Jerusalem Post - 07.03.2002

 

The Jerusalem Post

Former Soviet Jews Form Congress

By Tovah Lazaroff

Ten years ago, Jews in the former Soviet Union were afraid to admit their identity. Today they feel confident enough to form a new international organization called the World Congress of Russian Jewry, Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar said yesterday. 

Lazar was speaking at Beit Hanassi in Jerusalem to a portion of the 220-member congress which convened for two days in Moscow before flying here to finish ironing out its agenda of supporting Israel, fighting terror and anti-Semitism, improving Jewish education, and helping former Soviet Union Jews integrate into their new host countries. The congress, funded by private donors, includes delegates from 22 FSU countries as well as England, Australia, Israel, the US, Canada, Austria and Germany. 

Delegates yesterday visited the Knesset and stood in solidarity at Sbarro's pizzeria in downtown Jerusalem, the site of a suicide bomb attack last summer that killed 15. 

Deputy Absorption Minister Yuli Edelstein, who spoke in Moscow at the Congress on Monday, said that it had an important role to play in "organizing the energy still hidden in Russian Jews." 

Ten years ago an organization like this would not have been possible, said Edelstein, who himself immigrated from the FSU. The FSU Jews lack the financial backing or political connections to create something so large and powerful, Edelstein said. 

Valery Engel, who chairs the Congress's organization committee, said it plans to open an office in New York and another in Moscow immediately. A third office will be opened in Berlin and a fourth in Jerusalem at a later date, Engel said. 

Improving Jewish education and making texts available in Russian will be an important task for the Congress so that it can better fight assimilation. "FSU Jews have strayed very far from their roots," Engel said. 

Speaking to his guests yesterday, President Moshe Katsav spoke of the importance FSU Jews played in the country's history. Israel would be different if it had not accepted the waves of FSU immigration over the years because they have strengthened the country sonically, economically, and politically. 

"One factor that enables peace is a large Jewish population," Katsav said. 

"Not only do we have a common past but we have a common problem," Katsav added, explaining that terror and anti-Semitism are a global threat. 

Lazar said that Israel and its new relationship with the former Soviet republics has made a big difference for the Jews. He recalled how emotional it was to pass by the Kremlin last year and see the Israeli flag flying in honor of a visit by the Israeli president. 

"This is an historic event that the president is hosting. Who would have dreamt 20 or 30 years that the Jews of the former Soviet Union would all come together here in the president's residence." 

"We used to think that maybe our grandchildren would see these miracles," Lazar added.