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Euroasian Jewish News
On May 18, 2004, The Congress of Ukrainian Jews began its work in Kiev. Alexander Machkevich, president of the Euro-Asian Jewish
18.05.2004
On May 18, 2004, The Congress of Ukrainian Jews began its work in Kiev. Alexander Machkevich, president of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, delivered a welcome speech to the Congress and its chief organizer - Vadim Rabinovich, head of the All-Ukrainian Jewish Congress, via videoconference:
Dear colleagues and friends!
 I welcome the you to the Congress of Ukrainian Jews on behalf of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, which unites Jews on three continents!
The history of Ukrainian Judaism began many centuries ago. Communities in Crimea and settlements on the Dnipro, the legendary Vaads and agricultural colonies, Yiddish culture and the movement for aliyah to Israel - are just several points of our history, which reflect the formation of one of the most powerful Jewish Diasporas of the world in Ukraine.
Ukrainian Jews are known not only in the countries where our Euro-Asian Jewish Congress works, but they are also well known all over the world. While many of the founding fathers of modern Israel, state and public figures of the United States and Russia, and businessmen and philanthropists of a global scale are their descendants.
I am glad that many of these people continue to work for the good of the Ukrainian Jews. In addition, I want to welcome those participants of the congress, who represent Ukrainian governmental bodies. The Ukrainian state has protected Jewish heritage since the first days of independence, and has begun a dialogue with all the traditional ethnic and religious communities living in Ukraine - the course of which our Euro-Asian Jewish Congress realizes at a global level.
I am certain that this forum will become a new stage on the way to Jewish unity, both on the national, and international stage. Let your Congress serve to further consolidate the Ukrainian Jews and the strengthening of the Ukrainian statehood.
I wish all of you good health, a great capacity for work, patience and many successes!"
Alexander Machkevich,
President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress
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