European Jewish Association (EJA) director Rabbi Menachem Margolin has “clarified” reports that he supports arming European Jews with guns and said he does not advocate widespread gun use.
It was the EJA that posted the original report, published here by The Jewish Press on Friday, that European Union countries should allow Jews to carry guns to protect themselves against Islamic terrorists. and the “clarification” still states that Jews will need to carry guns if governments cannot protect them.
The EJA Saturday night posted a new version and stated, “Rabbi Margolin never asked that every Jew carries a gun and does not advocate widespread gun use. Where licenses are issued, Rabbi Margolin calls for guns to be used responsibly and in self-defense.
“Referring to recent events, Rabbi Margolin has said that given the serious current climate, where Jews are afraid to go to the synagogue, to Jewish school or kosher supermarket, each Jewish institution – whether synagogue, school, kindergarten, or Jewish store… should be protected by the authorities across Europe.
” Should governments find they are unable to ensure the protection and security of institutions and Jewish citizens, in the long-term Rabbi Margolin called on Europe’s Interior Ministers to review current gun licensing laws ‘to allow designated people in the Jewish communities and institutions to own weapons for the essential protection of their communities, as well as receiving the necessary training to protect their members from potential terror attacks.’”