In the largest children’s hospital in Israel at the Sheba Medical Center, operates a public organization “Notnim Tikva” (Giving Hope), established in 2004 to help sick children and their parents.
“Notnim Tikva” has already helped thousands of children. The organization is engaged in fundraising for complex surgeries abroad and medicines that are outside the basic health basket, equipping children’s playrooms, organize events and activities within the hospital and much more. Just recently, members of “Notnim Tikva” organized a meeting of a girl battling cancer with her idol, the star of children’s performances.
Director General of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress Dr. Haim Ben Yalkov: “At this difficult time, when the coronavirus epidemic has an extremely negative impact on the economic situation of various structures, and especially public organizations, EAJC is trying to support those who need our help today. We are really glad that we were able to support “Notnim Tikva”, which works with sick children and children battling cancer. According to the Torah, all of Israel are responsible for one another. This principle becomes even more important in the days of pandemic. We all have a responsibility to provide all possible assistance to those in need, especially when it comes to children”.
EAJC congratulates the Jewish community of Montenegro with the election of the new President Mrs. Nina Ofner-Bokan. We wish Mrs. Ofner-Bokan good luck as well as successful and fruitful work for the good of the Jewish community of Montenegro. We have no doubt that her dedication and commitment to the community will bring positive changes to the Jewish life in Montenegro.
We also want to thank Mr. Djordje Raicevic for his work and to wish him good health and longevity.
Today we are stepping into the new Jewish year of 5781. We decided to deviate somewhat from our traditional greetings and wish first and foremost you and your loved ones good health.
The past year was very difficult for Israel and for the whole world. The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress has always seen its duty in providing assistance to communities, specially in such circumstances. In the course of the past year, we supported several projects that were on the verge of closure, for we believe mutual assistance to be the most important principle of our work.
Next year, the EAJC will continue to work in all major areas: countering anti-Semitism, preserving the historical memory of the Jewish people, developing Jewish national culture, community building, and supporting the Israeli state’s interests. We will also continue to provide support to Jewish communities in the Euro-Asian region affected by the pandemic.
This past year was full of important and serious work under very tough conditions. However, we continued to do everything possible to ensure the prosperity of our communities and our people.
A lot has been done, and even more needs to be done in the upcoming year. We wish you a good and sweet, and most importantly, a healthy New Year!
EAJC leaders sincerely welcome the decision of the State of Israel and the Kingdom of Bahrain to normalize their relations following the United Arab Emirates, an Arab state that was first to take a huge step towards peace and prosperity in the region.
“We are poised on the verge of a new Middle East. Regional powers, thanks to the efforts of the US President Donald Trump, are reconsidering their foreign policy and their relations are moving towards rapprochement that could hardly be imagined before.
Israel’s close ties with the Arab world will fundamentally change the situation in the region and will undoubtedly contribute to its development and prosperity. The State of Israel has become a major player in the Middle East arena, which is reflected in the policies of the regional states. We see today an absolutely new “Arab Spring”, which goal is to weaken Iran and its proxy with the help of the Jewish state.
These are only the first, but perhaps the most important steps along the path that Israel has been following for decades, the path of peace and good-neighborly relations with moderate Arab countries.
On my own behalf and on behalf of all EAJC leaders, I would like to express my gratitude to the Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu and the King of Bahrain, His Majesty Hamad bin Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa for their efforts to create a new world.
The UAE and Bahrain demonstrate today to all those who rejected the very idea of the possibility of warming relations between the Arab and Jewish worlds that the rules of the game have changed significantly during the recent years. We hope that in the nearest future the other Arab countries will establish good-neighborly and mutually beneficial relations with the Jewish state”, said EAJC President Dr. Mikhail Mirilashvili.
The second Kiev Jewish Forum, organized by the first vice-president of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, Boris Lozhkin, took place between September 8 and 9. This year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Forum was held online with the assistance of The Jerusalem Post. The forum was attended by, among others, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, Alternative Prime Minister of Israel and Minister of Defense Benny Gantz, Minister of Health of Israel Yuli Edelstein, Minister of Diaspora Affairs of Israel Omer Yankelevich, Minister of Higher Education and Water Resources of Israel Zeev Elkin, EAJC President Dr. Mikhail Mirilashvili, President of the World Jewish Congress Ronald Lauder, EAJC Board Chairman Aaron G. Frenkel, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, EAJC First Vice-President Emmanuil Grinshpun, EAJC Director General Dr. Haim Ben Yakov, director of the Goldstein-Goren Diaspora Research Center in Tel Aviv University Prof. Simha Goldin and others.
In his speech EAJC President M. Mirilashvili thanked Boris Lozhkin for the successfully organized event and noted the particular importance of philanthropic activities and rendering assistance to communities during the days of the pandemic.
“The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, despite the pandemic, maintains regular contacts with all communities. In these difficult days, our task is to support various urgent projects, and despite the pandemic, we are trying to provide this support.
The Forum brought together prominent philanthropists from all around the world. These are the people who try to donate as much as possible by themselves and call on others to participate in charitable activities”, noted Mikhail Mirilashvili.
EAJC Director General Dr. Haim Ben Yakov presented, at the Kiev Jewish Forum, a large-scale study carried out by the Institute for Euro-Asian Jewish Studies (IEAJS) operating under the EAJC: Jewish Identity in the Post-Soviet Countries – Parameters, Prospects and Challenges.
Based on the results of this study, a round table was held, where the results of the study were analyzed by the Chairman of the Academic Council of the IEAJS, professor of political science and sociology of modern Jewish communities at Ariel and Bar-Ilan Universities, Prof. Zeev Khanin.
“This year, the coronavirus pandemic has put all of us, and above all international Jewish organizations, facing serious challenges, and we, more than ever, need serious, thoughtful, profound solutions. Our Institute for Euro-Asian Jewish Studies deals with these issues in order to provide the leaders of international Jewish organizations with real solutions, as well as the analysis of the current situations in the Jewish world.
Among our most important conclusions, I would like to emphasize the following today: Jewish communities are the main instrument for preservation and development of the Jewish life in the post-Soviet countries.
The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress intends to further support and develop the Jewish life of the Euro-Asian region, to protect the rights and legitimate interests of Jewish public organizations against government bodies and international organizations.
Based on the analysis of the collected data, we recommend the Jewish leaders and communities in the region to pay attention to the development of the online activities and the targeted programs for young and middle-aged people, who, unfortunately, have practically dropped out of focus of the Jewish organizations. We want to draw special attention to the importance of the Jewish education in shaping Jewish identity and attracting unreached, but interested in community life Jews and their families, that include Israeli citizens living outside the state”, said Haim Ben Yakov.
EAJC congratulates the Chairman of the Board of Euro-Asian Jewish Congress Aaron G. Frenkel on his birthday.
Dear Aaron, mazal tov on your birthday! On behalf of the heads of the EAJC organizations, members of the Board and the EAJC team we wish you Hatzlacha in the new year, good health and long life. May your birthday usher in a year of success in all your affairs and in an ever growing measure of light and true happiness.
You are a real inspiration for many people, doing a lot for the prosperity of the Jewish people and the State of Israel, and we at the EAJC look forward to continuing our fruitful work and cooperation with you.
May Hashem bless you with the kochot to inspire and lead עד 120!
On September 9, 2020, the tenth President of the State of Israel, Reuven “Ruvi” Rivlin, turned 81 years old. President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress Michael Mirilashvili congratulated him on this significant date.
“On this special occasion, I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation for your help in strengthening ties between the State of Israel and the Jews of the Diaspora.
Several years ago, Mr. President, you rightly noted the weakening of bridges between Israel and the Jewish diaspora and immediately began to act to restore the cooperation and ties between them, and we, the leaders of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, are immensely grateful to you for your work”,- wrote the EAJC President in his congratulatory letter.
Mirilashvili stressed that President Rivlin is an example and a role model and wished him good health, longevity and many years of productive work for the good of the country.
