EAJC leaders meet with community and organization leaders

The EAJC President, Dr. Michael Mirilashvili and the EAJC Director General, Dr. Haim Ben-Yaakov held an online meeting with a group of the leaders of Jewish communities and organizations affiliated with the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress.

The meeting participants discussed the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the Jewish life of the Euro-Asian region, problems and challenges they face nowadays as well as plans for reorganizing community activities in the light of the current conditions.

“Despite the difficult situation, the Jewish leaders of the Euro-Asian region show a stunning presence of mind. The global crisis imposes a special responsibility on all of us, and I am convinced that we will not only pass this test with honor but also come out of this period stronger than we were before”, said the EAJC President, Dr. Michael Mirilashvili.

As part of the meeting, the EAJC Director General, Dr. Haim Ben-Yaakov presented the new EAJC online projects as well as principles, conclusions, and recommendations regarding the development of the online presence of Jewish communities and organizations.

“In these difficult days, we keep in touch with Jewish communities and organizations. We are glad to offer a helping hand in the process of rethinking and reorganizing community activities, based on our common goal of preserving the Jewish life of the Euro-Asian region,” said EAJC Director General, Dr. Haim Ben Yaakov.

In the coming days, the congressional leaders will continue a series of meetings with regional Jewish leaders. It is important for us to hear first-hand about the problems and priorities facing the Jewish communities of 26 countries affiliated with the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress.

Serbia Adopted International Antisemitism Definition

Serbia has become the second country in the Euro-Asian region to adopt the working definition of antisemitism developed by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, IHRA.

President of the Jewish community of Sombor (Serbia), a member of the Board of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, Sandra Papo Fisher said that Serbia accepted the working definition of antisemitism in February 2020. However, the news was officially announced only in May, when the state of coronavirus emergency was lifted. The Republic of Serbia is the 11th country in the world to adopt the IHRA definition.

“30.000 Jews lived in Serbia before World War II, only one-third of them survived. Today, around 2.500 Jews live in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Zrenjanin, Sombor, Pancevo, Kikinda, Nis, and some other cities. In 2016, Serbia was the first country in Europe to adopt a law on remedying the consequences of seizure of assets of Holocaust victims with no living legal heirs”, – said Sandra Papo Fisher.

“We welcome the decision of the Serbian authorities and appreciate that countries of the Euro-Asian region are starting to adopt the working definition of antisemitism. The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress is engaged in the dialogue regarding the IHRA definition with Ukrainian authorities and in the process of appeal to other governments of the region. The state leaders need to take a firm position to prevent further escalation of antisemitism in the region“, said Director General of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, Dr. Haim Ben Yaakov.

The IHRA definition is non-legally binding (i.e., does not create legal obligations) and provides a realistic, non-ideological approach to the task of identifying antisemitism from the moment it is adopted by the state.

Moldova is the first country in the Euro-Asian region that has adopted the IHRA definition in January 2019.

EAJC President addresses Jewish communities and organizations of Euro-Asian region

While the coronavirus pandemic continues around the world, the president of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, Dr. Michael Mirilashvili addressed the Jewish communities and organizations of the Euro-Asian region:

 

Dear friends.

The coronavirus pandemic shocked the entire world, changing reality for everyone all over the globe in such a short stint of time. Before our own eyes, illusions we once had have been destroyed, and new priorities now need to be put in place. We are all facing complex challenges in an ever-changing situation.

However, the threat of the coronavirus did not paralyze the operations of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC). On the contrary, the emergency provided the organization with an added impulse to mobilize and bring about more cohesion among our people. During this challenging time, it is important to enhance our collective will and spirit to withstand even the most powerful forces of nature.

The EAJC leadership team consists of prominent philanthropists and public figures, many of whom are familiar with the activities of the Jewish communities and organizations in the Euro-Asian region.

Thanks to the tireless support and cooperation of these outstanding people, the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress has become one of the largest international Jewish organizations that continues to promote unity of the Jewish people, the preservation of Jewish traditions and the prosperity of Jewish communal life in the Euro-Asian region.

The EAJC leadership is constantly in touch with regional Jewish leaders, and we know how COVID-19 has affected the Jewish communities in each of the 26 countries of the Euro-Asian region. We also understand that the world is only starting to understand and identify the long-term effects of the pandemic.

Notwithstanding the constantly changing circumstances facing us in the short-term, EAJC leaders have been fully engaged in strategic decision-making for the long-term. In particular, we rely on the results of the newly extended study, “Jews of post-Soviet Euro-Asia” that was initiated by the EAJC and conducted by the Institute for Euro-Asian Jewish Studies (IEAEI). The enlightening data obtained from this large-scale survey regarding the status of Jewish life in the Euro-Asian countries as well as the prospects for its continued development, helped EAJC leaders determine the main priorities of the congress.

Helping the weak and needy

Social projects in the Euro-Asian region have faced considerable financial and organizational difficulties associated with the spread of the pandemic. However, many have stepped up their efforts to support vulnerable people during this difficult time. Traditionally, EAJC leaders have provided emergency assistance to address the most pressing of problems.

Supporting Communal Priorities and Activities

Among the most significant findings from the study, “Jews of post-Soviet Euro-Asia” are the insights into the role of the Jewish community as being a source of Jewish identity and a powerful tool for the preservation and development of Jewish life in the region. At the moment, the congressional leadership is striving, with dedication and flexibility, to respond in a timely manner to the problems and challenges facing the Jewish communities. The world is dealing with a pandemic, and we all need to mobilize so that the communal life in the region does not fade away.

Countering Anti-Semitism

Most recently, we have heard of instances in different parts of the Euro-Asian region of the ugly face of anti-semitism popping up again. The EAJC continues to monitor and report such incidents to the public. We are constantly urging heads of state in the Euro-Asian region to take a firm stand and combat this shameful phenomenon. Our mission is to prevent any further growth of antisemitism in the region.

Making Jewish Life More Virtual

The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, like many other organizations operating with the support of the EAJC, intends to bring operations on the Internet to the next level. We have launched an “EAJC Online: section on our new website, which offers films, educational courses, lectures, articles as well as a variety of informative materials from the Institute of Euro-Asian Jewish Studies. In cooperation with the Shamir Publishing House, we have launched an online library that provides free access to the rare pieces of classic Jewish literature.

Now, more than ever, we need visionary decisions based on clear priorities and increased awareness of the given situation currently facing us all. Faith, cohesion, creativity, and modern technology will help us to resolve difficulties and to turn them into opportunities. I am deeply convinced that together we can face any challenges and overcome the global crisis, becoming even stronger.

Jewish life of Euro-Asian region in May: programs and events

Faith, cohesion, creativity, and modern technology help the EAJC communities and organizations overcome any difficulties, turning them into opportunities. We continue telling you about fascinating projects and events in the Jewish life of the Euro-Asian region.

 

All-Russian Union of Jewish Students (RUJS)

Young volunteers of the All-Russian Union of Jewish Students delivered grocery sets to elderly members of the Samara community in Moscow. The Representative Office of the Samara Region supported the charity action initiated and held by the Representative Office of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress in Russia.

The All-Russian Union of Jewish Students continues a series of online meetings, organized jointly with the Jewish Agency for Israel (Sokhnut).

The representatives of Sokhnut, Yuri Shakhar and Roman Polonsky informed the students about the internship and study opportunities in Israel, the Israeli medical insurance system, and the history of the 1990s post-Soviet aliyah. The managing partner of the Israeli investment platform JSCapital, chief editor of the IT Business Week magazine, Roman Gold told the participants about Israel’s unique innovation ecosystem.

 

Hillel Russia

With the beginning of the self-isolation regime, Hillel Russia continues to support Jewish youth by organizing educational activities, coordinating volunteer activities and targeted assistance programs while involving activists as project leaders.

Online Hebrew study groups have started in Moscow and St. Petersburg preserving the dynamics of traditional classroom learning. In Moscow, the Alpha+ program brought together newcomers and those continuing the fall course. In St. Petersburg, online Hebrew lessons for beginners have started.

Hillel Russia supports World War II veterans and Holocaust survivors while also engaging students in commemorative events dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazism.

In Khabarovsk and Yekaterinburg, volunteers delivered flowers and food packages to 58 veterans. In Yekaterinburg, young people gathered at ZOOM to sing their favorite songs from the World War II years together.

The World Shabbat, dedicated to the victory over Nazism, gathered 220 Russian-speaking students from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Azerbaijan. 

In Moscow, Hillel Russia gathered volunteers to decrypt documents, diaries, and letters collected by the Holocaust Foundation. In Yekaterinburg, the evening in memory of the Holocaust victims and heroes of the resistance concluded with a minute of silence.

 

Hillel CASE

As part of the Hillel Art Labs project, dozens of students took part in the workshops on creative thinking by the actress and director Julia Savina.

The regional Quiz Box games continue gaining popularity among the youth of Hillel. During this difficult period, the Quiz Box project, which combines fun and Jewish education, became the flagship and inspiration for other Jewish projects in the region. Dozens of teams from different countries take part in Quiz Box games.

Students of the CASE region took part in the World Shabbat initiative, which brought together Jewish youth from Khabarovsk to Baku. Over 170 connections in Zoom, over 100 views on FB.

The Limmud Brain Labs project attracted 35 teams and more than 150 participants to its traditional game.

The Be-in-Touch volunteer project has started helping single elderly members of the Jewish community, World War II veterans, and children with disabilities. The project operates in Minsk, Kiev, Dnieper, Kharkov, Odessa, and Lviv. Over the course of three months, students will deliver grocery packages as well as maintain regular communication with people who need support during this difficult period.

In total, over a thousand students take part in Hillel’s programs, including English and Hebrew study groups, educational and entertainment projects, quizzes, and flashmobs.

 

Representative office of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress in Central Asia (Mitsva Association)

The Torah study project “On the Road” continues its popular classes online. For more than 20 years, representatives of different generations have gathered to learn the wisdom of the Torah, and they didn’t stop now.

People from Kazakhstan, who had previously attended the classes at the Rimon Jewish Community Center, these days, resumed their participation online. Natalia Rynkovskaya, the longtime teacher of the project, notes that although classroom teaching is more effective, the recent online experience can be useful for conducting classes with an international audience.

The youngsters of the Pavlodar Jewish community were among the winners of the competition dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany. The young leaders of the Merkaz ethnocultural association were the best in the creative contest “In Memory of the War Heroes”.

Ten young activists of the Jewish community of Almaty took part in the international flashmob honoring the Jerusalem Day. 200 peers from the CIS countries confessed their love to the capital of Israel, the spiritual center of the Jewish people.

During a series of lessons about Ashkenazi Jewish culture, young community leaders acquainted the traditions of Eastern European Jews as well as the atmosphere of Jewish shtetls. In August, the School of Madrichs’s students will conduct community classes dedicated to the unique culture of the Eastern European Jewry.

For two months now, the Shaat Hebrew Club is holding its lessons online. The audience of the Club has expanded significantly, including not only Almaty residents but also representatives of other Kazakhstan Jewish communities.

Shavuot: Stories, Meanings, and Customs (video)

Shavuot commemorates the giving of the Torah and the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. Every year we relive that outstanding experience, learning the Torah and celebrating Shavuot as the meaningful and joyful Jewish holiday. Hag Shavuot Sameach!

EAJC President congratulated President and Premier Minister of Georgia on Independence Day

President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress Dr. Michael Mirilashvili congratulated Salome Zourabichvili, the President of Georgia, and Giorgi Gakharia, the Prime Minister of Georgia, on Georgia’s Independence Day.

A letter of congratulations to the President of Montenegro reads the following:

“Dear Madam President,

Please accept my heartfelt congratulations for the Independence Day of Georgia and the best wishes for the thriving of my beloved Motherland and wellbeing of its beautiful people.

Recently, you were honored in Israel for establishing a joint Israel-Georgia culture office and for your strong stance against antisemitism. Your words about the essential importance of remembrance, which prevents the repetition of the past, found resonance among many Israelis.

Your warm attitude towards the State of Israel and the Jewish community of Georgia means a lot to the leaders of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress. Let me assure you that you can always count on our sincere friendship”.

10th International Historical Conference to be held in Almaty

The 10th International Scientific-Practical Historical Conference, dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the victory in the Second World War and the 25th anniversary of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, to be held on September 23, 2020, in Almaty.

The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress is one of the organizers of the conference along with the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, the Archive of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the Mitzvah Association.

The International Scientific-Practical Historical Conference has been held since 2002 with a biennial periodicity, attracting prominent scientists from Central Asia, Belarus, Israel, Canada, Latvia, Russia, the USA, Ukraine, and other countries. 

Conference topics for 2020:

  • Evacuation and refugees to Kazakhstan and other countries of Central Asia and Western Siberia during the Second World War (1939–1945);
  • History of the Jews of Central Asia and Western Siberia.

For more information please contact [email protected], [email protected].

EAJC President congratulated President and PM of Montenegro on Independence Day

President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress Dr. Michael Mirilashvili congratulated Milo Đukanović, the President of Montenegro, and Duško Marković, the Prime Minister of Montenegro, on Montenegro’s Independence Day.

A letter of congratulations to the President of Montenegro reads the following:

Dear Mr. President,

Please accept my sincere congratulations for the Independence Day of Montenegro as well as my best wishes for the prosperity of your beautiful country and wellbeing of its people.

I cannot thank you enough for your support of the Montenegrian Jewish community and your strong leadership in opposing rising antisemitic discourse across Europe.

Your opening speech at the Mahar conference in Budva and your strong appeal to combat hatred and achieve mutual understanding and tolerance in society mean a lot to the leaders of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress. It is particularly important that your call will be heard by all.

Your Excellency, I am thrilled to see the smooth development of Montenegro-Israel relations and would be glad to meet you again in Israel. Please accept my cordial regards and the assurances of my highest consideration”, – states the congratulations letter of EAJC President.

Srećan Dan nezavisnosti, Montenegro!

Lag B’Omer: probably the most mysterious Jewish holiday (video)

Traditionally, the Lag b’Omer night in Israel is lit up by numerous bonfires. However, this time the bonfires are forbidden, and the holiday festival on Mount Meron will also be much more modest. 

As the anniversary of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai’s death, each year Lag B’Omer attracts upwards of a quarter of a million people who come to Mount Meron to visit his tomb.  

In 2020, due to the special circumstances, Israeli authorities allowed only three bonfires to be lit on Mount Meron. No more than 50 people equipped with a special pass will be able to participate in each ceremony.

All this is done in order to avoid crowding and quickly lead the country out of the pandemic crisis.

Stay healthy, dear friends! Happy Lag b’Omer!

Jewish leaders and diplomats lay wreaths at Memorial Candle Monument in Jerusalem

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]To mark the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazism, Russian Ambassador to Israel Anatoly Viktorov and President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) Dr. Michael Mirilashvili laid a wreath at the Memorial Candle Monument in Jerusalem.

Minister for Jerusalem, Environment, and Cultural Heritage, Zeev Elkin; Chairman of the Israeli Union of residents of besieged Leningrad, Emilia Larina; Chairman of All-Israeli Union of the Second World War veterans, Avraam Greenside; Director General of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, Dr. Chaim Ben-Yaakov; former Knesset deputy Leonid Litinetsky; former Knesset deputy Yigal Yasinov; representatives of KKL-JNF, and other guests of honor also attended the ceremony. In honor of Victory Day, ambassadors and employees of diplomatic missions of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova, and Uzbekistan also laid flowers at the monument.

Minister for Jerusalem, Environment, and Cultural Heritage, Zeev Elkin,  said: “Unfortunately, not everyone in the world today realizes the true meaning of victory in World War II. There are countries where they underestimate the role of the Red Army in the defeat of Nazi Germany. Israel is the only Western country where not only it is impossible to see such sad phenomena as the demolition of monuments, but, on the contrary, new monuments are being erected. For the Israeli government, the victory in World War II is the central issue of our heritage. We understand that our country would not exist if it were not for the victory in 1945. “

“On the day of the 75th anniversary of the great victory, we thank and honor all those that have served and fallen,” said EAJC President Dr. Michael Mirilashvili. “Victory Day is a celebration of the glory and valor of all peoples who defeated Nazism, and Today, our mission is to safeguard the historical truth and perpetuate the memory of heroes. While in some countries monuments are being demolished and lessons of history forgotten, we are building new memorials with the aim of passing the memory on to future generations and ensuring that such horrors never happen again.”

Chairman of All-Israeli Union of the Second World War veterans, Avraam Greenside said: “This monument marks not only the sorrow for the perished but also the joy for those who survived, for the city that defended its freedom in battles. This monument indicates that our peoples, united in a common struggle, had won.”

The Memorial Candle Monument unveiled on January 23, 2020, in Jerusalem, by Israeli and Russian top officials, is dedicated to the heroes of the Leningrad Siege. The initiative to raise the monument belongs to the Council of World War II Veterans and the Association of the Victims of the Leningrad Siege in Israel.

At the opening ceremony of the Memorial Candle Monument in the capital of Israel, the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress has launched a special program aimed at preserving historical memory and deepening mutual understanding between nations.[/vc_column_text][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”13170,13171,13172,13173,13174,13175,13176,13177,13178,13179,13180,13181,13182,13183,13184″ css=”.vc_custom_1589124863377{padding-top: 40px !important;}”][/vc_column][/vc_row]