A series of high-level meetings were held in Greece on February 4, 2008. The meetings took place within the framework of the National Remembrance Day for Greek Jewish Martyrs of the Holocaust. EJC President Moshe Kantor, Secretary General Serge Cwajgenbaum and President of the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece Moise Constantinis, met with Greek President H.E. Karolos Papoulias. Mr. Papoulias gave a very moving speech in which he referred to the extermination of Greek Jews from his native town during World War Two: “You understand that my childhood years I spent with classmates and friends, girls and boys, from the Jewish community and that cannot be forgotten.”
In light of the country’s tragic history, wherein 60, 000 Jews (representing more than 85% of the pre-war Greek Jewish community) were murdered by the Nazis, Mr. Kantor inquired how Greece can be more involved in promoting Holocaust education and stem the growing tide of antisemitism and xenophobia that has affected the country in recent years.
Prior to the meetings, Mr. Kantor stated that Greece’s leadership is an important friend and ally to the Jewish community. “We deeply appreciate that Greece has leaders who can act as our partners on issues of concern to the European Jewish community. At a time when antisemitism and intolerance are again threatening the peace and tranquillity in areas all across Europe, we embrace the dedication of leaders like Prime Minister Karamanlis and President Papoulis who commit themselves to actively addressing these issues. In addition, the European Jewish Congress is going to continue to work to help revitalize the Greek Jewish community, which lost a significant portion of its population during the Holocaust. Now is the time to help the community continue restoring its rich history and heritage and return it to its former glory.”
In a move to promote Holocaust education and the fight against antisemitism, Moshe Kantor and Serge Cwajgenbaum also met with Prime Minister Mr. Konstantinos Karamanlis, Greek Foreign Minister Mrs. Dora Bakoyannis, and Leader of the Opposition and President of Pasok Mr. Georges Papandreou. Furthermore, Moshe Kantor expressed his strong support for tougher legislation on penalties for hate crimes. He also expressed concern about the rise of the Extreme Right Wing party within the Greek Parliament, a development that he sees as hindering efforts to promote tolerance within society.
In the evening, a candle lighting ceremony and concert organized by the Athens prefecture and Jewish local communities, was honored by the presence of the Greek President and by the Foreign Minister. In that ceremony, Moshe Kantor was asked to light one of the Menorah candles in the memory of the 6 million Jews exterminated during the Holocaust and addressed the participants which included Deputy Foreign Minister of Italy Mr. Famiano Crucianelli and the Israeli Minister of Diaspora, Welfare and Social Services Mr. Isaac Herzog. Following the ceremony, Kantor and Cwajgenbaum attended a reception given by the Greek Jewish community in Athens.
Also worth mentioning was the inspiring celebration, the Laying of Wreaths ceremony, held at the Monument of the Unknown Soldier on Syntagma Square in the capital in which Moshe Kantor and Serge Cwajgenbaum took part. The ceremony was followed by a luncheon given by the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece, and was attended by Deputy Foreign Minister of Spain Mr. Bernardino Leon, Israeli, Spanish and Italian ambassadors, deputy Foreign Minister of Greece Mr. Theodoros Kassimis, the President and Members of the Central Board and Presidents of the Jewish Communities of Greece.
The EJC, the only representative body of democratically elected European Jewish communities, was invited by the Greek government to participate in the commemorative events marking a unique time for Greece in a series of celebration held in memory of Greek Jews who fell victims to the Nazi regime.
