Euroasian Jewish News

Participants. Far right - Head Rabbi of Russia Adolph Shaevich, second left- mayor of Moscow Yuri Luzhkov

EAJC President Participates in Meeting of European Rabbis with Moscow Mayor

On December 1-2, events of the Conference of European Rabbis have taken place in Moscow with the support of the EAJC. As part of the program events, a meeting at the Large Choral Synagogue between the members of the Permanent Committee of the Conference and the Mayor of Moscow Yuri Luzhkov. Among those who took part in the meeting were EAJC President Alexander Mashkevich, Deputy Chairman of the EAJC Rabbi Council, Head Rabbi of Russia Adolph Shaevich, and the Secretary General of the Council, Head Rabbi of Moscow Pinchas Goldshmidt, and Minister withour Portfolio Meshulam Nahari. In his speech at the meeting, the Moscow mayor happily reminded everybody that he is one of the first mayors on the territory of the former Soviet Union who regularly lights the first Hanukkah candle. Luzhkov also underscored the necessity for vigilance, because even before the 65th anniversary of the victory over Nazism there are powers in the world who would change the outcome of the Second World War, in particular, who would diminish the tragedy of the Holocaust. According to the mayor, the current President of Iran Mahmud Ahmadinedzhad should understand that he is going against world-recognized opinion in his statements that the Holocaust did not take place.
Yuri Luzhkov also noted a meeting that took place several hours earlier between the EAJC leadership, the delegation of the Conference of European Rabbis, and the Patriarch of Moscow and All of Russia Cyril, and underscored the fact that the principles of tolerance announced by the primate of the Russian Orthodocx Church are common to all spiritual and political leaders of Russia.
At the end of the meeting, Alexander Mashkevich noted, “The EAJC is deeply grateful to the leadership of Moscow for the comfortable conditions in which the Jewish community of the Russian capitol resides. We are grateful for the practical contribution of the Moscow leadership into the development of Jewish education and Jewish spiritual life. Whenever I am in Moscow, I am constantly reassured of the fact that the policy of peace between peoples and confessions is a basic principle of action for the leadership of the Russian capitol.”