Bern: New Initiative Against Anti-Semitism

In response to the growing anti-Semitism evident worldwide—and increasingly so in Switzerland as well—a new initiative has been launched in Bern by Christian groups in collaboration with Jewish representatives. Led by religious educator and theologian Markus Neurohr and retired Reformed pastor Christoph Monsch, the “Shalom Switzerland” platform aims to provide impetus in the fight against anti-Semitism. To this end, a joint declaration against anti-Semitism and hatred of Jews will be publicly read on November 9 in Bern. Following the atrocities committed by Hamas against Israel on October 7, 2023, anti-Semitism has increased here, according to a press release titled “Anti-Semitism in Switzerland: This Cannot Go On!” The Jewish community in Switzerland feels unsettled, and its quality of life has deteriorated significantly. “It saddens us that the silent majority in Switzerland simply accepts the restrictions on the quality of life of Jewish people. They deserve empathy, but are receiving the opposite,” write Markus Neurohr and co-initiator Martin Bühlmann in the press release. The awareness event on Monday, November 9, in Bern aims to highlight this issue through lectures and panel discussions and to counter this trend.