RJC Monitor - 05.23.2003

 

The Russian Jewish Congress

RJC PRESIDIUM HELD A SESSION 

On the 22nd of May Russian Jewish Congress Presidium held a sequent session in RJC office in the Spasoglinishevsky side street.

In the beginning of the session a head of presidential Program on behalf of the tolerance and extremism prophylaxis Aleksander Asmolov made a short speech about Russian Federation Government session conducted on the 15th of May. At this session the Program was discussed for the first time. The session recognized that different forms of xenophobia including anti-Semitism are spread and intensified in the Russian society today; many Internet sites form the division “insiders-outsiders”; aggression, intolerance and anti-Semitism are perceived in society as common case. It was decided to present for Russian president a report with monitoring of intolerance problem. Other decisions includes implementation of psychological expertise to identify radical materials in media; creation of tolerance centers to conduct a monitoring of social tension in all regions; urgent implementation of humanitarian expertise to educe materials burning hate in school and high-school textbooks.

Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Israeli State in Russia Arcadiy Mil-Man made a speech for members of Presidium. He reported about the recent visit in Russia of Minister responsible for Jerusalem and Diaspora affairs Natan Sharansky and its result. Ambassador told about current events in Israel connected with a realization of the peace settlement blueprint “Road map” and last acts of terrorism. In his speech he touched questions of coordination between Israeli Government and new Government of Palestine autonomy, formed by Mahmud Abbas. Answering questions Ambassador sketched the topic of Russian non-Jews living in Israel.

RJC executive vice president Yuriy Raskin in his speech focused on current questions of agenda. Presidium confirmed RJC annual report 2002, WF “RJC” charter primarily accepted in new edition and stated to conduct the 4th Congress Session in the 4th quarter of the current year.

Presidium made a decision to accept a head of enterprise “Unikum SPM” Boris Belotserkovsky as its member and a member of RJC Border of Directors. He has been one of the most active members of RJC in Saint Petersburg and vice-president of Congress municipal branch.

Moscow Jewish Community vice-president Pavel Feldblyum reported to Presidium members about the creation of “Moscow Jewish communal complex” (MJCC) fund and capital projects development for 2003-2005. According to the Presidium’s decision, RJC as well as Moscow Jewish religious community and fund “Phoenix” were included in board of MJCC founders to realize a construction of campus “Na Gorke”, which is supposed to become not only Jewish section in Moscow but “Jewish face” of the capital.

RJC president Evgeniy Satanovsky’s report was dedicated to the most acute problems his organization faces. He told about RJC budget execution in 2003 and financial policy in third and fourth quarters of the year. RJC president concentrated on the budget conditions of country Jewish organization and RJC fundraising policy. One of his speech’s topics was condition and perspectives of Jewish educational system development in RF. At the end of his speech RJC president stated his views on RJC development strategy and coordination between RJC and Russian, foreign and international Jewish organizations. 


BOARD MEETING OF EUROPEAN COUNCIL OF JEWISH COMMUNITIES WILL BE HELD IN MOSCOW

On the 23-25 of May Board Meeting of European Council of Jewish Communities (ECJC) will be held in Moscow. More then 30 chairmen of Jewish organizations from Western and Eastern Europe, Russia and former Soviet republics will participate in this meeting.

ECJC is the leading European organization including and coordinating communities and organizations virtually in all West-European and East-European countries. A number of municipal and federal Russian Jewish organizations including RJC are members of ECJC from the early 1990s. Many Russian Jewish leaders are in ECJC executive boards. Today ECJC president is Cobi Benatof (Italy), presenting organization in Claims Conference and lobbying interests of Russian Jews surviving Holocaust.

This is the second ECJC Board Meeting in Russia. RJC as a receiving side will gather Jewish leaders in the territory of the future Moscow Jewish communal complex “Na Gorke” for the first time. The mayor working events will be held in the RJC new office (Spasoglinishevsky side street, 9/9), sabbatical sacred worships will be serviced in Great Chorale synagogue (Spasoglinishevsky side street, 9/1)

Actual topics of modern European Jewry planned to discuss include: “The main challenges Russian Jews face” and “Russia in current situation: geopolitical view”. Several meetings between ECJC board members and Russian Jewish organizations representatives will be held. 


TULA JEWS ARE PRAYING FOR RJC 

Management of Welfare fund “Hasdey Neshama” (Tula voluntary organization) sent grateful letter to RJC. The letter particularly says: Tula Jews thank RJC for financial aid in the construction of Tula Jewish Community Centre. In virtue of this building Tula, Jewish organizations for the first time for decades will find their own home. Community Centre will let consolidate and develop our community. We are very grateful for the aid we received last year in a very hard moment for the community. A prayer for your well-being will be served in your honor in Tula synagogue”.

Visiting Russia Minister responsible for Jerusalem and Diaspora affairs Natan Sharansky on the 15th of May held meetings with the Jewish establishment in Russia including representatives of RJC, Jewish leaders in Russia Conference and Committee of Solidarity with Israeli people. Meeting was conducted in the Israeli embassy in Russia. Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Israeli State in Russia Arcadiy Mil-Man, embassy employees and ministry officials participated in it. From Russian side RJC president Evgeniy Satanovsky, RJC executive vice-president Yuriy Raskin and Moscow Jewish Community vice - president Pavel Feldblyum took part in the meeting.

They discussed a situation on the field of Russian-Jewish collaboration and its perspectives; possibilities to lobby by Israeli side the unblocking of Russian-Israeli collaboration in the American establishment (there are some questions in bilateral relations and relations with other countries, which challenge the US resistance). The collaboration between Russian Jewish Diaspora and Israeli State and its features were also discussed.

This meeting can be the first stage of strategic collaboration between Russian-speaking Jewish leaders living in Russia and Israel now.