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Euroasian Jewish News
Beit Bella synagogue - the only one in modern Estonia - was opened in Tallinn.
18.05.2007
On Wednesday, May 16, Beit Bella synagogue - the only one in modern Estonia - was opened in Tallinn. The building, which served as a synagogue in the beginning of the 20th century, was destroyed during WWII.
The ceremony was attended by a group of guests, which included World Jewish Congress (WJC) and Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) Vice-President Alexander Bronstein, who made the main contribution to the construction of the synagogue, EAJC President Alexander Machkevitch, European Jewish Congress (EJC) President Pierre Besnainou and National Conference on Soviet Jewry (NCSJ) Executive Director Mark Levin (USA).
Ceremony in Tallinn was also attended by Rabbi-in-Chief of Israel Yona Metzger, Deputy Prime Minister of Israel Shimon Peres, members of Knesset Michael Nudelman (Kadima), Rober Ilatov and Yosef Shagal (Yisrael Beitenu), Rabbi-in-Chief of Russia (FJCR) Berel Lazar and Vaad of Russia Vice-President Roman Spektor. Ukrainian Jewry was represented by the Chairman of the General Council of EAJC and Vaad of Ukrain Yosef Zisels.
"Estonia, which is undergoing a difficult process of strengthening its statehood, has shown today that it values and respects the principles of tolerance, interethnic and interfaith dialogue," Mashkevitch told reporters, especially pointing out that Tallinn ceremony was attended by the President of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Prime Minister of Estonia Andrus Ansip, Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Paet and Mayor of Tallinn Edgar Savisaar.
Beit Bella synagogue has been named in honor of Alexander Bronstein's mother. On the eve of the opening ceremony officials and foreign delegations were escorted by the Rabbi-in-Chief of Estonia Efraim Shmuel Kot to the territory of former Klooga concentration camp. During WWII the camp was used by Nazis to kill thousands of Estonian Jews and their tribesmen from other European countries. Visitors laid wreaths and said memorial prayers.
"I hope that the memory of our innocent compatriots, which is carefully preserved by the Estonian state and people, will help to stop the spread of so-called "new anti-Semitism" in the European Union, of which Estonia is now a member," the president of EAJC stressed.
mosnews.com
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