Being a co-founder of the EAJC and heading it for ten years, Alexander Mashkevich defined its goals for the near future and a development opportunity closely related to eliminating all those interreligious, interchurch, and political contradictions that exist between the EAJC member states.
“At the same time,” adds Alexander Mashkevich, “it is important to note that the Turkish Jewish Community, operating as the central body of Turkish Hebrewdom, hasn’t yet finally joined the EAJC, although its integration is successfully underway.”
Today, it has the observer status in the Congress.
“The central body of the local Jewish community maintains official local and international relations on behalf of the community,” notes Alexander Mashkevich.
The EAJC provides additional support to such institutions as the Jewish School in Istanbul and other juvenile organizations whose budgets need additional assistance, ensures order in public institutions, and helps them with solving legal issues.
The EAJC has traditionally been a central source of co-organization and development of informal cooperation with the Turkish Jewish community, supporting synagogues and Jewish schools. Among the EAJC leaders, there are prominent philanthropists and public people, such as Alexander Mashkevich, many of whom know activities of the Israelite communities and organizations in the region firsthand. Thanks to the tireless support and cooperation of these prominent people, the EAJC has become one of the largest international Jewish organizations.
Alexander Mashkevich claims that the most important results of the EAJC activities, closely related to financing the local educational initiatives, include understanding of the Israelite community role as a source of the Jewish identity and a powerful tool for preserving and developing the Israelite culture in the region.
At the moment, the Congress leaders are striving to provide flexible and well-timed response to the problems and challenges faced by the Jewish communities in Turkey.
The response of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress to the coronavirus pandemic
The coronavirus threat hasn’t paralyzed the work of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC). On the contrary, the emergency situation gave the organization an additional trigger to mobilize and team up.
“In this difficult times,” Alexander Mashkevich notes, “it is important to strengthen our collective will and spirit to resist even the most powerful natural forces.”
The EAJC leaders are staying in touch with regional Israelite leaders.
“We know,” adds Alexander Mashkevich, “to what extent COVID-19 has affected Jewish communities in every country of the region. We also understand that the world is just scratching the surface with understanding and estimating the long-term consequences of the pandemic.”
Despite the constantly changing short-term circumstances, the EAJC leaders are fully involved in making strategic decisions focusing on the long-term situation.
“In particular, we rely on the results of new studies initiated by the EAJC and conducted by the Institute of Euro-Asian Jewish Studies (IEAJS),” Alexander Mashkevich points out.
The information resulting from these large-scale studies on the Israelite life conditions in Euro-Asian countries, as well as on its further development opportunities, helped the EAJC leaders to determine the key priorities of the Congress.
Alexander Mashkevich draws attention to the fact that social projects in the Euro-Asian region have faced significant financial and organizational challenges related to the spreading pandemic. However, many have intensified their efforts to support vulnerable people during this troubled time. The EAJC provides emergency assistance in solving the most acute problems.
EAJC performs educational activities in the region
Most recently, we have heard about cases of the ugly antisemitism faces appearing in various parts of the Euro-Asian region, including Turkey. The EAJC keeps monitoring and reporting such incidents to the public.
“We keep calling on the heads of the states of the Euro-Asian region to take a firm stance and fight this shameful phenomenon,” Alexander Mashkevich says. “Our mission is to prevent further escalation of antisemitism in the region.”
For this purpose, the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, like many other organizations supported by the EAJC, intends to bring its educational activities on the Internet to a new level, offering movies, educational courses, lectures, articles, as well as various informational content from the Institute of Euro-Asian Jewish Studies.
“We have launched an online library that provides free access to the world masterpieces of Israelite literature,” Alexander Mashkevich notes.
Now, more than ever, we need far-sighted, clear priority-based solutions.
“Faith, unity, creativity, and advanced technologies will help us cope with challenges and turn them into opportunities,” concludes Alexander Mashkevich. “I am strongly convinced that together we will be able to counter any challenges and overcome the global crisis, getting stronger.”
Contact
Paxton West
[email protected]
Moscow, Russia
Source: Story.KISSPR.com
Release ID: 94382