An EJC delegation took part in the 8th Mahar Conference organised by the Jewish community of Montenegro in Budva on 21-24 October.
Representing the EJC were Policy Director Johanan Seynave, Public Affairs Officer Eitan Bergman and SACC by EJC Head of Crisis Management Dany Choueka.
Mr. Seynave delivered remarks during the opening ceremony alongside Prime Minister of Montenegro Zdravko Krivokapić, Ambassador of the State of Israel to Serbia and Montenegro, H.E. Amb. Yahel Vilan, President of the Jewish community of Montenegro Nina Ofner Bokan, World Jewish Congress Executive Director of Operations Ernest Herzog, and Chief Rabbi of Croatia and Montenegro Luciano Moše Prelević.
In his remarks, Mr. Seynave welcomed the Jewish community of Montenegro into the EJC family once more one year into its admission as its newest affiliated national Jewish community.
“We are delighted to see a strong, confident and united community in Montenegro today, the EJC is proud to be a partner of this important conference”, he added, praising the leadership of President Nina Ofner Bokan, Community Manager Ljiljana Vuković and Chief Rabbi Moše Prelević.
“I want to assure you that you can count on the support of the EJC in all your initiatives and we look forward to many years of fruitful cooperation.”
Mr. Seynave also welcomed the strong cooperation between the Jewish community and the government of Montenegro under the prime ministership of Mr. Krivokapić, and especially the government’s strong commitment to promoting Jewish life in the country.
At the ceremony, the EJC was presented by President Ofner Bokan with a commemorative medal on the 30th anniversary of the successful conclusion of efforts by the State of Israel to bring Ethiopian Jews to safety under “Operation Brothers.”
In addition, Mr. Seynave, Mr. Bergman and Mr. Choueka delivered a lecture entitled: “A strong Jewish voice for Europe”, presenting the activities of the EJC and focusing on recent achievements in the fight against antisemitism at the national and European level.
The conference also included sessions on the tangible and intangible Jewish heritage of the Bay of Kotor, diplomatic ties between the State of Israel and the Western Balkans, Far-right extremism, the synagogues of the Vojvodina region and Comparing the Israeli and Montenegrin experiences of responding to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The conference concluded with a bilateral meeting between the EJC delegation and Montenegrin Minister of Defence Dr. Olivera Injac, which focused on civil society’s role in promoting best practices regarding Crisis Management.
