Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Wednesday met with Uwe Becker, the anti-Semitism commissioner for the German state of Hessen, who is visiting Israel. Rivlin thanked him for his great activity on behalf of the Jewish community in Germany and for his active role in the fight against anti-Semitism. The two discussed the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe as a whole and Germany in particular, and the Commissioner briefed the President on activities to combat racism and anti-Semitism in his city and Germany in general. The Commissioner, who was the mayor of Frankfurt, is very active in the Tel Aviv-Frankfurt City Partnership and supports activities for Israel in Hessen and was one of the organizers of ‘Kippa Day,’ where he called on Germans to wear kippot (skullcaps) in solidarity with the Jewish community. Thanking Becker for his work, Rivlin said: "You are a true friend of Israel and what you do to promote Holocaust education for young people is important and encouraging. Please continue to stand firm about the importance of Holocaust remembrance because it is the only way to fight anti-Semitism and criminal racism."
