HSJE: 2008, Mid Year REPORT

It is necessary every now and then to review where we stand What has transpired and what can be done to correct the actions of others that seem to run counter to our goals and agenda

 We are speaking of our Jewish community assets, religious artifacts and records, left behind in Egypt, as well as of recent events that should not go unnoticed. 

For more than a decade now the Historical Society of Jews from Egypt (HSJE) had initiated contacts with the responsible Egyptian government bodies to discuss the rights to our heritage that we were forced to leave behind. Needless to say we met with disappointing results and more road blocks, made of stones that could have been best utilized to build a new pyramid.

During the past five years other Egyptian Jewish organizations made certain efforts discretely, along the lines of a more focused approach, to secure access to the Alexandrian community records; unfortunately to date success, in that respect, remains elusive as well.

 Recently, the American Jewish Committee (AJC) entered the fray, with its own agenda modeled around their earlier successes in Eastern Europe of preserving Jewish heritage in situ. Through the renovation of places of worship and the initiation of heritage museums.

While their intentions in this respect, may be open to discussion, it would have been more appropriate for the AJC to have consulted as previously requested with the existing Egyptian Jewish organizations and to appreciate our priorities and sensitivities, as agreed on in previous meetings. Instead the AJC decided without any regards to Egyptian Jewry to undertake the initiative on its own.  It is unfortunate that the end results of their actions have also fallen far short of achieving any success.

Aside from the fact that none of our community’s legitimate requests were granted, the Torah scrolls (over a 100 or so left) and religious artifacts are now under lock and key, with no community access whatsoever; and we are also denied access rights to our community records.

Adding to our sorrow and grief, a two year late  centennial celebration with AJC’s participation of the main synagogue "Sha’ar Hashamayim" on Adly Street, also known as Kenis Isma’aleya, took place.

Speaking of constituent’s sensitivities; anyone visiting a place of worship always adheres to the local customs. This is never considered optional, it is what is proper and just. If there is any objection to adhere to the local ritual then it is better not to participate rather than to inflame sensitivities.  Entering a mosque requires removing of  shoes; a church, removing of a hat; a synagogue requires covering of the head.

Unfortunately, the delegation of the AJC headed by “Rabbi” Andrew Baker found that these requirements were not necessary, and decided to dispense with the traditional head covering in the synagogue.

 As Jews in Egypt we always respected Muslim tradition and if we were out sight seeing and we would visit a mosque we made it our business to remove our shoes before entering!

 For places of Jewish worship, we do require a "kippa",, or as we called it in Egypt a “taqeya”. A covering for all male congregants as a sign of respect.

 This same practice was in place even during the Nasserite administration , when the assigned Mukhabarat (secret police)  used to join us in the prayer area of the synagogue wearing one as well, out of respect for our customs. As it turned out, wearing a "kippa" was optional at the centennial celebration of Sha’ar Hashamayim , during which not a single word of Hebrew prayer was uttered. ;

Instead a choir group Thessaloniki, Greece  with no relation to our heritage was invited to perform., speeches were delivered from the pulpit but to date we have not been able to obtain transcripts of those orations .

 In Contrast, we do recall on a recent affair in one of our Egyptian Jewish synagogue in Brooklyn, NY where the Egyptian Council General and his entourage attended, the entire delegation asked on their own for head coverings out of respect for Jewish tradition. The women of that same delegation also went to the ladies gallery once again demonstrating a true understanding and respect for our traditions.

 A synagogue, where no Hebrew prayers are recited, where wearing a kippa  is optional, is no longer a synagogue in the sense that we know it.. Is it a museum perhaps? may be? We fail to understand the purpose that is being served in continuing to discuss the construction of yet another museum, when we have more pressing priorities to tend to!

 The next series of events that transpired early this year, ventured beyond the bizarre into the realm of Kafkaesque. A group of elderly Jews of the Israel – Egypt Friendship organization planned a trip to visit the synagogues of their youth and the Jewish cemeteries in order to pay respect to their deceased parents and relatives. At best a nostalgic and duty bound trip with only positive connotations of good will and a sincere desire to remember the good old days; alas, it has met with a surprising turn of events.

First, the self appointed president of the Jewish Community Center (JCC) of Cairo, Mrs. Carmen Weinstein, felt a need to pass judgment on the group and their affiliation which was mistakenly assumed to be the World Congress of Jews from Egypt (WCJE), and summarily denied them access to the synagogues in Cairo!! It is important to note that both Jewish organizations in question are well intentioned groups of Jews from Egypt, and that neither group had any political agenda of any kind whatsoever.

 We must ask, did Mrs. Weinstein act on her own volition or was she directed to do so? Is she just an individual entitled to her own opinion or is she getting her marching orders from the authorities?

If that was not enough, when the group decided to bypass the Cairo synagogues and still go through with their visit, a "whisper" to the Egyptian media about a conjured up reason for the trip, namely that they were coming to reclaim their confiscated properties; unleashed a media diatribe. The visit was denounced in print on the air waves denouncing the visit plus they named the Marriott Hotel as the intended lodgings of this Jewish group! What happened next was not surprising.  The government declared it could no longer guarantee the group’s safety and passed that information to the Marriott hotel. ; the hotel in turn cancelled the group’s reservations, causing undo hardships for some of the members who were in transit at the time, due to the trip cancellation.

 Mrs. Weinstein, now sorely needs to explain her actions, and her arbitrary exercise of such extraordinary powers, if she is ever to be trusted in any future dealings with the community at large.

 Was she called to task and asked to account for her actions, during the most recent meeting to discuss the "new" Jewish museum business? That is doubtful, and that could only serve to encourage more of Mrs. Weinstein erratic behavior in the future.

A question to ponder;, will she also have approval power on who is allowed to visit the contemplated "new" Jewish museum if it ever materialize?  

 Finally, after taking note of the communiqué of the Simon Wiesenthal Center questioning the worthiness of the Egyptian Culture Minister, Farouk Hosni, as a candidate for the next Director-General of the UNESCO; the Historical Society of Jews from Egypt (HSJE) called on the current Director-General of UNESCO Mr. Koichiro Matsuura to convince Egypt and Minister Hosni on its behalf  to take custody of a copy of these archives under the Organization's World Heritage protection. A call that was also echoed by other sister organizations, the "Association of Jews from Egypt", UK (AJE) and the "Association pour la Sauvegarde du Patrimoine Culturel des Juifs d’Egypte", France (A.S.P.C.J.E.).

As a community we were worried, when Minister Farouk Hosni, announced in a heated discussion in the Egyptian parliament that he will burn any Israeli books found in their public libraries. We can all remember that our religion was officially recorded in our identification papers, as "Esraeeli" (Israeli), and not "Yahudi" (Jewish).

 Such remarks coming from a high government official could sadly and easily be misinterpreted as burning our community records and religious artifacts, since the distinction between being a Jew and being an Israeli was non existent, in Egypt, since the time immemorial.  

Unfortunately, The AJC never made any public comments on their website or any other forum regarding Mr. Farouk Hosni's candidacy. When pressed for a comment by the HSJE the reply was that"... an AJC leadership delegation met with the Egyptian Ambassador in Washington to convey its concerns." ..a short reply with no other details leaving everyone in the dark.

The leadership of the AJC has proven that it lacks much regarding Jewish affairs, preferring political appeasement reminiscent of the 1930's

 Sadly, on July 29, 2008 we heard the distressing news of the passing of Dr. Max Salama, president of the Alexandrian Jewish community. He successfully led this now tiny community which in its heyday numbered close to 45,000 Jews.

 We as Jews from Egypt have, always dealt fairly, and with an excess of good will with the Egyptian government and its representatives. We,  see no reason to change this approach. Now that we see so little in return, should we abandon our efforts?   Hardly, we remain determined to pursue all peaceful and legal means to regain access to our community records and to recover our legitimate patrimony.