Mikhail Mirilashvili to Taglit Participants: You Are the Future of Your Communities

EAJC President Mikheil Mirilashvili addressed Taglit-Birthright Israel participants in Jerusalem.

Dear friends, it is an absolute pleasure to see your joyful, young faces. Today is a celebration, much like your entire journey—a celebration of your encounter with the Jewish State, rebuilt on the Land of Israel after 2,000 years of exile.

Friends, prominent representatives of our people continue to excel globally in business, public service, and cultural life. I am confident that you too will become accomplished and successful individuals. Bear in mind that in just a few short years, it is you who will shape the future of your local Jewish communities—the very communities that initiated the revival of normal communal life after the fall of the Iron Curtain. This endeavor was exceptionally challenging, not only due to the devastation and tragedy of the Holocaust, but also because communal life and Jewish organizations had been virtually dismantled in many countries of the former Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc.

As Jews living today across the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, you have made a conscious decision to build your lives in the countries of your birth, integrated into the societies where you study, work, and reside. You possess a far greater freedom of choice than did your parents, grandparents, and ancestors. JEWS TODAY are Jews by their own deliberate choice, and because of this, you carry a greater responsibility. Wherever you ultimately choose to establish your lives, I hope that the memory of these days in Israel will remain in your hearts. Friends, I wish for your connection to our nation—Israel—and to Jewish culture to grow stronger and accompany you throughout your lives. Remain mindful of your roots, engage with community centers and synagogues, and actively shape the future. I wish you every success, and look forward to our next meeting.