The JAFI headquarters in Jerusalem hosted a panel organized by the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress. The topic of discussion was connections between Israel and the Diaspora and ways that processes in Israel influence Jewish communities beyond its borders.

Head of the Parliamentary Commission on Aliya, Absorption and Diaspora Avraham Nagosa, former head of that commisssion, Knesset Deputy Yoel Razvozov, and former Minister of Absorption, Knesset deputy Sofa Landver, former Knesset Deputy Yuliya Shamalova-Berkovich, Head of the Eurasia-1 Department in the Israeli Ministry of Internal Affairs Yaakov Livni, chief scholar of the Ministry of Absorption Zeev Hanin.

In his opening speech, EAJC CEO Haim Ben Yaakov stated that the goal of the panel discussion was to inform the newly-elected Knesset deputies with problems of Diaspora Jewish communities. “Everything that happens in Israel has a very serious influence on the Jewish Diaspora,” Ben Yaakov noted.

Natan Scharansky greeted the gathering and noted that not only the Knesset deputies, but also the ministers need to be informed about the communities’ problems, as the ministers do not always understand fully how even one statement can affect the Diaspora. “We need to strengthen and deepen ties with the Jewish communities of the Diaspora,” Scharansky noted, “and I hope that organizations such as the EAJC can help us develop approaches to uniting Jews of different countries.