The first-ever Kurdish-Jewish Congress in history is being held in Germany to push for cooperation against antisemitism and anti-Kurdish hostility in Germany, Europe, the Middle East, and beyond!

The dramatic rise in antisemitism and anti-Kurdish racism — particularly following the brutal assaults led by ISIS in 2014 against the Kurds and Yezidis in Iraq and Syria, as well as the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023 — has transcended the borders of the Middle East. It has seeped into the everyday lives of Jewish and Kurdish diasporas across Europe, particularly in Germany, where both communities have integrated into German society and contributed to its democracy. This surge in hostility has prompted urgent and significant forms of Kurdish-Jewish solidarity.

Jews and Kurds, two indigenous peoples of the Middle East, have long histories marked by displacement, persecution, and resilience. For decades, they have faced hostile rhetoric, discriminatory policies, and physical violence emanating from and perpetrated by authoritarian regimes such as those in Ankara, Tehran, and Damascus—regimes that deny their fundamental rights to peace and self-determination. Reverberations of these threats are also felt by both communities in their European diasporas — including Germany, which is home to approximately 1.8 million Kurds and around 130,000 Jews. We observe these threats through antisemitic and anti-Kurdish slogans, which are increasingly prominent in public demonstrations, social media, and occasionally violent attacks. What is especially alarming is that many of these hostilities emanate not only from far-right extremists but also from segments of diaspora communities—often immigrants from Syria and Turkey—who carry sectarian ideologies from their home countries with them into Europe.
Against this backdrop, two prominent civil society organizations in Germany—the Kurdische Gemeinde Deutschland (KGD) and the WerteInitiative Jüdisch-Deutsche Positionen—have begun organizing the first-ever Kurdish-Jewish Congress. Scheduled for 7 September 2025, this landmark event will bring together a diverse group of Kurdish and Jewish academics, artists, activists, policymakers, and community leaders to address common challenges and explore shared strategies. Among the keynote speakers will be Christoph de Vries, the Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of the Interior, alongside several members of the Bundestag and representatives from various Jewish, Kurdish, and German institutions. Members of both the Kurdish and Jewish communities have welcomed this initiative and, from both within and outside Germany, registered in numbers that exceed the current capacity of the venue, thus generating a lengthy waiting list. This overwhelming response highlights the desire for connection, unity, and collaboration. In a predictable response, Turkish media outlets have already started to designate the organizers of the congress as the enemies of Turkey, calling on the Turkish government to closely follow it.

The objective of the first Kurdish-Jewish congress is multifaceted. It seeks not only to provide a platform for dialogue but also to forge a lasting alliance rooted in shared values, histories, and political aspirations. The congress is also intended to address the alarming normalization of antisemitism and anti-Kurdish racism, as well as the proliferation of Islamist and ultra-nationalist ideologies—particularly those exported from Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria. Furthermore, it will bring attention to the need for solidarity between two communities that have frequently been the targets of systematic attacks.

The roots of Kurdish-Jewish solidarity extend far beyond shared suffering, tracing back nearly 2,800 years. Following the deportation of the Jewish population from Israel by the Assyrian Empire around 800 BCE, Jews and Kurds have coexisted across various regions of the Middle East, particularly in Kurdistan. Numerous historical documents, oral histories, and cultural artifacts attest to peaceful coexistence and mutual respect between the two peoples. Jews who lived in Kurdish regions prior to the mid-20th century frequently reflected on the tolerance and warmth of their Kurdish neighbors—memories that continue to resonate with the narratives of Kurdish Jews in Israel today. Both communities have faced repeated pogroms and genocides—whether during Ottoman rule, under Ba’athist regimes, or through Islamist terrorism. Their histories bear the scars of mass displacements, the destruction of cultural heritage, and the persistent threat of annihilation. Nevertheless, these experiences have also cultivated a profound sense of identity, resilience, and a moral clarity that demands a stand against persecution in all its forms.

Today, these threats remain ever-present and have evolved into a network of coordinated assaults—ideological, military, and digital—perpetrated by regimes and extremist groups that regard both Jews and Kurds as existential enemies. Radical Sunni Islamist groups, including ISIS, Al-Qaeda affiliates, and Hamas, have explicitly targeted Jews and Kurds with genocidal intentions. ISIS’s campaign against the Yazidi Kurds in Sinjar, which began in 2013, resulted in mass killings and the abduction of over 3,000 Yazidi women and girls, many of whom were sold into sexual slavery. Similarly, Hamas’s attack on Israel in October 2023, which led to the murder of more than 1,250 civilians and the hostage-taking of hundreds, was executed with a genocidal fervor. These acts of brutality are not isolated, but part of a broader Islamist ideology that seeks to eradicate religious and ethnic minorities from the region. Behind these terror groups are state sponsors. Ankara and Damascus have played key roles in funding, training, and deploying jihadist militias for political ends. It is widely known that Turkey supports factions within the Free Syrian Army, many of which have committed documented atrocities against Kurds, Alawites, and other minorities. In March 2025, the Al-Jolani regime in Damascus—emboldened by years of sectarian conflict—launched ethnic cleansing campaigns targeting the Alawite and Druze communities. Thousands of civilians were intentionally killed, often at the hands of jihadists reportedly trained by Turkey and transported across the border using Turkish military vehicles.

Turkish President Erdoğan, along with senior officials such as Hakan Fidan and Numan Kurtulmuş, frequently adopt antisemitic and anti-Kurdish rhetoric in public discourse. These statements, often disguised in nationalist or pan-Islamic language, equate Kurdish claims with those of the Zionist project, establishing an ideological basis for violence. Erdoğan’s government has actively sought normalization with Hamas while concurrently targeting Kurdish groups in Syria under the guise of national security. These policies not only destabilize the region but also extend into Europe, where similar rhetoric resonates among supporters of these regimes within immigrant communities. In Germany, alarming reports have surfaced of Syrian and Turkish immigrants shouting slogans glorifying violence against Kurds, Druze, and Jews during demonstrations. What is particularly concerning is that many of these individuals had themselves fled from authoritarian violence, only to embrace and replicate the sectarian ideologies of their former homelands. This dynamic presents a serious challenge for German society and its commitment to pluralism, tolerance, and democratic values.

The Kurdish-Jewish Congress is more than a symbolic gathering—it represents a practical and strategic step toward building a lasting alliance against these threats. The organizers view this congress as the start of a broader movement designed to unite Kurdish and Jewish communities not only in Germany but throughout Europe and North America — not to speak of the Middle East. By fostering networks of solidarity, advocacy, and cultural exchange, they aspire to confront rising extremism and shape public discourse and policy. The Kurdish and Jewish diasporas are well-positioned to become powerful allies. Significant intersections exist in their histories, and collaborative pursuit of their respective futures could serve as a model for cross-cultural cooperation in an increasingly fractured world. While the Congress in Berlin may be the first of its kind, it should not be the last. Thus, the organizers may view their historical congress as an opportunity and decide to establish joint delegations to visit political and civil society institutions in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, the Kurdish region in Syria (Rojava), and the State of Israel. These delegations could aim to amplify civil society voices, highlight grassroots initiatives focused on peace, and encourage both Kurdish and Israeli policymakers to take a firmer stance against antisemitic and anti-Kurdish hostilities, while encouraging them to materialize the positive sentiments shared by both peoples to cement an alliance in the Middle East and beyond.

About the AuthorThe author is a research fellow at the Department of International Relations of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Timesofisrael