The MJLC would like to extend our sincere thanks to the board of directors of the International Charlemagne Prize for awarding this year’s Aachen Charlemagne Prize to MJLC Co-Chair Chief Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt and Europe’s Jewish communities. This award recognises the many contributions that Chief Rabbi Goldschmidt has made to interreligious dialogue in Europe and strongly reaffirms the message that Europe’s Jewish communities are an intrinsic part of its identity.

In the words of Chief Rabbi Goldschmidt “The Bible, the root of our common Jewish-Christian heritage repeatedly speaks of the importance of welcoming ‘the stranger’. This is also part of our European identity. If we acknowledge a common identity, then we should also strive to share it with others. If we espouse pluralism, we should not strive to deny it, but instead should rigorously promote it everywhere. […] If we want to convey the idea of pluralism and a ‘live and let live’ mentality to emigrants from totalitarian societies where any alternative religious practice […] is prohibited, Europe must – particularly in this respect – show the way towards religious pluralism by exemplifying tolerance.”

The MJLC will continue to promote and support the values of religious tolerance, peace, and mutual respect between all communities within Europe.