EAJC Update - July 2003

 

The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress




Broadening Powers of Supreme Mufti of Caucasus / EAJC Congratulates
Azerbaijan, Baku, July 28-29, 2003

International Jewish Video Internet Conference / EAJC Participation
Kazakhstan–USA, July 25, 2003

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Broadening Powers of Supreme Mufti of Caucasus / EAJC Congratulates
Azerbaijan, Baku, July 28-29, 2003

The Supreme Mufti of Caucasus, Dr. Pashazada Allahshukur Hummat oglu is one of the key partners of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC). Together with the EAJC President Alexander Machkevich, Mufti Pashazada took part in financing the construction and inauguration ceremony of a new synagogue for Ashkenazi (European) and Georgian Jews in Azerbaijan’s capital, the city of Baku in March 2003.

The festivities in Baku were marked by Mufti Pashazada’s formal beginning to participate in the Judeo-Islamic Dialog under the auspices of Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Understanding of the participation in the Dialog was reached in the course of the EAJC Delegation’s meeting with the Mufti.

As the EAJC President A. Machkevich repeatedly pointed out, the fact of joining the Dialog by representatives of the Shiite current of Islam, the spiritual leader of which is indisputably Mufti Pashazada on the territory of the former USSR, testifies that the prospect of solid peace and consent between peoples of the planet is forming visible outlines.

On July 28, 2003 in Baku, Mufti Pashazada was elected Head of the Supreme Religious Council of the Peoples of Caucasus.

On July 29, 2003, as Chairman of the Coordination Council of Muftis of Caucasus I. Berdyev informed the EAJC Public Relations and Media Department, in Baku at the 11th Congress of the Moslems of Caucasus, Mufti Pashazada was elected life-long Head of the Board of Moslems of Caucasus.

On the occasion of these events the EAJC President A. Machkevich, the EAJC Secretary General Michael Chlenov, and the EAJC General Council Joseph Zissels sent congratulation to Mufti Pashazada (see Appendix).



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

Appendix:

CONGRATULATION
BY THE EURO-ASIAN JEWISH CONGRESS (EAJC) LEADERS

To Head of the Board of Moslems of Caucasus,
Head of the Supreme Religious Council of the Peoples of Caucasus,
Supreme Mufti of Caucasus,
Dr. Pashazada Allahshukur Hummat oglu

Our Dear friend! 

On behalf of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) uniting the Jews of 3 continents we cordially welcome your election to the post of Head of the Supreme Religious Council of the Peoples of Caucasus and life-long Head of the Board of Moslems of Caucasus.

The high credit, which was rendered to you by Moslem and other peoples of Caucasus, testifies that your course toward moral revival and tolerance of Islam finds response in the hearts of inhabitants of the Caucasian region, and we unquestionably approve of their choice.

We also are convinced, that the new stage of your activity will become a pledge of further expansion of peaceful interaction between followers of various religious doctrines, including development of the Judeo-Islamic Dialog. Our meeting and joint participation in the construction of a synagogue in Baku laid one of corner stones to this Dialog. Time now has come to construct its building in its entirety.

Let the best expectations of Moslems and support by all the peoples of Caucasus will even more strengthen you on the thorny way to Good, Peace and Justice!

Sincerely yours,

Alexander Machkevich,
EAJC President,
Jewish Congress of Kazakhstan President

Michael Chlenov,
EAJC Secretary General,
Vaad of Russia President

Joseph Zissels,
EAJC General Council Chairman
Vaad of the Ukraine Chairman





International Jewish Video Internet Conference / EAJC Participation
Kazakhstan–USA, July 25, 2003

On July 25, 2003, on the initiative of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) General Council Member, the Kazakhstan’s Association of the Jewish Organizations "Mitsva" President Alexander Baron, the first in the Russian-speaking Jewery’s history Video Internet Conference was held, devoted to Dmitry Shchiglik's book "The Way to Zion".

The Conference involved: in the USA — writer D. Shchiglik and Michael Nemirovsky, a plenipotentiary of the EAJC’s partner organization — Jewish Community Relation Council (JCRC) of New York; in Kazakhstan — Hesed "Polina" Director Natalya Dorman, participants of Youth and Historical clubs of the Jewish Communal Center (JCC) "Rimon", as well as members of the Jewish community of Almaty City.

A brisk discussion between the Jewish communities of the two continents lasted more than one hour. According to D. Shchiglik, despite of thousands of miles dividing him and the audience in Almaty, at problems of mutual understanding were not at all felt.

D. Shchiglik answered numerous questions from Almaty City, commented separate chapters of his book, closely listened to critical remarks. The discussion will go on in September during the writer’s visit to Almaty City.

"In the person of Kazakhstan’s Jewish community I congratulate the whole of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) which began a new stage in communication among the world’s Jewish communities", - said M. Nemirovsky summing up the Conference.

As A. Baron informed the EAJC Public Relations and Media Department, the theme of the following video-Internet Conference will be creativity of the well-known writer Efraim Sevella. The writer himself, who is now in Moscow, will conduct the meeting.

Contacts will continue with the Jewish community of New York, too. From its leaders there has come a proposition to prepare a lecture about Jewish life in Kazakhstan.

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