Jews 'don't feel safe' three years after October 7, Germany’s new antisemitism czar tells 'Post'

When Dr. Katharina von Schnurbein was offered the position of Germany's commissioner for Jewish life and the fight against antisemitism, she did not hesitate.For someone who had spent more than a decade working to combat antisemitism across the European Union, the opportunity to move from the European level to a national position offered something she believes is increasingly necessary: the ability to turn policy into concrete action.“I see it really as an opportunity to be able to do things in a lot more concrete way than is possible at the European level,” von Schnurbein told The Jerusalem Post in an interview days after taking up her new position this month.Between 2015 and 2026, von Schnurbein served as the European Commission's coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life. She was a central figure in developing the EU's approach to antisemitism, building relationships with Jewish communities across the continent, and promoting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism.Her new position, formally titled “federal government commissioner on Jewish life in Germany and the fight against antisemitism,” is based in the Interior Ministry. Although appointed by the government, the position is independent.The move comes at a particularly difficult time for Germany's Jewish community.