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Euroasian Jewish News
Jewish diplomatic mission in Georgia / EAJC.
20.02.2008
On September 13 a joint diplomatic mission of Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) headed by Alexander Machkevitch and Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations headed by Malcolm Hoenlein started its work in Tbilisi. For the first time more than one hundred Jewish leaders from Eurasia and America visited Georgia. The delegation laid a wreath to the memorial of heroes who fought for Georgian independence.
Joseph Zisels led several sessions of EAJC General Council, where the leaders exchanged opinions on the main issues of Jewish life in the Eurasian countries, paying special attention to the problem of Ashkenazi synagogue in Tbilisi. Georgian leaders promised to restore its status. On the joint session of General Council and American leaders the EAJC Secretary General Mikhail Chlenov awarded EAJC medals and diplomas to Guram Batiashvili and rabbi Ariel Levin for their contribution to the development of Jewish life in Georgia.
 Intense program included meetings with President Mikhail Saakashvili who, to the mutual joy, declared that his personal hero is David Ben-Gurion and that he feels himself at home in Israel; Speaker of the Parliament Nino Burdzhanadze who recalled the letter of 18 Georgian Jews, which triggered repatriation of Jews from the former USSR; Prime minister Lado Gurgenidze and major ministers of his cabinet: conflict settlement minister Teimuri Yakobashvili, ministers of foreign affairs, defense, economic growth, energy, Euro-Atlantic integration, education; chairmen of the committees of the Georgian Parliament, ombudsman Sozar Subari. The meetings professed the love of the Georgians to the Jews who inhabit Georgia for more than 26 centuries.
Special attention was paid to the meetings with Patriarch of Georgia Elijah II and the USA Ambassador to Georgia John Teft. EAJC Secretary General Mikhail Chlenov presided and gave a memento to the Patriarch, stressing his enormous achievements in maintaining peace and agreement in Georgian society.
Briefings of emissary of the leading American Jewish organizations David Benesh ("Nativ") and Irina Lipski (Joint) were held, too. Participants surveyed the work of international Jewish organizations: the Jewish Agency "Sohnut", School "Or Avner", Joint, Gillel. The Ambassador of Israel to Georgia Shabtai Tzur met the representatives of Eurasian and American Jewry.
President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili gave a state reception in honor of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) delegation and invited EAJC President Alexander Machkevitch to a personal meeting. Machkevitch also had working meetings with the Prime Minister and Minister of Energy.
Nino Kobaidze, the Chairman of the Georgian Culture Society in the name of Shota Rustaveli, was the special guest of the mission and took part in the main events and meetings at the invitation by EAJC General Council member Mikhail Oshtrah (Ekaterinburg).
After the gala-concert and closing reception for all the participants, which Machkevitch hosted together with his Georgian partner, mission left for Jerusalem to continue its work.
EAJC Public Relations and Media Department
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