NCSEJ Leadership Mission to the Baltic States and Moscow October 21 October 31, 2018 Mission Report Choral Synagogue in Moscow, Russia
Introduction NCSEJ s Fall Leadership Mission travelled to the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) and Russia from October 21 October 31. In each country, the delegation held high-level meetings with national government representatives and American and Israeli diplomats, met with local Jewish community members and rabbis, and experienced Jewish life in parts of the world critical to NCSEJ s mission. In the Baltic states, the delegation advocated for restitution of communal property, and for the governments opposition to glorification of their nations Nazi collaborators. The delegation also pressed representatives on their support for United Nations and European Union resolutions that target the State of Israel. In Moscow, the delegation participated in the Russian Jewish Congress s Second International Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism, Racism, and Xenophobia, and held discussions with Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar and Chief Rabbi of Moscow Pinchas Goldschmidt about the condition of Russia s Jewish community. The delegation s visits to state and cultural institutions in Tallinn, Riga, Vilnius, and Moscow underscored NCSEJ s role as a leading advocate for Jewish communities in Eurasia. In the Baltic states, Jewish community leaders joined the delegation during meetings with government officials in order to advance their positions. The delegation s visit mission to Moscow reinforced NCSEJ s commitment to support the Russian Jewish community regardless of geopolitical disagreements. The delegation was led by NCSEJ Chairman Daniel Rubin, President Aleksander Smukler, and CEO Mark Levin. They were joined by NCSEJ Vice-President Allen Kronstadt, Past Chairmen Richard Stone and Dr. Robert Meth, and Executive Committee members Dr. Gerald Platt and Harry Blumenthal. The delegation also included Frank Brodsky, Marilyn Brody, Joshua Katzen, Alicia Levin, Eileen Prusek, and Alla Straks, as well as NCSEJ Program Associate Jack Stein. In Latvia, Executive Director of the Latvian Jewish community Gita Umanovska joined the meetings with government officials. In Lithuania, Lithuania Jewish Community Chairwoman Faina Kukliansky participated in the government meetings. Estonia U.S., Israeli, and Estonian Government Briefings The delegation met with U.S. Chargé d affaires Clifford Bond at the U.S. Embassy in Tallinn to discuss the condition of U.S.-Estonian bilateral relations and efforts by the Embassy to support the Jewish community. Mr. Bond explained that the United States and Estonia share similar security interests. He also noted that the Embassy s staff frequently engage with members of the Jewish community during religious holiday and cultural events. 1
NCSEJ President Aleksander Smukler presents Eerik Marmei with a tzedakah box following the meeting The meeting with Bond provided the delegation with a good introduction to later discussions with Estonian government officials. These included Director of General Policy Planning at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Eerik Marmei, Deputy Director of the Cyber Security of Information Authority Uku Särekanno, and Chairwoman of the Estonia-U.S. and Estonia- Israel Parliamentary Groups Keit Pentus- Rosimannus. Each official reinforced Estonia s commitment to improving the country s bilateral relations with the United States and Israel. They discussed ongoing collaborations between Estonia and Israel in trade and cyber security, as well as their high expectations for the future direction of the relationship. The delegation also met with Minister of Defense Jüri Luik, who explained the specific parameters of U.S. support for the country, as well as the importance of its relationship with Israel. During the discussion, he referenced that Israel was the only country at the end of the Cold War willing to supply the nascent Estonian armed forces with military equipment. NCSEJ delegation member Joshua Katzen discusses Estonian cyber security issues with Deputy Director Uku Särekanno 2
NCESJ delegation with Chairwoman of the Estonia-U.S. and Estonia-Israel Parliamentary Groups Keit Pentus-Rosimannus following a meeting with her at the Estonian Parliament The Estonian Jewish Community The NCSEJ delegation met with Chief Rabbi Shmuel Kot and representatives of the Estonian Jewish community at the Beit Bela Synagogue in Tallinn. Participants had an opportunity to discuss the condition of Jewish life in the country. During the discussion with Rabbi Kot, he expressed his confidence in the Jewish community s resilience, shown through its recent growth. Jewish Community Chairwoman Alla Jakobson provided the delegation with a tour of the community s center, which houses educational space and a gallery dedicated to the history of Estonian Jewish life. While there, participants had an opportunity to listen to a performance by the Jewish community s choir and tour the museum. 3
NCSEJ CEO Mark Levin speaking with youth representatives of the Estonian Jewish Community Latvia U.S., Israeli, and Latvian Government Briefings In the Riga, Latvia, the delegation held meetings with government officials and representatives of the Jewish community, discussing the issues of restitution of communal property and Latvia s bilateral relations with Israel and the United States. The delegation met with Foreign Affairs Advisor to the President of Latvia Maija Manika, who praised the United States support for Latvian independence and security. During a discussion with a panel of diplomats from the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government representatives noted Latvia s support for Israel and desire to replicate the country s economic success. They also praised the United States for committing more resources to defending the region. Maija Manika receives a tzedakah box from the delegation 4
NCSEJ delegation and representatives of the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs The delegation met with Israeli Ambassador to Latvia Lironne Bar-Sadeh at her residence. There, she discussed her work in improving Israel s relationship with Latvia, as well as Latvia s Jewish community. She stated that Latvian-Israeli relations will continue to strengthen in the future as long as both countries continue to cooperate on sectors like technology, trade, and cyber security. While in Riga, the delegation also met with Boriss Cilevičs, a Deputy in the Latvian Saeima (Parliament). Cilevičs, the founder of Harmony, one of the country s principal political parties, discussed his Jewish identity and wider trends of European anti-semitism. (l-r) NCSEJ Board of Governors member Frank Brodsky, Past Chairman Dr. Robert Meth, and CEO Mark Levin with Israeli Ambassador Lironne Bar-Sadeh. 5
The delegation hosted U.S. Ambassador to Latvia Nancy Bikoff Petit for breakfast. Ambassador Petit discussed the resurgence of U.S. geopolitical interest in the region and the threat posed by Russian meddling. She expressed her willingness to continue to press Latvian authorities to expand their support of Israel in international bodies like the United Nations and European Union. U.S. Ambassador Nancy Bikoff Pettit with the NCSEJ delegation The Latvian Jewish Community The delegation met with several representatives of the Jewish community and toured important Jewish sites. These included memorials to those murdered during the Holocaust, as well as the Jewish Community Center. Executive Director of the Jewish Community in Latvia Gita Umanovska hosted the delegation in Riga, and joined in several of the delegation s meetings with the Latvian government. Umanovska provided an excellent introduction to the post-soviet history of the Jewish community, as well as the issues it now faces. She highlighted the community s continual struggle for the restitution of communal property by the government, as well as for improved education about the collaboration of Latvia citizens with Nazi Germany during the Second World War. During a tour of the Latvian Jewish Community Center, Umanovska highlighted the numerous programs that the Center offers, including dance NCSEJ President Daniel Rubin (right) presents Deputy of the Saeima (parliament) Boriss Cilevičs with a tzedakah box lessons, religious study, and education for youth. She also provided a tour of the history facilities located in the Center, which trace the development and experiences of the Latvian Jewish community since its foundation. 6
The delegation attended an event hosted by the Embassy of Belarus to Latvia that marked the 75th anniversary of the destruction of the Minsk Ghetto. There, NCSEJ CEO Mark Levin laid a bouquet of flowers on the memorial to the Latvian Jews murdered during the Holocaust. At the event, Belarussian Ambassador Vasily Markovich thanked NCSEJ for its participation. Executive Director Gita Umanovska (right) discusses the different educational programs available for children at the Riga Jewish Community Center The memorial to those Latvian Jews murdered during the Holocaust; Belarussian Ambassador to Latvia Vasily Markovich and CEO Mark Levin 7
Lithuania The Holocaust in Lithuania Before the delegation s arrival in Vilnius, it first visited the city of Kaunas (Kovno) in order to see the Ninth Fort, a Holocaust massacre site, and the home of Japanese Vice Consul Chiune Sugihara. At the Ninth Fort, a historian explained the history of the Ninth Fort, as well as the mass execution of Jews that took place there during the Holocaust. At the Ninth Fort, trip participants learned about the Holocaust in Lithuania and the role of Lithuanian collaborators. Members of the delegation then visited the Sugihara House the home of Japanese Vice Consul Chiune Sugihara, who provided exit visas for Jews during the Holocaust. Mission participant Dr. Gerald Platt has a special connection to Sugihara: the Japanese diplomat saved one of his uncles during the Second World War. Dr. Platt said that Sugihara needs to be remembered not only from the perspective of saving Jews but as a lesson to those who may find themselves in similar circumstances. In Vilnius, memory of the Holocaust in Lithuania was one of the main subjects our delegation discussed with government representatives. First Deputy Chancellor of the Lithuanian Government Deividas Matulionis, for example, provided mission participants with a five-page brief about the efforts of the government to strengthen memorialization of the Holocaust through better education and the preservation of Jewish sites. NCSEJ s Delegation with Deputy Chancellor Deividas Matulionis 8
The group also traveled to the Ponary Forrest outside of Vilnius. Between 1941 and 1944, Nazi Germany and its Lithuanian auxiliaries murdered over 70,000 Jews at Ponary. U.S., Israeli, and Lithuania Government Briefings As part of NCSEJ s mission to Lithuania, the delegation continued to highlight the importance of strengthening bilateral relations with the United States and Israel. As in Estonia and Latvia, Lithuanian authorities were quick to praise the Past Chairman Richard Stone (center) at the Ninth Fort with Harry Blumenthal (left) and trip participant Marilyn Brody (right) Deputy Chancellor Deividas Matulionis and Lithuanian Jewish Community Chairwoman Faina Kukliansky United States for its investment in the region s security. Lithuanian government representatives also discussed the different ways their country supports Israeli interests. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius, for example, noted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu s visit to the region in August 2018 as evidence of the growing multilateral relationship between the Baltic states and Israel. Linkevičius recounted how Netanyahu toured the former Jewish Ghetto of Vilnius and other important Jewish sites, such as the grave of the Vilna Gaon. The Foreign Minister also defended his country s voting history on Israel in international bodies like the European Union and United Nations. He stated that maintaining open channels with all parties enables Lithuania to advocate effectively for Israel s interests in creating an effective dialogue with other European countries. NCSEJ thanked the Foreign Minister for his condemnation of Jonas Noreika, one of the principal Lithuanian collaborators with the Nazis during the Holocaust. 9
NCSEJ delegation with Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius (l-r) Lithuania Jewish Community Chairwoman Faina Kukliansky, NCSEJ Chairman Daniel Rubin, and U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania Anne Hall U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania Anne Hall discussed the successful development of U.S.-Lithuanian relations in recent years. She cited the larger presence of NATO and U.S. military forces in the region as evidence of the United States commitment to Lithuanian independence and security. She also discussed her role in encouraging Lithuanian authorities to improve Holocaust education in the country through ensuring state funding for the archeological projects tasked with locating destroyed synagogues, as well as local massacre sites. 10
Russian Federation U.S., Israeli, and Russian Government Briefings In Moscow, the delegation met with Israeli Ambassador to the Russian Federation Gary Koren and U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation Jon Huntsman, Jr. Ambassador Koren discussed the absence of anti-semitism in contemporary Russia, where it has lost popularity and official sanctioning from government authorities. Ambassador Koren also confidently described how, despite the recent deterioration in bilateral relations between Russia and Israel as a result of the downing of a Russian reconnaissance aircraft by Syrian security forces, the relationship had returned to its previous healthy state. Ambassador Huntsman provided an update on stalled nature of U.S.-Russian relations. He noted that there remain several areas of potential cooperation, including the development of Russia s natural gas resources. He gave an overview of his meetings with the Russian Jewish community and its leadership. (l-r) NCSEJ CEO Mark Levin and Israeli Ambassador Gary Koren discuss Israeli- Russian relations U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman with (l-r) Eileen Prusek, Vice- President Allen Kronstadt, Chairman Daniel Rubin, CEO Mark Levin, and Aleksander Smukler 11
Russian Jewish Community The delegation met Chief Rabbi of Moscow Pinchas Goldschmidt at the Choral Synagogue in Moscow. Rabbi Goldschmidt discussed the positive conditions of Jewish life in contemporary Russia, noting the recent absence of public or official anti-semitism. He highlighted the support provided by the government to the activities of the Jewish community, including the establishment of new synagogues and Moscow s Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center. The delegation also met with Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar, who Rabbi Lazar emphasized the efforts of government authorities to combat anti-semitism throughout Russia. He also described the strong relationship between the Russian Jewish community and Israel. Rabbi Goldschmidt toasts NCSEJ s work on behalf of the Russian Jewish community. Below right (l-r) Daniel Rubin, Mark Levin, Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar, and Richard Stone In Moscow, Rabbi Lazar arranged for the delegation to visit Marina Roscha, as well as the Jewish Museum. Marina Roscha is the Jewish Community Center of Moscow and houses a large synagogue. Marina Roscha provides space for education and cultural activities for the community. At the Jewish Museum, participants explored the history of Russian Jewish life in from the mid-18 th century to the present. The museum featured interactive exhibits that let visitors experience the conditions of the shtetl, and the heroic role of Soviet Jewish soldiers during the Great Patriotic War. The tour concluded at a gallery dedicated to the Soviet Jewry movement in the 1970s and 1980s, featuring pictures from marches organized by NCSEJ. Moscow International Conference on Combatting Anti-Semitism The delegation attended the Second Moscow International Conference on Combatting Anti- Semitism, Racism, and Xenophobia. NCSEJ CEO Mark Levin co-chaired a panel titled European Experience Combatting Anti-Semitism, Racism, and Xenophobia. Participants heard reports on threats posed to Jewish life in Germany, Bulgaria, Greece, and the Nordic states as a result of the resurgence of popular anti-semitism in these countries. At the conclusion of the panel, Washington Post Moscow correspondent Amie Ferris-Rotman interviewed Levin on his views on how the recent massacre in Pittsburgh impacted the conference. Levin stated, Having something as tragic as that take place on the eve of this has given what we re trying to accomplish here a much greater sense of urgency. 12