Jewish Philanthropy and Jewish Politics

War in Georgia: The Israeli connection - Israel News, Ynetnews indicates that the Great Game has resumed in the Caucasus and that the State of Israel is a full participant.

Since the nineteenth century ad hoc and formal Jewish groups have used philanthropy as a means of expanding political influence. (See Philanthropic Politics.)

The Russian Daily (Novoye Russkoye Slovo) is the local Boston Russian Jewish newspaper. The June 19th issue contains an article entitled "Great Honor for a Great Man," which indicates the continuing connection of Jewish philanthropy, Jewish manipulation, and Jewish politics. Valeri Vainberg is the author.

Below is the article. Click on it to see a readable image.

Here are the captions for the pictures.

Left: Richard Stone [former Chairman of the Orthodox Union's Institute for Policy Affairs] and Malcolm Hoenlein [Exec VP Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations] award Alexander Mashkevich (on the right).

Right: Friends -- partners (from right to left) Tefik Arif, Georgi Iskhakov, Alexander Mashkevich, Alimzhon Ibragimov, Timur Sapir, and Valeri Vainberg.

Translation (I apologize for deficiencies. I do not really know Russian, but I have a lot of experience in Slavic languages in general.)

By no means for the first time, major businessman and philanthropist, prominent Jewish figure, Alexander Mashkevich, the President of the of Euro-Asian Congress, to which belongs all the Jewish communities of the Commonwealth of Independent States of the pacific ocean region and Eastern Europe, has been presented with an award on American soil. The merits of Mashkevich are so great and have such a high international significance that year after year one or another Jewish charitable organization in the USA makes him its nominee for its award.

Here and now to me as the editor in chief of Novoye Russkoye Slovo (Russian Daily -- literally New Russian Word), it has brought enormous joy to be invited to Washington for the presentation to him of an award of the influential Jewish organization NCSJ [National Council of Soviet Jewry]. It presented the award to him as a champion of charitable endeavors, philanthropy, and in addition as a person who has made the greatest, largest contribution to the cause of coming together -- rapprochement -- of the nations, to genuine tolerance, and to truly friendly intercommunal dialogue.

That is why in opening the award ceremony the well known public figure Richard Stone, who at one time stood by the sources (the original founders) of the program for the liberation of Soviet Jews "Let My People go" said that in the present day -- an extremely tense time -- possibly just such activity is the most constructive for the improvement of the image of the Jewish people, the State of Israel, and on the whole for the preservation of peace. [See The Real Origins of Neocons.]

This thought was continued by the head of the NCSJ Eward Robin, who appeared and spoke at the ceremony. He stressed how important are the efforts of Alexander Mashkevich in uniting former Soviet Jews living in various countries.

"Two million dynamic, enterprises, educated and realistic (i.e., oriented toward achievement in the real word?) people exert more and more influence on positive shifts in the social consciousness are examples of fruitful cooperation with friendly nations and religions," he remarked.

"I see in him an exemplary career as a Doctor of Philosophy and as a bright representative of world Jewry," the Acting Director of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Malcolm Hoenlein said in a fiery speech. "Our Jewish life is like a tree on which in every historical period all new branches appear. That branch to whose concern Mashkevich has dedicated himself has been destined to prosper and bear fruit."

The award took place in one of the most beautiful and respectable places in Washington in the Hillwood Estate Historic Museum. Practically the whole Jewish establishment came gathered together. Ambassadors of all the states of the CIS honored Mashkevich. To share with Mashkevich joy at the award his American friend-partners in business and charitable activity came to attend. Timur Sapir, Tefik Arif, and Alimzhon Ibragimov flew here especially from Kazakhstan. The last, in particular, said, "I came for the holiday of my brother. I am a Uigur, Alexander a Jew. We have different nations, different religions, but we are brothers. And nothing can divide us. All the people on earth can be brothers. This is what Alexander Mashkevich brings to them."
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