The World Jewish Congress (WJC) will hold its 14th Plenary Assembly in Budapest, on May 5-7, 2013. They normally assemble in Jerusalem each year. Maybe they got a deal on the hall.
They’re going to discuss matters of importance to the Jewish people globally, especially the alarming rise of Neo-Nazi political parties and anti-Semitic incidents in several European countries, including Hungary, and the situation in the Middle East.
How’s about less talk about alarming neo Nazis and more suitcase packing and flying to a country that wants them? Just a thought.
More than 600 delegates and observers from around the world, including small communities such as Zimbabwe, Namibia and Swaziland, are expected to convene in the Hungarian capital.
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will address the opening dinner on May 5.
Other keynote speakers at the Plenary Assembly will include Germany’s Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, Cardinal Péter Erdő, the archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest and current president of the Council of European Bishops Conferences, and Israel’s Energy and Water Minister Silvan Shalom.
That’s five gentiles and one Jew. That’s an alarming drop in the percentage of Jewish keynote speakers.
WJC President Ronald S. Lauder said: “This will be a good opportunity to show that by standing united, world Jewry can make its voice heard and can improve things. We are looking forward to meet in Budapest, which has a great Jewish history and a vibrant community.”
That great Jewish history mostly concluded on cattle cars headed to Poland, which put all the other great stuff in a grim perspective. And how can world Jewry make its voice heard when most everybody speaking is Christian?
The event is organized in cooperation with the Federation of Jewish Communities of Hungary (MAZSIHISZ), the official representative body of Jews in Hungary. MAZSIHISZ President Péter Feldmájer declared: “The fact that the WJC is holding its Plenary Assembly in Budapest is a symbol of solidarity with our Jewish community, which has been faced with growing anti-Semitism in recent years. We look forward to welcoming the WJC delegates here in Hungary, home to the largest Jewish community in Central Europe.”
I honestly cannot fathom why a Jewish person with enough Jewish identity to participate in these assemblies would set roots again in places like Hungary, Poland, Germany. I find the entire event grotesque.
Next year in Jerusalem.