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Euroasian Jewish News
Euro-Asian Jewry intensively searched for new post-empire survival model, some kind of new Jewish "vertical of authority&qu
23.02.2004
For a long time it was considered, that collapse of the USSR in 1991 made impossible creation of united community of post Soviet Jewry. In spite the fact that the constituent assembly of all-union association of Jewish organizations – the Vaad of the USSR had passed two years before, many Jewish leaders, having perceived these initiatives as "a vestige of totalitarism", decided to develop communal life within the bounds of new independent states.
But it failed to be realized. As well as any other artificially divided organism Soviet Jewry plunged into chaos in the beginning of the 90-ies. Shortage of means and organizational resources on periphery resulted in increase of emigration. At the same time serious struggle between new leaders of "the Jewish street" has begun in the center. This opposition, having split communal the life, resulted in decrease of trust on the part of the power and international Jewish organizations.
Jews of Asia-Pacific region have faced the similar difficulties, though their form wasn’t so sharp. British and others colonial of empires collapsed and they have become involuntary victims. In general main institutions of global Jewry have no intention to deal with problems of their compatriots somewhere in French Polynesia. Problems of Israel and large communities of the USA, Western Europe or Latin America were first on their agendas.
 So, a systemic crisis of Jewish Diaspora has developed in extensive space from Bulgaria to New Zealand, which has even called in question the existence of Jewish communities in many states around the globe. Euro-Asian Jewry intensively searched for new post-empire survival model, some kind of new Jewish "vertical of authority". This search resulted in creation of Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC), headed by Alexander Machkevich, EAJC President.
One can hardly find a lot of leaders, whose way of life is devotion to traditions and ideals of their nation, among Jewish beau monde well known for Russians. Alexander Machkevich belongs to this small cohort.
For the first time little Sasha get in touch with Jewish life in Vitebsk synagogue, where his grandfather brought him. However Machkevich was born not in Belarus, but in Kirgizia, where his parents moved during the war. EAJC President to-be devoted his doctoral thesis to destiny of evacuated children, among which a lot of Jews were.
After becoming one of the youngest candidates of sciences in the Soviet Union, Alexander Machkevich, started teaching work. It also corresponded to Jewish tradition. Dean Machkevich indefatigably shared own knowledge with his students and colleagues, thus adhering the principle of "tikkun olam" – a concept of repairing the world through social action.
When imperfection of the first reforms condemned millions of Soviet people to poverty and compelled resettlement, Alexander Machkevich, who moved to Alma-Ata, started his business. And it was his Jewish education that made him change his professional field. Business activity helped to ensure worthy existence to family even in the hardest after-perestroyka years. It was time when Machkevich made his first, anonymous charity donations to support Hebrew community of Kazakhstan.
Zealous following to noble traditions of the ancestors brings harmony in soul and prosperity in the house for a man. Today Alexander Machkevich is the first-rate Kazakhstan businessman, head of Eurasian Industrial Association (EIA). Enterprises of the EIA, which structure includes metallurgical plants, ore dressing industrial complex, coal deposits, power plants, transport companies and banks, give work to thousands people. Spirit of social partnership is in any workshop or office of the association: the workers are paid worthy salary, protection of their life and health are of primary importance – this is the way of conduct prescribed by millennial wisdom of Israeli people. For merits in revival and development of Kazakhstan economy president Nursultan Nazarbaev awarded "Kurmet" medal to the EIA chief.
But, the businessman has never forgotten about needs of his people even being extremely engaged in business. Active workers of the community independently discovered name of their main donor and offered him to occupy the post of the President of the Jewish Congress of Kazakhstan (JCK). It took a lot of time for Machkevich to consider this offer, and he agreed only because he knew: in critical conditions of reforms Jewish revival badly needs the best managers, and all of them were in business or civil service, not aspiring to come back in public life. "Who except me?" – Machkevich asked the JCK Constituent Congress, and not having received the answer, he realized, that he had got two works instead of one.
Building synagogues in those Kazakh cities, where they never existed, buying matzoth in Israel for the Passover (Pesach - Hebrew Easter) and providing grants for talented students, JCK chief found out that a number of important for national revival tasks are impossible to execute working at Kazakhstan level only.
First meetings with the leaders of Jewry from neighbor states showed that basic problems hindering survival of the communities in epoch of globalization were absence of internal unity, and insufficient level of dialogue with the authorities and adherents of the other traditional confessions.
Association according to the issues that did not cause disagreements seemed to be the only way out. And this strategy has brought remarkable results.
Within the framework of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress conformists and reformists of Judaism, Zionists and supporters of further life in Diaspora, international organizations and communities from the conflicting countries etc. could unite. So the principle of common work based on recognition of pluralism concerning forms of existence allowed communities overcoming crisis find confidence through membership in new "Jewish vertical". Initiator of its creation, Alexander Machkevich, elected EAJC President, headed post-empire Jewish project by right.
Since the first days of activity the Congress began to solve the tasks it faced. Besides financial support to small communities, realization of research and educational programs, from the very beginning EAJC President started to build partnership relations with a the governments and people of the states, where the Congress works.
The dialogue, in general, opens door to mutual understanding. Machkevich’s work in this direction has confirmed this general law. Together with Nursultan Nazarbaev, President of Kazakhstan, chief of the EAJC brought interfaith dialogue out on a global level.
The First International Conference of Peace and Consent in Almaty and the Congress of Global and Traditional National Religions in Astana were held with active participation of the EAJC. Presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan, Afghanistan and Turkey and High Moslem Hierarchs from the Central Asia together with leaders of main US Jewish organizations and representative delegation of the EAJC signed a number of agreements, condemning terrorism and emphasizing absence of antagonistic contradictions between Judaism and Islam.
Negotiations between Yona Metzger, Chief Rabbi of Israel, and authoritative representatives of Moslem clergy representing Iran and Arabian states were held during the Congress in Astana. Maybe, this peace dialogue will facilitate a way to mutual understanding in the Middle East.
The initiatives by Alexander Machkevich strengthened positions of the Congress in the Jewish world. EAJC has acquired partners not only in the person of the World Jewish Congress (WJC), continental branch of which the Congress is, but also among leaders of such structures, as: World Zionist Organization (WZO), United Jewish Communities (UJC) USA, American Jewish Committee (AJC), the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, European and Latin American Jewish Congresses, the South African Jewish Community, etc. President of the EAJC had official audiences with: Moshe Katsav, president of Israel; Ariel Sharon, Prime Minister of Israel; Hillary Clinton, US Senator; Vaira Vike-Freiberga, President of Latvia, etc.
As a result of Alexander Machkevich’s constant work to expand sphere of the EAJC’s responsibility after Jewish organizations from all 12 countries of the CIS, Australia, India, Mongolia and Japan, communities from Bulgaria and New Zealand joined the Congress. List of international organizations EAJC members, has replenished with such authoritative ones, as: the World Congress of Mountain Jews (WCMJ), World Congress of Georgian Jews, International Jewish Sports Movement "Maccabi", International Jewish Female Organization "Hava", etc.
So, "Jewish vertical " is being built quite successfully. One of the most ancient nations of the planet achieved new chance in Eastern Europe, Euro-Asia and Asia-Pacific region, where EAJC works. Conducting constant dialogue with governments and peoples of the countries in the region, the Congress became an active element of new geopolitical reality.
Today, when Alexander Machkevich, celebrates 50 years jubilee, very much depends on his decisions. Jewish education and adherence to the tradition made Machkevich socially responsible businessman and authoritative public leader. Let the experience and wisdom of the ancestors strengthen the EAJC President in his aspiration to improve morality in our world and realize "tikkun olam" at a global level.
Mazl tov - Good luck, Alexander Machkevich!
Political magazine "Vertical of Authority"
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