In Israel, Victory Day on 9 May has historically been celebrated as an unofficial national remembrance day. Since 2017, Victory Day has been a national holiday of Israel.
Today, we honor the Jewish heroes who have sacrificed their lives for our future.
Many communities and organizations supported by the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress continue developing multifaceted online activity. Traditional Jewish values, such as love, mutual responsibility, helping the weak, as well as creative approach and modern technologies will help us overcome all difficulties.
Dear friends, your perseverance and professional attitude make a difficult time much easier. Together, we can be stronger for those who need us.
All-Russian Union of Jewish Students
The All-Russian Union of Jewish Students (RUJS) hosted an online meeting with a deputy of the Russian Duma, a member of the State Duma Committee on Health, Boris Mendelevich.
Professor of Tel Aviv University, Director General of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, Dr. Haim Ben Yaakov, discussed with students the relationship between Jews and Judaism, nationality and religion.
In cooperation with the Jewish Agency for Israel (Sokhnut), RUJS held a webinar on internships and studies in Israel. The new online project for spoken Hebrew study is well underway.
Hillel CASE
Hillel Kharkov launched a new regional project “Hillel is everywhere”. Participants share excerpts from their favorite books, quotes, nigunim, and Jewish wisdom on the project’s Telegram channel. Each week, the coordinator of educational programs presents a weekly Torah portion. The number of project participants is growing every day.
More than 400 students took part in an online lecture and conversation with the renowned psychologist Igor Geller. The Hillel Talks project also hosted online meeting with Nathan Sharansky.
The Quiz Box intellectual marathon attracted 85 Jewish teams from seven countries. Congratulations go to Nathan and his team (Kiev) on their victory!
The Kabbalat Shabbat ceremony brought together students from the CASE region: 10 online broadcasts, 5 countries, and more than 450 participants! Every Saturday, people share hundreds of photos of their Shabbat celebration, and the Minsk Hillel members even recorded a special Shabbat song.
48 new teams took part in the new and extremely successful Limmud Brain Labs project, which gathered about 300 participants.
Проект Кешер
Project Kesher, an international women’s organization with representation in five countries, has switched to distance learning and communication with its participants. Now, the L’Dor v’Dor webinars bring together Jewish mothers and daughters from Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.
Online classes, training, and masterclasses are aimed at strengthening family relations, Jewish learning, and community activism in local Jewish communities. The number of participants is growing from meeting to meeting.
Еврейская община Грузии
The Jewish Cultural and Educational Foundation (JCC Tbilisi) twice a week offers online lessons for kids by the Shalom Sesame program and the Mishpakha family club meetings, including Jewish learning and Hebrew lessons. The Jewish University classes have moved online and continued as scheduled.
The Jewish Youth Club arranges regular Zoom-meetings, and the School of Madrihim offers online lectures weekly. Sunday school and sports training also continue online.
Еврейская община Молдовы
The Jewish community of Moldova launched a new Telegram channel reporting about the communal social and charitable activities during the coronavirus shutdown. Here you can also find special safety instructions, addresses from Jewish leaders, community information, and world Jewish news.
Еврейская община Казахстана
The Jewish community of Kazakhstan holds competitive intellectual games attracting Jewish teams from five countries. The Shalom Family Club continues studying Jewish tradition online while the Rimon community center theater project is already rehearsing a mini-performance for the Shavuot celebration.
A young volunteer and entomologist, Innokenty Treskunov introduced his rich and unusual collection of insects to virtual visitors from Kazakhstan, Israel, Russia, Moldova, and Germany.
A virtual bakery, organized at the initiative of Almaty and Karaganda synagogues, gathered dozens of the Kazakhstan Jewish communities’ activists. As a sign of hope and solidarity during the coronavirus pandemic, each woman at her kitchen performed a mitzvah of separating challah from the dough. This beautiful ritual symbolizes victory over impurity.
President of the World Jewish Congress, Ronald S. Lauder congratulated Euro-Asian Jewish Congress President Dr. Michael Mirilashvili on his 60th anniversary.
“Wholeheartedly, I convey my deep and sincere appreciation for the outstanding and effective leadership you have provided the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress throughout your tenure. Your dedication and commitment to the World Jewish Congress and our affiliated Jewish communities have been felt around the globe.
There is no doubt that your devotion to the Jewish people and good works have left an indelible mark on our history, and I trust that your presence will be felt for many years to come.”
At the conclusion of his letter, President Lauder wished President Mirilashvili excellent health, boundless happiness, and success in his numerous endeavors.
The leaders, communities, and organizations of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress as well as state leaders of Israel and other countries, WWII veterans, international Jewish leaders congratulate the EAJC President Dr. Mikhail Mirilashvili on his 60th birthday and wish him success in his noble endeavors for the prosperity of the Jewish people and the State of Israel.
Michael Mirilashvili is a prominent philanthropist and visionary Jewish leader. Thanks to his genuine commitment and willingness to lend a helping hand in difficult times, the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress has become one of the largest international Jewish organizations, promoting the continuity of Jewish tradition and communal life in the Euro-Asian region.
Year after year, extending the international activity of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, Dr. Michael Mirilashvili meets with government leaders in multiple Euro-Asian countries, drawing their attention to the pressing issues currently on the agenda of local Jewish communities, Israel, and the entire Jewish world.
His continued commitment to Jewish spiritual values - freedom, love, mutual responsibility – evokes deep respect and serves as an example of selfless service to the Jewish people.
Till 120! Mazal tov, dear Michael!
Hatikvah is much more than a song. The State of Israel formally adopted it as its national anthem only in 2004. Until then, Hatikvah was functioning as an anthem by common voluntary practice rather than by the force of legislation.
Hatikvah is a symbol that has developed a variety of significations in performances carried out in different contexts and times. Despite the pandemic shutdown, young Jews from six countries joined in to sing Hatikvah and congratulate the State of Israel on its 72nd birthday. Thank you, Hillel CASE!
Hillel CASE unites one program center with 13 regional organizations, working with young Jewish adults in Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus. The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress is proud to support one of the FSU leading Jewish student organizations.
Euro-Asian Jewish Congress wishes a happy birthday to Lee Blumenthal, Executive director of the Jewish community of the Philippines.
Dear Lee, on behalf of the leaders and communities of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, please accept heartfelt congratulations on your birthday. We sincerely hope that despite the pandemic shutdown, you and your closed ones have found the way to make this day truly special.
Recently, the Jewish community of the Philippines joined the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, and we deeply appreciate your leading the way.
We at the EAJC have a strong faith and confidence in your leadership and your outstanding ability to enhance the prosperity of the Jewish community of the Philippines in the years to come.
We wish you good health and happiness, looking forward to working together for the benefit of the Philippines Jewish community as well as the Jewish people and the State of Israel.
In 1897, right after the First Zionist Congress, Theodor Herzl put down what is the most prophetic entry of his, if not of any, diary:
“At Basel, I founded the Jewish State. If I said this out loud today, l would be greeted by universal laughter. In five years perhaps, and certainly, in fifty years, everyone will perceive it.”
Exactly 50 years later – in 1947 – the UN adopted the resolution on the establishment of an independent Jewish state.
Now, 72 years after the Declaration, Israel is one of the world leading states!
Happy Independence Day!
On the 4th of Iyar, according to the Jewish calendar, the president of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, Dr. Michael Mirilashvili celebrates his anniversary. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent congratulations to the President of the EAJC, wishing him good health and continued success in all endeavors.
“I have always appreciated your hard work, both as a successful entrepreneur and as a Jewish philanthropist, always ready to help our people and country.
As a prominent businessman, you make a significant contribution to the economic power of Israel in various fields. While as the president of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, you contribute to the preservation of the national heritage, the development of the Jewish communities of Eastern Europe and Asia, as well as promoting the position of Israel in the international arena. This is a rare combination of material and spiritual values.
It was a pleasure meeting you at the solemn ceremony in Jerusalem, with the participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The monument we unveiled in memory of the defenders and residents of Leningrad during the Second World War, perpetuates the heroism of veterans, including the many Jews, who saved humanity and the Jewish people from destruction.
I know how much you value your Jewish-Georgian. This ancient community has always been distinguished for its compassion and commitment to Zionism. Recently, the 50th Anniversary of 18 Georgian Jewish families who contacted the UN to receive permission to make aliyah. These courageous Jews were able to break the first breach in the Iron Curtain, the fall of which led to the blessed mass aliyah to Israel.”
In the 1930s, Western countries, struggling with the global economic crisis, closed their doors on German and Austrian Jews who were persecuted by the Nazis.
At the same time, the Philippines did everything possible to rescue Jews. It is also the only Asian country to support the UN resolution on the establishment of the State of Israel.
While the Philippines’ diverse Jewry has considerably reduced over the years, it remains a vibrant and welcoming Jewish community.
In 1983, the Beth Yaacov synagogue was erected in downtown Makati, and the Jewish Association of the Philippines produces a monthly newsletter.
In 2020, the Jewish community of the Philippines joined the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress.
Today, on Yom Hasho’a, Israel’s Day of Remembrance of the Holocaust and Heroism, we bring to your attention a unique documentary in which former juvenile prisoners of the ghetto and concentration camps talk about their childhood.
The film’s uniqueness also lies in the fact that it was created by the 17-year-old high school student Grigoryi Mouromtsev, a grandson of Oleg Mortkovich, head of the Moscow Public Organization of Jewish former prisoners of the ghetto and Nazi concentration camps.
Mortkovich’s parents perished in the Vinnytsia region in 1943, and during the years of the fascist occupation, he was hidden in a cellar by Natalya Bondar who was later recognized as the Righteous Among the Nations.
The famous writer Alexander Gelman also reveals the story of his childhood years. The Gelman family was deported to the Bershad ghetto in Transnistria, and of the 14 members of the writer’s family, only he and his father survived.
Being an EAJC member, the International Public Organization of Jewish former juvenile prisoners of the ghetto and Nazi concentration camps provides medical and socio-psychological support to the Holocaust survivors, as well as to preserves and passes on the living memory of the Holocaust to the younger generation.
In these difficult days, operational headquarters have been set up to keep constant contact and provide support to the Holocaust survivors, many of whom need patronage.
You can also help and support the organization with a donation of any size holocaustwitnesses.com
We can count on a bright future only by relying on memory and constantly learning from our common history.
