08.12.2002

EURO-ASIAN JEWISH CONGRESS (EAJC)
Public Relations & Media Department
71 Varshavskoye sh., Moscow 113556 Russia
Phone/fax: 7-095/110-4853; /110-8611

"Am Yisrael Chai"/Memorial Ceremony at the Donskoy Cemetery
Moscow, August 12, 2002

On August 12, 2002, representatives of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAEK), headed by Mikhail Chlenov, General Secretary of the Congress, placed wreaths on the common grave of the victims of political repressions and the grave of Solomon Mikhoels in the Donskoy cemetery in Moscow.

Participating in the memorial ceremony, organized by the Holocaust Center, Solomon Mikhoels Jewish Cultural Center, Euro-Asian Jewish Congress and the Vaad of Russia, were representatives of the Memorial human rights foundation, Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, deputies of the State Duma, and relatives of the executed members of the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee

Alla Gerber, Chairman of the Holocaust Center, who opened this event devoted to the 50th anniversary of the execution of the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee, spoke about an absolute commonality in Hitler's and Stalin's policies towards Jews, and expressed her determination that it would never repeat in the future. Almost the same was said in the telegram addressed to the meeting by Grigory Yavlinsky, leader of the Yabloko party.

Mikhail Chlenov, General Secretary of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, emphasized in his speech the importance of a collective Jewish memory concerning the events that took place half a century ago, and expressed a hope for keeping the continuity of generations of the Jewish people. The words "Am Yisrael Chai!" concluded the speech of Mikhail Chlenov, General Secretary of EAEK.

Finally, the participants approved an appeal to Yury Luzhkov, Mayor of Moscow, about adding a granite stele engraved with the names of the executed members of the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee, into the existing monument "To the victims of political repressions", in the Donskoy cemetery.


Roman Spektor
Head of the EAEK Department on Public Relations


Translated by Judy Turkeltaub
August 22, 2002