Founding convention of world congress of Russian-Speaking Jewry meets in Moscow

Centres of the World Congress of Russian-Speaking Jewry will be set up in Moscow, Jerusalem, New York and Berlin, Valery Engel, chairman of the congress's organising committee, told a news conference in Moscow.

Commenting on the interim results of the convention, held in Moscow on July 1-2, Engel noted that the new international non-governmental organisation will be mainly concerned with education, including religious education, and development of Jewish culture. "Our only political task is to support Israel in its struggle against international terrorism," he emphasised.

Engel said that convention delegates had formed leading bodies of the Congress, as well as a coordinating council, which is comprised of representatives of Russian-speaking Jewish communities from 22 countries, including all CIS countries, the Baltic countries, as well as the US, Israel, Britain, Australia, and others. He indicated that the Congress had set up the Council of Rabbis.

According to Engel, the Congress contemplates a project for a common information space and in particular to set up Russian-language Jewish news agencies and literary magazines.