EAJC Leaders Attend Executive Committee Meeting of the World Jewish Congress

A high-level delegation of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) participated in the meeting of the Executive Committee of the World Jewish Congress (WJC) held in Prague on Monday, May 9. Jewish community leaders from across the globe urged European Union member states to address the critical issue of rising antisemitism and other escalating forms of racism on the continent. 

The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress delegation at the WJC Executive Committee meeting included EAJC Chairman of the Board Aaron G. Frenkel, EAJC First Vice-President Boris Lozhkin, Vice-Presidents Alexandr Bilinkis and Matvey Chlenov, Director General of the Congress Dr. Haim Ben Yakov, and Chairman of the Belarus Jewish Community Oleg Rogatnikov. The delegates engaged in extensive discussions on the pressing challenges facing the global Jewish community. Key topics included the impact of the military conflict in Ukraine on the local Jewish population, the crisis in Jewish education and self-identity, and the pervasive anti-Israel disinformation campaign orchestrated by various public organizations attempting to falsely brand Israel as an "apartheid state." 

Opening the WJC Executive Committee meeting, President Ronald S. Lauder addressed the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, stating: "We have all watched with horror the terrible destruction, but we have also witnessed with immense pride the courage of the Ukrainian people." Recalling his recent visit to Warsaw, he also expressed gratitude to the neighboring countries—Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, and Poland—which "opened their doors and their hearts to a vast number of refugees."

Regarding the issue of antisemitism, Ronald Lauder urged the Czech Government, which will assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2022, to take decisive action to "put an end to the irrational hatred towards the Jewish people in Europe." 

Deputy Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Marian Jurečka also addressed the WJC leadership, affirming that the Czech Government "takes the fight against all forms of hatred with the utmost seriousness." "Europe has clearly said 'no' to hatred and racism. We do not intend to remain passive observers. We are committed to taking all necessary measures in the fields of culture and education, and we will implement changes to counter this falsehood," Jurečka stated.