Jerusalem Post - 02.28.2005

Jerusalem Post

American, CIS Jews team up

By Sam Ser

American and Russian Jewish organizations are teaming up to fight anti-Semitism and promote Jewish identity in the Commonwealth of Independent States. 

The American Jewish Congress-Council for World Jewry and the Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS have announced the scheduled signing of a memorandum of understanding in Moscow on Tuesday that will formalize a de facto partnership. 

"By joining our efforts and collective experiences, and bringing together the strengths of our respective communities, we can more effectively mobilize against the evident and profoundly disturbing reawakening of anti-Semitism," said Russian-born Israeli diamond and real estate magnate Lev Leviev, who is also the president of the FJC. "We also believe that building a strong Jewish community here in the CIS is the best way to counter those trying to promote bigotry and hate against the Jewish people." 

One of their first tasks will be to combat xenophobia, intolerance and anti-Semitism. Already, the FJC has announced the launch of a "press club" aimed at countering hate speech within Russian society, with meetings every few weeks of journalists and the public to discuss national ethnic conflicts and differences. 

The Russian Academy of Sciences argued last week that Russian media promote negative stereotypes of various ethnicities through sensationalist coverage and the free use of racist rhetoric.