Menachem Margolin
Israeli-born Lubavitch rabbi in Brussels who chairs the Rabbinical Centre of Europe and founded and chairs the European Jewish Association, a lobby group in the EU Transparency Register
| Menachem Margolin
| |
|---|---|
| Image |  Margolin in a photograph published by the Rabbinical Center of Europe |
| Born | Israel |
| Occupation | Rabbi; lobbyist |
| Known for | Lobbying European Union and national politicians on antisemitism, religious practice and Israel |
| Website | ejassociation.eu |
Menachem Margolin is an Israeli-born rabbi based in Brussels who chairs the Rabbinical Centre of Europe (RCE) and is the founder and chairman of the European Jewish Association (EJA).[1][2][3] In 2005 the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) described the RCE as the body through which the Chabad-Lubavitch movement co-ordinated its work in Europe, and reported that Margolin and his associates said their organisations were not Chabad institutions, "though they are proud Lubavitchers themselves".[4] The EJA's own leadership page says Margolin ensures that the EJA "effectively lobbies European and national politicians".[2]
Early life and education
According to a biography published by the Matanel Foundation, which funded a "Building the Future" programme run with the Rabbinical Centre of Europe, Margolin was born in Israel and studied at yeshivas in Bnei Brak, Kiryat Gat and New York. From the United States he went to Hungary for a year to help the Jewish community there, and then spent several months in Bangkok, Thailand. He received rabbinical ordination during these years.[3] The European Jewish Association says he joined the RCE after graduating from yeshiva in New York.[2]
Rabbinical Centre of Europe
Margolin became programme director of the Rabbinical Centre of Europe in 2004. The Matanel biography says he became its secretary-general a year later and general director two years after that; the EJA gives 2006 as the year he became general director.[3][2] In May 2005 the Jewish Telegraphic Agency interviewed him as the RCE's secretary-general in its office across the street from the European Commission's headquarters, under a wall map whose pins each represented a Chabad rabbi affiliated with the centre. He told the JTA: "We have around 700 rabbis across Europe who look to us for spiritual and technical guidance." He said that the RCE's name, which critics thought too close to that of the Conference of European Rabbis, reflected its willingness "to help any and all".[4]
The RCE now lists Margolin as its chairman. It says he "manages all the organization's diplomatic and government-related matters", including court appeals and lobbying of members of parliament, and that his "top priority is to ensure freedom of religion for Jews in Europe".[1] According to the Matanel biography, he has been involved in setting up and managing more than ten Jewish organisations in Europe.[3]
European Jewish Association
The European Jewish Association describes Margolin as its founder and chairman and says he became its general director four years after he became general director of the RCE.[2] The EU Transparency Register, as reproduced by LobbyFacts, records Margolin as an EJA lobbyist holding European Parliament accreditation in several periods between February 2014 and September 2026.[5]
In a blog post for The Electronic Intifada, David Cronin wrote that when he asked Margolin about the EJA's funding, Margolin declined to answer: "since we can't really consider you as a great supporter… we won't answer your questions". Cronin also reported that an EJA statement had accused his blog of "glorifying" Hamas; according to Cronin, Margolin later said that "everyone can make mistakes and get wrong information", but did not withdraw the statement and made any retraction conditional on Cronin condemning Hamas.[6]
Views and statements
Far-right parties
At the EJA's conference in Brussels in November 2018, The Jerusalem Post reported Margolin's remarks under the headline "'Talk to far-Right in gov't', says top European rabbi".[7] The World Socialist Web Site, which is hostile to the EJA, reported that Margolin said explicitly antisemitic and neo-Nazi parties should be outlawed, but that once a far-right or populist party joined a coalition government, efforts should be made to open communications with it. It also reported that the conference adopted Margolin's five "red lines" for political parties, including adopting the IHRA working definition of antisemitism and excluding parties that espouse antisemitism from government.[8]
After the 2024 European Parliament elections, Margolin took a more cautious line. He told the Jewish News Syndicate that "many of them and, of course, many of their supporters, hate Jews no less than they hate Muslims", and that the EJA "could work with some of them, but it has to be in a very specific, very practical, very detailed way".[9] He told The Jewish Chronicle that far-right parties such as the AfD should be banned: "Anyone who praises Nazis cannot run for politics, they should be investigated and blocked."[10] In the same JNS interview he named Hungary under Viktor Orbán as "exactly how and what we expect from every European country", and said Spanish Jews would call the Spanish government "an antisemitic government".[9]
Israel and emigration
At an EJA "emergency summit" in Amsterdam in June 2024, held with Israel's Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, Margolin, who had previously criticised Benjamin Netanyahu for encouraging European Jews to emigrate to Israel, said: "Prime Minister Netanyahu, we are not there yet but be ready." He added: "Europe is our home, and whilst Israel is our insurance policy, we will not call it in until absolutely necessary."[11] He told JNS that if a politician supports the local Jewish community but attacks Israel, "we don't consider him Jewish-friendly".[9]
Antisemitism legislation
In January 2020, Israel National News reported that the EJA and the Action and Protection League had brought about 100 parliamentarians and ministers to Auschwitz, where they were urged to adopt draft antisemitism legislation written by the two organisations.[12]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "About Us", Rabbinical Center of Europe, accessed 25 October 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Leadership", European Jewish Association, accessed 25 October 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Building the Future", Matanel Foundation, accessed 25 October 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Philip Carmel, "In capital of European Union, Chabad wields great influence", Jewish Telegraphic Agency, republished by Jewish News of Greater Phoenix, 20 May 2005.
- ↑ "European Jewish Association", LobbyFacts (data from the EU Transparency Register, ID 707551412661-80), accessed 25 October 2026.
- ↑ David Cronin, "Leading Israel lobby group sees massive rise in budget", The Electronic Intifada, accessed 25 October 2026.
- ↑ Jeremy Sharon, "'Talk to far-Right in gov't', says top European rabbi", The Jerusalem Post, 6 November 2018.
- ↑ Jean Shaoul, "European Jewish Association slanders left and urges dialogue with far-right", World Socialist Web Site, 24 November 2018.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 David Isaac, "Far-right gains in Europe: Good for the Jews?", Jewish News Syndicate, 17 June 2024.
- ↑ Felix Pope, "European Jewish leaders warn of rising far-right threat after EU elections", The Jewish Chronicle, 11 June 2024.
- ↑ Amelie Botbol (JNS), "At 'emergency summit,' EJA head calls on Israel to prepare for influx of European Jews", European Jewish Press, 4 June 2024.
- ↑ Nitsan Keidar, "100 Parliamentarians gather in Auschwitz", Israel National News, 20 January 2020.