EJC announcement, 26.6.2023: The European Jewish Congress (EJC) expresses its deep concern about the growing nationalism and anti-Semitism in Bulgaria and condemns the attacks on the "Shalom" Organization of Jews in Bulgaria, which officially represents the Jews of Bulgaria and is a member of the EJC.
The statements of the head of the far-right nationalist party "Vazrazdane" Konstantin Konstantinov that the president of "Shalom", professor Alexander Oskar, as well as the members of the Jewish community of Bulgaria, are "Nazis and fascists" show the most vicious form of modern anti-Semitism.
Members of the "Vazrazdane" party have also expressed other forms of anti-Semitic rhetoric, including claims that Bulgarian Jews are disloyal to the country and prioritize foreign interests. Furthermore, they refer to Bulgarian Jews as if they were foreign citizens, implying that they should be careful about how they behave.
More: EJC CONDEMNS VERBAL ATTACKS ON BULGARIA'S JEWISH COMMUNITY
The following text is the memorandum of agreement signed in Sofia on 12.6.2023, in the context of a meeting organized by the WJC, attended by representatives of the Jewish communities of North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia.
The history of the Balkan peninsula, where different nations and minorities lived together, is a history of thousands of years. Over the centuries, as a people, we have experienced great conflicts that have led to human tragedies, but at the same time there have been examples of harmonious coexistence, tolerance and solidarity.
This year we, the Jewish communities of four different countries, are commemorating 80 years since the conflicting events of the past happened. We understand why it is so important that these facts are taught to society, as well as to the new generation. That is why today we stand united, with our shared history as our foundation, as well as our responsibility to preserve the memory of the Shoah and to recognize the shared threats and opportunities that present themselves.
We, the undersigned, democratically elected representatives of the Jewish communities in our countries:
Professor Alexander Oscar, President of the "Shalom" Organization of Jews in Bulgaria
David Saltiel, President of the Central Jewish Council of Greece
Pepo Levi, President of the Jewish Community of North Macedonia
Alexander Albahari, President of the Jewish Community of Serbia.
More: MEMORIAL TO PRESERVE THE HISTORY OF THE HOLOCAUST IN THE BALKANS
On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel, the annual world conference of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) took place in Israel from June 11 to 14, 2023, in which more than 1.500 delegates from 60 countries participated, mainly from the USA, including 400 young people between the ages of 18 and 30.
During the Conference, the participants had the opportunity to visit characteristic sights of Israel, in order to feel and understand the pulse of the country.
The main topics of the Conference, where the greetings, presentations, presentations and roundtables were mainly focused on the nuclear threat of Iran, the growing anti-Semitism in the USA and Europe and how to deal with it, the internal situation after the recent developments from the any amendments and changes to the judicial code and the effects on the wider Jewish family, Israel's relations with the Jewish diaspora, yesterday, today and tomorrow.
The International March of the Living participated in this year's Holocaust Survivors' Day which took place on June 4, 2023.
The International March of the Living in collaboration with the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth commemorated this day by creating a special edition entitled "We survived", which includes moving images, interviews and quotes from the 40 Holocaust survivors who participated in the March of the Living in 2023 from Auschwitz to Birkenau for Yom Ashoah.
The photographs published in the 'We Survived' volume were all taken by award-winning Israeli photojournalist Ziv Koren in Poland during this year's March of the Living.
The book is available online and you can view it HERE.
*Translated from website motl.org
More than 10.000 visitors attended this year's New York Hellenic Jewish Festival, organized for the eighth year in a row by Kehila Kedosha Janina, flooding 280 Broome Street, home of the KKJ Synagogue and Museum. Songs and traditional dances, Greek food, Jewish Romanian history, art and tradition became for one more year the focus of interest in the American metropolis. Personalities, including the Mayor of New York Eric Adams, attended the Greek Jewish Festival, welcomed the initiative and took a guided tour of the Museum of Gianniotiki Keila.