GOVERNING BOARD JERUSALEM

19-21 JUNE 2011

REGIONAL REPORTS

EAJC Report

AUGUST 2010 – MAY 2011

11.08.2010 "Sources of Tolerance" International Camp Opens

Over 200 children ages 9-16 from 17 national communities took part in the opening of the international children's Sources of Tolerance camp, which took place in Yasenya, near Goverla, the highest mountain in Ukrain.

The camp was organised by the Congress of National Communities of Ukraine (CNCU) from August 11-28, with the support of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Ukraine, the Danish Refugee Council, and other charity organizations and private sponsors. The CNCU Executive Vice President is Josef Zisels, the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress General Council chairman and chairman of the Association of Jewish Communities and Organizations of Ukraine.

The aim of the project is to foster international and interfaith tolerance in children and youth, to counter xenophobia, to form an active civil position in representatives of national communities, and to spread knowledge about the national and religious diversity of Ukraine.

31.08.2010 EAJC President Puts Forward Initiative to Defend Israel

On August 31, 2010, Alexander Machkevitch, the President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) spoke at the plenary meeting of the Executive Committee of the World Jewish Congress in Jerusalem with an initiative to conduct the 4th Brussels conference in 2011. This proposal generated a strong public response. The conference is to be aimed at coordinating the efforts of international Jewish organizations to oppose the efforts to delegitimize the Jewish state, which have recently intensified.

02.09.2010 EAJC President Gives Torah Scroll to Tel-Aviv Synagogue

Alexander Machkevitch presented a Torah scroll to the Tel-Aviv synagogue Beit Moshe, which had recently opened after a renovation.

03.09.2010 EAJC Aids Family of Repatriates Killed In Kiryat Arba Attack

The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) was among the first to aid the children of Israelis killed in a shooting attack. Yitzhak and Tali Imas were killed by terrorists on the 31st of August, near the Kiryat Arba settlement. Their six children have become orphans. Representatives of the EAJC leadership, who were in Jerusalem at a session of the World Jewish Congress, promptly reacted to this tragedy.

05.09.2010 EAJC General Council Session Opens in Kiev

A session of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC), was held in Kiev, Ukraine. Leaders of the various Jewish organizations from the entire FSU and many Easter European countries, as well as the Asian-Pacific region, gathered in Kiev to participate in the session.

07.09.2010 EAJC Leaders Visit Uman Before Rosh-ha-Shana

On September 7, Alexander Machkevitch, the President of the Euro Asian Jewish Congress visited the Ukrainian city of Uman to pray on the grave of Rabbi Nachman from Bratslav on the eve of Rosh-ha-Shana. Members of the EAJC General Council, which convened during the previous day in Kyiv, also visited the grave of the great tsaddik together with the EAJC leader, as did the Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi of Israel Iona Metzger, Mikhail Mirilashvili, the First EAJC Vice President, Merab Elashvili, Eduard Greenshpun, Boris Litovsky, the EAJC Vice Presidents and Vadim Rabinovich, the President of the All-Ukrainian Jewish Congress.

EURO-ASIAN JEWISH CONGRESS REPORT: PAGE 1 OF 10 19.09.2010 Ukrainian Meetings of the EAJC Leader

During an official visit of the father of the "Singapore economic miracle" Lee Kuan Yew to Ukraine, a specially organized meeting with Alexander Machkevitch, the EAJC President took place. Lee Kuan Yew was the Prime Minister of Singapore from 1959 to 1990. In August of 2004, he took the place of minister-mentor in the new government headed by his son Lee Hsien Loong. Under Lee Kuan Yew's leadership, Singapore has gone from a poor third-world country to being one of the richest countries in the world.

Alexander Machkevitch travelled to Kyiv at the invitation of Mykola Azarov, the Prime Minister of Ukraine. Their meeting involved discussion of such questions as current and possible questions of Ukrainian economic development, investment climate in Ukraine, and social sphere problems. Mr. Machkevitch paid special attention to the power economy, and agreed with the Prime Minister about regular consultations on the topic.

27.09.2010 EAJC President Meeting With Prime Minister of Jordan

Alexander Machkevitch, the President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress visited Amman at the invitation of the Prime Minister of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Samir Zaid al-Rifai, to discuss a number of investment projects which will include neighboring countries. The scope of the projects can be inferred from the fact that the royal ministers of economics, infrastructure, energy, and finances were all involved in the negotiations.

08.10.2010 Congress Collegium First Anniversary

It was exactly a year ago that an initiative group consisting of members of the business world who are part of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) created an informal union of enterpreneurs ("colleagues"), organized like a club, thus the „Congress Collegium‟ was born. The College's membership has increased greatly over the year, uniting more people who became interested in its varied and effective activity. The year has seen the main kinds of events held take form, leading development directions defined, and a list of services provided to members.

15.10.2010 EAJC Secretary General Participates In Meeting With Head of Russian International Affairs Committee

On October 13, Professor Michael Chlenov, the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) Secretary General participated in a meeting between the Moscow delegation of the National Conference on Soviet Jewry (NCSJ) and Mikhail Margelov, the Chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the Russian Federation Council.

In response to a question asked by Richard Stone, the NCSJ Chairman and Mark Levin, the Conference Executive Director on Iran's nuclear ambitions, Margelov stressed that Russia is sympathetic to the stated concerns of the problem, and that its recent political actions confirm this, demonstrating a clear political position.

The meeting also discussed an increase in the so called "new anti-Semitism" in Europe and attempts to delegitimize the State of Israel. The Russian politician pointed out that these problems are part of a broader social phenomena that pose a threat to modern Europe. The participants expressed willingness for mutual support in confronting these negative phenomena.

18.10.2010 EAJC Secretary General Participates in Population Census Press Conference

On the 18th of October, Michael Chlenov, the EAJC Secretary General, took part in the RIANovosti Press Conference. The topic of the conference was "Are Jews the disappearing ethnicity of Russia? What will the all-Russian population census Show?" Professor Chlenov was there in his official capacity as the Vice President of the Federal Jewish National Cultural Autonomy (FJNCA). The FNJCA is a leading EAJC partner in Russia, and EAJC President Alexander Machkevitch leads the FJNCA Board of Guardians. Evgenia Mikhaleva, the FJNCA Director General and Mark Kupovetsky, a demographer from the Russian State University for the

EURO-ASIAN JEWISH CONGRESS REPORT: PAGE 2 OF 10 Humanities (RSUH) Center for Biblical and Jewish Studies Director also participated in the press conference.

The the press conference was prompted by the fact that, according to the official data, the Jewish population of Russia has been decreasing. All of the participants of the press conference agreed with the opinion of the EAJC Secretary General that, despite a dramatic drop in numbers, the Jewish community of Russia remains one of the largest in the world, and continues to play a significant role in the world Jewish diaspora.

20.10.2010 EAJC General Council Chairman Speaks at Jerusalem Conference

Josef Zisels, the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) General Council Chairman reported on “Historic Memory and the Problem of Reconciliation” as part of the scientific conference “Ukrainian-Jewish Meeting: Cultural Interactions, Perceptions, Memory,” which took place in Jerusalem. The event was organized by the “Ukrainian-Jewish Meeting Initiative,” a Canadian association, with the support of the Museum of Israel and the University of Jerusalem. The conference saw discussion of both historic questions and present-day affairs.

24.10.2010 EAJC General Council Chairman Meetings in Jerusalem

Josef Zissels, the Chairman of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) General Council held a number of meetings and negotiations in Jerusalem as part of his Israel working visit. In particular, Josef Zissels met with Ambassador David Peleg, the Director General of the World Jewish Restitution Organization and discussed the ongoing situation concerning restitution of community property in Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova, as well as possibilities to continue joint activities in describing these objects. Josef Zissels also met with Yuli-Yoel Edelstein, the Minister of Information and Diaspora and discussed the possibilities and perspectives of EAJC participation in Ministry projects in Diaspora countries. Josef Zissels also participated in the meeting of the FSU Comittee, which was part of the Board of Trustees session of the Jewish Agency for Israel.

08.11.2010 EAJC First Vice President Provides Charitable Assistance to "Migdal Ohr" Educational Network

Michael Mirilashvili, the EAJC First Vice President has made a one million US dollar donation in support of the Israeli educational network ''Migdal Ohr'' on behalf of the EAJC. “Migdal Ohr,” established by Rabbi Yizchak Dovid Grossman and run by the same for 40 years now, has become a national educational network with a student body of thousands. Its core is made up of boys and girls from disfunctional homes, orphans, and new immigrants. Rabbi Grossman has received numerous accolades and awards including the prestigious Israel Prize for Lifetime Achievement for his outstanding and tireless work on behalf those in need. “Migdal Ohr” has also been acclaimed the best educational network in Israel.

11.11.2010 EAJC Sponsors “What? Where? When?” Competition in Eilat

The international "What? When? Where?" competition, "Znatokiada-2010," opened in Eilat. This yearly event is organized by the Israel Center of Intellectual Clubs (ICIC) together with the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC), of which the latter is the sponsor.

18.11.2010 EAJC Presents Diploma to Righteous Gentile The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) sent their salutations to Taisiya Lukashenko, the Righteous Gentile for her 95th anniversary, and presented her with a diploma “For courage and nobility during the years of World War II.”

19.11.2010 “Sefer” Announces Winter Jewish Studies School

The Moscow center “Sefer,” a part of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC), has announced the Winter Jewish Studies School, organized jointly with the Chase Center for Jewish Studies in Russian (of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem), and with the support of the Avi Chai foundation and the Genesis Philanthropy Group (as past of the Charities Aid Foundation program “Jewish Communities”).

EURO-ASIAN JEWISH CONGRESS REPORT: PAGE 3 OF 10

19.11.2010 EAJC Hosts Meeting Between American and Russian Jewish Officials

The Moscow office of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) hosted a meeting of the delegation of leaders of a number of American Jewish organizations with the representatives of the Jewish community of Russia. The American delegation was led by Mark Levin, the Executive Director of the Advocates on Behalf of Jews in Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic States & Eurasia. The Russian side was represented by Eugenia Mikhaleva, the Director General of the Federal Jewish National Cultural Autonomy,Victoria Mochalova, Director of the “Sefer” Center for University Teaching of Jewish Civilization and Natalia Shmidt (currently, the Director of the EAJC Moscow office), Deputy Director General of the Russian Jewish Congress. The meeting was moderated by Roman Spector, the EAJC PR Department Head.

17.11.2010 EAJC General Council Chairman Meets Representative of Israeli Government

Josef Zisels sent Shimon Peres a letter describing the main problems of the Jewish community of Ukraine and requesting that the President discuss these questions with Ukrainian leaders during his visit. The Israeli side initiated a meeting between Josef Zisels and presidential representative Yoram Dori. The meeting had a discussion of both questions raised in Zisels' letter.

24.11.2010 EAJC Supports St. Petersburg Jewish Book Festival

The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) sponosored the Jewish Book Festival 2010, which has took place in St. Petersburg on November 21-22. This was the thirteenth time this festival, organized by the Jewish Community Center led by Alexander Frenkel, had taken place in the “northern capital” of Russia. The festival was hosted by the famous Beloselsky-Belozersky palace on the Nevsky Avenue.

01.12.2010 EAJC Supports Moscow Jewish Exhibition

The exposition "Jews in Moscow: History, Culture, Traditions," which was partly organized by the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC), opened in Moscow on November 30th.

The exposition had three sections: materials dedicated to the history of the Jews from the XVth century to the middle of the 1920's; works of art by famous Moscow Jews; and posters and leaflets from Jewish museums from different cities. Among the speakers at the opening ceremony were: Adolph Shaevich, the Chief Rabbi of Russia and EAJC Rabbinical Council Deputy Chairman, Konstantin Blazhenov, a representative of the Moscow administration, Alik Nadan, the head of the Moscow JDC department and Yuri Kanner, the President of the Russian Jewish Congress. Professor Michael Chlenov, the EAJC Secretary General noted the necessity and importance of the existence of a Jewish museum both for the Jews of Moscow and for Moscow in general, and noted that the exposition could be the seed of a future permanent museum.

02.12.2010 Seminar on Tolerance in Chisinau

On 11-14 December 2010, the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) jointly with the Ukrainian Center for Holocaust Studies (UCHS), with the participation of the Moldova Jewish Congress, the Jewish Community of Moldova, and the Center of Training and Professional Development (CTPD) held an international seminar on the EAJC “Tolerance – Lessons of the Holocaust” program for the teachers involved with teaching tolerance and the Holocaust in middle schools of Moldova, Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus. The objective of the seminar was to allow a sharing of methodological and educational experiences between teachers in the area of teaching the history of the Holocaust.

05.12.2010 “We are ready to give as much as is needed.” EAJC President Visits North of Israel

Alexander Machkevitch, the President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress and Michael Mirilashvili, the Chairman of the Trustee Council of the volunteer charity organization ZAKA and the EAJC First Vice-President visited the north of Israel, which and recently been devastated by fire. "We

EURO-ASIAN JEWISH CONGRESS REPORT: PAGE 4 OF 10 are very worried by this tragedy, and are trying to do everything within our power to deal with its aftermath," Alexander Machkevitch stated.

The EAJC leaders met with the head of the Russian team of firefighting specialists, Pavel Plat, the Chief Military Expert EMERCOM at the emergency crisis center on Mt. Carmel. Igor Popov, the Consul General of Russia in Haifa also took part in the meeting. The EAJC leaders also visited a number of Carmel communities harmed by the fire. As Eliezer Zandberg, the World Chairman of Keren Hayesod noted, Machkevitch, and Mirilashvili became the first Hayesod sponsors to visit Israel after the fire and to offer aid to deal with its aftermath.

09.12.2010 EAJC President Introduces Torah Scroll to "Yitzhak's Tent" Synagogue

Alexander Machkevitch introduced a Torah scroll on behalf of the Congress to a synagogue of the Moscow Jewish religious group "Yitzhak's Tent." The ceremony was attended by close to 200 people.

10.12.2010 EAJC Annual Reception

On the 9th of November, the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) held its traditional annual reception in one of Moscow's finest halls – the Saphisa Celebration Hall. This time the celebration was timed to the Chanukah holiday, and was held together with the Moscow Jewish Religious Community (MJRC). The Ambassdor of Israel thanked the EAJC for constant support of the Jewish state, and read a telegram of thanks sent by Bejamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister.

As past of the campaign against the delegitimization of the Jewish state, the EAJC invited 500 European parliament delegates to visit Israel. As Alexander Machkevitch said, the invitation was extended so that they could see for themselves "how Israel reality is different from propagandist cliches used by those who have many times tried to place Israel outside the law." Before this visit, the European parliament deputies were guests of honor at the Moscow EAJC reception. "I have come to say that we support you," said Antonia Parvanova, the delegation leader and a European parliament deputy in he speech. Professor Michael Chlenov, also noted the growing number of attempts to delegitimze Israel in 2010, and spoke on the EAJC initiative to convene a representative conference in 2011 to create a strategy for opposing such attempts.

19.12.2010 EAJC Secretary General Participates in Round Table on Delegitimization of Israel

Professor Michael Chlenov, the Secretary General of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress took part in a round table on the problem of delegitimization of the State of Israel. The round table was held place in Jerusalem under the aegis of the World Jewish Congress, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, and the government of Israel. The Israeli side held a meeting dedicated to "present day challenges," which is to be overseen by Moshe Ya'alon, the Minister of Strategic Affairs.

14.12.2010 Urgent Meeting of the Union of Diasporas of Russia

The representatives of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) took part in an urgent meeting of the Union of Diasporas of Russia (UDR), which took place in the Senator Club in Moscow, and was dedicated to the sharp worsening of the situation in interethnic relations in a number of Russian cities.

28.12.2010 Interfaith Dialogue in “Izvestiya” Media Center

The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress has organized the round table “Memory of the Past: Pain of the Present and a Look Into the Future” jointly with the the Synodal Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchy, the Moscow Jewish Religious Community, the Islam Center of Moscow, and the “Tolerance” Foundation for social projects. The round table took place on the 27th of December in the “Izvestiya” newspaper media center in Moscow.

EURO-ASIAN JEWISH CONGRESS REPORT: PAGE 5 OF 10 The main topics of the round table were the December events in Moscow on Manezhnaya Square and in a number of other Russian cities, as well as the immortalization of the memory of victims of political repressions, including those priests of different religions who were shot in the Butovo and Kommunarka army facilities under Moscow during the years of the Great Purge. Questions of community interaction, interfaith dialogue, creation of new civil institutions to prevent extremism in interethnic relations, the preservation of historic truth about the victims of anti- religious and political repressions as the main part to prevent new tragedies and conflicts on a religious and ethnic basis were discussed during the round table

29.12.2010 Alexander Mashkevich and Michael Mirilashvili to Create Specialty Vehicle Firefighting Brigade

Alexander Machkevitch and Michael Mirilashvili donated funds to create a special tractor brigade for the humanitarian volunteer organization ZAKA, a specialty vehicle brigade to fight fires in difficult terrain. 30 vehicles will be fully equipped with the most modern firefighting tools. On the 4th of January, they were received by Eliyahu Yishai, the MIA Head.

10.01.2011 EAJC Rabbi Council Secretary General to Lead Dialogue with Eastern Churches

Pinkhas Goldschmidt, member of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC), the Head of the Rabbinical Council and the Chief Rabbi of Moscow was nominated as the World Jewish Congress (WJC) representative in relations with the Eastern Christian churches.

12.01.2011 EAJC President Becomes Academician

Alexander Machkevitch, the President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, Doctor of Philosophy has been elected a full member of the Russian Academy of Social Sciences (RASS). This was announced by Gennadiy Osipov, the President of the Academy, a full member of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) at a joint assembly of the RASS and the Academic Board of the RAS Institute of Socio-Political Research, which took place in the President Hall of the main RAS building in Moscow.

16.01.2011 Alexander Machkevitch Creates Support Fund for Social Research

Alexander Machkevitch, the President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) and representatives of the Russian Academy of Sciences agreed to create a Social Research Support Fund. The Fund shall instigate an international prize to mark the main achievements in social and political sciences. Another task of the fund will be the support of talented young scholars and their promising research projects with grants.

23.01.2011 EAJC President Visits Moldova

Alexander Machkevitch, the EAJC President made a working visit to Chisinau. The EAJC leader met with Marian Lupu, the Acting President of the Republic of Moldova, Parliament Chairman and Vladimir Plahotniuc, the First Vice Speaker of Parliament. The parties discussed the general situation in the republic, the conclusion of the recent parliamentary elections and the Jewish life in Moldova.

03.02.2011 XVIII International Jewish Studies Conference in Moscow

The XVIII International Jewish Studies Conference took place in Moscow on February 1-3, with the support of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC). It is one of the central academic events of the year in post-Soviet Jewish Studies. This conference yearly gathers hundreds of scholars from Russia, CIS countries, the Baltic countries, USA, and Israel.

05.02.2011 EAJC President Greets the European Friends of Israel in Jerusalem

On February 5, Alexander Machkevitch, the President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) spoke at the opening ceremony of the 2nd Policy Conference of the European Friends of Israel,

EURO-ASIAN JEWISH CONGRESS REPORT: PAGE 6 OF 10 which gathered around 500 European Parliament members, as well as representatives from the respective parliaments of most European countries.

06.02.2011 EAJC Delegation Partitipates in Herzliya Conference Opening

A representative deleation of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) participated in the opening ceremony of the 11th Annual Hezliya Conference dedicated to Israel's national security. The Herzliya forum is the most representative platform for an informal discussion of strategic questions pertaining to the present and future of the Jewish state, widely known as the "Jewish Davos."

This year, the EAJC was one of the main sponsors of the forum. The delegation for the forum, headed by Alexander Machkevitch, the EAJC President included the EAJC Vice Presidents: Alexander Bronstein, Emmanuil Greenshpun, Merab Elashvili, Gabriel Mirilashvili, Michael Mirilashvili, Yuri Raskin, Mark Shabad, as well as Michael Chlenov, Secretary General and Josef Zisels, the General Council Chairman. Shimon Peres, the President of the State of Israel was a guest of honor at the opening ceremony.

07.02.2011 EAJC Delegation Visits Central Keren Hayesod Office

The delegation of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC), headed by Alexander Machkevitch visited the central office of the "Keren Hayesod – United Israel Appeal Fund" in Jerusalem on the occasion of the Fund's 90th anniversary celebrated this year. For the last several years, the EAJC President has been the Keren Hayesod President in CIS countries. Greg Masel, the Keren Hayesod Director General talked to the EAJC representatives about the fund's current projects and the events planned for the near future.

07.02.2011 EAJC Presidium Meeting

The acting governing body of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, its Presidium, held a meeting in the Tel-Aviv hotel Hilton. They adopted the EAJC buget for the first quarter of 2011, as well as a decision to support rabbis in Samarkand, Bukhara, and Dushanbe, as well as to provide matzot for Eurasia's communities. A decision was also made to help the Kyrgyzstan Jewish community with providing video surveillance for community-owned property.

08.02.2011 Jewish Diplomatic Mission in Greece

A joint diplomatic mission to Greece of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations began on February 8, 2011. Similar missions by the leading Jewish structures have previously visited the Republic of South Africa, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Marocco. The mission was headed by Michael Chlenov, the EAJC Secretary General and Alan Solow, the Head of the Conference of Presidents. The delegation of over sixty members included representatives from the EAJC, the Conference of Presidents, the European Council of Jewish Communities, and the Russian Jewish Congress. February 9, 2011 Karolos Papoulias, the President of Greece met with the joint Jewish diplomatic mission in Athens. February 11, 2011 participants of the joint diplomatic mission of the Euro- Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations met with Ieronymos II, the Archbishop of Athens and all Greece.

18.02.2011 International Seminar on Tolerance to be Held Near Kyiv

On February 18-20, a seminar for teachers of the International Children‟s Camp “Roots of Tolerance” took place in Puscha Vodica, near Kyiv. The seminar was organized by the Congress of National Communities of Ukraine with the support of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress. The seminar gathered 50 representatives from 12 national communities of Ukraine: Ukrainan, Greek, Jewish, Moldovan, Rumanian, Bulgarian, Armenian, Russian and German. A group of teachers from Moldova was also be present. The goal of the seminar was to augment the qualifications of the workers of the “Roots of Tolerance” camp, to improve the “national days,” and to teach new methods of counteracting discrimination and xenophobia.

EURO-ASIAN JEWISH CONGRESS REPORT: PAGE 7 OF 10 17.02.2011 Round Table on Xenophobia Takes Place in Kyiv

The round table "Problems of Xenophobia in Ukraine: Causes and Effects" has taken place in Kyiv. Its participants included politicians, deputies, public figures, and experts. Among the speakers were Josef Zisels, the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) General Council Chairman, Anna Lenchovskaya, the Congress of National Communities of Ukraine (CNCU) Executive Director and Vyacheslav Likhachev, the EAJC General Council member and an expert on the problems of xenophobia and intolerance.

19.02.2011 EAJC Supports Book About Professor Kaplanov

The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) provided its support for the publication of a book entitled "Rashid Muranovich Kaplanov. Works. Interviews. Memories." The book was published by the Sefer Center of scholars and university Judaica professors, which is a part of the Euro- Asian Jewish Congress. The book is dedicated to the memory of the important scholar and teacher, the longstanding chairman of the Sefer Center's Academic Board, who passed away in 2007. The book includes the scholar's works of various years, mostly dedicated to Jewish Studies, transcripts of some of his lectures, his reviews, essays, interviews, and the memories of those who knew him.

20.02.2011 EAJC Leader Meets With Guinea President

The President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) made a working visit to the Republic of Guinea. The visit including a meeting with the Guinea President in the capital, Conakry, during which the two leaders discussed a number of business and humanitarian questions.

21.02.2011 EAJC President visited the Republic of Niger

During his working visit to Africa Alexander Machkevitch, the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress President visited the capital of the Republic of Niger, Niamey, where he met Mahamadou Issoufou, the leading candidate for presidency in the upcoming March elections. During the meeting with the African politician, they discussed questions of economic and social development of the republic, and potential possibilities for cooperation.

25.02.2011 Second Session of the Russian-Israeli Cooperation Forum

The second session of RICF took place. In the summer of 2010, a new organization was created in Moscow – the Russian-Israel Cooperation Forum (RICF). The founders of the forums were, from the Israeli side, the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya (IDC) Institute for Policy and Strategy (IPS| and, from the Russian side, the Russian Public Policy Center (RPPC). Professor Michael Chlenov, the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) General Secretary became a member of the RICF Coordination Council. The main task of the Forum is to aid in the development of the Russian-Israel relations, and the building of a web of social and political contacts between the elites of the two countries.

24.03.2011 EAJC Assists in Publishing New Tome of "Book of Memory"

The 10th volume of the "Book of Memory of Warrior Jews Killed in Battles with Nazis" has been published. The 12-volume publication is published by the Russian Union of Jewish Invalids and War Veterans (SEIVV). The 10th volume includes data on 5479 Jews that served in the army. The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) has traditionally aided in the publishing of the work, and Alexander Machkevitch, the EAJC President and Michael Chlenov, the EAJC Secretary General received a special dedication on the first pages of the most recent volume.

30.03.2011 Concept of Jewish Museum Discussed in Lviv

Josef Zisels, the Chairman of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) General Council moderated a discussion of the proposal for a Museum of Galitsian Jewish History and Culture, which took place in the Lviv "Hesed-Arieh." It is well-known that despite an abundance of Jewish heritage accumulated in Ukraine, the process of placing it in a museum has barely been begun. The

EURO-ASIAN JEWISH CONGRESS REPORT: PAGE 8 OF 10 Chernivtsy Museum of the History and Culture of Bukovinian Jews, created with EAJC help, is an exceptional case. Jewish museums in Ukraine also include the Migdal – Jewish Museum of Odessa, and the Ukrainian Jewish Community History and Holocaust History Museum that is planned to open in Dniepropetrovsk.

04.04.2011 Meeting of EAJC and ECRI Representatives

A working meeting between the European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance delegation and representatives of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress took place in the Kyiv office of the Council of Europe. The ECRI delegation, comprised of Sarah Burton (representative of the Commission Secretariat), Gudgrun Holgersen (represents Norway in the Commission), and Vesna Rakic-Vodinelic (representative of Serbia), was visiting Ukraine as part of the preparation for the Fourth ECRI Report on the situation in the country. Once in five years such reports are made on all countries that are a part of the Council of Europe. The previous, Third Report on Ukraine had been released in 2007, and the Fourth will be published in 2012. As part of the visit, the ECRI delegation met with representatives of the authorities, as well as various non- governmental organizations and experts.

05.04.2011 EAJC Delegation Participates in Washington ILR Meeting

A representative delegation of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, headed by Alexander Machkevitch, the EAJC President and Merab Elashvili, the Vice-President participated in the International Leadership Reunion (ILR) forum in Washington. ILR regularly brings together leading Jewish philanthropists from all over the world under the auspices of Keren Hayesod. - United Israel Appeal. Alexander Machkevitch heads the CIS sector of Keren Hayesod. More than one hundred major philanthropists, supporting various programs in Israel and for Israel, as well as leaders of major Jewish organizations and representatives of Israeli official and public structures gathered in the U.S. capital.

14.04.2011 EAJC-Published Books Presented in Jerusalem

On April 13, 2011, two books from the "Congress Library" series were presented in Jerusalem. Israel Palhan, one of the most noted refuseniks and Hebrew teachers, presented a book of memoirs written by his mother, Leah Trahtman-Palhan, titled "Memories: From Little Tel-Aviv to Moscow."

The "Studia Anthropologica" collection of articles, published for the 70th anniversary of Professor Michael Chlenov, the EAJC Secretary General includes articles written by the colleagues, friends, and students of the hero of the anniversary. The articles exhibit a wide range of topics connected with Michael Chlenov's scholarly interests, including general anthropology, Jewish Studies, Indonesian Studies, and Escimo Studies. The collection was presented by Artem Fedorchuk, the editor and the director of the International Center for Jewish Education and Field Studies.

05.05.2011 EAJC Delegation Participates in Annual AJC Meeting

A representative delegation of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) headed by Josef Zisels, the EAJC General Council Chairman, and the VAAD Ukraine Chariman took part in the annual congress of the American Jewish Committee (AJC), which took place from the 27-29th of April in Washington. The EAJC delegation included many Jewish community leaders from the Euro-Asian region. EAJC representatives spoke at a special assembly, where they described the situation in EAJC communities to the delegates.

15.05.2011 EAJC Representatives Meet With Israeli Diplomats

On the 12th of May, Josef Zisels, the Chairman of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) General Council was part of a group of Jewish leaders of Ukraine that met with Ronen Plot, the Director General of the Ministry for Public Diplomacy and Zina Kalai-Kleatman, the Diaspora and the Ambassador Plenipotent of the State of Israel in Ukraine. The meeting also included Dr. Anatoly Podolsky, the EAJC General Council Member, Director of the Ukrainian Center for Holocaust Studies and Yana Yanover, Director of the Ukrainian Center of Jewish Education,

EURO-ASIAN JEWISH CONGRESS REPORT: PAGE 9 OF 10 Arkady Monastyrsky, President of the Jewish Forum of Ukraine, as well as Yakov Dov Blaich, the Head Rabbi of Kyiv and Ukraine. The meeting was dedicated to the preparation of memorial events for 70 years since the beginning of the Babiy Yar execution of Kyivan Jews.

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.

EURO-ASIAN JEWISH CONGRESS REPORT: PAGE 10 OF 10 European Jewish Congress Report September 2010 to May 2011

European Institutions

September 2010: Cwajgenbaum and Kalenova attended a luncheon meeting at the invitation of Ambassador Ran Curiel who initiated an encounter between Jewish European organisations for an informal exchange of views vis a vis the EU and the European Parliament in order to reinforce and coordinate the lobbying efforts.

October 2010: EJC issued a statement which received wide media coverage, highlighting the issue that certain European Jewish communities are in serious danger after a recent wave of anti- Semitism. The EJC is calling on European governments and the European Union to launch a campaign against intolerance and anti-Semitism, so to remind European citizens that the new Europe was established after the Second World War on the concept of ―Never Again‖.

November 2010: Cwajgenbaum and Kalenova travelled to Strasbourg for a meeting with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, in preparation of official presentation at the Knesseth of the White Paper on intercultural dialogue, translated into Hebrew. They also met with Carole Reich, chief of division of the European education dimension, in charge of the project ‗The Teaching of the Shoah – Education to prevent crimes against humanity‘.

November 2010 - EJC Dinner Debate held in Brussels to discuss the future of European Jews: In Brussels, Cwajgenbaum and Kalenova hosted a dinner debate with MEPs from the Visegrad countries (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland). Attendees included: former Commissioner and MEP Danuta Huebner, MEP Filip Kaczmarek, MEP Morten Messerschmidt, MEP and President of the Israel European Friendship Association Bastiaan Belder, as well as, Polish Ambassador Jan Tombinski, Israeli Ambassador Ran Curiel, President of the Belgian Jewish community Maurice Sosnowski, Executive Director of the Czech Jewish community Tomas Kraus, President of the Belgian Consistoire Julien Klener.

March 2011: Cwajgenbaum together with Betty Ehrenberg met with Francesco Bandarin, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and Assistant Director-General for Culture regarding the ruling by UNESCO that the Tomb of Patriarch and the Tomb of Rachel be removed from the Israeli National Heritage list.

April 2011: Kalenova in Strasbourg for meetings with MEPs on the withdrawal of the Goldstone resolution.

May 2011: Cwajgenbaum in Strasbourg at the session of the European Parliament to attend two hearings on the issue of the Flotilla (one hearing organized by the Turks and one organized by the Israelis). Had the opportunity to meet several MEPs from various political parties and discussed with them both the issue of the PA and Hamas reconciliation as well as the forthcoming vote at the United Nations due to take place in September 2011; also lobbied on the issue of Shechita. Cwajgenbaum met with Israeli Ambassador to the EU, H.E. Ran Curiel.

Political encounters

December 2010 - French Foreign Minister tells the European Jewish Congress conference that “France will take a strong stance against Iran”: French Minister of State and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Michèle Alliot-Marie told the annual European Jewish Congress conference that ―France will take a strong stance against Iran‖. Alliot-Marie spoke at a gala dinner

EJC REPORT : PAGE 1 OF 11 at the end of the EJC‘s enlarged Executive Meeting where one hundred European Jewish communal leaders, representing 27 Jewish communities in Europe, were gathered. During her speech Alliot- Marie told EJC President Kantor, EJC members and Jewish leaders from across Europe, of her belief that European Jewry has enriched the culture of Europe and has helped build its current identity. Kantor hosted the evening, which was also attended by President of the CRIF Richard Prasquier, the Consistoire President Joël Mergui, Ambassadors from Israel, Poland, and the Czech Republic, representatives from the Russian, American and Austrian embassies, the EJC Executive, leaders of EJC affiliated communities and a number of French Jewish personalities, Rabbis, Imams and representatives of Muslim organizations. The new Israeli Ambassador to France Yossi Gal also addressed the dinner, and offered his insights into the Middle East peace process as well as his hopes for the future of Israel.

Raya Kalenova, head of the EJC Brussels office, organized a meeting between leaders of the Jewish Community of Belgium and a Knesset delegation led by Bastiaan Belder, President of the EU Delegation for the Relations with Israel and representatives of the Israeli representation to the EU. Future cooperation between Knesset and EJC was discussed.

December 2010: EJC President Kantor, together with CRIF President Richard Prasquier, met privately with President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy to discuss many issues of concern, especially the worrying situation of certain Jewish communities, like Malmo where Jews are being forced out of the city. In the wake of anti-Semitic remarks made by several European officials, like former Deutsche Bundesbank board member Thilo Sarazzin and the EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht, Kantor suggested that the EU should impose on its members, member states and all officials a code of behavior that will sanction those who make anti-Semitic and racist remarks. Kantor also told Van Rompuy that the EU Framework Decision on Combating Racism and Xenophobia needs to be implemented immediately, noting that the date set for nations to adopt the Framework Decision passed on November 28th. Kantor also discussed Iran and the stalled EU upgrade of relations with Israel with the European president.

January, 2011: In Brussels, an EJC delegation led by EJC President Moshe Kantor met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, President of the Council of the European Union. Topics of discussion were: the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe, the delegitimization of Israel and the Iranian threat. The Hungarian PM ensured the delegation that there will be an open door for the EJC on Jewish Affairs during Hungary‘s presidency of the EU. The issue of the growing influence of the far- right in parts of Europe was raised. Kantor singled out the Hungarian far-right party Jobbik, and in a more general way the growth of anti-Semitism in Europe. PM Orbán agreed with the EJC that attacks on Israel and classic anti-Semitism are both equally unacceptable. He also expressed his opposition to the campaign assaulting Israel‘s legitimacy. In response to the concern about Hungary‘s controversial new media law, Orbán explained that the new law is meant specifically to combat the propaganda of the extreme right. The delegation was composed of Vivian Wineman President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Richard Prasquier President of CRIF, Peter Feldmajer and Gusztav Zoltai, respectively President and Executive Director of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Hungary, Serge Cwajgenbaum EJC Secretary General, Raya Kalenova, Deputy Secretary General, Arie Zuckerman advisor to EJC President, and Myriam Glikerman personal assistant to EJC Sec Gen.

Anti-Semitism

Plevris case

September 2010: Press release - Jewish Congress appalled at Lawfare against human- rights in Greek courts. The EJC has expressed outrage that the notorious Greek anti-Semite Konstantinos Plevris is using

EJC REPORT : PAGE 2 OF 11 the Greek judicial system to silence opposition to his racist views. Dr. Moshe Kantor, President of the EJC, has called the court case a travesty and a mockery of justice. "Plevris is using the judicial system to silence human-rights critics and opposition to his outrageous racist views," Kantor said. "He is using a form of lawfare against human-rights organizations and the Jewish community." Plevris had described Jews as "subhuman" and questioned the Holocaust in his anti-Semitic book "Jews: The Whole Truth". He was found guilty of inciting racial hatred in 2007 and sentenced to 14 months in jail, but was later acquitted on appeal. Plevris is now taking legal action against a series of his critics, including three human rights activists working for the Greek Helsinki Monitor, representatives of the Greek Jewish community and several journalists and suing them for libel. "This is a test case for the Greek justice system which is supposed to defend the people against racists and xenophobes like Plevris," Kantor continued. "If Plevris is successful then it will send a shameful message throughout Greece and into Europe that racists and anti-Semites have tools to attack human-rights activists and minorities to silence them. This will set a very dangerous precedent and we will ensure that all legal means are appropriated to prevent this outcome."

October 2010: Press release - Some Jewish communities in Europe are teetering on the brink due to official endorsement or neglect of anti-Semitism The European Jewish Congress (EJC) is claiming that certain Jewish communities in Europe are in grave danger after a recent wave of anti-Semitism, some of it officially sanctioned. Recently, a respected and government-funded Catholic school, the College of the Sacred Heart, in Antwerp, hosted a ‗Palestine Day‘, which was replete with anti-Semitic references and activities for youngsters. One stall at the event was titled ―Throw the soldiers into the sea‖ where children were invited to throw replicas of Jewish and Israeli soldiers into two large tanks. Last weekend, an event organized for Jewish children in Malmo was reportedly attacked by a gang of thugs who shouted ―Heil Hitler‖ and ―Jewish pigs‖. The gang even entered the area hosting the children‘s event and damaged property. This event occurred only a few weeks after Malmo mayor, Ilmar Reepalu, was reelected in the Swedish city. Earlier in this year after a surge of anti-Semitism hit the Malmo Jewish community, Reepalu considered this an understandable consequence of the Israel-Palestine conflict and claimed ―we accept neither Zionism nor anti-Semitism,‖ equating Jewish national self- determination with hate and racism. In recent months, German former Bundesbank board member Thilo Sarrazin, Karel De Gucht, European Commissioner for Trade and Emilio Menendez del Valle, Spanish MEP, have all made anti-Semitic comments. ―These events arriving soon after the anti- Semitic comments from Sarrazin, De Gucht and Menendez del Valle demonstrate that anti- Semitism is at best actively promoted and at worst ignored by some officials in Europe,‖ Dr. Moshe Kantor, President of the EJC said. ―Due to this intolerable situation, small Jewish communities, like Malmo, are teetering on the brink of extinction. Small Jewish communities are facing a situation where they are being physically, verbally and psychologically threatened by fundamentalist elements and their extreme left-wing cohorts on one side and the far-right neo-Nazis on the other,‖ Kantor continued. ―If they can‘t receive protection or respite from mainstream officials then we are entering a very dark period for the Jews in Europe.‖

The EJC is calling on European governments and the European Union to launch a campaign against intolerance and anti-Semitism, so to remind European citizens that the new Europe was established after the Second World War on the concept of ―Never Again.‖

October 2010: Cwajgenbaum gave an interview on the state of anti-Semitism in Europe to Revelation TV‘s Five Alive News program (a British Television station), following the article by the European Jewish Congress: ―Some Jewish communities in Europe are teetering on the brink due to official endorsement or neglect of anti-Semitism‖.

December 2010: Cwajgenbaum met with lawyers Samuel Pisar and Zvika Barak, and David Saltiel President of the Greek Jewish Community (KIS) concerning the Plevris affair and upcoming court case in Athens. The EJC sent renowned lawyer in the field of human rights, Gilles William

EJC REPORT : PAGE 3 OF 11 Goldnadel, to observe the trial in Athens and offer advice and support to the Greek Jewish community. Trials are still ongoing.

December 2010: Press release - European Jewish Congress reacts with repulsion to the intolerable hate-filled and anti-Semitic rant of a leading Greek priest and calls for his removal The EJC condemned and called for strong measures to be taken against the Metropolite of Piraeus Seraphim, who embarked on an anti-Semitic rant on Greek TV. The Greek Orthodox priest blamed the Jews and Zionists for everything from the current Greek financial crisis to one-parent families, claimed that ―Adolf Hitler was an instrument of world Zionism‖ and that there is a conspiracy to enslave Greece and Christian Orthodoxy. EJC President Dr. Moshe Kantor was unequivocal in his condemnation. ―It is completely unacceptable that someone senior in a mainstream European religious denomination can make such repulsive and hate-filled claims,‖ Kantor said. ―That they were said so openly on national television demonstrates that there are those who feel no shame expressing these views in front of a wide audience. European nations and the European Union must immediately pass robust legislation to ban and sanction anti-Semitism in all its forms and at all levels. This rant proves that the discredited views of the twentieth century are apparently alive and well within areas of Europe and this needs to be addressed immediately. We call on the Greek government to implement its laws against such hate-speech and the leaders of the Greek Orthodox Church to immediately remove this person from his position‖.

May 2011: Press release – following Lars von Trier's anti-Semitic comments at a press conference at the Cannes film festival "Von Trier's remarks serve as another reminder of the seeming comfort that anti-Semites feel expressing their prejudices in public gatherings" Said Dr. Moshe Kantor, European Jewish Congress President."We have seen too many examples of 'respectable Antisemitism' in Europe during the last year and Von Trier's outburst is merely another example. There must be consequences for these types of racist tirades, or it will just continue and escalate. It is vital that the European political leadership draw a line and legally proscribe hate speech, because Jews are becoming the fashionable target of increasingly intolerant elements within the political, academic and entertainment strata. Just as the fashion industry has made John Galliano an outcast because of his hate speech, so the film industry should do the same with Von Trier."

Inter-religious activity

October 2010: Press release - EJC criticizes Vatican Synod’s asymmetric attack on Israel The EJC has responded critically to the recent Vatican synod on the Middle East‘s final communiqué. The synod was supposed to address the situation of Christians in the Middle East, but was appropriated to attack Israel and the Jewish People for political purposes. Dr. Moshe Kantor, President of the EJC, called for more balance in the communiqué. ―As with many reports concerning the Middle East, a disproportionate amount of time is spent criticizing Israel rather than getting to the real issues of human rights and freedom of religion in the region,‖ Kantor said. ―This is part of the ongoing asymmetrical attack on Israel, where the only democracy in the Middle East is attacked and many of the serial human rights abusing nations are left unfettered from criticism.‖ Kantor condemned the comments made by Archbishop Cyril Bustros at a press conference in the Vatican after the release of the communiqué. ―It is unbelievable that 45 years after Vatican II, Archbishops are still touting ideas that the Holy See found objectionable,‖ Kantor continued. ―This is unacceptable and these comments should be roundly condemned by the Pope and the Vatican as non-representative of the Catholic Church‘s position on the Jewish people. We call on the leaders of all religions to build bridges of respect, reconciliation and tolerance and not to engage in divisive political diatribes.‖

EJC REPORT : PAGE 4 OF 11 December 2010: European Jewish Congress President Kantor tells Interfaith Meeting and European President that we need to restructure the foundations of tolerance in Europe EJC President Kantor and EJC Secretary General Cwajgenbaum attended a Judeo-Muslim Conference in Brussels, organized by the WJC, the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding and the EJC with the participation of 60 representatives of Muslim and Jewish communities across Europe, including Chief Rabbi Guigui of Belgium, Rabbi Michel Serfaty, Rabbi Marc Schneier and Imam Chalgoumi of Drancy. EJC President Dr. Moshe Kantor addressed the gathering of European Muslim and Jewish leaders and outlined the necessary foundations for a more tolerant Europe. The aim of the gathering, which was the first of many meetings, is to improve Muslim-Jewish relations in their respective European nations. As part of the meeting, a joint delegation met with the president of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, who supported the efforts undertaken by the group and called for a "revolution by the moderates." The leaders also attended a working lunch with representatives of European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, at the Commission's Brussels headquarters.

December 2010: At the invitation of the ―Amitié Judéo-Musulmane‖ EJC Secretary General Cwajgenbaum addressed the Conference ―Regards d‘amitié croisés par-delà les discriminations,‖ organised by Rabbi Michel Serfaty, President of the Judeo-Muslim Friendship of France (AJMF) and Manuel Valls, the Mayor of Evry.

March 2011: Cwajgenbaum and Glikerman attended the 21st International Catholic-Jewish Liaison Committee in Paris. Cwajgenbaum met separately with Rabbi Jay Rosenbaum from FFEU.

Cwajgenbaum and Glikerman attended the meeting of Muslim and Jewish leaders from across Europe gathered in Paris as a follow-up of the Brussels meeting, at the initiative of the Foundation For Ethnic Understanding, the WJC and the World Council of Muslims for Interfaith Relations.

Israel

December 2010: Secretary General Cwajgenbaum attended a consultation in Jerusalem, co- initiated by the WJC acting Secretary General Dan Diker, under the auspices of Prime Minister of the State of Israel Binyamin Netanyahu, titled, ―Building Partnerships and Synergies in Countering the Assault on Israel‘s Legitimacy.‖ PM Binyamin Netanyahu gave an address at the opening dinner. Other speakers included Vice Prime Minister Moshe Yaalon, Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon, Dan Diker (WJC), Yossi Kuperwasser (Ministry of Strategic Affairs). Cwajgenbaum acted as moderator for the Political Advocacy working group at the Consultation. Cwajgenbaum was in attendance along with Maram Stern, WJC Deputy Secretary General.

April 2011: EJC President Moshe Kantor met with Israel‘s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and invited him to a European conference of heads of state which will take place in the coming months to discuss the assault on Israel‘s legitimacy. Kantor and Netanyahu discussed the issues of anti- Semitism, Iran and agreed to closer coordination on issues concerning Israel and European Jewry.

Iranian Threat

November 3, 2010: Op-ed of EJC President Dr Moshe Kantor in The Wall Street Journal - The World with a Nuclear Iran

Only days ago, Iran began loading uranium fuel rods into the core of its first nuclear power plant at Bushehr. While many in the international community played down the significance of Bushehr, it is

EJC REPORT : PAGE 5 OF 11 emblematic of an illegal nuclear policy that could spell the end of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)—perhaps the most important pillar of global security.

An Iranian bomb must be stopped not only for what it could physically wreak on its neighbors and the world at large, but for the paradigm-breaking order that could result if Iran is able to achieve nuclear weaponization.

Many neighboring governments have already said that they will fast-track their own nascent nuclear programs toward weapons capability if Iran acquires the bomb. This domino-effect could spread further around the globe, thus tearing the NPT to shreds. Nuclear weapons would become so commonplace that any of the more than 100 current conflicts around the world could come to a devastating conclusion with a flick of a switch.

The nations soon to acquire nuclear weapons will not be decent democracies. As recent history has shown, its countries like North Korea, Saddam‘s Iraq, Iran, and Libya that have attempted to build the atom bomb. Repressive regimes are seeking to provide the impetus for a new global regime where radicals, terrorists and serial human-rights abusers will hold the balance of power.

The greater the number of nuclear powers, the more likely that terrorist organizations will be able to acquire atomic weapons. The possibility of ―dirty bombs‖ exploding in a major metropolitan area would become more real. Al Qaeda and other Islamic extremists make no secret that they hold such intentions. The explosion of just one ―dirty bomb‖ in a major city would have devastating effects, which would be measured not just in human casualties but in the long-term health of the world‘s economies and political institutions. Such an act would turn inhabitants of the Western world into fearful hostages of terrorists, resulting in the moral and psychological collapse of our civilization. Forceful action by all democratic nations is needed to counter Iran in particular and the threats of nuclear weapons in general. While the recent sanctions against Tehran by the United Nations, the European Union, the U.S., Canada and others are vital, their importance lies in their implementation, and in their ability to bring other countries on board. It is imperative that nations forego their short-term financial considerations to safeguard a future free of the threat of nuclear weapons proliferation.

Seventy years ago considerations of ―economic expediency‖ spurred the Soviet Union, Britain, France and the United States to cooperate with Nazi Germany. Far from the path to realism and pragmatism, this proved to be the biggest mistake of the 20th century. It seems that some in the international community are ready to repeat that mistake.

The 2010 Prague Summit and the signing of the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty between the U.S. and Russia demonstrated the obvious benefits of close cooperation between Russia and the U.S. -and potentially all democratic nations- in countering new global challenges and threats. But while the battle against environmental damage, for example, has produced international action, the most immediate danger facing the world today -the proliferation of nuclear weapons- has not attracted similar attention. If we want to reverse this looming threat to our security and civilization, we can‘t afford to lose any more time.

Mr. Kantor is president of the European Jewish Congress and founder and president of The International Luxembourg Forum on Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe.

EJC REPORT : PAGE 6 OF 11 EJC Executive meetings and General Assembly

December 2010: Executive meeting Representatives from 27 European Jewish communities met in Paris to discuss European Jewry‘s current challenges in Europe. The aim of the meeting was to generate practical strategies to resolve problems such as: the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe, the delegitimization of Israel, the Iranian threat and the right to perform Shechita.

EJC President provided a summary of the latest events in which he has participated and chaired within the European Council for Tolerance and Reconciliation (ECTR), the Luxembourg Forum and the EJC, Haïm Musicant, Director General of CRIF, gave a review of the current state of anti- Semitism in France.

During the session titled, ―State of anti-Semitism in Europe,‖ Paul Edlin from the Board of Deputies (UK) took the chair introducing updates from the Greek community President David Saltiel on the ongoing Plevris affair, the notorious anti-Semite currently taking members of human rights groups and members of the Jewish community to court; and from Vilhelm Silberstein, representative for the Nordic countries, on the state of anti-Semitism in Sweden, Finland and Denmark.

Mike Whine, Director of Government and International Affairs of Community Security Trust (CST) and Defence Director at the Board of Deputies (UK), presented a report on combating anti- Semitism in Europe, including a number of practices that he advised be put into place within each European community.

A brief update on the situation of the European Parliament Food Information regulation concerning the labeling of all meat slaughtered by the method of shechita was given by Claudia De Benedetti (Italy), who led the session dedicated to this topic. Ruben Vis (Netherlands) and Chief Rabbi Goldschmidt (Russia) gave short presentations.

Maurice Sosnowski (Belgium) chaired the section devoted to the delegitimization of Israel and introduced a discourse from Chief Rabbi Bleich (Ukraine) and then Peter Feldmajer, President of the Hungarian community. Discussion followed on international media bias and the ongoing threat of academic and economic boycotts of Israel.

EJC President Kantor highlighted the urgency of the Iranian nuclear project as ―the biggest threat facing the Jewish community, and the wider global community today!‖ Special guest, Benjamin Krasna, Director of Political-Economic Research and Analysis at the Center for Policy Research, Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem expanded on the Iranian problem in his presentation. He spoke of the positive initiatives already taken towards sanctions from the EU, and the work that still needs to be done.

With regards to the future work of the EJC, Secretary General Serge Cwajgenbaum put forward his three-fold EJC action plan to confront the three main concerns of the Jews in Europe, namely, the rise of anti-Semitism, the delegitimization of Israel and the Iranian threat, and establishing interfaith dialogue between Jews and Muslims.

January 2011: Meeting of WJC directors

While in Brussels, Cwajgenbaum and Glikerman attended the working meeting gathering all directors of WJC regions in presence of Michael Schneider WJC acting Secretary General and Dan Diker future Secretary General.

EJC REPORT : PAGE 7 OF 11 April 2011: General Assembly

Prior to the EJC General Assembly in Budapest, which took place on Sunday April 3rd, President Kantor met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, President of the Council of the European Union, accompanied by leaders of the Hungarian Jewish community Zoltai and Feldmajer, as well as Cwajgenbaum and Kalenova. During the meeting, Kantor called for the European Parliament to retract its endorsement of the Goldstone Report, and also called on the Hungarian prime minister to push for an upgrade of EU-Israeli relations, which were suspended following the EU Parliament‘s endorsement of the Goldstone report. PM Orban also expressed his interest in Kantor‘s initiative of establishing a ―European Institute on Tolerance and Security.‖

EJC hosted an intercommunity Shabbat followed by the EJC annual General Assembly in Budapest the 1st – 3rd April, under the presidency of Moshe Kantor. On the agenda: The recent revolutions in the Arab world and the implications for Europe and Israel; the Current Challenges the Jewish communities in Europe are facing, including the rise of anti-Semitism, the rise of populism and the delegitimization of Israel; the ongoing issue of Shechita in Europe; Jewish demography in Europe; the Iranian threat. A number of resolutions were also discussed and will be adopted shortly. The Assembly included the annual EJC financial report from the EJC treasurer, Rabbi Yaakov Bleich. Special guests included: Ehud Yaari, Israeli journalist on the recent Arab revolutions; Sima Shine, Head of the Strategic Division of Israel National Security Council, on the Iranian nuclear threat.

EJC Secretary General Cwajgenbaum gave an update on the current issues of importance for European Jewry, as well as outlining new EJC Action Plans for the future. These included strategies for improving Judeo-Muslim dialogue and combating the delegitimization of Israel.

Sessions chaired by: Claudia de Benedetti, Vice President, Unione delle Comunità Ebraiche Italiane, Dieter Graumann, President of the Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland, Vivian Wineman, President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Richard Prasquier, President of the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions. In addition Posner-Körösi, President of the Council of Swedish Jewish Communities, made a presentation on the current situation of European Jewry, focusing on anti- Semitism in Europe and particularly the situation in Malmö, Sweden.

Delegates from 30 European communities attended the General Assembly which adopted resolutions on: the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Shechita in Holland, Middle-East NGOs, anti- Semitism, Restitution and Internal affairs.

Organisation and coordination of the General Assembly was managed by Myriam Glikerman, with assistance from EJC Paris office staff, Naomi Firsht and Michel Lamy.

Remembrance of the Shoah

September 2010: In September 2010, Cwajgenbaum attended the 65th Yizkor commemorative ceremony at the French Jewish cemetery in Bagneux for the memory of the victims of the Shoah. Speeches were delivered by a representative of the Paris city hall, Mrs Anne Hidalgo, CRIF President Richard Prasquier, Chief Rabbi of France Gilles Bernheim and the President of the Consistoire Joel Mergui.

Commemoration of January 27 2011: EJC President Kantor addressed the International Holocaust Remembrance Day which was organized at the European Parliament under the patronage and in presence of EP President Jerzy Buzek, Israeli Minister for Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Yuli Edelstein, Catherine Ashton High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, WJC President Ronald Lauder, Rabbi Israel Meir Lau, chairman of Yad

EJC REPORT : PAGE 8 OF 11 Vashem Israel's Holocaust memorial, several survivors of the Shoah, several ambassadors of European countries to the European Union, many MEPs and commissioners as well as a very large audience of 400 people. Several holocaust survivors and a Righteous among the nations participated in a lighting Ceremony. The Ra‘anana Symphony Orchestra performed ―From Vienna to Auschwitz, the Alma Rosé story‖ This commemoration was co-organized by the EJC Brussels office, run by Raya Kalenova. Kantor, in his closing remarks, gave thanks to everyone participating. This event received very wide press coverage.

Educational fieldtrip to Auschwitz-Birkenau: Glikerman in Lille for planning meetings of the educational visit to Auschwitz organised for councelors and French high-school students due to take place in November 2011. Also had several working sessions in Brussels with Joël Kotek and in Paris with Jean-Yves Potel, historians specialized on the Holocaust and on Poland and central Europe.

Shechita

October 2010: Press release - European Jewish Congress calls for the withdrawal of a discriminatory amendment to upcoming European regulation on food labeling An EJC delegation composed of Secretary General Serge Cwajgenbaum, Deputy Secretary General, Raya Kalenova, Ariella Woitchik, and Shimon Cohen, spokesman of the UK Board of Shechita met with Member of the European Parliament Dr. Renate Sommer, rapporteur of the new EU food regulation which requires all meat products derived from animals slaughtered according to Jewish custom (shechita) to be labeled as ―meat from slaughter without stunning‖. The EJC expressed its concerns about the discriminatory consequences of this amendment. ―The labeling is discriminatory because there is no such labeling for all those millions of animals killed by electrocution, shooting, gassing or clubbing as well as the many millions of animals that are mis-stunned during the stunning process,‖ said Serge Cwajgenbaum, Secretary General of the EJC. Sommer recognized that inequality and that this amendment could provoke unintended discriminatory consequences. She emphasized that it was certainly not her intention to ferment discrimination and agreed to continue the constructive discussions with the EJC in order to find an acceptable resolution. The EJC, along with Shechita UK, is at the forefront of fighting against this amendment and will continue working with Dr. Sommer and lobbying as many Members of the European Parliament as possible against it ahead of the upcoming final vote.

December 2010: Cwajgenbaum attended a European meeting organised by the Paris Consistoire to discuss the current situation of Shechita in the European Parliament, in the presence of the Chief Rabbi of France Gilles Bernheim, CRIF President Richard Prasquier, Director of the Consistoire Joel Mergui, Rabbi Fiszon, representatives from the UK Board of Shechita and representatives from Austria, Poland, Belgium and Spain amongst other countries.

April 2011: EJC Secretary General Serge Cwajgenbaum along with EJC Deputy Secretary General Raya Kalenova, Ariella Woitchik from the EJC Brussels office, and Shimon Cohen from the UK Board of Shechita met with Swedish MEP Schlyter in Brussels to discuss the ongoing issue of food- labeling with regards to Shechita, currently being debated in European Parliament .

President Kantor received a letter from Dutch PM Rutte in response to his letter outlining the Jewish community‘s concern over the upcoming legislation to be voted in Dutch parliament which could ban Shechita in Holland.

EJC REPORT : PAGE 9 OF 11 ECTR

October 2010: Spanish King received medal for promoting tolerance. The European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation, co-chaired by former Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski and by Moshe Kantor, president of the European Jewish Congress, awarded King of Spain Juan Carlos I with the European Medal of Tolerance at the Zarzuela Palace, in recognition of His Majesty‘s lifelong dedication and devotion to tolerance and political reconciliation. The ECTR is calling for the institution of a European Day of Tolerance, and to work against ethnic, religious and cultural discrimination. After this event, a dinner was organized where Moshe Kantor met with the President of the Federation of Spanish Jewish Community Jacobo Israel Garzon and with the leadership of the community.

October 2010: ECTR International conference in Croatia. In Dubrovnik (Croatia), EJC President Moshe Kantor addressed the international conference ―Towards Reconciliation. Experiences, Techniques and Opportunities for Europe‖, initiated by the European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation (ECTR). The conference was attended by leaders from current and former conflicts and disputes in Europe and experts on human rights issues and reconciliation. Among them were Croatian President Ivo Josipović and Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor, as well as former Norwegian premier Kjell Bondevik, ex-Italian Prime Minister and Rita Süssmuth, former president of the German Bundestag. EJC Secretary General Cwajgenbaum and Advisor Arie Zuckerman were also in attendance.

In Zagreb, Cwajgenbaum met with Dean Friedrich, Secretary General of the Jewish community of Zagreb. He also met with Davor Stern, former Croatian minister of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship.

Luxembourg Forum

December 2010: The International Luxembourg Forum‘s Supervisory Council, created and presided by Dr. Moshe Kantor, held its Annual Meeting in Moscow. On this occasion, a small met with the Deputy Secretary of the Russian Federation Security Council, Vladimir Nazarov.

News from communities

Poland

October 2010: In Warsaw, Cwajgenbaum addressed a seminar on Public Diplomacy and Polish Jewish Relations organized by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs on ―The Jews and Poland - How can we shape bilateral Polish relations?‖ Also present at this seminar was CRIF President Richard Prasquier. Cwajgenbaum met with Chief Rabbi Michael Schudrich and with the vice minister of Foreign Affairs on the issue of restitution in Poland.

Germany

November 2010: In Frankfurt, EJC Secretary General Serge Cwajgenbaum addressed the Deutscher Israel Kongress devoted to the theme ―Together with Israel‖, a major event gathering over one thousand participants as well as Jewish and non-Jewish associations and organisations which support Israel. Present at this event among others were H.E. Yoram ben Zeev, Israeli ambassador to Germany, Uwe Becker, official representative of the city of Frankfurt, Charlotte

EJC REPORT : PAGE 10 OF 11 Knobloch, the then president of the Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland and Dieter Grauman, the then future president of the Zentralrat.

France

December 2010: EJC held a working breakfast meeting with CRIF. In attendance EJC President Kantor, former EJC President Cobi Benatoff, EJC Secretary General Cwajgenbaum, EJC Deputy Secretary General Kalenova, Myriam Glikerman, Advisor to EJC President Zuckerman, CRIF President Prasquier, CRIF General Director Musicant and CRIF board members.

February 2011: Cwajgenbaum, EJC deputy Secretary General Raya Kalenova and Ariella Woitchik attend the annual CRIF dinner, presided over by CRIF President Richard Prasquier. Guest of honour was French President Nicolas Sarkozy, one thousand people attended.

March 2011: Cwajgenbaum met with Haim Musicant, CRIF director general, on ongoing situation in France after a poll showing far-right candidate Marine Le Pen (Front National leader) would receive 24 percent of the vote and thus most probable candidate in the 2nd round in French presidential elections to take place in 2012. Also discussed fight against anti-Semitism in France.

Great Britain

February 2011: EJC President Moshe Kantor was in London for a meeting with the Board of Deputies leadership. He made a thorough presentation of EJC action in all political fields which was followed by an open discussion and future plan for full cooperation between EJC and the BoD. Kantor was accompanied by Serge Cwajgenbaum, Arie Zuckerman and Raya Kalenova.

Switzerland

Cwajgenbaum, Glikerman and Firsht met with Jonathan Kreutner, secretary general of the Swiss Federation of Jewish communities, in Paris.

Luxembourg

In Paris, Cwajgenbaum met with François Moyse, new president of the Jewish Community of Luxembourg, to discuss their common agenda.

Romania

April 2011: Cwajgenbaum in Bucharest addressed the General Assembly of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Romania which celebrated FEDROM‘s 75th year of existence and the re- inauguration of the Coral Temple. The event was attended by Presidents of the Jewish Communities of Romania, by the members of FEDROM‘s Board of Directors, public central and local authorities‘ representatives in Romania, officials of other religious congregations, of other national minorities and personalities of the civil society. These events were followed by a show organized by JDC Romania, marking the 75 years of existence and 45 years of partnership between FEDROM and the JOINT, and the 63rd anniversary of the State of Israel.

Austria

April 2011: Cwajgenbaum in Vienna participated in a consultation meeting of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights devoted notably to an exchange of views on a forthcoming "Survey on discrimination and hate crime against Jews in selected EU Member States".

EJC REPORT : PAGE 11 OF 11

WJC-ISRAEL

ISRAEL EXECUTIVE

REPORT September 2010 - May 2011

December 2010

The Executive Board of WJC-Israel voted in Dan Diker as acting Director General and Sam Grundwerg as Deputy Director General of WJC-Israel.

Diker and Grundwerg met with several members of the WJC-Israel Executive Board to forge new relationships and re-establish the presence of the professional management team of WJC- Israel.

January-February 2011

Diker addressed the Knesset Committee of Aliyah, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs relating to the growing support of Latin American countries in the recognition of a Palestinian state and the unilateral move to achieve such recognition in the UN in September.

Diker was interviewed by IBA News, Israel’s English news channel, to discuss the growing support of Latin American countries in the recognition of a Palestinian state and the unilateral move to achieve such recognition in the UN in September.

WJC-Israel partnered with the World Jewish Diplomatic Corps to hold a dinner event for European Parliament parliamentarian assistants visiting Israel as part of a conference of European Friends of Israel (EFI). The keynote speaker at the event was Dr. Harold Rhode (30 year veteran of the Pentagon and expert in Middle East Affairs).

WJC-Israel Chair MK Shai Hermesh and Diker convened an Executive Board meeting to present and discuss the annual budget and strategic plan for WJC-Israel for 2011. The plan reflected a WJC-Israel that would be re-energized as a bridge between Israel and the nearly 100 Jewish communities that the WJC represents around the world.

Specifically and among other things, it was presented that WJC-Israel seeks to brand itself as the leading voice in Israel representing vital interests of the Jewish community in Israel within the following priority areas that also reflect the top priorities of WJC global objectives:

1. Combating the assault on the legitimacy of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people

2. Launching and promoting a public campaign on behalf of hundreds of thousands of Jews who suffered ethnic cleansing in Arab lands following the establishment of the State of Israel and continuing into the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s

3. Building our ongoing relationship with the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus and the 600 million evangelical Christians around the world.

4. Production of an international consultation of the International Council of Jewish Parliamentarians (ICJP) in Jerusalem and to creating a network of Jewish parliamentarians from around the world that will serve as an ongoing platform for communication and cooperation in sharing information and advancing interests for Jewish communities around the world.

WJC-ISREAL REPORT: PAGE 1 OF 2 WJC-Israel held a dinner event with Professor Bernard Lewis, one of the world’s leading authorities on Islam and the near east. The dinner event was hosted by Hermesh, and Diker. The dinner discussion was part of a special event for the WJC-Israel Executive and other select guests including Members of Knesset, and leading experts on Islam and the Middle East.

March-April 2011

Hermesh and Diker met with Josh Reinstein from the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus to discuss and plan for the advancement of the relationship between Israel and the evangelical Christian communities around the world.

Diker also held meetings with Itzik Shmueli, Chairman of the Federation of Students in Israel and Helena Glazer, President of WIZO and member of the WJC Executive.

Diker had several media appearances, including IBA News, Close Up, Turkish television and the publication of an article in the Jerusalem Post relating to the assault on Israel’s legitimacy.

Hermesh participated in a delegation of WJC leadership to South America and met with Colombian President Santos and other leaders in the region as well as more than 50 leaders of the Jewish community in the region from 13 South American countries. Among the topics discussed was the growing support of Latin American countries in the recognition of a Palestinian state and the unilateral move to achieve such recognition in the UN in September, the Arab revolutions and the growing threat of a nuclear Iran.

May-June 2011

Hermesh and Diker convened a WJC-Israel Executive Board meeting and hosted a special diner with Ambassador Alan Baker who spoke about the legal and policy implications of UDI.

WJC-ISREAL REPORT: PAGE 2 OF 2 WJC Latin America September 2010 – June 2011

SEPTEMBER 2010

Buenos Aires, Argentina - On the occasion of the celebration of Rosh Hashanah, President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner met with the Jewish community in the “Pink House”, along with Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman, to make a toast and play the shofar.

The LAJC together with DAIA and the International Israel Allies Caucus Foundation, organized a seminar with Ambassador Roger Noriega, former assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere Affairs (USA) on Iran's presence in Latin America. The event was attended by community leaders, politicians and academics.

Córdoba, Argentina - For the third consecutive year the LAJC organized a lunch for Jews and Muslims to celebrate the beginning of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, and end of the holy month of Ramadan, –Id al Fitr-. The event was headed by the governor of Cordoba.

Jerusalem, Israel - In the framework of the WJC GB meeting under the slogan "In support of the State of Israel", the LAJC met to share the realities of its Jewish communities. They also met with the Minister of Public Affairs (Hasbara) and Diaspora, Yuli Edelstein and with Rafael Barak, Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

OCTOBER 2010

Buenos Aires, Argentina - Eduardo Elsztain hosted a luncheon for Hannah Rosenthal, special envoy for monitoring and combating anti-Semitism, U.S. State Department, on the occasion of her visit to Buenos Aires.

The New Generations program of the LAJC, organized a meeting with the prosecutor Alberto Nisman, in charge of the investigation of the AMIA bombing.

The LAJC publicly launched the website www.observatorioweb.org to receive reports on discrimination on the web. This initiative was developed in conjunction with AMIA and DAIA.

The LAJC executive committee held a meeting in Buenos Aires attended by Jack Terpins, Eduardo Elsztain, Saul Gilvich, Enrique Chirom, Natalio Fichelson, Manuel Tenenbaum, Gerardo Tyszberowicz and Claudio Epelman.

WJC LATIN AMERICA REPORT: PAGE 1 OF 9 The LAJC, represented by Jack Terpins and Saul Gilvich, attended the AMIA Annual Dinner which had the President of Argentina, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner as the guest of honor.

At the death of former Argentine President Nestor Kirchner, husband of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, current President, Ronald Lauder, Eduardo Elsztain and Jack Terpins sent her a letter expressing their deep regret, and sharing all the messages of condolences sent by the Jewish communities of Latin America.

Doha, Qatar - Claudio Epelman participated along with Rabbi Marc Schneier and Maram Stern of the Eighth International Conference on Interreligious Dialogue. On this occasion they met with various religious leaders, mainly from the Islamic world.

Jesus María, Argentina) - Five hundred students of the National Guard participated in a training session on the Holocaust in the town of Jesús María (Córdoba, Argentina). During the training it was presented the exhibition "Visas for Freedom" created by Casa Sefarad-Israel in Spain and Argentina, sponsored by the LAJC, the Shoa Museum of Buenos Aires and FESELA.

NOVEMBER 2010

Buenos Aires, Argentina - Hosted by the Ambassador of Israel Daniel Gazit, Claudio Epelman participated in a dinner for the Parliamentary Group “Friends of Israel”.

DAIA President, Aldo Donzis, was the keynote speaker at a meeting organized by the New Generations program of the LAJC.

New York, USA - Ronald Lauder, Eduardo Elsztain, Jack Terpins, Michael Schneider and Claudio Epelman met in New York to go over the main issues on the agenda for the region.

Claudio Epelman participated in the meeting of the Executive Committee of the World Conference of Religions for Peace, where he held separate meetings with William Vendley, Secretary General of Religions for Peace, Elijah Szczytnicki, Secretary General of Religions for Peace in Latin America; and Rabbi David Rosen.

Alejandro Resnik and Alejandro Donzis, members of the New Generations program, represented LAJC in a workshop on combating anti-Semitism on the Internet, organized by the ADL.

Sao Paulo, Brasil - Jack Terpins and Claudio Epelman participated in the meeting organized by the Keren Hayesod in Latin America, where they presented to the donors on the activity of the LAJC.

LAJC launched the program New Generations in Brazil.

WJC LATIN AMERICA REPORT: PAGE 2 OF 9 DECEMBER 2010

Latin America - Brasil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Paraguay, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana, Nicaragua, Cuba and Costa Rica were some of the Latin American countries announcing the recognition of a free and independent Palestinian State. In some of the cases the “limits of the '67” was mentioned.

Buenos Aires, Argentina) - The LAJC re-launched the publication “Coloquio” which recreates a publication that the LAJC maintained for decades. The new digital edition seeks to develop a new channel of expression for intellectuals and politicians about issues on the agenda of the LAJC.

As part of the series of meetings organized by the New Generations program, participants met with Senator Daniel Filmus, Deputy Daniel Katz and former Congressman Marcelo Stubrin who provided their views on their political activism as Jews.

Claudio Epelman attended a seminar organized by the South African Embassy in Buenos Aires, where he met with Ambassador Tony Leon and former President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Federik of Klerc.

The LAJC made a presentation for the press of the program to combat anti-Semitism on the Internet, which had great impact in Argentina. This program is developed together with DAIA and AMIA.

The New Generations program of the LAJC met with Stuart Eizenstat, current Chairman of the Jewish People Planning Institute of the Jewish Agency in Jerusalem and former aide to U.S. President Bill Clinton on domestic policy and Holocaust issues.

Jerusalem, Israel - Claudio Epelman was part of the Strategic Consultation: "Building Partnerships and Synergies in Countering the Assault on Israel's Legitimacy” organized by the government of Israel in conjunction with the WJC, to hold consultations with the Jewish Diaspora on this topic. Meetings were held with Prime Minister Byniamin Netanyahu; with Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ayalom; with Vice Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon; with the Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky, among other officials.

Mar del Plata, Argentina) - Rabbi Paul Gabe, member of the New Generations program, represented the LAJC in the Iberoamerican Summit of Heads of State, attended by the leaders of 19 countries in the region.

Montevideo, Uruguay - The New Generations program of the LAJC was launched in Uruguay.

Jack Terpins, Saul Gilvich and Claudio Epelman attended the event to celebrate the 70 years anniversary of the foundation of the Jewish Central Committee of Uruguay, where they held a meeting with their authorities.

WJC LATIN AMERICA REPORT: PAGE 3 OF 9

JANUARY 2011

Buenos Aires LAJC launched a new program to combat anti-Semitism on the Web, Observatorio Web (www.observatorioweb.org) which had widespread media coverage and made a major impact on Argentinean society. The program is carried out in collaboration with DAIA and AMIA.

Montevideo A group of Uruguayan parliamentarians traveled on an official mission to Iran, Lebanon, Kuwait, Arab Emirates and Bahrain. In Teheran, the president of the House of Representatives met with President Ahmadinejad and several other ministers. The LAJC, together with the Comité Central Israelita from Uruguay, sent a letter to each member of the delegation explaining that high senior officials of the current Iranian government had been accused of participating in the AMIA terrorist attack, and requesting they demand that the Iranian government surrender these people.

Bahia Blanca New anti-Semitic graffiti appeared in front of a Chabad Lubavitch synagogue in Bahia Blanca, a city 700km south of Buenos Aires.

Rio de Janeiro The Jewish community of Brazil supported the survivors of the tragic floods and mudslides which killed over 700 victims in the Rio de Janeiro area.

Brussels Claudio Epelman participated in the WJC executive directors meeting that took place in Brussels, along with Ronald S. Lauder, Michael Schneider and Dan Diker.

Buenos Aires LAJC launched the video “Holocaust Denial is Anti-Semitism” on Youtube to commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The video has had over 22,000 viewers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHsgv5o5a5c

Porto Alegre On January 27th, the president of Brazil Dilma Rousseff headed the ceremony of the Holocaust Remembrance Day, in the city of Porto Alegre. Jack Terpins, Claudio Lottenberg (president of the Brazilian community) and Marcos Israel (president of the Uruguayan community) together with Claudio Epelman attended the ceremony. The media, as well as Lottenberg, remarked on the new approach of Rousseff´s administration towards Iran. In a public speech, Rousseff clearly expressed that she will fight for Human Rights regardless of the consequences. Before the public ceremony, Terpins and Lottemberg held a private meeting with Rousseff.

WJC LATIN AMERICA REPORT: PAGE 4 OF 9 Sao Paulo Jack Terpins, Claudio Epelman and Marcos Israel, president of the Uruguayan community, met with Clara Ant, adviser to former Brazilian president Lula Da Silva.

FEBRUARY 2011

Lima The summit of presidents of the Arab League and the South American countries originally scheduled for mid-February in Peru, was postponed due to the situation in Egypt.

Buenos Aires Epelman met Daniel Gazit, Israel Ambassador to Argentina, to coordinate activities regarding the implications of the recognition of several Latin-American countries of a Palestinian State, and programs to strengthen Israel´s image.

Epelman met with Ariel Seidler, Director of Observatorio Web, Alejnadro Resnik and Rodirgo Luchinsky to discuss potential legal actions against sites that promote discrimination on the Internet.

Jack Terpins participated in Buenos Aires of a brief on the Iranian penetration in the region presented by Ambassador Roger Noriega, former US Assistant Secretary of State. Enrique Chirom and Claudio Epelman (LAJC), Daniel Gazit (Ambassador of Israel to Argentina), Aldo Donzis and Fabian Galante (DAIA), and a selected group of New Generations ´members also participated in the event

Sao Paulo Jack Terpins and Claudio Epelman met with the President of Hebraica Sao Paulo, Arthur Rotemberg, and Israel's Consul in Sao Paulo, Ilan Sztulman.

Buenos Aires The LAJC launched a project to defend the image of Israel on the Internet, called Israel 2.0. This new endeavor will be developed in collaboration with various community organizations. Initially the work will be done with organizations in Argentina, with the idea of expanding it throughout the region.

MARCH 2011

Sao Paulo Jack Terpins and Claudio Lottenberg, met with the Vice President of Brazil, Michel Temer, in preparation of the LACJ meeting. The meeting was a good opportunity to discuss several issues of Brazilian politics.

Paris Epelman joined the WJC team that participated in the International Catholic Jewish Liaison Committee Meeting, held in Paris, with participants of both religions. The LACJ participated as a counterpart of the Conference of Latin American Bishops, CELAM.

WJC LATIN AMERICA REPORT: PAGE 5 OF 9 Madrid Maram Stern and Claudio Epelman met in Madrid with Bahige Mulla, senior member of the Islamic Word League, to explore new ways of dialogue with Islam.

Buenos Aires Epelman met with Thiago Melamed, chief of staff of the Embassy of Brazil in Argentina, and Alberto Kleiman, an advisor to the presidency of the Republic of Brazil.

Buenos Aires LACJ organized the formal kick off of its new program, New Generations, developed to find, engage, nurture and help develop the next generation of community leaders. A group of young professionals held a private meeting with 3 senior officials of the government.

Lima The summit of presidents of South America and the Arab League, which had been postponed until April, was postponed again until September at the request of the Arab League because of the crisis in Libya.

San Jose A Civil Society Forum for Peace in the Middle East took place in Costa Rica with representatives of Israel, various Arab countries and several community leaders; many defamatory expressions were heard at this forum against the State of Israel.

Montevideo The New Generations project was launched in Uruguay with the participation of the Ambassador of Israel to Uruguay, Dori Goren, the president of the Jewish Central Committee, Marcos Israel, and the Program Director, Valeria Grimberg.

Buenos Aires March 17 marked another anniversary of the terrorist attack on the Embassy of Israel in Buenos Aires, 1992 when a car bomb killed 29 people.

Sao Paulo Jack Terpins met in Sao Paulo with Claudio Epelman to finalize preparations for the next LACJ meeting held on 27 and 28 of March in Brazil.

Buenos Aires Claudio Epelman met with the prosecutor of the AMIA case, Dr. Alberto Nisman.

Sao Paulo The LACJ conducted its Annual Meeting in Brazil. Participants of the event included 80 leaders from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. The meeting was also attended by Ronald S. Lauder, Shai Hermesh, Dan Diker, Maram Stern and Sara Winkowski, as members of a WJC mission to the region.

WJC LATIN AMERICA REPORT: PAGE 6 OF 9 This gathering was an opportunity to discuss some of the major challenges faced by the Jewish communities of Latin-American and the State of Israel. Sessions included topics such as the changes in the Middle East, the recognition of a Palestinian State by the countries of the region, the challenges faced by small communities, the inclusion of teaching about the Shoah in the school curricula, and the work done by the communities on behalf of the State of Israel.

Bogota At the conclusion of the LACJ Annual Meeting in Brazil, Lauder, Terpins, Elsztain, Hermesh, Diker, Stern and Epelman traveled to Bogota where they joined Ronald Bakalarz, Vice-President of the LACJ, in a meeting with the leadership of the local Jewish community. This trip was also an opportunity to meet with President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos Calderon, to commemorate Mr. Santo´s friendship with the Jewish people and the state of Israel. Colombia is the only country in South America that hadn´t recognized a Palestinian State, outside the framework of a peace agreement and in accordance with UN resolutions.

APRIL 2011

Rio de Janeiro Jack Terpins participated in Rio de Janeiro's tribute to Judge Luis Fux, the first Jew to become Minister of the Superior Court of Justice of Brazil.

Brasilia Terpins participated in the meeting held at the Embassy of Israel with the evangelical caucus of the Brazilian parliament, in support of that State of Israel.

Buenos Aires LACJ organized, jointly with the Foreign Ministry of Israel, a diplomatic seminar for young professionals which was attended by over 45 people of the region. Among the speakers were officials of the Foreign Ministry and the Embassy of Israel in Argentina, the Jewish Agency´s Chairman, Natan Sharansky, the president of AMIA and DAIA, the prosecutor of the AMIA case and Members of several regional Parliaments.

A private meeting was held as part of the seminar, between the Members of the Parliamentary Committees of Friendship with Israel from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, where it was agreed that their activities needed to be coordinated and strengthen.

WJC LATIN AMERICA REPORT: PAGE 7 OF 9 MAY 2011

Jerusalem Jack Terpins participated in Yom Ha'atzmaut celebrations in Israel.

Buenos Aires The Buenos Aires office´s staff participated in various events to celebrate Yom Ha'atzmaut.

LAJC participated at the commemoration of the sixth anniversary of the Pontificate of Benedict XVI.

As part of the work carried out by LACJ´s Observatorio Web (www.observatorioweb.org), a Civil Court in Buenos Aires ordered Google to drop certain suggested searches in their web browser leading to discrimination, to remove from the index certain sites which contained hate and anti-Semitic speech, and to refrain from putting ads on those sites from which Google was making a profit.

A rabbi of an orthodox congregation was attacked with a martial arts weapon, nunchaku, while being abused as a “Jew”. The attacker was arrested and later sent to a Neuropsychiatric Institute.

Epelman participated in an opening session of the University Di Tella, in the presence of Colombian Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holgin.

Members of New Generations: the group of young professionals from Buenos Aires met Marcos Peña, Secretary General of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires to reflect on "The role of youth in politics."

Claudio Epelman met with the Ambassador of Israel in Argentina, Daniel Gazit, and with Congressman Claudio Presman to discuss the distribution of invitations and follow up with Argentinean Parliamentarians invited to the ICJP.

Caracas Héctor Timerman, Argentine Foreign Minister met with CAIV to strengthen the role of government in the dialogue between the community and the government of President Chávez.

Sao Paulo New Generations´s members met with Floriano Pesaro, Municipal Senator, to discuss "The balance between political life and Jewish life."

WJC LATIN AMERICA REPORT: PAGE 8 OF 9 Montevideo New Generation’s members met with Rafael Michelini (Senator), Ope Pasquet (Senator) and Ruperto Long (Minister of Auditors) to discuss "Israel´s political vision as seen from Uruguay.”

JUNE 2011

Sao Paulo Jack Terpins met, with Jose Maria Aznar, Bill Clinton and Michael Bloomberg.

Claudio Epelman joined Jack Terpins at the annual dinner of the Jewish Fund of Brazil. They also held a private meeting with Clara Ant, adviser to the former Brazilian President, Lula Da Silva.

Asunción Veronica Machtey, together with the leaders of the local Jewish community met with a group of 10 Parliamentarians to assess the influence of Iran in the region and organize a conference to be held in the local Congress by the prosecutor of the AMIA case, Dr. Alberto Nisman.

WJC LATIN AMERICA REPORT: PAGE 9 OF 9

World Jewish Congress – North America

Regional Report-- September 2010 – May 2011

I. WJC-United States II. Canadian Jewish Congress III. Comite Central- Jewish Community of Mexico

I. World Jewish Congress, United States – Advancing the Diplomatic Agenda

The De-Legitimization of Israel, the Iranian Threat, and the United Nations

The Assault on Israel’s Legitimacy

During the latter part of 2010 and the first half of 2011, World Jewish Congress, United States (WJC- US) witnessed increased efforts on the part of anti-Israel elements in the United Nations to strengthen the international campaign to de-legitimize Israel. Despite the admission of Judge Goldstone that, in contrast to the report he issued on the 2008-2009 Gaza War, “unlike Hamas, Israel did not intentionally, as a matter of policy, target civilians in its 2008-2009 war to stop indiscriminate rocket attacks from Gaza,” the United Nations continued to let the Report stand. As well, there were increased “BDS” measures on campus, including discrimination against Jewish students in such traditionally “Jewish” campuses such as New York University, Brooklyn College, and others, which were cause for concern.

Our efforts in the fight against the assault on Israel’s legitimacy and the Jewish people entailed meetings with UN representatives, among them the president of the United Nations General Assembly, the head of counter-terrorism in the United Nations, Ambassador Ragaglini of Italy to the UN, Ambassador Araud of France to the UN, and Ambassador Meron Reuben of Israel to the UN, Ambassador Haim Waxman, deputy ambassador of Israel to the UN, and Legal Advisor Ady Schonmann of the Mission of Israel to the UN. As well, meetings were held with heads of delegations to the UNGA, including Foreign Minister Miguel Moratinos of Spain, Prime Minister George Papandreou of Greece, Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov of Bulgaria, Foreign Minister Franco Frattini of Italy, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov of Russia, Patrice Paoli of France, Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi of Hungary, Undersecretary of State of India, Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi of Romania, Parliamentary Undersecretary of State Alistair Burt of the UK, Director General for Foreign Policy Ambassador Alfonso Silva of Chile, and others.

As calls for boycotts of Israel and Israel- related bodies and companies continued to emanate from some trade unions, a meeting with Ofer Eini, the head of the Histadrut of Israel, was held at the home of Ronald S. Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress, together with important union leaders in the United States. These leaders expressed support for aiding in the battle against boycott attempts across the country in the United States. Follow-up has been made together with other Jewish organizations including the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and the Jewish Labor Committee to continue to be in contact with these and other trade union leaders in the United States to counter boycott activities. In addition, WJC-US hosted a broad meeting with many Jewish organizations together with the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations for Mr. Eini who discussed ways to help combat BDS.

WJC NORTH AMERICA REPORT: PAGE 1 OF 13 “Lawfare” is the term coined to denote the abuse of international law in the effort to de-legitimize Israel, another component of the BDS arsenal. Several programs geared towards lawyers were recently sponsored by Jewish organizations and the government of Israel in New York City which were attended by members of WJC-US and WJC-North America to help counter the perversion of international law.

The Iranian Threat

The Iranian quest to achieve nuclear weapons continues to loom ominously on the horizon while the Jewish community is focused on so many other urgent and compelling issues. Nevertheless, we cannot afford to allow the Iranian race toward nuclearization to continue to spin out of control while we are engaged in other timely issues.

Working together with other major American Jewish umbrella groups, World Jewish Congress-United States attended briefings and symposia on the issue of increased sanctions against Iran’s refined petroleum sector and explored, together with the ADL, the possibilities of reinforcing the particular legislations aimed at shipping companies who violate the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act. As well, WJC-US has been requesting elected officials to support and cosponsor important legislation that would impose stricter sanctions on Iran. These include the Iran Threat Reduction Act and the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Sanctions Consolidation Act. These would sanction Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps and codify for the first time that it is US policy to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. In addition, this new legislation would increase sanctions against the Iranian regime’s human rights violators and sharply tighten the enforcement of existing sanctions law. WJC-US thanked House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairwoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and Ranking Member Howard Berman (D-CA) for introducing this legislation in the House, and Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), and Jon Kyl (R-AZ) for introducing these into the Senate. Others sanctions measures including the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions Accountability and Divestment Act (CISADA) of 2010 was passed by the Senate by an overwhelming measure of 95-0 and in the House overwhelmingly by 408-8. World Jewish Congress congratulated both houses on passing the most comprehensive and toughest piece of Iran sanctions legislation ever to emerge from Congress aimed at persuading the regime to end its illegal pursuit of nuclear weapons capability.

Israel and International Affairs

WJC-US sent a letter asking all the United States Senators to support a resolution introduced by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and James Risch (R-ID)calling on the United Nations to rescind the Goldstone Report. Given Goldstone’s recent conclusions that underscore that Israel acted in self defense when she was confronted with a ruthless adversary targeting her civilians. We expressed gratitude to the Senate for urging the United Nations, as a member of the Quartet, to play an absolutely unbiased role in the peace process and to therefore rescind the Goldstone Report. WJC-US sent a letter of thanks to the United States Senate for their important letter to Secretary Hillary Clinton over the continuing incitement directed against Jews in Israel emanating from within the Palestinian Authority. The Senate letter stressed the effect that the ongoing terrorist and missile attacks are having on Israel and cited examples of the continual Palestinian incitement campaign and its causal role in the violence.

World Jewish Congress-United States is working to develop a better attitude towards Israel amongst member states of the United Nations by grooming relationships with officials who serve in the UN missions and in the Secretariat. Ongoing discussions include the issues of de-legitimization with emphasis on increasing the effectiveness and fairness of the United Nations which sees itself as a

WJC NORTH AMERICA REPORT: PAGE 2 OF 13 democratic body respectful of the rights of the member states. In this context WJC-US approaches officials with the long term goal of improving attitudes towards Israel as well as towards the United States and the West in the UN.

At press time, plans for meetings with heads of foreign delegations for the UNGA in September 2011 are being made. Meetings will be held with WJC leadership together with leadership of the Conference of Presidents, American Jewish Committee, ADL, B’nai B’rith, National Conference on Soviet Jewry, and others. This year, Evelyn Sommer, chair of World Jewish Congress-North America chairs the community Task Force on the United Nations together with Robert Sugarman, president of the ADL. On the agenda for discussion with the foreign delegations are the attempt by the Palestinian Authority to evade direct negotiations with Israel and have the UN unilaterally declare a Palestinian State (UDI), the continued hostility towards Israel in the UN including the efforts to commemorate the Durban Declaration on September 22nd , also known as Durban III, and the attitude of the UN towards anti- Semitism. We will urge member states to demand that the Goldstone Report be rescinded, and that the United Nations take a stand against all manner of flotillas designed to break Israel’s blockade against Gaza, which was set up in order to prevent missile and mortar attacks into Israel proper from Gaza.

WJC-US continues to meet with Israeli officials in the United States including visiting Israeli Ministers, members of Knesset, and members of the Permanent Mission of Israel to the UN and the Consulate General of Israel, with whom we work closely and are in touch daily on all WJC priority issues. In keeping with our policy of encouraging relationships with countries with an eye to develop a positive attitude towards Israel, we met recently with Ambassador Amiram Magid, ambassador of Israel to the Caribbean, who discussed the cultivation of important Caribbean countries in order to try to increase support for Israel in the UN and other international bodies. Countries discussed included Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad, St. Vincent and Grenadines, and Suriname, among others in this region.

WJC-US remains active on the issue of the Israeli soldiers missing in action (MIAs) and continues to work with elected officials, representatives of foreign governments, and international organizations for the release of Gilad Shalit, an IDF soldier who was kidnapped by Hamas in the summer of 2006, and for the release of the other Israeli MIAs, namely Ron Arad, Guy Chever, Yehuda Katz, Tzvi Feldman, and Zachary Baumel, who is both a citizen of Israel and the United Sates. Evelyn Sommer addressed a rally in front of the ICRC in New York for Gilad Shalit this year and Betty Ehrenberg held meetings with Miriam Baumel, the mother of Zachary Baumel, in New York and Jerusalem.

The WJC-US Governing Board was pleased to host Secretary General-Designate Dan Diker for a briefing on contemporary Middle East issues including Israel and the issue of defensible borders, and the international assault on Israel’s legitimacy. Through the efforts of Diker, SamGurndwerg and their staff, consultations were arranged with the heads of Jewish organizations in the United States and from all around the world in Jerusalem together with representatives of the Israeli government, including the office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Strategic Affairs, and the Ministry of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs to help coordinate and plan activities on this issue. Meetings were held in the New York office in preparation for this consultation.

Community Outreach

This year, WJC-US made special efforts to reach out to the Latino American community, an ethnic group increasing in population and importance in the United States. Together with Bridges and Pathways, an outreach group chaired by former Secretary Henry Cisneros and Rabbi Aryeh Scheinberg of San Antonio, and the Netanya Academic College of Israel, WJC-US cosponsored a conference that

WJC NORTH AMERICA REPORT: PAGE 3 OF 13 brought together American Jewish leaders and Hispanic American leaders in all fields. These included elected officials such as the mayor of San Antonio, state senators and assemblymen, religious leaders, and Latino American experts in the fields of education, entertainment, journalism, and many others. We discussed methods of outreach and cooperation as well as important issues of mutual concern, such as immigration and discrimination against minorities. Plans are being made at press time to follow-up this conference with other meetings and projects.

Interfaith Efforts

The World Jewish Congress as a whole, and WJC-US in particular, continue to play a central role in the activities of the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations (IJCIC). In February, the Brussels office was key to the coordination and planning of the International Liaison Committee (ILC) of IJCIC, together with the Jewish community of France and its president Dr. Richard Prasquier. The meeting was attended by an international group of both Jewish and Catholic leaders, among them Rabbi Joel Meyers, Acting Chair of WJC-US, Rabbi Richard Marker, then IJCIC chair, Prof. Lawrence Schiffman, then vice chair, and Betty Ehrenberg, then treasurer, Maram Stern, Deputy Secretary General of WJC, Isabella Nespoli, Director of Interfaith Affairs, Claudio Epelman, Executive Director of LAJC, as well as a large representation of member organizations of the WJC-US Board. The ILC meeting was productive as the participants noted an improved and warm atmosphere, with greater participation of Cardinals who head up important Vatican departments, and greater involvement of young leadership as well. Issues discussed included, among others, the Middle East, the current situation of Jewish- Catholic relations in Europe and in other regions, and future directions in the Catholic-Jewish dialogue. The group together visited Drancy and the memorial to the Holocaust, and visited the Jewish community of Raincy where they participated in a memorial service for Ilan Halimi, z”l, who was the victim of a vicious anti-Semitic attack and kidnapping. IJCIC held elections for new officers at press time which resulted in the election of Professor Lawrence Schiffman (Orthodox Union) as Chairman, Betty Ehrenberg (World Jewish Congress) as Vice-Chair, and Martin Budd (ADL) as Treasurer. IJCIC is planning to host a meeting with Cardinal Koch, the head of the Vatican Office on Ecumenism, during his upcoming visit to New York in the fall.

WJC-Us has reached out to the representatives of the Greek Orthodox leadership in New York. A meeting with Archbishop Heironymous of the Greek Orthodox Church of Athens was co-chaired by WJC-US Board member Rabbi Basil Herring of the Rabbinical Council of America and Rabbi Joel Meyers in Athens in February during a mission of American Jewish leaders to Greece, and attended by Betty Ehrenberg and several representatives of WJC-US member organizations.

World Jewish Congress-United States has recently increased its outreach to important American Christian leaders, including members of the New York Archdiocese, national leadership of the Evangelical community, and Catholic leaders of the Latino American community. Rabbi Joel Meyers attended national interfaith gatherings in Boston and in New York and a prayer breakfast given by New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan. An area that continues to be of concern and marked for increased involvement is the World Council of Churches (WCC) and its US affiliate the National Council of Churches. Recent overtures were made by WJC-US to Protestant representatives in the United States in an effort to strengthen the tie.

Continued communications were maintained by WJC-US with Israel’s representative for interfaith relations in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bahij Mansour and with the Ambassador of Israel to the Vatican, Mordechai Lewy.

WJC NORTH AMERICA REPORT: PAGE 4 OF 13 Rabbi Marc Schneier, Vice President of WJC and Honorary Chair of WJC-US, continued to work to enhance Muslim-Jewish relations via common projects and programs. This year, Rabbi Schneier advanced the model twinning program of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding between mosques and synagogues in Europe, working closely with Maram Stern and the Brussels office staff. A successful meeting was recently held in Paris with both Jewish and Muslim leaders from around Europe which garnered much media attention.

Anti-Semitism

World Jewish Congress-United States continues to work closely with major American Jewish organizations and with international organizations on anti-Semitism. Two issues that have re-surfaced this year are anti-shechita measures that have been reported in New Zealand, Holland, and in other countries, and anti-brit milah measures, which have grabbed headlines in two cities in California. Together with B’nai B’rith International, AJC, ADL and others, the WJC-US sent a letter of protest to the Dutch government deploring the upcoming vote in the Dutch Parliament that would pass a detrimental anti-shechita bill, emphasizing that these kinds of steps have historically been precursors to waves of anti-Semitism.

An atmosphere of anti-Zionism and discrimination against Jewish students continues to pervade the campus in the United States, even in New York, a city whose universities include many Jewish students. Anti-Israel and anti-Jewish demonstrations and incidents are perpetrated by pro-Palestinian elements in universities across the country. Jewish students are harassed by Muslim students on campus by preventing pro-Israeli speakers from appearing in campus, setting up “fake roadblocks” while enacting IDF alleged activities in the territories. There are calls for divestment of campus funds from companies that do business with Israel. WJC-US, together with many major Jewish groups, signed an important letter decrying these activities and discrimination against Jewish and pro-Israel students. WJC-US continues to be in touch with the US State Department’s Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat anti-Semitism and to attend briefings and updates of the Helsinki Commission and OSCE that deal with monitoring anti-Semitic activity.

WJC-US hosted several delegations this year that reported on anti-Semitism and activities towards the de-legitimization of Israel and the Jewish community around the world. These included a special briefing with Wendy Kahn, National Director of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies, and a meeting with Philippe Karsenty, a French media analyst who uncovered the al- Durrah affair which was used to vilify Israel with false charges of deliberately harming civilians. A visiting delegation from Hungary included Attila Mesterhazy, Chairman of the opposition Hungarian Socialist Party and other Hungarian MPs and members of the Hungarian Jewish leadership met to discuss anti-Semitism and the rise of right wing parties in the European Parliament. We hosted a delegation of leaders of the Russian Jewish Congress led by RJC president Yuri Kanner who were briefed by WJC president Ronald Lauder. Rabbi Marc Schneier moderated a meeting with a State Department delegation comprised of Chief Rabbi of Serbia Rabbi Asiel, the Grand Mufti of Serbia, and the head of the Serbian Protestant Church.

Outreach to Young Leadership

WJC-US continued to increase outreach to young leaders and to encourage their promotion in WJC-US member organizations. Young leaders continued to participate in WJC-US Governing Board meetings and briefing sessions, including representatives of the World Jewish Diplomatic Corps, young professionals of WJC-US member organizations, and student interns from universities in New York who

WJC NORTH AMERICA REPORT: PAGE 5 OF 13 are interested in the work of WJC. Plans to increase the participation of young people in WJC activities are being made at press time.

Restitution

Michael Schneider and Menachem Rosensaft continue to represent the WJC at the WJRO and the Claims Conference and to work towards the restitution of Jewish property and justice for Holocaust survivors. WJC-US continues to participate in meetings with representatives of foreign countries where the Holocaust and restitution are on the agenda, together representatives of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, Claims Conference, B’nai B’rith, and National Conference on Soviet Jewry. WJC-US continues to be in contact with representatives of the office of the Prime Minister of France regarding American survivors who were the victims of the Vichy regime.

Governance

World Jewish Congress-United States continues to uphold and improve its governance accountability, proper filing of taxes and audits, and government reform. In October 2010, WJC-US made its final report to the Attorney General of New York State, assuring its transparency and propriety of financial operations as well as its good governance practices. Currently, the Governing Board is in the process of reviewing WJC- US by laws with the goal of helping WJC-US function more efficiently. World Jewish Congress-US has the approval of the Better Business Bureau, a non-profit organization to whose standards of proper performance we adhere.

WJC NORTH AMERICA REPORT: PAGE 6 OF 13 II. Canadian Jewish Congress – Jewish Community of Canada

Community Service Achievements

The Government of Canada honored Canadian Jewish Congress by naming it an organization of “National Historic Significance” – the first time such an honor has been bestowed upon a Canadian advocacy organization. As part of this honor, an official Government of Canada historic plaque, marking the founding of CJC will be erected in Montreal.

CJC was instrumental in securing a $15 million grant for UJA Federation to build the Lebovic Campus in Vaughan, Ontario. Minister Julian Fantino publicly credited CJC for its effective advocacy on this matter.

CJC secured a $500,000 federal grant to commission a monument to the M.S. St. Louis and a companion educational program. CJC selected Daniel Liebeskind to create the monument, which is now permanently displayed at Halifax's Pier 21: Canada's Immigration Museum. The “Wheel of Conscience” was unveiled at a ceremony with the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia and Minister Jason Kenney and was covered by media in various languages around the world, including the New York Times.

The Holocaust

CJC, along with the Jewish Federation of Ottawa, successfully lobbied to ensure that Ottawa’s new Library and Archives Building would not be named after former mayor Charlotte Whitton, who had campaigned to keep Jewish orphans from entering Canada during the Holocaust.

CJC discredited the Masters’ thesis written by University of Toronto OISE student Jenny Peto, in which she asserted that Jews manipulate the Holocaust to maintain, what she calls “Jewish privilege.” CJC responded with a campaign across traditional, mainstream, ethnic, campus and social media, including posting a video blog interview that garnered more than 1,200 unique views in one weekend.

CJC secured $335,000 in emergency funding for needy Holocaust Survivors, to be delivered via UJA Toronto, bringing desperately needed comfort to those who deserve it most.

Over and above significant “behind the scenes” support, CJC met with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress over the UCC’s public campaign against the proposed Holocaust gallery at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg. CJC also published numerous op-eds and letters to the editor and was quoted in many stories on this issue.

CJC successfully lobbied Parliament to pass a bill to establish a National Holocaust Monument. On March 25 CJC appeared before a Senate Committee reviewing the legislation.

Anti-Semitism

Following written submissions from CJC and its three regions to the Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat anti-Semitism, CJC and QJC leadership testified in Parliament regarding anti-Semitism in Canada. CJC lay and professional leadership chaired Expert Panels at the Inter-parliamentary Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism and served as rapporteurs.

Salman Hossain, a York University student who runs a violently anti-Semitic blog, became the first person ever charged with "Advocating Genocide." CJC, at the invitation of the Ontario Provincial Police, represented the Jewish community at an OPP press conference announcing the charge.

WJC NORTH AMERICA REPORT: PAGE 7 OF 13

Israel and “BDS”

Leveraging carefully cultivated contacts with the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association, CJC thwarted an attempt to bring anti-Israel resolutions forward at the union’s annual general meeting.

Canadian Jewish Congress - Pacific Region provided essential on-the-ground support to the Canada- Israel Committee and the Jewish Federation of Vancouver ensuring that the Mountain Equipment Co-op did not engage in a boycott of Israeli products.

Working in partnership with Kulanu (a Jewish LGBTQ organization), CJC dramatically increased the Jewish presence at the annual Toronto Gay Pride Parade and countered “Queers Against Israeli Apartheid” (QuAIA). CJC will continue to work with the LGBTQ leadership to ensure a hate-free parade. CJC also joined with Jewish LGBTQ groups in Montreal and Vancouver for their parades.

WJC NORTH AMERICA REPORT: PAGE 8 OF 13 III. Comite Central – Jewish Community of Mexico

On January 1, 2011 Rafael Zaga took office as the new President of the Mexican Jewish Central Committee.

A day-long seminar to analyze the future of the Jewish community in Mexico took place with the participation of the presidents and delegates of all the Jewish communities, and Zaga, Lulka, Schwartz and Shabot. Under the direction of a special team and using the technique of Harvard Professor Robert Kaplan, a strategic map was created to plan the direction of the Jewish community for the next 15 years.

Governmental Relations

Oscar Gorodzinsky, Mauricio Lulka, Rafael Zaga and Reneé Dayán-Shabot had a private lunch with the Governor of the State of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto, and other members of his delegation, as a follow up to his trip to Israel in February 2010.

Lulka and the Board of Presidents of the Jewish Central Committee attended the 4th State of The Union address by President Felipe Calderon at the National Palace.

Gorodzinsky, Lulka and Shabot attended First Lady of Mexico Margarita Zavala and Secretary of Public Education, Alonso Lujambio’s inauguration, of the exhibit “Mexico 200 years,” as part of the celebrations of the Bicentennial of the Independence of Mexico, at the National Palace.

Gorodzinsky, Lulka, Zaga and Shabot attended a luncheon to which they were invited by the Governor of the State of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto, where he was the keynote speaker.

The Mexican Jewish Central Committee held a working luncheon to the Attorney General of Mexico City, Miguel Ángel Mancera, who explained the measures he is taking in the fight against delinquency. Also in attendance at the luncheon were two ADA’s and the Chief of the Ministerial Police.

Gorodzinsky, Lulka, Zaga and Shabot met with Mr. Fernando González, Undersecretary of Education, to promote a more comprehensive program of education on the Holocaust in the official text books on history in Mexico.

Lulka lectured the students of the “Master Degree Studies on National Security” at the Naval Academy of Superior Studies on the subject of “Judaism and the Jewish Community of Mexico”.

Zaga, Lulka and Shabot met with Mexican Ambassador to Israel, Federico Salas, to analyze the situation in the Middle East.

Zaga, Lulka, Aslán Bucay, President of the Social Action Committee and Jaime Sevilla, Executive Director of the Social Action Committee, were invited to visit the Training Center of the Federal Police. After the visit they were invited for a lunch with Genaro García Luna, Secretary of Public Security.

Zaga, Lulka, Romano and Samuel Geller, President of the Ashkenazi community, met with Edgar Elías Azar, President of the Supreme Court of Mexico City, to present to him with several cases of interest for the Jewish community.

WJC NORTH AMERICA REPORT: PAGE 9 OF 13 Zaga and Lulka traveled to Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas to attend the commemoration of the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Holocaust. During their two day long visit they met with the Undersecretary for Religious Affairs, Enrique Ramírez, with whom they discussed that the new law against discrimination in Chiapas should include the term anti-Semitism, as the Federal Law does. Ramírez was very receptive and promised to talk to the Governor Juan Sabines.

The Remembrance of the Holocaust event was organized by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem in Mexico. More than 1,500 people attended. The keynote speakers were Rafael Zaga, Noé Castañón Leon, Secretary General of the Government of the State of Chiapas, Bedrich Steiner, a Holocaust survivor, and Felipe Garcia, National Director of International Christian Embassy Jerusalem in Mexico.

Finally, Rafael Zaga and Mauricio Lulka met with Governor of the State of Chiapas, Juan Sabines, who made a commitment to include the term anti-Semitism in the state law and was invited to make a visit to Israel. The law was amended on May 10th and now includes the term anti-Semitism.

On March 14, the Jewish community of Mexico hosted a luncheon for the President of Mexico, Felipe Calderon Hinojosa, and his wife Margarita Zavala. Around 450 leaders of the Jewish community attended.

Zaga, Lulka, Schwartz and Shabot met with Lourdes Aranda, Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs; Sara Valdes Director General for Africa and the Middle East; Enrique Palos Assistant Director General for Africa and the Middle East and Nathan Wolf, Director General of International Economic Promotion. The Middle East situation was discussed, as well as other subjects related to the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Zaga and Lulka met with then Governor elect of the State of Hidalgo, Francisco Olvera, who took office on April 1st, to discuss several programs that the Jewish community would like to work on with his government. The State of Hidalgo is a neighbor state with Mexico City and many members of the Jewish community have invested in various different industries there.

Zaga and Lulka attended the inauguration of the Seminar “Education and Values,” organized by the Education Ministry. It was presided over by First Lady Margarita Zavala, and Secretary of Education Alonso Lujambio. The keynote speaker was Dr. Mario Molina, winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Lulka and Shabot met with Berenice Diaz, Chief Advisor to the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Lourdes Aranda, to discuss the situation in the Middle East.

Working with Congress

Mauricio Lulka and Reneé Shabot met with Javier Cabrera, coordinator of activities at the Senate, to plan the logistics of the commemoration of the International Day of the Holocaust at the Senate held on January 27, 2011.

Lulka and Shabot met with María Amparo Cano, Coordinator of International Affairs of the Senate, and Javier Cabrera, Coordinator of events of the Senate, to discuss the commemoration program of the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Holocaust held January 27th at the Senate.

WJC NORTH AMERICA REPORT: PAGE 10 OF 13 Interfaith activities

Zaga and Lulka met with Pastor Felipe Garcia, National Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem in Mexico. A close friend of the Jewish community and the State of Israel, Felipe Garcia extended an invitation to attend the commemoration on the International Day of the Holocaust held at Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, on February 28th. (An attendance of 1,500 people is expected, as well as the presence of the State of Chiapas Governor, Juan Sabines.)

Father Jesus Quirce, Dean of Anahuac University (Catholic) invited members of the Jewish community for a working breakfast at the university. The Jewish community was represented by the attendance of Zaga, Lulka, and other leaders. More than 10% of the alumni of Anahuac University belong to the Jewish community. Jewish students are fully respected and accommodated, including the rescheduling of exams on Shabbat and the High Holidays. A new Cultural Center is being built and will carry the name of “Yitzhak Rabin”.

Lulka and Shabot met with Bishop Guillermo Ortiz to coordinate a visit of 12 Catholic priests to Israel in September. Tribuna Israelita will prepare a special program for them.

Lulka, together with Rabbi Marcelo Rittner, lectured students at the Universidad Iberoamericana, the Catholic-Jesuit University which has more than a 1,000 Jewish students, on the subject of “Everything you wanted to ask about Judaism, anti-Semitism and the Jewish community of Mexico.” This is part of a four day program of Jewish culture at the university.

Relations with Israel

Oscar Gorodzinsky, Mauricio Lulka and Reneé Shabot attended the ceremony to award Isabel Turrent with the Jerusalem Prize. Mrs. Turrent is a well known columnist, intellectual and researcher who specializes in international relations and is a supporter of Israel. Also in attendance was the new Ambassador of Israel to Mexico, Rodica Radian-Gordon, with whom they met to establish working relations.

Ambassador Rodica Radian-Gordon attended the meeting of the Executive Board of the Central Committee, as part of a regular program of meetings to get an update on the situation in Israel and the Middle East. Lulka discussed with the Ambassador the situation in Mexico in regard to possible recognition of a Palestinian state as some South American countries have recently done. At the moment it is not an issue for the Mexican government.

The Jewish Central Committee hosted a breakfast in honor of the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Yona Metzger.

Zaga attended the ceremony where the Mexico-Israel Institute for Culture awarded the “Education and Human Relations” prize to former dean of the UNAM (Mexico’s National University) Dr. Juan Ramon de la Fuente and to Mrs. Sharon Zaga and Mrs. Milly Cohen, co-founders of the Museum of Memory and Tolerance, and WIZO Mexico.

Zaga and Lulka met with Maria Aron-Rokah, President of the Latin American & UK Friends of the Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, to discuss ways of collaboration between the Medical Center and the Jewish community. Every year doctors from Assaf Harofeh come to Mexico for a program named “Light for Chiapas”. Dozens of poor people from the state of Chiapas are treated at no cost for eye diseases such as cataracts.

WJC NORTH AMERICA REPORT: PAGE 11 OF 13

The Jewish community commemorated Yom Hazikaron and celebrated Yom Haatzmaut, attended by Ambassador Rodica Radian-Gordon .

Media Relations

As President of the Jewish community Oscar Gorodzinsky attended a luncheon of the “300 Mexican Leaders,” organized by the prestigious magazine “Mexican Leaders”. The guests are considered the 300 most influential leaders of Mexico. The President of the Jewish community is always one of them. The keynote speaker was Governor of the State of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto.

Lulka and Shabot met with Eduardo Ruiz Healy, a very popular news radio anchor, in order to invite him and his wife to visit Israel by the end of the year.

Zaga, Lulka, Schwartz and Shabot, met with Roberto Rock, Director General of influential newspaper “El Universal.”

Lulka, Schwartz and Shabot met with Mrs. Pilar Estandia, owner and Director General of newspaper “El Financiero,” the main daily in Mexico specializing in finances. A special article on Pesach was published.

Other activities

Gorodzinsky, Lulka, Zaga, and Shabot met with Dennis Glick, President of B’nai B’rith International, Dan Mariaschin, Executive Vice President of BBI and Emilio Srougo, President of B’nai B’rith Mexico, at the Central Committee offices to sign an agreement by B’nai B’rith Mexico to accept and obey Mexico’s Jewish community rules. After the signing, sanctions against B’nai B’rith Mexico were lifted.

The Board of the Central Committee attended the opening of the new “Museum of Memory and Tolerance” dedicated to the Holocaust and other genocides, with a message of tolerance. Although the museum is not a project of the Jewish community, most of the board members and donors are Jewish.

Lulka attended two seminars organized by ADL in New York. The first one to help strengthen relations with Latin American Jewish Communities and the second one on cyber hate. He met with Betty Ehrenberg at a diplomatic reception at ADL offices and discussed the possibility of a meeting of the WJC North American Section in Mexico.

The Jewish Central Committee held its General Assembly on December1st. Oscar Gorodzinsky presented its report on the three year period of his presidency and Rafael Zaga was sworn in as the new president of the Central Committee, beginning on January 1, 2011.

Gorodzinsky, Lulka, Zaga and Sofie Freiman (member of Tribuna Israelita) attended the three day meeting organized by the Latino and Latin American Institute of the American Jewish Committee in Miami.

As part of the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust several events took place with the presence of leaders of the Jewish community:

 At the Museum of Memory and Tolerance, presided by Raúl Plascencia, President of the National Commission of Human Rights; with the participation of Javier Hernández, Representative in México of the High Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations; Sharon Zaga Mograbi,

WJC NORTH AMERICA REPORT: PAGE 12 OF 13 President of the Museum of Memory and Tolerance; Rafael Zaga, President of the Mexican Jewish Central Committee.

 At the Congress, with the participation of Deputy Leyva Hernández (PRD) .

 At the Station Zocalo of the Mexico City Subway, a Holocaust exhibit was dedicated by the President of the Human Rights Commission of Mexico City, Luis González Placencia. of

 At the Senate, with the participation of Sen. Arturo Núñez (PRD) Vice-president of the Senate; Ambassador Lourdes Aranda Bezaury, Vice minister of Foreign Affairs; Ambassador of Israel in Mexico, Rodica Radián-Gordon; Magdy Martínez Solimán, representative of the United Nations in México; Sharon Zaga Mograbi, President of the Museum of Memory and Tolerance and Rafael Zaga, President of the Mexican Jewish Central Committee.

WJC NORTH AMERICA REPORT: PAGE 13 OF 13