Caritas Rheine sends a visible signal against anti-Semitism
Rheine.cpr. A banner with the inscription “Charity, solidarity and community – no place for anti-Semitism” has been hanging at the Caritas Rheine advice center on Bültstiege for a few days now. Next to it is the slogan “Our cross has no hooks”, which Caritas in Rheine has repeatedly brought to public attention since 2019.
Since the terrorist attack in Israel on October 7, the subsequent hostage-takings and the Israeli army’s entry into the Gaza Strip, the issue of hostility towards Jews has once again become highly topical throughout Germany.
With this banner, Caritas Rheine wants to make a contribution to countering the rising hostility towards Jews and promoting social cohesion. “This is our statement against hatred, violence and anti-Semitism,” explains Dieter Fühner, CEO of Caritas Rheine. Fühner also emphasizes the profound significance of the saying “Our cross has no hooks”. “This motto not only stands as a clear rejection of violence and extremism, but also embodies a common, cosmopolitan togetherness.”
In this attitude, there is room for all people and opinions, as long as they are not harmful to others. “‘Our cross has no hooks’ therefore not only symbolizes a rejection of violence, but also the explicit endorsement of respectful coexistence, in which diversity and tolerance form the cornerstones,” explains Caritas board member Ludger Schröer