Paris, 16 April 2018 

A letter of sympathy to Emmanuel Macron, President of France, from Shimon Samuels, Director for International Relations of the Wiesenthal Centre.

“Mr. President,

On behalf of our over 400.000 members, the Simon Wiesenthal Centre wishes to express solidarity with France and the French people at the tragic destruction of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.

We were about to send greetings for a tranquil Easter to our French Catholic members and for Passover to the Jewish community.

Throughout history, and especially under Nazi occupation and Vichy, synagogues were burned and cemeteries desecrated. We thus feel the pain of our Christian friends at this time.

Mr. President, may Notre-Dame be restored to its full glory.”