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Euroasian Jewish News
Russian Orthodox Church Awards Euro-Asian Jewish Leader.
17.01.2007
 A top cleric of the Russian Orthodox Church has handed the order of Saint Sergiy of Radonezh to the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) President Alexander Machkevitch, Russian internet news agency Lenta.ru reported on Tuesday.
The ceremony took place in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. Antoniy, the Archbishop of Urals and Guriyev decorated the leader of the largest Jewish organization of the continent, Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) President Alexander Machkevitch with the church order of Saint Sergiy of Radonezh of the second degree, the agency reported quoting EAJC press-center.
The Jewish leader got the Russian Orthodox Church award for his longtime contribution into the development of the dialogue between races and religions as well as for his help in construction of the Temple of St Nicholas, the Metropolitan of Almaty of the Urals Eparchy in the town of Aqtobe in Kazakhstan.
While speaking at the ceremony, Archbishop Antoniy emphasized that Machkevitch had been regularly supporting the construction of prayer houses for various confessions, including mosques, synagogues and Russian orthodox churches.
In his turn, the leader of the EAJC emphasized that decorating a Jewish leader with a Russian Orthodox order in Muslim Kazakhstan testifies to the high level of tolerance of the Kazakh people. "It has become a reality due to the policy of the Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and the many centuries experience of coexistence of all ethnic entities of Kazakhstan," Machkevitch told the press.
He also pointed out that the dialogue with the Russian Orthodox Church has always been and still remains one of the main objectives of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, which is headed by Machkevitch. "It is a great honor for me to be decorated by the Russian Orthodox Church - one of the leading Christian churches on the planet, but it is also a great responsibility," the EAJC President said. "Together we will not allow any confrontation between Russian Jews and other peoples in the post-Soviet states. Together we will continue our peaceful and productive dialogue."
MOSNEWS.COM
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