No. 17 · 2017 JERUSALEMKorrespondenz Bi-annual report of the Austrian Pilgrims’ Hospice Die Österreichische Gesellschaft vom Hl. Land Der Freundeskreis des Österreichischen Pilger-Hospizes in Jerusalem [email protected] ACCOUNTS FOR DONATIONS: Österreichisches Hospiz – Sozialfonds AT43 1919 000 300 150 127 BSSWATWW Österreichisches Hospiz – Bauspende AT17 1919 000 400 150 124 IMPRINT: BSSWATWW Rector Markus St. Bugnyar, Österreichisches Hospiz zur Heiligen Familie (Austrian Pilgrim’s Hospice of the Holy Family) Via Dolorosa 37 · P.O.B. 19600 91194 Jerusalem [email protected] Cover-photograph: © Andrea Krogmann, Grablege Jesu Editorial Dear guests and friends of the Austrian Pilgrim Hospice of the Holy Family in Jerusalem! his edition signals a change in the name and ap- pearance of our former newsletter: “Jerusalem- Photo: © Photostudio Floyd T Korrespondenz. The Bi-Annual Report of the Austrian Pilgrim Hospice” will be published twice-year- The Holy Land is still home to miracles. Petra Klose ly on a larger scale than the now defunct newsletter. At discovered a miracle boy in Bethlehem whose heavenly the start of our two busiest seasons, we will provide de- voice is more than worthy of our support. tailed information about our activities in recent months Many observers would characterise events sur- and present our latest projects so that you are always rounding the renovation of the tomb chapel of Jesus as up-to-date with happenings in Jerusalem. miraculous: reconciling the numerous church heads and The word “correspondence” was important to me. getting them to agree on a joint venture is far from sim- It emphasizes the dialogical structure of our pilgrim ple. Photographer and journalist Andrea Krogmann guesthouse and requests you to enter into dialogue with takes us behind the scenes in text and pictures. The us and actively to participate. cover- photo of this edition is her work. I am delighted with the guest contribution of rector In his editorial, Ambassador Martin Weiss looks back of Abraham Geiger College at the University of Pots- on the stages leading up to the 60th anniversary of dip- dam, Rabbi Walter Homolka, on Passover in Jerusalem. lomatic relations between Austria and Israel. In our pil- A reflection on the Easter festival completes your grim hostel section, we proudly introduce you to Casa reading and directs your attention once again to the Austria, our current building project which is intended empty grave: the object of our hope. to help secure our economic base in the future. In this With this in mind, I wish you a festive time and context, you too are offered the chance to share in a hope to see you soon in Jerusalem! unique opportunity. If you contribute to our build- ing-block campaign, your name will be entered into our donors‘ book, your generosity bringing you that signifi- cant bit closer to heaven. Do you know what a stereoscope is? Our friend and much-loved guest Robert Michael Kurzböck has Rector Markus St. Bugnyar donated one to our archive. That stereoscope made its way out of Jerusalem and once belonged to his grand- father. 3 EDITORIAL Pilgrim Hostel Academy Guest Contribution Social Activity Peace Service Timeline Reflections 60 Years of Diplomatic Relations between Austria and Israel By MARTIN WEISS ast year Austria and Israel celebrated the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic L relations (1956–2016). Bilateral relations be- tween Austria and Israel have developed excellently over the last few years; the numerous high- and top-ranking bilateral visits alone are testimony to this Photo: © Martin Weiss fact. But booming economic relations and the sharp growth in tourism (in both directions) also underline Exchange visits the high quality of these bilateral relations. In short, there are currently no apparent problems between Aus- In May 2016, Minister of State Sebastian Kurz visited tria and Israel, but rather a large number of close and Israel. He was accompanied on this trip by a delegation dependable contacts at all levels as well as numerous of ‘Young Austrian Leaders’ (a return visit by a group concrete cooperation projects. of ‘Young Israeli Leaders’ took place in Austria in No- vember 2016) and among other people met Prime Min- Excellent bilateral relations were also manifest in vari- ister and Foreign Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, signed ous agreements and memoranda signed by Austria and several agreements and held a festive reception at the Israel in 2016 alone: Israel Museum in Jerusalem on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations. • Foreign Minister Kurz and Prime Minister Netan- MP delegates Andreas Schieder and Reinhold yahu signed a so-called Working Holiday Pro- Lopatka met the Knesset spokesman, Yuli Edelstein, as gramme in May 2016. This agreement will enter well as numerous Knesset deputies at the end of May into force in the middle of May 2017, enabling 2016. The further strengthening of bilateral relations young Austrians and young Israelis to receive between the two parliaments was a focus of this visit. temporary work permits in their counterparts‘ In September 2016, President Erich Foglar, to- countries and affording them a very personal and gether with the women’s chair and the youth chairman tangible impression of the country and its people. of the ÖGB (Austrian Federation of Trades Union) vis- If it is indeed true that “talking brings folk ited Israel for a meeting with the president of the Israe- to gether”, then all the more so with regard to holi- li trades union, thus reviving a long tradition of the days and work. close exchange of ideas between the Austrian and Israe- • A bilateral agreement in the areas of culture, sci- li trades union. ence and education was likewise signed in May Doris Bures, President of the National Council, ac- 2016 by Foreign Minister Kurz and Prime Minister cepted a counter-invitation from Yuli Edelstein – the Netanyahu. On the basis of this agreement, in the spokesman for the Knesset who had visited Austria in future there will be even closer and more detailed 2014 – and visited Israel in September 2016. The cooperation between Austria and Israel in all these strengthening of bilateral parliamentary contacts be- areas. tween Austria and Israel was also on their agenda. • An agreement to avoid double taxation and the At the state funeral of Shimon Peres (on Septem- prevention of tax avoidance was signed between ber 30th 2016), Austria was represented by the highest the Republic of Austria and the State of Israel in ranking politicians – President of the National Council, November 2016 by Finance Ministers Hansjörg Doris Bures, standing in for the Federal President; Schelling and Moshe Kahlon. This agreement im- Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz and former Federal proves the framework conditions for economic re- President Heinz Fischer – in a last gesture of apprecia- lations between Austria and Israel, thereby stimu- tion for one of the most impressive politicians of the lating investment in both directions. State of Israel. 4 EDITORIAL Pilgrim Hostel Academy Guest Contribution Social Activity Peace Service Timeline Reflections Photo: © Martin Weiss Photo: © Martin Weiss Ambassador Weiss with the The president of the Austrian Parliament, “Young Israeli Leaders” Doris Bures, meeting her Israeli partners Federal Minister Sophie Karmasin visited Israel in 2015, and 2015, with an increase of 22%, was already October 2016 to exchange ideas on the issues of youth a record year for tourism! and family – together with the Israeli Justice Minister The flight connections between Austria were also Shaked, she also took part in the celebration of the Aus- strengthened: 14 weekly Austrian Airlines’ flights and trian National Day. 5 flights by the Israeli airline El Al were supplemented Defense Minister Hans Peter Doskozil visited Israel in winter by direct charter flights to Innsbruck and in November, where he met his counterpart, the Israeli Salzburg. Defense Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, and participated in numerous security policy meetings. Numerous well-attended cultural events – such as the In November 2016 Josef Pühringer, the governor first Austrian film week in Israel – rounded off an inten- of Upper Austria, undertook the traditional “Friedens- sive jubilee year between Austria and Israel. Thus, at licht-Reise” or Peace Light Trip (the Peace Light is the end of 2016, only one question remained: How always brought to Austria from Bethlehem) and also could the bilateral highs of 2016 be exceeded in the signed a “Memorandum of Understanding on the Con- following years? The imminent first visit to Israel of tinuation of the Cultural Co-operation between the Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern is undoubtedly a Government of the State of Israel and the Government good start! of Upper Austria for the years 2016 to 2021.” Federal Minister Hansjörg Schelling arrived in Israel at the end of November 2016, where he met Finance Minister Kahlon and signed an agreement to avoid double taxation. Economy ABOUT THE AUTHOR Israel witnessed economic growth of 3.25% in Ambassador Martin Weiss was born in 1962, is 2016, with unemployment at a low of 4.5%. This solid married and has two children. After studying economic development provided the basis for booming law at the universities of Graz and Vienna, he economic relations between Austria and Israel. lectured at the Institute for State and Adminis- Austrian exports to Israel amounted to EUR 342.2 trative Law at the University of Vienna. He then million (+22.8%) in 2015. In the first nine months of went to the USA (University of Virginia) where 2016, these impressive results stabilized and, despite a he earned a ‘Master of Laws’ (LL.M.). He has slight decline, demonstrated that the significant in- been an Austrian diplomat since 1990, heading crease in bilateral trade was sustainable. Chief exports among other things the Press and Information are products in the fields of “machinery, apparatus and Service in Washington D.C.