Pro-Palestinian activists climbed the Brandenburg Gate on Thursday, the iconic symbol of Germany's capital, where they unfurled a banner reading "never again genocide, Free Palestine." They displayed Palestinian flags and used flares.

Berlin police reported that 75 police officers and firefighters are at the scene, after "three people illegally climbed Brandenburg Gate using a crane." Officials added that three others who operated the crane were arrested in the central square.

The post 'Never again genocide': Palestinian flags, flares on Germany's victory gate appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The "Square of Hamas Hostages" exhibit opens Tuesday at Bebelplatz square in central Berlin – a protest installation aimed at raising international awareness for the release of Israeli hostages. The square will showcase new and chilling displays, including reconstructions of detention cages used by Hamas, designed based on testimonies from hostages who were released from captivity.

Speaking at tonight's opening ceremony on behalf of the hostage families will be Idit Ohel, mother of Alon Ohel, a 23-year-old Israeli-German pianist who has been held captive by Hamas for over 550 days.

This marks the fourth time since the outbreak of Operation Strength and Sword that the square has hosted protest installations advocating for the hostages' release. To date, more than 50,000 people have visited the exhibit in its previous iterations, including senior figures in Germany's political and cultural establishment. However, this is the first time the exhibit has been installed in the square since Germany's change of government and the formation of the new administration – a fact that adds an important political dimension to the event's public visibility.

The project was created by Dr. Melody Sucharewicz and is operated by dozens of volunteers with funding support from philanthropic foundations. Ahead of the event, Dr. Sucharewicz said, "Bebelplatz square carries a historical burden of struggle for basic human values. Every visitor to the square expresses a clear position – for freedom, for human rights, and for bringing the hostages home."

The post Berlin's historic square transforms into haunting testament to hostages' suffering appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Growing security concerns have prompted the Jewish community in Berlin to implement a protective measure: publishing only the first letter of community members' surnames, rather than their full family names, in birthday announcements in the local community newspaper, according to a report in Bild. The community's monthly journal "Jewish Berlin" traditionally includes a section for "mazel tov" wishes to members over 65 and announcements of children's bar and bat mitzvah celebrations.

The publication recently added an explanatory note to the section: "Dear community members, in light of current anti-Israel and antisemitic incidents, we are now printing only birthday and bar/bat mitzvah names with abbreviated surnames as a precautionary security measure."

Speaking with Bild, Ilan Kiesling, spokesman for the Jewish community in Berlin, explained that this decision was implemented shortly after October 7, stemming from heightened security concerns for community members. Kiesling emphasized that this precautionary step aims to "minimize the potential for hostile actions against our community members," citing specific concerns about Hamas supporter demonstrations in Berlin's streets and the dramatic increase in antisemitic attacks following the October 7 massacre.

In a show of solidarity, Germans wearing kippot participated in a demonstration supporting the Jewish community in Berlin. Ahmed Mansour, an expert on radical Islam based in Germany, commented on the community's decision to withhold full names from public view, telling Bild: "An increasing number of Jews in this country fear being publicly identified as Jewish and subsequently attacked. This represents more than just a tragedy – it signifies a fundamental failure. A failure of our political system, our society, and those who claim that 'never again' amounts to more than empty rhetoric."

The post Fear forces Berlin Jews to hide their identity in community paper appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

In a powerful display of Jewish pride and resilience, hundreds of Jewish youth from across Europe gathered at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, once a symbol of Nazi power, to celebrate their identity, despite rising antisemitism throughout the continent. The December 2024 gathering, organized by Chabad's global CTeen movement, brought together young Jewish leaders for a three-day conference focused on community building and cultural preservation in challenging times.

Standing where Hitler's forces once marched, they joined together in declaring "Shema Israel," followed by an uplifting performance of the beloved Israeli song "Od Yoter Tov" that has resonated throughout the Jewish world.

Over the three days, the youth engaged in a comprehensive program addressing their pressing concerns, including forthright discussions about the challenges facing Jewish communities and strategies for addressing them. The landmark gathering was led by Berlin's Chief Rabbi Yehuda Teichtal and attended by notable figures, including Israeli Ambassador to Germany Ron Prosor.

My message is clear: if there is one thing the October 7 massacre taught us, it is that terror is closer than we want to believe and that its violence knows no boundaries.

We, as Israelis, learned on that day that our enemies mean exactly what they say and will execute their… pic.twitter.com/4QQijkjkAD

— Ambassador Ron Prosor (@Ron_Prosor) December 13, 2024

 Founded fifteen years ago by Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, who heads Chabad's global emissary network, the organization aims to unite Jewish youth worldwide. "This distinctive youth movement represents the most effective path toward building the Jewish future globally," said his son and successor, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Kotlarsky.

The conference proceeded under heightened security measures, reflecting a particularly difficult year for Jewish communities worldwide, especially in Europe, where antisemitism metrics continue their concerning upward trend. Current data reveals that 44% of Jewish youth have faced antisemitic harassment, while 41% contemplate emigration due to safety concerns, and 45% avoid visible Jewish symbols.

"During these turbulent times across Europe, this seminar stands as compelling evidence that the Jewish people endure," Rabbi Teichtal reflected. "These challenging circumstances have actually strengthened the bonds among Jewish youth, who now share a deeper sense of family connection."

The post Unfazed by antisemitism, hundreds of teens gather in Berlin to recite 'Shema Israel' appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The Free University of Berlin has canceled an exhibition about antisemitic pogroms throughout history, citing fears of "emotional reactions" from students.

NOW: Students tried to barricade themselves in the Free University of Berlin, threatening to destroy the server room if police entered the building. They demanded an immediate end to the deep-seated relationship between the university and the State of Israel, among other… pic.twitter.com/StouYZ3d5n

— red. (@redstreamnet) October 17, 2024

The exhibition, "Circle of Magic" by the British National Holocaust Museum, was scheduled to open at the Free University in February 2025. It aimed to showcase several Jewish communities affected by pogroms throughout history in Europe, North Africa, and Israel, including the Hamas attacks in southern Israel on October 7.

A protest camp has started at Berlin's Freie Universität pic.twitter.com/d9KVXqrDCH

— James Jackson (@derJamesJackson) May 7, 2024

According to Jüdische Allgemeine, a Jewish magazine distributed in Germany, the university's history department initially appeared interested in hosting the exhibition.

However, in recent days, the university decided to cancel the exhibition through an announcement by Vice President Verna Bellinger-Talcott. Initially, no additional explanations were provided for her intervention and the exhibition's cancellation. In response to the Jewish magazine's inquiry, the Free University's press department stated that the university building's lobby where the exhibition was to be displayed is "not a suitable location for such an exhibition" as it could trigger "emotional reactions." The university expressed concerns about "intense debates" that might disrupt order in the public space. Currently, discussions are ongoing about finding an alternative venue for the exhibition, though no new location has been secured yet.

Police evict pro-Palestine encampment at Berlin's Freie Universität, reportedly after being called by the Uni's president pic.twitter.com/c0ijcLUBSx

— James Jackson (@derJamesJackson) May 7, 2024

 The violent demonstrations that occurred several months ago at the Free University in Germany appear to be causing concern among university administration about their recurrence, leading to the decision to remove discourse about antisemitism and Israel-related context from the public space.

The exhibition's cancellation is not an isolated incident, as several events discussing antisemitism and Israel have been canceled at German universities in recent months. Recently, two lectures criticizing antisemitism with connections to Israel were canceled at the University of Freiburg, and an additional lecture by an Israeli professor was canceled at Leipzig University due to security concerns.

Israel's Ambassador to Germany, Ron Prosor, commented on the exhibition's cancellation, saying, "Only at the 'Free' University in Berlin, where a culture of Jewish persecution exists in the form of violence, blocked access, and online exams for Jewish students out of concern for their safety, can the removal of an exhibition about Holocaust remembrance be justified due to 'suspected emotional distress.'"

The post Berlin U cancels Holocaust exhibit in fear of 'intense debates' appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

A Jewish youth football team in Berlin has been placed under police protection after members were reportedly chased by an armed group following a match last week, according to GB News.

Players from Makkabi Berlin's youth team, aged between 13 and 16, said they were pursued by Arab youths wielding knives and sticks after a game against local rivals in the Neukölln neighborhood, an area known for its significant Arab and Turkish population.

One father said his son was "deeply shaken" by the incident, which allegedly involved opposing team members spitting at the Jewish players while chanting "free Palestine" and "f*cking Jews."

At the same time with Amsterdam pogrom, 13-y-o players from German-Jewish Makkabi Berlin football team suffered antisemitic attacks during and after a game in Berlin. Jewish kids were chased by a crowd with sticks and knives.

Antisemitic attacks against Jews in Europe are daily… pic.twitter.com/ZxMhgrNfBY

— lelemSLP (@lelemSLP) November 11, 2024

The Staatsschutz, a unit responsible for investigating politically motivated crime, will now provide police protection for the youth team. The club's adult team has been receiving similar protection since October 7.

Berlin Interior Senator Iris Spranger condemned the attacks, telling the DPA International: "Just recently, there were attacks on players from the sports club TuS Makkabi Berlin. These acts show that antisemitic violence and discrimination have not disappeared in our city either."

Schwarz-Weiss Neukölln, the opposition team, pledged to identify and remove those involved. "Incidents like this don't belong on soccer pitches – and certainly not on ours," a spokesman said.

Makkabi Berlin, founded in the 1970s by Holocaust survivors, was the city's first Jewish sports club established after World War II. Earlier this month, a fan wearing the club's scarf was reportedly punched after being asked if he was Jewish.

The incident comes amid growing concerns for Jewish safety across Europe, with Israel warning its citizens to avoid sporting and cultural events following similar attacks, including recent violence against football fans in Amsterdam.

The post Jewish youth soccer team attacked by knife-wielding mob in Berlin appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

David, a 23-year-old Israeli IDF soldier, recently attended the 2024 Euro games in Berlin, Germany, with his friends. What he expected to be an exciting sports event turned into a troubling encounter with widespread antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment.

David reported in an interview with Israel Hayom that signs of anti-Israel attitudes were evident from the moment he arrived. "First of all, the moment you get there, you see graffiti on the walls of 'Free Palestine.' Somebody went around with an ink stamp and stamped 'Free Palestine' everywhere," he said. He was surprised by how prevalent the topic was, noting, "Even the taxi driver from the airport mentioned the Palestinian situation. It's a very common topic all around. You wouldn't imagine that they care so much, but it's one of the mainstream topics people talk about in Europe."

The young soldier observed a stark contrast in how Jewish and Israeli establishments present themselves in Berlin. "Any shul, any Israeli embassy, is guarded like crazy with no Jewish symbols outside," David explained. He added that kosher restaurants in the city also avoid displaying any Israeli imagery, describing the situation as "very censored." When asked if anyone wore an Israeli flag out, David responded, "No, nobody. Nothing Israeli."

David's personal interactions were also affected by his nationality. "When I said, 'I'm from Israel.' Suddenly, their faces change, and the conversation ends a sentence later," he recounted. This led him and his friend to create false identities to avoid negative reactions. "I switched from saying that I was from Israel to saying that I was from Canada," David admitted.

The situation became so tense that they resorted to elaborate measures to conceal their identities. "We had to create an alibi for my friend, who can't speak English. Initially, we said he was from Portugal or Spain because he has a Spanish look. But then we stumbled across people who knew Spanish. When they started speaking to him in Spanish, he just mumbled. After that, we created a perfect alibi. I told him, 'From now on, you say you're from Fiji because nobody knows how people from Fiji look or what language they speak.'"

"People heard our Hebrew conversations and were suspecting something. They asked what language we were talking to each other, and we said it was a combination of Portuguese and Maldivian. We just made up random things. We were speaking Hebrew to each other once, and a group questioned us, 'Is that Hebrew?' We were afraid, and then they were like, 'It's okay, we're Jewish,'" David explained.

David also touched on the demographic changes in Berlin, particularly noting the large Muslim population. He described an incident where they accidentally entered a predominantly Muslim neighborhood, which "every Israeli we met had collectively told us, 'Just don't go to Neukölln – it's very dangerous.' We felt like we were in Ramallah or Jenin – mosques and hijab stores, and everybody was clearly Muslim on the street, people with the Palestinian kaffiyah. We were like, 'Oh sh*t, this is Neukölln.' So, we stopped talking in Hebrew and started talking in English."

Reflecting on his overall experience, David expressed dismay at the pervasive negative attitudes towards Israel. "You really feel like everybody's opinion is negative. Nobody has a positive opinion about Israel," he stated. "You hear it's bad in Europe. But you never actually understand how bad it is, how one-sided the conversation is, and how they really have zero clue about what's actually happening. It's a very bad feeling."

The post IDF soldier, fearing antisemitism, tricks fans at Euro 2024 appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The streets of Berlin are awash with orange as jubilant Dutch soccer fans celebrate their national team's advancement to the Euro 2024 semi-finals. Following a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Turkey, the Netherlands now faces England in a highly anticipated match. Amid the festivities, supporters remain confident of their chances against the Three Lions and beyond, while also expressing warm sentiments towards Israel.

The Euro 2024 quarter-finals concluded Saturday, with an exciting match between the Netherlands and Turkey in Berlin, where the Orange won 2-1 and advanced to the semi-finals. In the next stage, on Wednesday in Dortmund, England awaits them, having earlier eliminated the Swiss.

The great excitement among the orange-clad crowd after the game was because they returned to the final four for the first time in 20 years, but also because the last time they met the Three Lions in a major tournament was in the group stage of Euro 1996. Then they suffered from doubles by Teddy Sheringham and Alan Shearer, with Patrick Kluivert only reducing the score to 4-1 in the tournament hosted by the British. Now the Dutch believe they can make amends.

Berlin is Oranje. 𝐀𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧! #NothingLikeOranje #CreateHistory #NEDTUR pic.twitter.com/QqENlmXkDX

— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) July 6, 2024

 Yesterday's game brought together two of the three best fan bases in the tournament, with the Scottish crowd also providing impressive scenes in the group stage. The Dutch love Israel, at least based on those I met. In the square where the fans of the beloved team gathered, I met Joop, a 22-year-old who works for ESPN Netherlands. He told me he's currently less known, working behind the scenes as a social media person, and hopes to be more recognized one day. When I told him I was from Israel, he gave me a wide smile and said he hopes Israel will one day qualify for a major tournament.

When I returned to the hotel hungry, I sat at the bar and ordered a cheese platter. It was the only thing left at 1 a.m. Next to me sat three Dutch guys, all from Eindhoven. Patrick, who sat beside me, showed me a video of the Dutch crowd dancing to the famous song that went viral throughout the competition days, where everyone moved from right to left. I responded with a video I filmed from the press box at the end of the game, where Ronald Koeman's group celebrated with the crowd. He asked me to send him these magical moments.

When his friend Alexander heard I was from Israel, he looked at me and said "Kill them all," making it clear which side he had chosen since October 7. I asked if he had been to Tel Aviv, "at least 20 times," he replied and said he has friends in Israel, how he remembers Eran Zahavi who played for PSV for two years, and that he does business in the Holy Land.

Alexander had been to all of the Netherlands' games so far, except for the loss to Austria, and he has a ticket for Wednesday at Signal Iduna Park. I told him a tough game awaits in four days and he replied: "England is not our problem, we will beat them." It might be the beers, maybe mind-altering substances, but the Dutch have optimism in abundance right now.

At the Dutch press conference, both coach Koeman and outstanding player Stefan de Vrij gave a lot of respect to England, but said they believe they can return once again to Berlin next Sunday, for the final.

Quite ironically, the question that drew the most attention was from an English reporter who asked the defender, who scored a goal, if he and his teammates were also addicted to the fans' big hit. De Vrij answered affirmatively: "We constantly see videos of our fans celebrating in Germany, it's a big hit in our country right now, it's great to see what soccer does to people, hopefully, we'll make them celebrate with it later on as well."

And what about the Turks? Usually, when politicians come to a soccer game they don't really do good for the team they came to support, and so it turned out that in the game attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, his team said goodbye to the tournament. They did take the lead, and looked good for quite a few minutes, and one can, in a non-political view, applaud them for the performances they provided in the last three weeks, but in the second half, Turkey failed to withstand the pressure from the Dutch and ended the evening in tears.

Next to me sat a young journalist from the Turkish media. She saw on my computer that I was from Israel and asked to verify. The guy wore a Turkey shirt with four signatures, including that of the current captain Hakan Calhanoglu. In the end, he gave me a Turkey scarf as a gift, but didn't agree to be photographed with me. Still, quite a few Turks live in fear despite their opinions being less conservative, especially when the all-powerful leader is in the stadium in Berlin.

The post In Euro 2024, Dutch solidarity with Israel becomes real appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

A group of men attacked a 19-year-old Israeli tourist in Berlin on Saturday evening, in what authorities are investigating as a possible antisemitic hate crime.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Yonatan Yisraeli was taking a stroll in the capital's Kreuzberg district with his 18-year-old girlfriend while speaking on the phone in Hebrew, according to the Jüdische Allgemeine weekly.

A car pulled up alongside the couple and three men exited the vehicle. One of them tried to converse with the Israelis in German, which police said they did not understand. The men subsequently punched the male victim to the ground. The group proceeded to hit and kick Yisraeli while he was down before fleeing the scene.

Video: Families of victims express relief after synagogue killer sentenced to death. Credit: Reuters

Yisraeli was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries to his arm and face. His girlfriend reportedly escaped unharmed.

Local officials said that an investigation had been opened for assault with a possible anti-Jewish motive. The unidentified suspects were men between 20 and 23 years old, police announced.

Israeli Ambassador to Germany Ron Prosor condemned the attack.

"Another Israeli is brutally attacked in the German capital. This is unacceptable!," the envoy wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. "Israelis and Jews should not feel unsafe walking the streets of Berlin or any other German city. The German authorities must take every measure to stop these attacks and incitement against Israel and Jews before it is too late."

A recent report on antisemitism in Germany showed a slight decrease in overall incidents, though at the same time highlighting nine instances of "extreme violence" – the most since the country's record-keeping began in 2017.

The Kreuzberg district, which has a large immigrant Muslim population, has seen several violent attacks on Jews in recent years.

In related news, after a federal jury announced its verdict on Wednesday – that the gunman who killed 11 worshippers in the bloodiest massacre of Jews in US history should be sentenced to death – a small group of community members converged at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood to express a collective sigh of both anguish and relief.

At the gathering of about 40, a mood of hope, solidarity and gratitude prevailed as family members of the fallen addressed the press for the first time since the trial began in May.

Stanley Mallinger is the elder son of Rose Mallinger, who was a healthy 97-year-old when she was shot and killed. His sister, Andrea Wedner, was severely injured in the attack.

"This was the worse of the punishments – not the lesser – and we think that's what he deserved," Mallinger told JNS, of Robert Bowers, a 50-year-old truck driver from Baldwin, Pa, who embraced extreme nativist and antisemitic views.

"All these Jews need to die," Bowers told police when they apprehended him. He murdered 11 Jewish worshippers with an AK-47 and shot two other civilians and five police officers.

After convicting Bowers, jurors had been directed to choose between giving him life in prison or the death penalty. They chose the latter, which had to be unanimous.

Before a roomful of national and local media, Jeffrey Myers, the rabbi of Tree of Life*Or L'Simcha Synagogue, where the attack occurred on Oct. 27, 2018, noted that the jury's verdict came on a significant day on the Jewish calendar: Tu B'Av. The minor holiday, which falls on the 15th of Av, is referred to as the Jewish day of love, dating back to ancient times.

"I don't believe in coincidences," Myers said of the verdict. "It was meant to be today."

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The post Berlin police investigating attack on Israeli tourist as hate crime appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The Biden administration is weighing in on the controversy over Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters, saying his recent performances in Germany were antisemitic.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

The State Department said Tuesday that Waters has "a long track record of using antisemitic tropes" and a concert he gave late last month in Germany "contained imagery that is deeply offensive to Jewish people and minimized the Holocaust."

The comments came in a written response to a question posed at Monday's State Department press briefing about whether the administration agreed with criticism of Rogers from the US special envoy to combat antisemitism, Deborah Lipstadt.

"Special Envoy Lipstadt's quote-tweet speaks for itself," the department said. "The concert in question, which took place in Berlin, contained imagery that is deeply offensive to Jewish people and minimized the Holocaust. The artist in question has a long track record of using antisemitic tropes to denigrate Jewish people."

In a May 24 tweet after the concert in Berlin, during which Waters appeared on stage in a costume reminiscent of Nazi-era Germany, Lipstadt denounced the musician by echoing comments from EU antisemitism envoy Katharina von Schnurbein, who is German.

"I wholeheartedly concur with @EUAntisemitism 's condemnation of Roger Waters and his despicable Holocaust distortion," Lipstadt wrote in reply to a tweet from von Schnurbein.

Von Schnurbein had taken issue with Waters' performance in Berlin as well as his previous comments related to Israel and the Holocaust.

"I am sick & disgusted by Roger Waters' obsession to belittle and trivialize the Shoah & the sarcastic way in which he delights in trampling on the victims, systematically murdered by the Nazis," von Schnurbein wrote. "In Germany. Enough is enough."

Shortly after the concert, police in Berlin said they had opened an investigation of Waters on suspicion of incitement over the costume he wore.

Images on social media showed Waters firing an imitation machine gun while dressed in a long black coat with a red armband. Police confirmed that the costume could constitute a glorification, justification or approval of Nazi rule and therefore a disturbance of the public peace.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The post US weighs in on Roger Waters antisemitism debate appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.