Moscow hosted a conference commemorating the Day of Salvation and Liberation (Jewish) Liberation (26 Iyar)

Photo: STMEGI

On May 6-7, 2021, Jewish communities globally observed the Day of Salvation and Liberation, marked on the 26th of Iyar. The initiative to introduce this date into the Jewish calendar was launched eight years ago by German Zakharyaev, President of the STMEGI Charitable Foundation and Vice President of the EAJC. In 2018, the Israeli Knesset officially recognized it as a national holiday.

Alongside commemorative ceremonies in Moscow, the III International Conference "Victory in the Great Patriotic War as a Historical Event in the Life of the Jewish People" took place. This year's conference marked the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union and the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. The event was organized by the STMEGI International Charitable Foundation, with support from the Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs, the Russian Jewish Congress, the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia, the Holocaust Center, and the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress.

During the conference, EAJC Director General Dr. Haim Ben Yakov presented a report entitled "Historical Memory of the Holocaust, Manifestations of Antisemitism, and Holocaust Denial: Contemporary Aspects." Dr. Michael Mirilashvili, President of the EAJC, also addressed the participants. His complete address is provided below.

"Dear organizers and participants of the III International Conference 'Victory in the Great Patriotic War as a Historical Event in the Life of the Jewish People.'

I would like to take this opportunity to express once again my gratitude to G.R. Zakharyaev, President of the STMEGI International Charitable Foundation and Vice President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, for organizing this conference and initiating the establishment of this commemorative date honoring the salvation of European Jewry from total annihilation during the Second World War.

It is impossible to discuss the Second World War without addressing the Holocaust, which remains an inseparable part of that devastating conflict. The victory of the Allied forces saved the Jewish people from complete destruction. At a critical juncture when the generation of eyewitnesses is passing away, this conference plays a vital role in preserving our collective memory.

Today, we observe a significant decrease in cases of physical violence motivated by antisemitism across the countries of the former USSR. At the same time, however, we note with grave concern numerous attempts to revive the cult of hatred. Pockets of verbal antisemitism persist, and hate speech continues to manifest both in speech and in print. As the painful lessons of history demonstrate, rhetoric eventually drives action: Jews are targeted on the streets, synagogues and cemeteries are desecrated, and numerous Jewish institutions are compromised.

Furthermore, various repeatedly debunked antisemitic Holocaust denial theories have recently gained ground in new media, finding new life and reaching mass audiences. Similar to what occurred in Western nations several decades ago, Holocaust denial in post-Soviet countries is currently following the same path, exacerbated by the speed and ease of modern information dissemination.

Another alarming trend of recent years is the emergence of policies aimed at rehabilitating individuals directly or indirectly associated with collaborationist activities. This establishes dangerous precedents for revising historical memory, presenting historical events out of context, and at times, directly rewriting history.

In 2020, the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress adopted a Resolution calling for the official adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, and condemning any attempts to rehabilitate those complicit in the crimes of the Holocaust. The Resolution urges governments in the Euro-Asian region to enact the necessary legislation to prohibit the rehabilitation of collaborators and the whitewashing of their actions. We are convinced that glorifying those complicit in such crimes leads to a substantial rise in antisemitic sentiment, which is why we dedicate our efforts to eradicating this phenomenon.

Today, we call upon opinion leaders, public figures, and politicians to coordinate efforts to establish a historically accurate public stance regarding the events of the Second World War. This includes drafting legislative acts to combat antisemitism, Holocaust denial, and the rehabilitation of collaborators; promoting formal and informal educational programs to integrate the Holocaust into state school curricula; and supporting initiatives designed to raise public awareness and improve historical literacy regarding the Second World War and the Holocaust.

I wish to welcome the participants and organizers once again, wish you a highly successful and productive conference, and assure you of my unwavering support."