The Consul General of the Czech Republic in Donetsk, Antonin Murgash, and the Vice-Consul for Economic Affairs, Ladislav Horák, paid a visit to Dnepropetrovsk. The dignitaries toured the central Golden Rose Synagogue as well as the construction site of the Menorah Jewish Center, which will be the world's largest Jewish center.
The director of the Dnepropetrovsk Jewish community, Zelig Brez told the distinguished guests about the history of the community and the synagogue. He spoke of the difficult path towards Jewish revival after Ukraine gained independence, and how it is that the community has become recognized as the leader of Jewish life in Ukraine.
Mr. Murgash noted that his family also has Jewish roots, and emphasized that the culture in the Czech Republic is generally characterized by a high degree of tolerance.
During the visit, the parties expressed a mutual desire to develop cultural ties, as well as a desire and willingness to participate actively in this process. The Czech diplomats expressed their admiration for the scale of construction of the Menorah Jewish Center and eagerly learned about how the future center will look and the role it will play. Mr. Murgash expressed regret that the center’s grand opening will only occur after his term as consul general, but he promised to visit Dnepropetrovsk to see the center once it is completed.