Freedom of Religion, Minority Rights and the Law

“The message of this highly interesting and well-edited collection is complexity and enigma, the gap between theory and practice concerning the freedom of religion. Many countries would declare their support for it, but when it comes to implementing, we many a time face nimby-not in my backyard. While legal institutions continue their more or less successful work, reality in many societies is grim. But having said that, sadly based on the gift of memory, we should never lose hope, in the spirit of prophet Malachi (2.10)-“Have we not all one father?”” —Justice Professor Elyakim Rubinstein, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, former Vice President of the Supreme Court of Israel and Attorney General of Israel. “A timely and insightful collection examining two religious minorities in Europe, whose status is increasingly precarious - not only due to the growing secularization of European societies and the resulting indifference, insensitivity, or even hostility toward religious claims but also because of polarizing political events that cast them as adversaries or outsiders. This book sheds new light on the diverse interpretations of state secularism, the principle of neutrality, and the practical challenges of ensuring reasonable accommodation for Jews and Muslims in Europe. A meticulously curated edited volume featuring a stellar cast of contributors.” —Professor Anna Śledzińska-Simon, University of Wrocław, member of the Cultural and Religious Diversity under State Law across Europe project at the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology in Halle.