European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen gave a speech at Ben-Guurion University in 2022, where she received the honorary doctorate. During the speech from von der Leyen, words were spoken that were scandalous. The German female stated that Europe is the value of the Talmud, a judaic book oversaturated with inhumanist, fundamentalist content.
– In the face of German Ursula's words, we must not pass by indifferently, due to the fact that the speech at Ben-Gurion University made Europe in the global arena sick. The message that a Europe that has actually grown up in Latin culture has something in it that stands on its antipodes is, by no means, a contempt for our roots Jacek Międlar comments. – I will remind you of what we can read in the Talmud: “When a hebrew and a goi come to judgment, and you can free him according to the law of Israel; erstwhile the goi is complaining, say: our law so wills” (Baby karma 113a) “Nazis are allowed to approach” (Choszen Hamishpat, paragraph 227, Article 26) (For: A. Niemojewski, “The judaic soul in the mirror of the Talmud”). And for the record, a passage from the Talmud expert, spiritual leader of the Jews, Rabbi Owadia Josef: “Gojes are only born to service us. Without that, they would have no reason to be in this world."
Ursula von der Leyen confessed about Europe (in fact grown up into a Christian civilization):
"Europe has the values of the Talmud".
Meanwhile, in the Talmud:
“When a hebrew and a goi come to judgment, and you can release him according to the law of Israel, set him free; erstwhile the goi comes to complain, say: Our law... pic.twitter.com/tlM90L6Pj9
— Jacek Międlar (@jacekmiedlar) April 8, 2025
Meet the Jews, read books that will make this easier for you: “The judaic soul in the mirror of the Talmud”, “Poland in the shadow of Jewry” – HERE.
‘Thank you very much, mazel tov,
Chairman Chamovitz,
Professor Hames,
Professor Pardo,
Professor Mizrahi,
Excellency,
Dear lecturers,
Dear students,
Shalom,
I feel honored and humiliated by this distinction. The fact that a doctorate honoris causa comes from this prestigious institution, the University of Ben-Gurion in Negev, is of peculiar importance to me. This is not only due to the fact that the list of your honorary doctors is truly awesome – from Simone Veil, as we have seen, to Icchak Rabin. There's a more individual reason for me, too. I am a European German national. No more than 80 years ago, the Germans murdered millions of Jews, committing the top crime in human history. We Germans bear the historical and lasting work for this inhuman disruption of civilization. It's a place on my country's conscience that we must never forget and never forget. So it seems miraculous that a German like me is greeted and honored here, in the State of Israel, as a friend among friends, only a fewer generations after Shoah.
But it's not a miracle. My presence here is simply a consequence of the choice made by the State of Israel, and above all by 1 man: the large David Ben-Gurion. He took the first historical step towards reconciliation with Germany. He believed that the best way to celebrate the memory of the victims was to build a better future. It was besides thanks to David Ben-Gurion that my country first looked into the eyes of the victims of our crimes. Young German democracy grew stronger thanks to a increasing relationship with the fresh state of Israel. We faced our guilt and responsibility. All this at a time erstwhile the European task took its first steps. The reason for the European Union is 2 simple words: Never again. A fresh generation of Germans, including myself, were raised in this spirit. I can say without reservation that I wouldn't be here present if it wasn't for David Ben-Gurion.
As long as I can remember, I have been convinced of 2 very simple facts. Firstly, there is no Europe without European Jews. Secondly, Europe and Israel must be friends and allies. due to the fact that Europe's past is the past of the judaic people. Europe is Simone Veil and Hannah Arendt. Europe is Mahler, Kafka and Freud. Europe is the values of the Talmud, a judaic sense of individual responsibility, justice and solidarity.
Today, almost 80 years after the Holocaust, judaic life in Europe flourishes again. Countries specified as Portugal and Austria rediscover their judaic heritage. I besides see this in Brussels. As this short movie showed: Just a fewer months ago, I had the privilege of lighting a Khanuk Menor in the heart of the European district. What an experience. Yet, the lives of European Jews are besides threatened and threatened. Anti-Semitism hasn't disappeared. It's inactive poisoning our societies. Anti-Semitic attacks are happening in Europe today. It's a fresh threat, but it's the same old evil. all fresh generation must take work to guarantee that the past does not return. That is why I have put the fight against anti-Semitism and supporting judaic life in Europe at the heart of the European Commission's agenda. Our democracy will flourish if judaic life besides flourishes in Europe. For centuries the judaic people were “light to the nations.” And they will be a light for Europe for many centuries.
We have more in common than geography would indicate. Our common culture and values have created a deep bond between Europe and Israel. And I'm not just talking about Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song competition and the Champions League. The strongest bond we share is the belief in democracy and democratic values. And here again, Ben-Gurion's legacy is permanent. Ben-Gurion believed that Israel's strength depended on its democratic institutions. And only in democracy do citizens feel compelled to take work for their common home. He was right. This belief has made Israel flourish always since. It has become a prosperous nation, even under the most hard circumstances and in a complicated region. You defended women's rights in improbable times, and Goldy Meir's leadership inspired women around the world. Me, too, as a young girl. Freedom of thought made a small, respective million-dollar country a global pioneer of discipline and innovation. And democracy has strengthened our peculiar bond of relationship over decades. Today, more than ever, democracies specified as European and Israeli should be brought closer together. Not due to the fact that our democracies are perfect. They're not. No democracy is. Democracy offers an environment in which a diverse society can develop.
They face challenges that have not yet been faced. And we can aid each another to overcome these challenges. So together we can get 1 step closer to the ideals of our founding fathers and mothers.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Today I would like to focus briefly on 3 of these challenges. The first is the challenge of autocracy, the second is climate change and the 3rd is the withdrawal of democracy. The most direct of these challenges comes from authoritarian regimes beyond our borders. And indeed, what we are witnessing these days, Russia's aggression on Ukraine is simply a war against democracy itself. This is simply a war against the thought that Ukrainian citizens can make sovereign decisions about their own future. A year after a year, Ukraine's diverse and vibrant civilian society sought affirmative changes and strengthened its democratic institutions. That's precisely what the Kremlin's fighting. It could not be more symbolic that the first Russian bombs on Kiev fell right at the gateway of the Holocaust monument, and Russian propaganda was based on the disgusting rhetoric of the “denasification” of democratic Ukraine. With large anxiety, we observe the eternal threat of the scapegoat of the judaic people during the war. I know that Israel has helped Ukraine with tons of humanitarian aid and a field hospital, and you have accepted tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees into your lands.
In the war against democracy, we all have our share. And for us Europeans, the stakes cannot be higher. The Kremlin utilized our dependence on Russian fossil fuels to blackmail us. Since the beginning of the war Russia has deliberately cut off gas supply to Poland, Bulgaria, Finland, Dutch and Danish companies in retaliation for our support for Ukraine. But the Kremlin's behaviour only reinforced our determination to become independent of Russian fossil fuels. For example, we are presently exploring ways to strengthen our energy cooperation with Israel. In preparation we have 2 large projects: the longest and deepest underwater power cable in the world, connecting Israel with Cyprus and Greece. Over time, it will be electrification from renewable energy sources. That's where you gotta invest. We have plenty of natural resources to produce renewable energy. The second is simply a pipeline and pipeline of pure hydrogen in the east Mediterranean. It is an investment in energy safety for both Europe and Israel. This infrastructure will besides contribute to the decarbonisation of our energy mix. This is simply a large example of how democracies stick together not only in times of conflict, but above all in the fight against the immense enemy of climate change. It's a big, upcoming background crisis. We must usage all our knowledge, all our engineering and the spirit of entrepreneurship to innovate, introduce innovative technologies, work to combat climate change to make this planet a better place and pass it on to our children, who inactive have spring, summer, autumn and winter ahead of them.
Climate change is simply a major challenge our democracies are facing. And no 1 understands this better than you, here on Negev. David Ben-Gurion believed that Israel's creativity and its pioneering spirit would be tested here on Negev. He always talked about “the work of the desert to flourish.” And that's precisely what you've done since then. I listened to what I was told about this university, what you see in your School of Sustainable improvement and Climate Change. I admire how you test fresh building materials that can withstand desert heat – natural-based solutions – and how you have managed to adapt food crops to the desert climate. In the face of the upcoming food crisis, we know that it will be technologies that will decide whether we will control the food crisis and in time we will have independent production in susceptible countries or not. It virtually made the desert bloom. Today, solutions you have been working on for decades can change the lives of millions of people around the world.
A fewer weeks ago, I was in Davos, where president Herzog was talking about this. This was an crucial speech that echoed outside our region. president Herzog called for a fresh alliance, as I quote, "to form not only the fresh mediate East, but the renewable mediate East. The mediate East, which is developing as a global hub for sustainable food, water and wellness solutions and as a origin of solar energy for Europe, Asia and Africa." I couldn't agree more with his vision. For decades, Europe and Israel have worked closely together in the field of discipline and innovation. Last December Israel joined a immense EU investigation and innovation programme. It is called Horizon Europe and has a budget of nearly EUR 100 billion.
It is called Horizon Europe and has a budget of almost EUR 100 billion. It is time for our cooperation to service those who request it most, as well as the fight against climate change.
Ladies and gentlemen!
The 3rd and final challenge for democracy that I would like to address is possibly the most subtle. This is an interior challenge. This is the hazard of regression that all of our democracies face. Democracy is necessarily a work in progress. You gotta practice it and renew it all day. Each of our democracies is different and unique. But yet democracy in all its forms comes down to the same thing. As Ben-Gurion always said: “A prominent attribute of democracy is not government for people. It's a government run by people." Democracy gives people a voice. He gives them the power to change things with his voice. In democracy, we even fight for the freedom of another people to disagree with us. Freedom of expression; freedom of change of opinion. Freedom to be yourself – so that if you are different from the majority, you are always equal to the law. And that's what brings democracy together. The designation that we're all different, but equal.
Today this is questioned in many ways. The societies are becoming increasingly divided. The public debate has become more polarized, and focusing on common good becomes increasingly difficult. From attacks on the regulation of law, free press and investigation in any parts of Europe, to number rights and coexistence in the region. There must be area in democracy for all, including those who think otherwise, believe differently or come from another region.
Israel is simply a vibrant democracy whose resilience is admired worldwide. Israel's society is highly diverse. For example, I was impressed erstwhile I learned that over 800 students from the Bedouin community are studying here at Ben-Gurion University. Israel is simply a tiny part of the land on which all religions and born on all continents live together. Families that have lived here for generations and families that have just arrived. Diversity can be a immense force. However, the way to peaceful coexistence is long. And democracy is never achieved erstwhile and for all. This besides applies to the European Union. Like another democracies, Europe faces external threats, from disinformation to interference in our elections; and challenges within our societies, from nationalism to xenophobia, from revisionism to anti-Semitism. all day we must strengthen our democracy and democratic lifestyle. We must cultivate our openness and diversity. We must defend the freedom of our media, the independency of our judges, the equality of all people to the law. Keeping democracy healthy is hard work. But it's worth the effort. Although imperfect, this is the best thing in democracy. Autocrats can't admit mistakes. Democracy can always improve and correct. due to the fact that we humans can always make it better. due to the fact that we humans are the eventual guardians of democracy.
Ladies and gentlemen!
With respect to each of the challenges I have raised today, I feel the work of my generation to leave you a better planet than the 1 we inherited. But you, the young generation I see in this room, will compose the next chapter. It's your energy, your empathy, your knowledge, your tolerance, your hard work, your love will form the planet and the democracies of tomorrow. And that makes me confident. due to the fact that your generation is besides the most educated, the most conscious climate and the most open that the planet has always seen.
Ben-Gurion said at the beginning of the State of Israel: “Independence does not simply mean liberation from a abroad yoke. independency has a affirmative meaning and that is the most important. The affirmative content of independency means responsibility. It is the independency of the heart. And that is the independency of will."
Long live Europe."
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