Conference of European Rabbis Annual Review 2017-2018 (5777-5778) 63 www.rabbiscer.org Over the last month, we have witnessed a disturbing trend occurring across Europe, with governments withdrawing police officers stationed at Synagogues and Jewish community centres in order to re-assign them to new locations due to low police numbers. This leaves an already vulnerable community at risk. We as religious leaders must speak out. We should not have to worship in fear. We are standing at a crossroads. If Europe is to make its faith communities, and particularly its Jewish community, feel protected, it needs to act now. The UK has dedicated £10million to protecting its Jewish communities. Funding gives the community every opportunity to flourish. Without funding our community is left with sub-standard protection and becomes an easy target. But money on its own is not enough. Governments need to hand out the strongest possible punishments to offenders. We need real deterrents and to know that law enforcement agencies are taking discrimination seriously. We must continue to ensure that antisemitism does not go unpunished. Real change will also need more than government intervention. Over the last few years technology has evolved and so has antisemitism. The prevelance of social media has meant that it has become easier than ever. Discrimination no longer comes from a vocal minority, it is all around us. We are grateful to the European Commission for beginning the process of tackling this plague. But it will not happen overnight. Increased regulation is the first step, but warnings from political leaders and government legislation on its own is not enough. We, as individuals, have the power to force decision makers into changing the country for the better. Social changes that used to take hundreds of years can now occur in a matter of months. If we support positive steps, this will speed up the process. Religious freedoms are at the core of everything that Europe exemplifies. We must stand strong, together, to make sure that these pillars of society are not destroyed. We, Jews, have always been an integral part of this continent.