It was only half a year ago that 24 white-collared delegates from most European countries sat listening with great respect to the fiery words of esteemed speakers regarding the need to protect Jewish cemeteries in their areas. This week it seems that meeting bore fruit. Their second meeting was much more concrete and specific with eight delegates already discussing practical and operative ways of renovating, maintaining and protecting the Jewish cemeteries in their countries.

The impressive conference which took place half a year ago at the initiative of the Protection of Cemeteries Dept. at the Rabbinical Centre of Europe, was the first of its kind and left a deep impression on the delegates, who promised to assist in this area. International Rabbis and public figures participated among them: Rabbi Avraham Yafe-Schlesinger, Rabbi of Machzikei Hadass in Geneva and Director of the Protection of Cemeteries Dept. at the RCE; Rabbi Dovid Moshe Lieberman, Rabbi of Shomrei Hadass in Antwerp; Rabbi Chaim Yosef Dovid Weiss, Rabbi of Yitav Lev in Antwerp; Rabbi Menachem Porush, Director of the Central Agudas Israel in Jerusalem; Deputy Israeli Minister, Rabbi Shmuel Halpert; and Rabbi Shlomo Besser who travelled specially to participate in this meeting.

As a direct result of that meeting, delegates became aware of the situation and many contacts were cemented between them and RCE Centre activists, especially with the heads of the Protection of Cemeteries Dept. Much correspondence and discussion on the subject finally led to this week’s series of important meetings with the eight European delegates. These meetings provided a good platform to bring up the many complaints and unpleasant reports which had piled up on the table of the Dept. during the last months, arriving from Rabbis and public figures from Europe and across the world who had heard of the previous meeting.

After numerous attempts at coordination by Rabbi Menashe Bourkis, Dept. Manager, the meetings were confirmed. In anticipation of these decisive meetings, the Dept. staff worked long and hard to thoroughly prepare itemised leaflets containing all the detailed information concerning the cemeteries in the respective countries. Meetings extending throughout the day took place with each delegate separately and were attended by Rabbi A. Schlesinger who arrived especially from Geneva; the Dept. Manager, Rabbi Menashe Bourkis; Rabbi Levi Matosof, responsible for contact with European politicians on behalf of the Centre; and Rabbi Yosef Kornik, in charge of special projects of the RCE. Rabbi Levi Matosof, who knows each delegate personally, led the meetings superbly with his special touch captivating delegates’ hearts who expressed their willingness to help.

The delegates too came well prepared for the meetings. They were equipped with all the necessary details and information plus a lot of good will and motivation to achieve the demands presented. All eight delegates without exception expressed their readiness to help wherever required and promised the maximum assistance as representatives of their countries.

The meeting with the Czech delegate centred on the Jewish cemetery in Nikolsberg, and the need to educate the youth to respect the cemeteries was discussed. The Slovakian delegate who listened to the moving description of Slovakian-born Rabbi Schlesinger, promised to repair what was needed and expressed his esteem for Jewish culture and its rich contribution to the Slovakian people.

At the meeting with the Rumanian delegate, praise was expressed for the full cooperation, apparent in many areas, existing between the Jewish community and the authorities, as well as for the law of preservation of cemeteries passed in Rumania at the initiative of Rabbi Shmuel Halpert. The speakers on behalf of the Centre spoke of the need to continue the maintenance of the cemeteries in the future. The delegate for Croatia also promised during his meeting to do everything in his power for the Jewish cemeteries and the Jews buried there.

A very productive meeting was held with the Lithuanian delegate, who demonstrated expertise on the subject of cemeteries, and the demands presented to him by the RCE representatives, concerning the Vilna cemetery. During the one-and-a-half hour meeting many important details were discussed, and solutions for them were suggested.

The Polish delegate was very familiar with this topic, as a result of the vast numbers of Jews streaming to the holy sites in Poland throughout the year, and he also promised to support the requests for renovation and improvement presented to him. The Russian delegate used the meeting as an opportunity to criticise sharply the criminal act of stabbing Yeshiva students in Russia, and expressed his repulsion in the name of his country. The Rabbis, from their side, pointed out the necessity to reinforce the battle against anti-Semitism.

Rabbi Moshe Garelik, Director of Rabbinical Centre of Europe, observed that each meeting was different from the other, each land with its concerns, and each cemetery with its problems, but the common denominator was the delegates’ honest and sincere desire to help and assist in any way possible to prevent the desecration of graves. “All the delegates praised the fact that the activists of the Centre are raising the level of awareness on these matters to new heights,” said Rabbi Garelik.