This is what members of the Jewish community in Girona found this morning when they arrived at their synagogue to pray. Antisemitic vandals had defaced the synagogue’s outer wall with the words: “ISRAEL ESTAT GENOCIDA, SILENCI = CÒMPLICE” Translation: “Israel is a genocidal state, silence = complicity.” This is yet another antisemitic attack, part of a wave we’ve seen daily for nearly two years. These acts are not about politics, they are deliberate attempts to intimidate Jewish communities, desecrate places of worship, and make Jews feel unsafe in their own cities. Since October 7th, countless synagogues have been targeted with hate across Europe and the United States, using the war as a cover to justify deep-rooted antisemitism. And far too often, these attacks come with no consequences. But the Jewish community in Girona is refusing to stay silent. They have filed a police complaint and are demanding accountability. The European Jewish Association (EJA) is calling on the Girona police to take immediate action and treat this for what it is: a hate crime. We are also calling on the Government of Spain to take a clear and public stance—Jewish citizens of Spain must not be harmed, harassed, or intimidated simply because they are Jewish.
