Peace, prosperity, great success and prosperity of Georgia and the Georgian people. In recent years, Georgia has become a favorite vacation spot for Jews around the world, which has led to a special rapprochement between the Georgian and Jewish peoples.

Within a few years, the people of Georgia achieved great success in building a sovereign state. The well-being of the Georgian people, the standard of living in the country and the prestige of Georgia in the international arena are growing every year.

We are hopeful that Israel and Georgia and the peoples of these countries will follow the path of continuous development and strengthening of our relations on a sustainable and progressive basis.

On the May 23th, in the Verkhovna Rada a draft resolution was registered on the transfer of the Embassy of Ukraine to the State of Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Almost 70 deputies, representing almost all parliamentary factions of the Ukrainian parliament, came up with the initiative on the Resolution. Among them are Vadim Rabinovich, Borislav Bereza, Yuriy Bereza, Alexander Bryginets, Anton Gerashchenko, Alexey Goncharenko, Alexander Granovsky, Mikhail Dobkin, Igor Lutsenko, Georgy Logvinsky, Sergey Kaplin, Nikolai Kniazhitsky, Borislav Rozenblat, Alkesander Feldman and others.

The EAJC expresses confidence that such a friendly step as the transfer of the embassy to Jerusalem will serve to strengthen relations between countries and peoples in all areas of cooperation. The EAJC hopes that the Verkhovna Rada will consider the initiative of the deputies in the near future to take a positive decision on it.

May 19th, in Karaganda, in the synagogue “Chabad Lubavich Karaganda”, the opening ceremony of “Mikvah Israel” was held. Mikvah was built in memory of Israel ben Meir Grynshpun, a businessman and philanthropist, father of Emmanuel Grinshpun,  who assisted the Jews of the diaspora.

The ceremony was attended by the Vice-President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress Emmanuel Grinshpun, Ambassador of the State of Israel to the Republic of Kazakhstan Liat Vekselman and others Dear guests.

Mikva was built with the support of the Vice-President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, Emmanuel Grynshpun and the Keren Mikvaos Foundation.

19th – 21th May with the support of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, in Odessa, will be the 13th “Intellectual Wars 2019” festival.

Hillel’s Intellectual Wars is an unique educational project, was born in Odessa in 2007. The Hillel’s teams from the CASE region, Odessa’s Jewish organizations and teams from other cities and countries participate in the International Intellectual Games Tournament.

This year about 120 students from Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Poland, Israel and Russia will take part in the “Intellectual Wars”.

Representatives from Israel, Poland and the United States joined the teams from Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova and Russia.

Every year the level of the organization of the festival, the preparation of participants, the complexity of the questions become more and more quality. Besides various innovations, the festivals have become thematic. The theme of these festival – “Between the legendary lines.”

All participants will compete in knowledge of world and Jewish literature and can to know more about «Jewish» Odessa.

The delegation of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress took part in the opening ceremony of a new Jewish school in Tbilisi. The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress provided most of the total project value of $ 2.2 million.

The complex, which covers an area of ​​more than 3,700 square meters, was opened on May 2, and in September it will begin to serve the various educational needs of the Jewish community, with about 260 students.

Today about 4,000 Jews live in Georgia. The school will be one of the important symbols of the Jewish future in Georgia.

A delegation of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress and the World Jewish Congress led by EAJC President Mikhail Mirilashvili held warm and productive meetings Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze and the President Salome Zourabichvili.

Other members of the delegation included Robert Singer, WJC CEO & Executive Vice President, Aaron G. Frenkel, Chair of EAJC Governing Board, Temur Ben Yehuda (Khikhinashvili), EAJC First Vice President, Dr. Haim Ben Yakov, EAJC CEO, and Berel Lazar, the Head of the rabbinical Council of the CIS, the Chief Rabbi of Russia.

The talks focused on a range of topics, including the coexistence of Jews and Georgians for 2,600 years, their shared culture and value of tolerance, and the strong relations of the Georgian Jewish diaspora with the community that remains.

The delegations also discussed the excellent bilateral relations with Israel and the need to enhance it even further, and UNESCO’s recognition of the long Jewish presence in Georgia. They also spoke about tourism of Georgians in Israel, and Israelis in Georgia, and pride in the new Jewish school that recently opened in Tbilisi. The delegations also said that they were looking forward to enhancing business and economic opportunities of Georgia and Israel.

The delegation was also privileged to take part in the opening ceremony of the Jewish school in Tbilisi, which was funded by EAJC. The school will serve as a significant symbol of cultivating the Jewish future within Georgia

EAJC President Mikhail Mirilashvili: “it is heartwarming to see the strong relations of the Georgian government with Israel and world Jewry. Georgia has always been tolerant and welcoming to its Jewish population, which is greatly appreciated. EAJC will gladly support the initiative of commemorating Jewish life in Georgia together with WJC and UNESCO”.

EAJC Chair of the Governing Board Aaron G. Frenkel added: “we are pleased to learn of the enhancement of tourism, trade and commerce between Georgia, Israel, and the Jewish people, something which can set as an example to many more regions in the world”.

On the first leg of a visit to Central Asia this week, a Euro-Asian Jewish Congress – World Jewish Congress Delegation headed by Mikhail Mirilashvili, EAJC President, met today with Azeri President Ilham Aliyev. The delegation was also co-led by Robert Singer, WJC CEO & Executive Vice President and Aaron G. Frenkel, Chair of EAJC Governing Board.

Greeting the delegation, President Aliyev spoke of how the Jewish and Azeri people have had warm and close relations throughout history, recalling how many Jews found shelter in Azerbaijan during World War II. Today there are three Jewish communities living in harmony and with close relations in Azerbaijan: the Ashkenazi, Georgian and Bukharan Jewish communities, and the President noted his pleasure at the warm relations the government has with these communities. The meeting also included Ali Hasanov, Assistant to the President for Public and Politicial Issues, Head of Department, Temur Khikhinashvili, EAJC First Vice President, and Dr. Haim Ben Yakov, EAJC CEO.

EAJC President Mirilashvili spoke of the positive bilateral relations with Israel and thanked President Aliyev for this. The issue of opening an embassy in Israel was raised and the President responded that the issue was currently under discussion. Mr. Mirilashvili emphasized that Israelis and Jews from the diaspora are looking forward to bringing new initiatives and technologies to Azerbaijan, including in the fields of agriculture and medicine. Mr. Singer suggested the option of opening a representative office in Israel in the fields of culture, science and tourism, which the President found as a very good proposal and said he would positively consider this option.

Russian Chief Rabbi and Chair of the Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS Berel Lazar spoke of the flourishing Jewish life in Azerbaijan, with a thriving Jewish school and a new Mikve (ritual bath) being under construction. Coincidentally while the delegation was in Baku, the first ever Kosher restaurant in Azerbaijan was opened, which symbolizes the strong connection of Judaism with the Azeri people.

EAJC and WJC representatives both expressed their willingness to assist with all issues related the Jewish communities in Azerbaijan.

Other members of the delegation included Rabbi Shneor Segal, Alexander Sharovsky, Chair of the Jewish Community, Eugeny Brenneysen, Vice-Chair of the Jewish Community, Meny Bushuev, EAJC Treasurer and Itai Hacham, Political Officer to WJC CEO.

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met last Monday with a delegation of Jewish leaders from around the world led by President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) Michael Mirilashvili, EAJC Chairman of the Board Aaron G. Frenkel, EAJC Vice President Temur Ben Yehuda (Khikhinashvili) and the Head of the rabbinical Council of the CIS, Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar.

The parties noted that the Jewish community of Kazakhstan has been thriving and receiving all the support it needs from the government. The leaders urged President Tokayev to support Israel on the international stage and thanked the head of state for taking a firm stand in denouncing anti-Semitism and supporting the Jewish community.

At the meeting, the leaders discussed a wide range of issues pertaining to the current situation of the Jewish community and bilateral relations between Kazakhstan and Israel.

In addition to meeting with the President of Kazakhstan, the delegation of Jewish leaders also met with the country’s prime minister, Askar Mamin, who told the participants about his plans to visit Israel by official invitation of Prime Minister Netanyahu and expressed hopes for expanding bilateral trade between the two countries.

The delegation held business meetings with the Israeli ambassador in Kazakhstan, Liat Vekselman, as well as religious and secular leaders of Jewish communities from across Kazakhstan that receive the support and assistance from EAJC. Members of the delegation were invited to join a session of the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan.

After visiting Kazakhstan, the delegation headed to Azerbaijan for the next round of top-level talks.

Members of the delegation included EAJC CEO, Haim Ben Yakov, President of the Association of Jewish Communities of Kazakhstan – “Mitzvah,” Alexander Baron, and Chief Rabbi of Kazakhstan, Yeshaya Cohen.