this office and closely accompanied its establishment in political terms.
