Conference of European Rabbis Annual Review 2017-2018 (5777-5778) 16 www.rabbiscer.org Standing Committee Conference in Riga (April-May 2018) Dozens of prominent Rabbinical leaders from across Europe gathered at the Peitav Synagogue. This is Riga's only synagogue to survive the Holocaust. The discussions focused on the challenges to the Jewish communities across Europe. Some of the challenges mentioned were the ban of brit-mila (religious circumcision) and shechita (kosher slaughter) as well as the rising tide of antisemitism in Europe. The Rabbis visited many historically tragic sights in Riga, including the Great Choral Synagogue that was burned down on July 4th of 1941 with its congregants still inside. Latvian officials and European Parliament members attended the event. They stressed the important contributions that the Jews have made to Latvia and the importance of working closely together. CER rabbis from all over Europe came together to discuss ways to engage their communities and teach Torah to many who are not affiliated with Judaism. Among the many rabbis who spoke and gave insight on this topic were Chief Rabbi of Marseille Rabbi Ohana and the Rabbinical Director of the Conference of European Rabbis and Head of Yeshivat Torat Chaim in Moscow Rabbi Moshe Lebel, Rabbi Reuven Leuchter and many more. There are approximately 70,000 Jews living in Marseilles. It was noted that despite the recent wave of terror attacks in France there is still a strong interest from the local Jews to be a part of the Jewish community. There are 17 Jewish Schools in Marseille. T H E VA L U E , I N E U R O S , O F T H E C E R I N T E R N E T P R I Z E F U N D I N D I V I D U A L R E C O R D S O F C E M E T E R I E S A N D M A S S G R AV E S O N LO T I S H K A C H ’ S D ATA B A S E T H E VA L U E , I N E U R O S , O F T H E G R A N T F R O M H U LYA AVA I L A B L E TO Y O U N G C O M M U N I T Y R A B B I S C H A N U K A H A N D P U R I M S E T S D I S T R I B U T E D B Y C E R & H U LYA R E B B E T Z E N S W H O AT T E N D E D T H E V I E N N A C O N F E R E N C E I N J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 6 J E W S E S T I M AT E D TO B E C U R R E N T LY L I V I N G I N E U R O P E 62,000 11,000 18,000 200,000 150 1,700,000 CER in numbers CER and Hulya Young Rabbis Seminar in Marseille (October 2018)