A firestorm of controversy has erupted across European Jewish communities following the leaked remarks of Rabbi Yirmiyahu Cohen, a senior member of the Presidium of the Conference of European Rabbis, who was recorded stating that he does not daven for hostages from the October 7 massacre if they are politically aligned with the Israeli left.
In a recording aired by Kan Moreshet, Rabbi Cohen, a longtime leader in European Jewry and a member of the Belzer community, is heard saying: “If you look carefully at the pictures of the hostages who are still being held, they’re all leftists. Should I pray for them?! They brought this on us. Yeish din v’yeish Dayan. (There is justice, and there is a Judge).”
The remarks sparked immediate backlash, with many calling them deeply offensive and antithetical to Yiddishe values. In response, the Conference of European Rabbis issued a statement distancing itself from Rabbi Cohen’s comments, stating: “If these words were indeed said in a private conversation, we leave the response to the individual in question. We do not interfere with private opinions or closed discussions.”
The organization emphasized its commitment to praying for all those still in captivity, saying: “Together with tens of thousands of Jews around the world, we offer continuous prayers for the return of the hostages, the healing of the wounded, and the success of the security forces. Just last week, we led a special mission to Poland, joined by hundreds of rabbis from across Europe, during which we held a heartfelt prayer for the salvation of all hostages—where Rabbi Yirmiyahu Cohen himself noted the importance of praying for their return. The recording does not reflect the stance of the Conference of European Rabbis or any representative thereof. As an organization, we proudly carry the banner of hope and prayer for the return of all hostages and actively encourage such prayers.”
Despite the uproar, Rabbi Cohen did not retract his remarks. When asked for comment, he said, “I didn’t say it publicly. I said it in a private four-eyed conversation at four in the morning.”
Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, Chief Rabbi of Switzerland and the head of the Conference of European Rabbis, issued a scathing response, calling the comments “gravely inappropriate” and asserting that they “do not reflect the values of European Jewry or Judaism as a whole.”
“In the course of the annual conference of the Conference of European Rabbis,” said Rabbi Goldschmidt, “Rabbi Yirmiyahu Cohen, a member of the presidium, refused to recite Tehillim for the hostages because of their political views and where they were on the day of the horrific October 7 massacre. His comments are extremely serious and represent neither European Jewry nor Jewish religious values. Moreover, the weak response issued by the Conference is irresponsible and fails to represent the values we stand for.”
“Judaism,” Rabbi Goldschmidt continued, “has, for generations, been built on principles of compassion, solidarity, mutual responsibility, prayer for the sick, and the redemption of captives—not on discrimination based on political opinion or lifestyle. We have a moral obligation to maintain unity and to pray unceasingly for the safe return of the hostages, for the healing of the injured, and for the consolation of grieving families.”
He warned that the comments could have far-reaching negative repercussions: “Beyond everything else, this is an unmistakably irresponsible statement that may stoke hostile sentiment toward the Jewish people—both from within and from outside. There is absolutely no place for such words from someone who claims to represent European Jewry, especially in a time as sensitive and difficult as this. I call upon Rabbi Cohen to retract his statements and urge the Conference of European Rabbis to clearly and unequivocally repudiate them.”
