WJC Regional Reports 2011 - World Jewish Congress

26.05.2011 EAJC Secretary General Met With Rabbi Andrew Baker
A working meeting took place between Professor Michael Chlenov, the Secretary General of the
Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) and Rabbi Andrew Baker, the personal representative of the
current OSCE chairman on combating anti-Semitism and a member of the leadership of the
American Jewish Committee. During their visit, a number of moments concerning the effects of the
Jackson-Vanick amendment in modern circumstances were discussed. The possibility of joint
monitoring of the current anti-Semitism situation in post-Soviet territory was also discussed. At the
end of the meeting, both sides confirmed their dedication to cooperating as partners.
20.06.2011 Jerusalem
During the Jerusalem meeting of the EAJC Presidium, Alexander Mashkevich announced his
intention to step down as the organization's President
01.07.2011 Kazakhstan
The “Freilehe Kinder” children's creative and educational camp/festival took place on July 1-5 in
Karaganda (Republic of Kazakhstan) with the organizational aid of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress.
The festival, sponsored by the Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, gathered over 180 children from
all over Kazakhstan. The event included a music and dance festival with theater elements, different
workshops and team-building games, which teach children teamwork, principles of mutual aid, all
the while allowing them to learn the history and traditions of the Jewish people.
04.07.2011 Ukraine
The Jewish historic camp "Shorashim – Roots and Future of Ukrainian Jews" has begun its work on
July 4, 2011. "Shorashim-2011" was opened with the support of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress
(General Council Chairman Josef Zisels), the Association of Jewish Organizations and Communities
(VAAD) Ukraine, the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), and the Genesis Foundation. 117 children from
four countries – Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, and Israel – took part in the camp this time. The
Shorashim camp allows children to immerse themselves in the life of a Jewish community in a safe
and propitious environment. A child is given the opportunity to grow and gain personal
independence, social skills, and new interests. All of the events at Shorashim are enriched by
Jewish values and culture.
22.07.2011 Ukraine
On the 22nd of July, 170 children aged from 7-17 participated in the opening of the International
Children's Camp “Roots of Tolerance”. The participants of the camp were children from national
communities of Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus, as well as child refugees and children from various
minorities – Angolan, Afghani, Armenian, Assyrian, Bulgarian, Congolese, Crimean Tatar, Gagauz,
German, Greek, Iranian, Jewish, Korean, Kyrgyz, Moldovan, Polish, Russian, Romanian, Tajik,
Uzbek, and Chechen. They will all be able to immerse themselves into the national and cultural
traditions of different people. This is the fourth year in which refugees to Ukraine from various
flashpoints have been participating in the camp.
25.08.2011 Moscow
Euro-Asian Jewish Congress Secretary General Michael Chlenov participated in a meeting of the
Consultative Group of Experts on National Communications, which took place in the Russian White
House, led by the head of this interdepartmental workgroup, Vice Prime Minister of Russia, Dmitry
Kozak. Among those invited to the meeting were representatives of federal national cultural
autonomies, large-scale national unions, religious groups, as well as experts in inter-ethnic relations
and journalists. The topics of discussion included the ethnocultural development of the peoples of
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