The Times of Israel https://www.timesofisrael.com/topic/michael-freilich/ News from Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World Tue, 09 Jun 2026 22:50:32 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://static-cdn.toi-media.com/www/uploads/2018/11/toi_icon_512-200x200.png Michael Freilich | The Times of Israel https://www.timesofisrael.com/topic/michael-freilich/ 32 32 After synagogue attacks, Belgium sending soldiers to guard Jewish neighborhoods https://www.timesofisrael.com/after-synagogue-attacks-belgium-sending-soldiers-to-guard-jewish-neighborhoods/ Wed, 18 Mar 2026 14:25:49 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3781023 Troops will be deployed at two dozen sites in the wake of explosions last week at Jewish institutions in Liège and the Dutch cities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam

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]]> US ambassador to Belgium urges nation to drop charges over illegal circumcisions https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-ambassador-to-belgium-urges-nation-to-drop-charges-over-illegal-circumcisions/ Mon, 16 Feb 2026 15:01:37 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3755549 Accusations against three mohels for acting without medical license are 'antisemitic,' Bill White says; European Commission also seeking a solution to impasse over Jewish ritual

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]]> Belgium’s Jewish community on edge after police raids on illegal circumcisions https://www.timesofisrael.com/belgiums-jewish-community-on-edge-after-police-raids-on-illegal-circumcisions/ Wed, 14 May 2025 15:52:34 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3549013 Police in Antwerp looking for rabbis conducting the religious rite without medical license; Jewish group says raids part of larger campaign of intimidation against Jews in Belgium

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]]> Belgian official resigns, foreign minister on hot seat over junket for Tehran mayor https://www.timesofisrael.com/belgian-official-resigns-foreign-minister-on-hot-seat-over-junket-for-tehran-mayor/ Wed, 21 Jun 2023 01:55:53 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3037377 Pascel Smet steps down as top diplomat for Brussels Region state, saying taxpayers should not have funded trips; Hadja Lahbib urged to follow suit for granting visas to visitors

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]]> Incoming Belgian government on collision course with Israel, local Jews say https://www.timesofisrael.com/incoming-belgian-government-on-collision-course-with-israel-local-jews-say/ Wed, 30 Sep 2020 20:24:16 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=2398823 New 7-party coalition 'will try to shut down all little dialogue left between both countries,' one Brussels resident warns

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]]> Carnival that showed Jews as vermin ‘not anti-Semitic,’ Jewish Belgian MP says https://www.timesofisrael.com/carnival-that-showed-jews-as-vermin-not-anti-semitic-jewish-belgian-mp-says/ Tue, 25 Feb 2020 15:12:19 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=2246862 Michael Freilich, Belgium's only Orthodox lawmaker, says fewer than 50 of 6,000 participants presented anti-Jewish displays, compares Aalst procession to Israeli Purim parades

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]]> Charges dropped against Belgian soccer fans who sang about burning Jews https://www.timesofisrael.com/charges-dropped-against-belgian-soccer-fans-who-sang-about-burning-jews/ Tue, 26 Nov 2019 07:53:47 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=2190905 Prosecutors say national soccer association's three-year ban against 4 accused supporters entering any major stadium is enough; Jewish federal lawmaker warns decision 'a bad sign'

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]]> Belgian federal parliament welcomes first Orthodox Jewish lawmaker https://www.timesofisrael.com/belgian-federal-parliament-welcomes-first-orthodox-jewish-lawmaker/ Tue, 28 May 2019 16:01:18 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=2084646 Michael Freilich has vowed to work in parliament to reverse a de facto ban on producing halal and kosher meat in much of the country

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]]> Jewish paper editor enters Belgian politics to fight Kosher slaughter ban https://www.timesofisrael.com/jewish-paper-editor-enters-belgium-politics-to-fight-kosher-slaughter-ban/ Tue, 22 Jan 2019 22:15:06 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=2004002 Michael Freilich will be first Orthodox Jew in lower house with his expected entry to parliament

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]]> Belgium ends funding for Palestinian schools over honoring of terrorist https://www.timesofisrael.com/belgium-ends-funding-for-palestinian-schools-over-honoring-of-terrorist/ Sat, 15 Sep 2018 04:40:14 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=1925654 Editor of Jewish monthly calls on other countries in Europe to follow suit 'so that fewer Palestinian children will be educated to hate — at least not with European money'

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]]> Belgian charity official: Israel allies vastly inflate anti-Semitism problem https://www.timesofisrael.com/belgian-charity-official-israel-allies-vastly-inflate-anti-semitism-problem/ Fri, 16 Sep 2016 18:35:17 +0000 http://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=1464082 Brigitte Herremans, Mideast expert for 2 Catholic groups, says Jewish state 'tolerates no criticism, wants to do as it pleases'

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]]> Belgian Jewish paper demands EU action on Abbas ‘blood libel’ https://www.timesofisrael.com/belgian-paper-demands-eu-action-on-abbas-blood-libel/ Fri, 08 Jul 2016 18:58:01 +0000 http://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=1423998 Referring to PA chief's false talk of rabbis wanting to poison Palestinian wells, editor Michael Freilich urges 'unambiguous rejection of this anti-Jewish incitement'

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]]> Belgian Jewish newspaper complains over interview with Holocaust denier https://www.timesofisrael.com/belgian-jewish-newspaper-complains-over-interview-with-holocaust-denier/ Tue, 19 Jan 2016 18:37:05 +0000 http://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=1324525 De Morgen daily comes under fire for piece on far-right sympathizer Siegfried Verbeke, who claims that no one died in Nazi gas chambers

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]]> Belgium’s defiant Haredi schools may be shuttered https://www.timesofisrael.com/belgiums-defiant-haredi-schools-may-be-shuttered/ Mon, 19 Aug 2013 23:21:19 +0000 http://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=637648 Refusal to teach legally required secular topics could lead to fatal loss of government funding

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]]> Belgian party leader stepping down ‘temporarily’ over slur https://www.timesofisrael.com/belgian-party-leader-stepping-down-temporarily-over-slur/ Wed, 22 May 2013 10:19:00 +0000 http://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=516690 Wrote 'a few Jewish families that monopolize the banking world' caused Europe's financial crisis

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