Rabbis Turn to Krav Maga as Antisemitism Surges Across Europe
European rabbis are undergoing Krav Maga training in the Netherlands to counter escalating antisemitic violence, reflecting growing fears among Jewish leaders. The Rabbinical Centre of Europe organized the seminar to empower rabbis while urging governments to enhance security and penalties for hate crimes.
Dozens of European rabbis gathered in Eindhoven, Netherlands, for a specialized self-defense and Krav Maga training seminar organized by the Rabbinical Centre of Europe (RCE), which represents over 850 rabbis across the continent. The initiative responds to a 450% surge in antisemitic incidents in the UK and a 235% increase across Europe in 2024, driven by events like the November 2024 attack on Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam and a firebombing at Israel’s UN embassy in The Hague in March 2024.
Rabbi Menachem Margolin, RCE chairman and head of the European Jewish Association, declared, “The current situation, in which Jews are increasingly vulnerable to physical assaults in public spaces, is a wake-up call to European governments to bolster security in Jewish areas and significantly increase the punishment and enforcement against anti-Semitic attacks.”
The training, described as “basic but empowering” by Amsterdam Chabad Rabbi Akiva Komisar, teaches rabbis key self-defense moves to protect themselves as visibly identifiable Jews. RCE Director Rabbi Aryeh Goldberg explained, “The training seminar was organized in response to multiple requests from Rabbanim, who feel defenseless as visibly identifiable Jews on the streets of Europe.” Incidents like the April 2024 assault on an Orthodox rabbi in Utrecht and harassment at Schiphol Airport underscore the urgency.
The seminar included outdoor exercises where rabbis practiced alternating roles as attacker and defender, aiming to equip them to train their communities. Social media on X reflected support, with one user stating, “Rabbis learning Krav Maga to fight antisemitism is inspiring, Europe must do more!” Margolin, who in 2015 urged EU states to relax gun laws for Jewish self-defense, emphasized that community efforts like martial arts training must be paired with stronger police patrols and harsher penalties. The RCE, distinct from the Conference of European Rabbis (CER) with its 700 Orthodox members, continues to advocate for Jewish safety amid a 2,480-incident spike in Germany alone in 2024.