Director General of the EAJC: Kazakhstan is of Great Interest to Israel and Global Jewish Communities

Israeli society and world Jewish communities are following the political reforms in the Republic of Kazakhstan with great interest. This was stated on Tuesday, May 31, by Dr. Haim Ben Yakov, Director General of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, during his speech at a round table discussion in Tel Aviv on the eve of the June 5 constitutional referendum in Kazakhstan. The event was organized by the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Israel to brief local media and the public on the upcoming developments. It was attended by Israeli scholars, diplomats, journalists, as well as public figures and state officials.

During the discussion, the Director General of the EAJC wished the leadership of Kazakhstan success in conducting the referendum. “We hope that the will of the Kazakh people will be fully expressed, contributing to the further prosperity of the country,” he stated. Dr. Ben Yakov also emphasized that the favorable attitude of the global Jewish community toward Kazakhstan is rooted, among other things, in historical memory: “We will always remember the warmth and hospitality extended to Jewish refugees in Kazakhstan during World War II.”

According to the Director General of the Congress, the organization’s key priorities include facilitating relations between Kazakhstan and the Jewish State, as well as countering radical Islamism and fostering interfaith and interethnic dialogue. He emphasized the uniqueness of the Kazakh model of state development, which is built on the values of religious and ethnic tolerance, multiethnic peace, and harmony.

Dr. Haim Ben Yakov recalled that the history of establishing relations between the Jewish community and the leadership of the Republic of Kazakhstan dates back to 2002, when a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Euro-Asian Rabbinical Council and the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan.

Later, in February 2003, the EAJC, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and members of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kazakhstan, co-organized the first International Conference on Peace and Accord in Almaty. The event was attended by the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Afghanistan, as well as a prominent delegation from the EAJC and American Jewish organizations. Following the conference, core principles for dialogue between Muslim states and world Jewry were formulated, enabling further progress in this direction.

In the autumn of 2003, the EAJC co-organized the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Astana, facilitating contact with major spiritual leaders of global Islam. Much later, in 2018, the VI Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions took place, where the Chief Sephardic and Ashkenazi Rabbis of Israel participated as full delegates. The next congress is scheduled for September 2022.

Throughout these years, EAJC leaders maintained close contact with the leadership of Kazakhstan, culminating in a personal meeting. In April 2019, a group of international Jewish leaders led by Mikhael Mirilashvili, President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC), held talks with Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kazakhstan. During the meeting, the parties noted the active development of the Jewish community in Kazakhstan, which receives necessary support at the state level. At that time, EAJC leaders requested President Tokayev to consider supporting Israel within international organizations and thanked the Head of State for his consistent condemnation of antisemitism and support for the Jewish community. Furthermore, the parties discussed a wide range of issues regarding the status of the Jewish community and bilateral relations between Kazakhstan and Israel.

Over the past 30 years, both nations have achieved a high level of cooperation in the political, economic, trade, and cultural spheres. The parties actively cooperate within the framework of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) and the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. A key area of bilateral cooperation between Israel and the Republic of Kazakhstan is trade and economy. In 2021, direct investment from Israel into the economy of Kazakhstan reached $33 million.

Currently, the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress is preparing a public and scientific symposium dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the establishment of full diplomatic relations between the Jewish State and Kazakhstan.