On February 6-9, 2014, the Annual Conference of Leaders of Jewish Organizations and Youth Leaders of Kazakhstan took place in Almaty (Kazakhstan).

In his speech, the Chairman of the Mitzvah Association of Jewish Communities of Kazakhstan Council, EAJC Presidium member Alexander Baron noted: “It has been a year since we’ve last met. It has been a year of great deeds, despite the hardships that we have had to overcome. Today the Jewish community of Kazakhstan is on the rise, and we are holding our own serious costly projects. We held a Youth Forum together with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee - a huge Family camp. We’ve risen higher on the international arena. Our community is part of the World Jewish Congress, we have representatives in the Presidium of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, have a deputy place in the Jewish Parliament of Europe. I am personally proud of speaking at international forums about Kazakhstan, and that I have Kazakhstan’s flag in front of me. I had been given a high honor by the President by being chosen as his Deputy at the People’s Assembly of Kazakhstan, but I believe that it hadn’t been my personal virtue that earned my this honor. It was the virtue of our entire community, which has taken its well-deserved place among the other communities of Kazakhstan.”

Opening addresses were also given by Ambassador of the State of Israel to the Republic of Kazakhstan Eliyahu Tasman, representative of the Almaty City Hall Margarita Aubakirova, American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee representative Ilana Levi, and other.

Panels were held on important community building issues, as well as presentations, discussions on projects, and interactive games.

The participation of young community members had been especially important at the event. When summarizing the conference, all present noted the wonderful organizational skills of the Almaty Chesed and the youth who had taken an active part in preparing the celebrations.