A delegation from the Rabbinical Centre of Europe (RCE) met last week with Prime Minister of Montenegro, Igor Lukšić, to commemorate and celebrate the recognition of Judaism as an official religion and the Jewish community as an official minority in Montenegro. In February, Prime Minister Lukšić signed an agreement with Jewish community leaders to recognize the Jewish community as an official minority in Montenegro.

During the meeting Prime Minister Lukšić told the delegation, headed by RCE Founder Rabbi Gershon Mendel Garelik, that he would like to see more Jews from around the world come and visit Montenegro and invest in the country.

The RCE joined the prime minister in this call and RCE Deputy Director Aryeh Goldberg said that the official recognition of the Jewish community is a welcome step. “We feel that this recognition sends an important message, not just to the local Jewish community, but to the wider Jewish world that Montenegro welcomes you,” Rabbi Goldberg said. “At a time when intolerance is growing in parts of Europe, Montenegro is entering a new chapter of openness and acceptance which is demonstrated by this historic agreement. We feel that Montenegro would be an important part of a new Europe that seeks to end conflict, unite our continent and build a better future for all Europeans. “

The recognition agreement was signed during an official ceremony held with representatives of the Montenegro Jewish community, including President of the community, Mr. Jacob (Yasha) Alfandri and Chief Rabbi Yoel Kaplan and was signed only a few months after a delegation from the RCE and Chief Rabbi of Israel Yona Metzger met with the prime minister to discuss and propose the issue.

Prime Minister Lukšić told the delegation how influential the previous meeting with a delegation from the RCE accompanied by Chief Rabbi Metzger was in the decision to formally recognize the Jewish community in Montenegro.

During the meeting Mr. Alfandri presented Prime Minister Lukšić with a medal in honor of the recognition and his warm friendship towards the Jewish community.

During the meeting, Rabbi Goldberg also spoke about how the RCE in specific and the Jewish People in general would like to express their gratitude to their hosts for the recognition agreement. ”The Jewish People owes a debt of gratitude to the Government and the people of Montenegro. We would like to extend our hand, not just in gratitude, but also in assistance. We know the many challenges of your new, but ancient country, are many and we stand by your side in meeting and surpassing them,” Rabbi Goldberg told the prime minister.

Before February, Montenegro had three officially recognized religions; Roman Catholicism, Orthodox Christianity and Islam. Now they are joined by Judaism.

There are considered around 1,000 Jews in Montenegro and the RCE, an organization representing over 700 rabbis and Jewish leaders and their communities from across Europe, is delighted to play a role in boosting the small, but committed community.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem – Photo credit: M. Shaekewitz)