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Euroasian Jewish News
32nd WUPJ International Convention / EAJC Participation Moscow, Russia, June 30 - July 5, 2005
08.07.2005 32nd WUPJ International Convention / EAJC Participation Moscow, Russia, June 30 - July 5, 2005
The 32nd World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ) International Convention was held on June 30 - July 5, 2005 in Moscow. WUPJ is one of the largest Jewish organizations in the world uniting the Reform Movement in Judaism. More than 400 delegates from 24 countries visited the Russian capital.
The representatives and members of Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) have participated in different forum workshops. EAJC Secretary General, Prof. Michael Chlenov was one of the keynote speakers.
In his speech following the address made by the WUPJ Honorary Life President, r. Richard Hirsch, who 16 years ago headed the reform movement delegation in the USSR and confirmed the success of this mission, M. Chlenov focused on the estimation of the WUPJ organizational and conceptual setbacks.
At the same time, as EAJC Secretary General pointed out, the presence itself of Union of Congregations for Modern Judaism in Russia (OROSIR) on behalf of WUPJ is a significant evidence of Jewish pluralism. He supported R. Hirsch in his attempt to improve the development of WUPJ activity. The audience gratefully welcomed both reports.
The Moscow Progressive Center Rabbi, r. Gregory Kotylar and the WUPJ Executive Director, r. Uri Regev expressed completely opposite views in their attitude towards sexual minorities. However they saw eye-to-eye commenting on the scandal around the publication of "Kitzur Shulhan Arukh". They argued that the publications provoking inter-religious discord are menace not only to the Jewish community, but also to peace in the world. U. Regev and his colleague appealed to the Russian authorities to investigate the sources of inter-religious discord.
The WUPJ Executive Director noted that the WUPJ is going to arrange the activities aimed at improving the inter-confession dialogue.
Greetings to the WUPJ International Convention were expressed by: the OROSIR Board of Patrons Chair Novruz Mamedov, the Congress of Jewish Religious Organizations and Associations in Russia (KEROOR) President Arkady Gaidamak, First Deputy of the Department for External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church, Father Vsevolod Chaplin, who read the welcoming note of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexey II, Vice-mayor of Moscow Michael Men, he announced the salutatory address from Mayor of Moscow Yury Luzhkov, The Russian Parliament Federation Council (Upper Chamber) Deputy Speaker Alexander Torshin, who ended his speech with "Mazl Tov!", US Ambassador to Russia Alexander Vershbow, who expressed his concern about the growth of anti-Semitism in Russia, and Israeli Ambassador to Russia Arkady Mil-Man, who emphasized that the on-going unilateral separation plan will demonstrate all the world the struggle of Israeli people towards peace.
R. Spektor, Head of the EAJC Public Relations and Media Department
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