Teaching young people - Proposed anti-Semitism official seeks increased knowledge.
The appointed anti-discrimination commissioner for anti-Semitism in Brandenburg, Andreas Büttner, emphasizes the importance of increased education, particularly among the younger generation. He told the German Press Agency, "It's crucial to bring people closer together, mainly young women and men." Büttner voiced concerns for all age groups. "People need to comprehend what it implies that Jewish women and men no longer feel secure openly expressing their faith in public," he expressed. "I believe there's a substantial amount of ignorance." Lightly joking, Büttner added, "We have 80 million football coaches who know nothing about football, and we have 80 million Middle East experts." One group lacks football knowledge, while the other lacks understanding of the Middle East.
The main council of the state parliament nominated the 50-year-old Left Party representative for the position on Wednesday with a majority. The state parliament will make the final decision next week. The anti-Semitism commissioner is to serve as a point of contact for Jewish women and men and their interests, with a focus on reported anti-Semitic incidents. Büttner is the chairperson of the Israel Friendship Group in the state legislature. In his own words, he's a Mormon, but not an actively practicing one. He outperformed over 30 other candidates. The Jewish communities were actively involved in the selection process. The AfD faction opposes the establishment of the commissioner.
The proposed anti-Semitism commissioner also supports heightened security measures for Jewish communities. "They must feel secure," said Büttner. The coalition govern
ment of the left, greens, and social democrats finalized an anti-Semitism plan in June, which includes enhancing security for Jewish communities. In Brandenburg, there are approximately 2,000 Jewish women and men, and there are 11 Jewish communities. In Potsdam, the new synagogue is scheduled to be inaugurated soon.
