“On the Thirtieth Day,” a commemorative event marking a month since Hamas’ bloody terrorist attack on innocent Israeli citizens, was organized by the Jewish community of Bulgaria, “Shalom.”
State leaders, including the Speaker of the National Assembly Rosen Zhelyazkov, Vice President of the Republic of Bulgaria Iliyana Iotova, Acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov, Mayor of Sofia Yordanka Fandakova, President Rosen Plevneliev, ministers, MPs, the diplomatic corps, representatives of the faiths in Bulgaria, and public figures joined the gathering.
Among the guests at the event was Inbal Tsach, whose cousin, along with six other family members, was abducted in Gaza by Kibbutz Beeri, and three others were killed in the terrorist attack.
The Chairman of the OEB “Shalom,” Prof. Dr. Alexander Oscar, drew a parallel between November 1938 and now – 85 years later. The “Crystal Night,” followed by the darkest years in Europe’s history, marked the beginning of a human-hating ideology. Eighty-five years later, the Old Continent is once again a field of antisemitic manifestations and strong hatred.
The message from Bulgarian institutions is unanimous and shows clear support for the State of Israel, its inhabitants, and Jews around the world, denouncing every act of antisemitism.
“The Jewish community of Bulgaria, ‘Shalom,’ states clearly that they stand side by side with their brothers in the State of Israel, supporting their just cause and their inalienable right to defend themselves, their homes, and their homeland,” said the Speaker of the National Assembly Rosen Zhelyazkov.
He added that since the Geneva Convention came into force in 1949, there have been written and unwritten rules that humane treatment of the civilian population should be respected, and punishments provided for war crimes. Today, we are witnessing something that is beyond the concept of war – it is terror in its most terrifying dimensions because it is ubiquitous, aimed mainly at the civilian population, beyond the rules of war, beyond the laws of humanism, beyond humankind.
Vice President Iliana Iotova said, “We must be extremely vigilant about all the manifestations of antisemitism that are unfortunately currently sweeping Europe. Only years ago, an elderly woman was killed in the center of Paris just because she was Jewish.”
N. Pr. Alejandro Polanco, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain in Bulgaria, stated Spain’s clear support for the State of Israel, and Mrs. Deborah Laval, Cultural Attache of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, shared the importance of education and learning from history because the shame and guilt in many Germans for being able to do a lot, to save their neighbors, and they are not, continues to this day.
Highly emotional were the words of the Deputy Head of the Mission of the State of Israel, Mrs. Naama Levi, and the special guest from Israel, Inbal Tsach, calling for the speedy release of 240 hostages, 30 of whom are children. Six members of Inbal’s family, three of whom are young children, have been held hostage in Gaza for a month.
The ceremony ended with a prayer in memory of the deceased and a photo with a call for the speedy release of the prisoners. In memory of the dead, 1,400 candles were lit.
