EAJC Update - January 2004

 

The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress





The Anniversary of the Legalization of the Jewish Movement in the former Soviet Union Was Celebrated in Moscow


Representatives of the Jewish World find a supporter in Saakashvili


Stockholm Forum On Prevention Of Genocide

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The Anniversary of the Legalization of the Jewish Movement in the former Soviet Union Was Celebrated in Moscow

On January 15, a solemn reception was held in the Jewish Cultural Center «Na Nikitskoy» in Moscow, honoring leaders of the Russian Jewry. The honorees and guests celebrated the 15th anniversary of the legalization of Independent Jewish Movement activities in the post-Soviet space.

The organizers of the event were: the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC), Bureau for Communications at the Office of the Prime Minister of the State of Israel (Nativ), American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (AJJDC) and the Jewish Agency for Israel in Russia (JAFI). Ambassadors of the USA and Israel, Alexander Vershbow and Arcady Mil-Man as well as a plenipotentiary representative of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs spoke to the audience about the ongoing work protecting post-Soviet Jews against state-incited anti-Semitism during the "stagnation" period. A celebration followed for the “Jewish underground" activists in the former USSR, including "honored refuseniks", who had specially made the trip from Israel for the celebration.

Commenting on past events, the main organizer of the reception, EAJC President, Alexander Machkevitch noted that, not unlike 15 years ago, international Jewish groups continue to act as a "united front" against any attempts to limit the inalienable rights of Jews. " Not only was the past recollected at the reception in Moscow", noted A. Machkevitch, but, "a detailed discussion about the present and future of the Jewish Diaspora in Russia took place".

Original publication (in Russian) 



Representatives of the Jewish World find a supporter in Saakashvili

Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) General Council Chairman Joseph Zissels took part in the inauguration ceremony of Georgian President, Mikhail Saakashvili.

During the celebration, a special collective message from Zissels, EAJC President Alexander Machkevitch, and the Congress Secretary General Michael Chlenov, was conveyed to the new head of the Georgian state. "Our sincere interest in Georgia cannot be explained simply by the fact that a Jewish community has existed on its territory for more than 2.5 thousand years. “The EAJC finds it encouraging that Saakashvili seeks cooperation with the Jewish world,” Machkevitch noted, referring to Zissels’ visit to Tbilisi.

Machkevitch recalled that shortly before elections, Saakashvili had visited a Tbilisi Synagogue despite the fact that such a visit might have risked potential votes among Georgian ultra-nationalists. "Civil peace is vital to a Georgia weary of confrontation and, in order to facilitate the task of the new authority, we invite the leadership to actively participate in an international, inter-ethnic and inter-religious dialogue, which will help the people of the Caucasus reach a long-awaited reconciliation," added Machkevitch.

Original publication (in Russian)



Stockholm Forum On Prevention Of Genocide / EAJC Participation
Stockholm, Sweden, January 2004

The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) General Council Member & the President of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Jeremy Jones, was a member of the Australian government delegation at the Stockholm Forum on the Prevention of Genocide, hosted by the Prime Minister and government of Sweden in late January 2004.

The Conference was the fourth in a series of Forums, all of which involved a large number of Heads of State, leaders of governments, senior politicians and diplomats, complemented by leading academics and civil society figures from many countries. Jeremy Jones has been a member of the Australian delegations at all four forums.

The fourth Forum, on "Prevention of Genocide", featured keynote addresses by figures such as UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, a number of presidents and prime ministers and most notably by the Justice Minister of Canada and well -known World Jewish leader, Professor Irwin Cotler MP. The academic advisor and major contributor to many of the positive outcomes of the conferences has been Professor Yehuda Bauer.

The Israeli delegation was led by Foreign Ministry Official Nimrod Barkan and included Israel's Ambassador to Sweden, Zvi Mazel.

"There were a number of opportunities at the Forum for me to pursue matters of direct interest to the Australian Jewish community as well as to all Australians and to World Jewry", Jeremy Jones said.

- Roman Spektor, Head of the EAJC Public Relations and Media Department