ÉVÉNEMENT
The European Jewish Parliament gathers in Poland for its General Assembly
EJP | 30 JANVIER 2013
The 120 Members of the European Jewish Parliament (EJP) from 47 countries gathered in Krakow, Poland, on January 28-29, where they held their first General Assembly of the year.
The gathering took place one day after International Holocaust Memorial Day marking the 68th anniversary of the Liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi Death Camp.
The General Assembly's sessions took place in Krakow's City Hall.
After the welcome greetings by Krakow Mayor, Mr Jacek Majchrowski, Israel's Ambassador to Poland Mr. Zvi Rav-Ner addressed the Assembly, commending the EJP's action in support of Israel within the European institutions.
Other guest speakers included Members of the Polish Parliament (Sejm) Ms. Beata Malecka-Libera and Mr. Jaroslaw Sellin, Holocaust survivor Mr. Emanuel Elbenger, Rector of Jagiellionian University Prof. Wojciech Nowak and Prof. Jan Hartman. Several Members of the Sejm, the Polish Parliament, and other Polish officials attended the plenary session.
EJP's General Assembly urged European leaders to combat anti-Semitism and racism, expressing growing concerns particularly at current developments in Hungary, with the rise of the extreme right anti-Semitic Jobbik party.
In this context, it was symbolically decided that the next EJP's General Assembly will take place in Budapest.
Separately, a parliamentary session was held between the EJP leadership and Members of the Sejm in order to define areas of cooperation between the two bodies. EJP has been invited to attend in May 2013 in Warsaw the Sejm's celebration of Israel's 65th anniversary.
During the 2-day meeting, MEJPs visited the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi death camp, together with the President of the European Jewish Union (EJU) Mr. Igor Kolomoisky.
Chief Rabbi of All-Ukrainian Jewish Community Shmuel Kaminetzky, Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Moshe-Reuven Azman and Chief Rabbi of Cyprus Arie Zeev Raskin recited prayers at the monument in the Birkenau death camp remembering the six millions Jews exterminated by the Nazis.
At the Gala Dinner closing the General Assembly, keynote speaker Polish Member of the European Parliament Michal Kaminski delivered a much applauded speech, denouncing traditional anti-Semitism as well as the new form of anti-Semitism of those who are "using the words human rights or democracy for attacking Israel in the European Parliament", and praising Israel's soldiers "who are defending not only Israel but also Europe, in the war against terrorism".
EJP Co-Chairman Joel Rubinfeld explained the choice of Krakow for the General Assembly: «Firstly, Poland was the cradle of Jewish life in Europe before World War II. Half of the Jews murdered during the Holocaust were Polish and most of the Nazi exterminations camps were in Poland. It is important to remember where we come from and not to forget the horrors of the Holocaust, that's why we choose this very symbolic location, next to the biggest Jewish cemetery of the history: Auschwitz. Secondly, we are witnessing a revival of Jewish life in Poland which EJP wants to support and encourage in gathering Jewish leaders from all over Europe in Krakow. And thirdly, organizing our General Assembly in Poland is a way to express our gratitude to the Polish authorities who demonstrated during the last years on numerous occasions their friendship towards the Jewish people and the State of Israel.»
EJP Co-Chairman Vadim Rabinovich said the choice of Budapest for the next European Jewish Parliament General Assembly «shows that we are willing to work together with the political leadership of countries in order to find solutions when serious problems of anti-Semitism are occurring.»
Tomer Orni, EJU CEO said: «The European Jewish Parliament is one of the most active and innovative political structures of European Jewry at present. We congratulate the Parliament for its achievements to-date.»
Initiated by the EJU and inaugurated one year ago in Brussels, the European Jewish Parliament is an innovative forum voicing the thoughts, beliefs and ideas as well as concerns of European Jews.
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DANS LA PRESSE
Polish MEP denounces ‘new anti-Semitism’ aimed at Israel
EJPRESS | 31 JANVIER 2013
A Polish member of the European Parliament denounced what he described as the «new kind of anti-Semitism» which is directed against Israel.
Addressing on Tuesday the General Assembly of the European Jewish Parliament (EJP) in Krakow, Poland, Michal Kaminski denounced the people «who are sometimes using the words human rights or democracy for attacking Israel in the European Parliament.»
«Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East and it is today the only country in which the Muslim Arab population can freely choose their representatives to the country’s Parliament (the Knesset),» he said.
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DANS LA PRESSE
Jewish Parliament concerned over anti-Semitism
THE JERUSALEM POST | 31 JANVIER 2013
The European Jewish Parliament expressed concern at growing anti-Semitism in Eastern Europe at its General Assembly in Krakow, Poland, this week.
Five Polish MPs, members of the European Parliament, professors from the city’s Jagiellonian University and representatives of Poland’s Jewish community took part in the assembly held on Monday and Tuesday in Krakow’s city hall.
The assembly called on EU leaders to take strong measures to ensure the security and safety of Jews living in Europe in view of the increase in anti- Semitism and the rise of far-right parties such as Jobbik in Hungary and Svoboda in Ukraine.
(...) Joel Rubinfeld, co-chairman of the European Jewish Parliament, told The European Jewish Press that the Jewish Parliament members consider fighting anti-Semitism the most important current issue and that he has recently seen an increase in the number of anti- Semitic incidents, including in Western European countries such as France and Britain.
“The best way to avoid tragedies repeating themselves is to learn from the mistakes of the past. We will devote time and energy needed to try to reverse this extremely dangerous situation,” Rubinfeld said.
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DANS LA PRESSE
Zydowski parlament obraduje w Krakowie
GAZETA KRAKOWSKA | 29 JANVIER 2013
Europejski Parlament Zydowski (EJP) rozpoczal wczoraj swoje obrady w sali obrad krakowskiej rady miasta. To nowa instytucja powolana przez Europejska Unie Zydow, a wyloniona w drodze glosowania internetowego. Pomyslodawca powolania takiej instytucji byl Szimon Peres, prezydent Izraela. W parlamencie zasiada 120 poslow z 45 krajow calego kontynentu. Dzialalnosc parlamentu finansuje ukrainski miliarder Igor Kolomoisky.
(...) Poslow powital prezydent Jacek Majchrowski, ktory wskazal na wielowiekowa tradycje tolerancji i wielokulturowosci Krakowa. Wspolprzewodniczacy parlamentu Joel Rubinfeld (Belgia) mowil o trzech powodach zorganizowania sesji wlasnie w Krakowie. Pierwszy to fakt, ze Polska byla przed II wojna swiatowa centrum zycia zydowskiego. Drugi to odradzanie sie tutaj tego zycia obecnie. A po trzecie, Polska od kilkudziesieciu lat jest przyjacielem panstwa Izrael - podkreslal.
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DANS LA PRESSE
Dorthin, wo es weh tut
TACHLES | 1 FÉVRIER 2013
Ein Jahr nach seiner Gründung tagte das European Jewish Parliament erstmals in Polen. Während man auch zukünftig wechselnde Veranstaltungsorte erwägt, ist die Beziehung zu etablierten jüdischen Vertretungen nach wie vor schlecht.
Kultur anstatt Folklore Das EJP möchte das Judentum in Osteuropa revitalisieren
Es war eine Premiere mit Symbolkraft: Erstmals trafen sich die 120 Mitglieder des European Jewish Parliament (EJP) ausserhalb Brüssels. Die turnusmässige Vollversammlung kam zu Wochenbeginn im Stadthaus von Krakau zusammen. Im Rahmenprogramm standen Treffen mit dem Bürgermeister der polnischen Metropole und Abgeordneten des polnischen Unterhauses Sejm sowie ein Besuch in Auschwitz anlässlich des Jahrestags der Befreiung. Der Veranstaltungsort spiegelt die Arbeitsweise des Parlaments wider, dessen erstes Jahr von zahlreichen diplomatischen Initiativen und besonderer Aufmerksamkeit für Osteuropa geprägt war.
EJP-Vizepräsient Joel Rubinfeld war nach Ablauf der Versammlung «vollauf zufrieden». Das Treffen sei «ertragreich» gewesen, so Rubinfeld zu tachles, und die Diskussionen verliefen in «respektvoller und professioneller» Atmosphäre. Neben der Vollversammlung teilt sich das EJP in acht Komitees, die in Krakau über ihre Arbeit berichteten und neue Projekte vorstellten. Die Generalversammlung erörterte das weitere Vorgehen des stark nach aussen gerichteten Parlaments. Die Gedenkfeier in Auschwitz nannte Rubinfeld «schwer», denn für mehrere Abgeordnete sei es ihr erster Besuch dort gewesen.
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