Storm over Reggio Children, the mayor 'Anti-Semitism is not our history'

"The statements of the president of the Jewish Community of Milan, Walker Meghnagi, surprise us. We firmly reject the accusations of anti-Semitism aimed at the Municipality of Reggio Emilia, which in no way correspond to our values, our history and the reasons for our educational commitment. We hope that these words are the result of incomplete information and that it will be possible to clarify any misunderstanding, without superimposing political evaluations on the educational comparison". Thus the mayor of Reggio Emilia Marco Massari replies to Walker Meghnagi, president of the Jewish Community of Milan who today, after the controversy over the case of the Jewish delegations visiting the Reggio Children which has now become a political case, spoke of Third Reich methods on the part of the Emilian city.

"The methods and climate established by certain Emilian municipalities remind me a lot of those of Goebbels and what the fascist hierarch Roberto Farinacci wrote: 'Jews, an unclean race to be buried as such' - said Meghagi - You cannot ask an American citizen, a teacher, a Jew, to respond as a Jew, as such. It is the total denial of the inclusion that in words they say they want to promote. It is anti-Semitism. I ask that the municipal administration of Reggio Emilia resigns".

The reference is to the distancing from war and any type of genocide, and in particular from Netanyahu's government, which Reggio Children has reiterated in recent days and requested from educators and teachers of Jewish schools from the USA and Israel visiting - as study groups - in the city for the Reggio Approach.

Request after which the delegation from the USA decided to cancel the trip, while tomorrow 25 teachers from Israel will arrive in the city.