A wreath-laying ceremony was held in Jerusalem at the Candle of Remembrance monument

A flower-laying ceremony was held in Jerusalem at the “Memorial Candle” monument in Sacher Park. The event, dedicated to International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the 79th anniversary of the lifting of the Siege of Leningrad, was originally scheduled for January 27. However, due to the critical epidemiological situation, it was postponed to a later date, February 14. The ceremony was attended by the Second Secretary of the Russian Embassy in Israel, Alexander Danilovich Gavrilov, President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC), Dr. Mikhail Mirilashvili, Deputy Chairman of the Jewish National Fund – Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael (KKL-JNF), Chairman of JNF-KKL Eurasia Robert Tiviaev, as well as representatives of organizations of World War II veterans and survivors of the Siege of Leningrad.

During the ceremony, EAJC President Dr. Mikhail Mirilashvili called preserving the memory of the horrific events of the past the "duty of the descendants of the siege heroes."

"I understand that the fascist siege has left a profound mark on the life of every Leningrad resident. It is crucial to note that among the defenders and residents of the besieged city were approximately 150,000 Jews, tens of thousands of whom perished. Many Jews voluntarily took up arms and joined the people's militia divisions. Today's wreath-laying ceremony at the 'Memorial Candle' monument is significant not only for transmitting and preserving the history and memories of the most devastating war in human history. Today, it also serves to remind us of the destructive consequences of any warfare. Peace and human life are the paramount values of modern times that we must safeguard," stated the EAJC President.

In turn, Robert Tiviaev noted in his speech that KKL-JNF intends to continue joint projects with the EAJC. "Israel is the only state in the Western world where monuments of the Victory have been erected in recent years. The Jewish state will always remain grateful to those individuals, those heroes, whose valor helped halt the greatest crime in human history — the Holocaust of the Jewish people," Tiviaev said.

The “Memorial Candle” monument in Jerusalem, unveiled on January 23, 2020, in the presence of the highest-ranking officials of Israel and Russia, is dedicated to the historic heroism of the defenders and residents of Leningrad during the siege. The monument was established near the Knesset, the Supreme Court, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel. Funding for the installation of the monument was provided by the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, the Russian Jewish Congress, businessman and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center Viktor Vekselberg, the Jewish National Fund — Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael, and the Israeli Keren Hayesod foundation. The monument was erected with the support of the municipal authorities of St. Petersburg and Jerusalem.