EAJC Update -  July-August 2002

 

The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress




Jul-Aug 2002
Euro-Asian Media-Forum / D. Nazarbaeva about Israel

Alma-Ata, Spring 2002
WCRJ Founding Congress / Speech by A. Mashkevich 

Visit by Chief Rabbi of Israel / E. Bakshi-Doron in Kazakhstan


June 30 – July 5, 2002 Moscow and Jerusalem hosted the Founding convention of World Congress of Russian-speaking Jewry (WCRJ). Jewish communities – EAJC members – from the states of former USSR took an active part in creating a new organization.

EAJC President Alexander Mashkevich underlined in his message to the Congress delegates that Russian-speaking Jews had long deserved a right to have their own organization. EAJC President particularly stressed that Russian-speaking Jewry together with the entire Jewish world are an integral part of the socio-political axis connecting Israel with Jewish Diaspora. A. Mashkevich emphasized the merits of Zionists from the former USSR in the person of “refuseniks” and “prisoners of Zion”. At the end of his message A. Mashkevich reminded that speaking at the EAJC Founding Congress in March 2002 he had suggested cooperation to initiators of the WCRJ creation and continues taking this position. 

“Israel has what to learn from Kazakhstan,” – underlined Chief Rabbi of Israel Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron during his visit to Kazakhstan (July 3-5, 2002), – “for example, confessional accord we are only dreaming about”. Chief Rabbi of Israel arrived in Kazakhstan on the invitation of President of Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) Alexandre Mashkevich. An agreement on the visit had been reached at the meeting between A. Mashkevich and E. Bakshi-Doron in Jerusalem in June 2002 during the EAJC presentation in Israel. Chief Rabbi of Israel blessed EAJC and A. Mashkevich then. 

E. Bakshi-Doron was welcomed by EAJC President A. Mashkevich, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of State of Israel to Kazakhstan and Kirghizstan Israel Mei-Ami and Chief Rabbi of Kazakhstan Yeshaya Cohen. E. Bakshi-Doron informed the main aim of his visit was to promote contacts among different confessions. According to Chief Rabbi of Israel, he had heard much good of Kazakhstan where peoples of over 130 nationalities and confessions live in peace and accord. That’s why E. Bakshi-Doron had come to the decision to personally ascertain this and to express his gratitude to the leadership of Kazakhstan for its policy of tolerance.

During the second day of his visit to Kazakhstan Chief Rabbi of Israel E. Bakshi-Doron met with the Akim (head) of Alma-Ata Victor Khrapunov and leader of Kazakhstan Muslims, Chief Mufti Absattar Derbisali. In this connection E. Bakshi-Doron noted the Mideast conflict is a territorial political and not a religious one. A Rabbi and Mufti sitting at the same table is a vivid illustration to this.

Talking to V. Khrapunov E. Bakshi-Doron expressed his admiration by the fact that Kazakhstan, being a Muslim country, actively constructs synagogues and temples for followers of other confession. Head of Alma-Ata, in his turn, assured the Israeli guest the authorities of Kazakhstan would do their utmost not to encroach on the rights of either confession in the country.

At the end of the meeting Akim (acting Mayor) of Alma-Ata V. Khrapunov presented Chief Rabbi of Israel E. Bakshi-Doron with a souvenir – a silver statuette “Golden warrior” – one of Kazakhstan’s symbols. Then Chief Rabbi of Israel departed to the capital of Kazakhstan – the city of Astana. There he met with Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Baurzhan Mukhamedzhanov. During the meeting the parties expressed their satisfaction the relations between two countries continue developing and strengthening.

Speaking about the initiator of the visit, President of Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) Alexandre Mashkevich, E. Bakshi-Doron particularly noted be considers him not only his personal friend but also a soldier serving God.

Within the framework of EAJC international cooperation the EAJC public relations and media department has established informational contacts with the Jewish community of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the person of the editorial board of Herald of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Jewish community “Jewish voice”.

General Secretary of Jewish community in Bosnia and Herzegovina Mrs. Dragitsa Levi told about the work of the main organ of Bosnian Jewry – Skupshchina, and about the life of provincial communities. Despite a lengthy war between the Christian and Muslim population of the country many Jews stay in Bosnia. Though “minjan” in remote communities gather with the help of foreign co-religionists from among SFOR personnel and other international organizations active in former Yugoslavia.

Nonetheless, a Jewish cultural center successfully functions in Mostar – a town once a symbol of Bosnian confrontation. The number of teenagers and students attending a youth Jewish club “Fellows” is growing. The representation of the international Jewish cultural educational organization “La Benevolencija” no more renders charitable assistance to the Jewish community of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital Sarajevo, but already gives credits for its development.

Moscow, August 12, 2002
“Now I side with the Israelis”, – announced Mrs. Dariga Nazarbayeva, daughter of President of Kazakhstan after the Euro-Asian Media-Forum held in Alma-Ata. She decided on such a position after the speech by a Knesset deputy Yury Shtern, head of the Israeli delegation to Euro-Asian Media-Forum. The initiative to hold this large-scale event goes to President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbaev and his daughter. D. Nazarbaeva expressed hope Euro-Asian Media-Forum would play an important role in objective covering the situation in Israel as the forum chiefly concentrated on media’s responsibility in the contemporary world. The head of the Israeli delegation, Knesset deputy Yury Shtern and the adviser on relations with the press in Russian to the Knesset Commission on Absorption Zhanna Korsunskaya directed a letter of gratitude to President of Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) Alexandre Mashkevich and EAJC Executive Director Fedor Osinin for the support to Israel’s participating in Euro-Asian Media –Forum Y. Shtern and Z. Korsunskaya pointed to good prospects of regular contacts with the Kazakhstan Jewish community. 

August 12, 2002 the representatives of Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) headed by Secretary General Dr. Mikhail Chlenov laid wreaths on a communal grave of victims of political repressions and Solomon Mikhoels’ grave on the territory of Donskoe cemetery in Moscow.

Representatives of the “Memorial” foundation, Russian Ministry of Culture, deputies of Russian State Duma and relatives of the executed Jewish Anti-fascist Committee (JAC) members took part in the funeral ceremony organized by the “Holocaust” Center, Solomon Mikhoels Jewish cultural center, Euro-Asian Jewish Congress and Vaad of Russia. 

While opening the meeting dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the execution of JAC members the chairman of “Holocaust” Center Alla Gerber underlined the integral unity of Hitler’s and Stalin’s policy with regards to Jews and expressed confidence such tragedies would never occur again. The same was stated in the telegram the leader of “Yabloko” party Grigory Yavlinsky directed to the event participants.

EAJC Secretary General Mikhail Chlenov stressed the importance of a collective Jewish memory of the half-a-century-old events and expressed hope generations of the Jewish people would succeed to Jewish heritage.

The ceremony ended in adopting the text of an address to Mayor of Moscow Yury Luzhkov on the expedience to complement the memorial architectural composition “To victims of political repressions” on the territory of Donskoe cemetery with a granite stele bearing names of the shot up members of the Jewish Anti-fascist Committee.

Diasporas of CIS and Baltic States / CC Meeting
Moscow, August 27, 2002 Head of Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) Public Relations and Media Department, Russian Vaad Vice-President Roman Spektor made a speech at the Meeting of Coordination Council (CC) founded by International Relations Department of Moscow Government and Public State Fund “Rossiyane”. The meeting held in Moscow town hall attracted academics and experts of leading Russian institutions, leadership of human rights organizations, leaders of public movements of former compatriots from CIS and Baltic states, leadership of Diplomatic Academy of Rusiian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

R. Spektor told the gathering about the experience of organizational construction of Jewish Diaspora on the example of EAJC. EAJC Department Head underlined particular significance of the dialogue of ethnic and confessional Diasporas with government agencies to construct a stable and secure future on the post-Soviet space.

The convention discussed questions of a new Russian Federal Law on Citizenship, problems of Russia’s migration policy and adopted amendments to Regulations on CC activity. The CC Chairman became Mr. V. Skrinnik (Russia).

During and in-between sessions R. Spector answered numerous questions of CC participants on the activity and projects of Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC).


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