Jews salvation and liberation day

May 15  Moscow hosted an international scientific-practical conference "The victory in the Great Patriotic War as a historical event in the life of the Jewish people." Within the walls of the Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration  representatives of the clergy, political leaders, active members of the diaspora were brought together, to commemorate the 6 million victims of the Holocaust and pay tribute to the soldiers of the Red Army that saved the Jewish people from annihilation. The event was organized by STMEGI Charitable Foundation and the Russian Jewish Congress.

Fund manager, German Zechariah, is from the Azerbaijani Red Sloboda. In 2014, he took the initiative - introduced a new holiday in the Jewish calendar, Iyar 26 - the day of salvation and liberation, the day when the Act of  the unconditional surrender of Germany came into force,  the Great Patriotic War came to an end. The idea has found broad support in society. So for the first time in thousands of years in the calendar of the Jews, a new memorable date appeared.

German Zahariev explained: "The most important historical events in the life of the Jewish people were marked in our calendar. Every year, we celebrate the days when our people rose to the challenges posed to its existence and faith. There have always been those who wish us bad things and have always been the ones that God sent for disposal. Victory in the Great Patriotic unconditionally became one of such events. In many European countries  the celebration of Victory Day is cancelled, but we, the Jewish people have no right to do so. We must keep this date for our future generations. I think today, in Russia and in Azerbaijan for the Jews more comfortable than in Europe. In the Azerbaijani Red Sloboda, where I come from, the Jews now live, of course, there are a synagogues, there is always a minyan, and the President of Azerbaijan has repeatedly stated that the Jews are his brothers. In Azerbaijan, as in Russia, there is no anti-Semitism. "

"Every family has its own story, said Israel's ambassador to Russia Dolyt Golender. - Red Army liberated the concentration camp Stutthof, where my mother was, where she lost her husband and son. My mother was still alive, she returned to Lithuania, created a second family. In the family of my husband, his father fought in the Red Army. And when he came to Berlin, being wounded, stayed in the hospital, he returned to his place in the Western Ukraine, and did not find a single person in his family. There were 96 people. His grandfather was a rabbi. The most important thing - it's the memory of the victory of the Red Army, which gave hope for the Jewish people to survive and create their own state. The Jewish state was founded on the ashes of 6 million, because people stood up, leaders, young Jewish leaders, who came to Palestine from Russia, from other countries and said: "Such a catastrophe, such a the tragedy of the Jewish people will never happen."

According to Golender, "the Jewish people different from other peoples heroism, heroism, which was needed in the years of the Second World War, and it was necessary in the period of existence and creation of the state of Israel, because the country had to go through a lot of wars and no war was not initiated by Israel. We are brave people, we are able to appreciate the good, and never forget that victory, which the Red Army and the Allies in World War II won. "

According to the ambassador, "Israel celebrate Victory Day and in many countries around the world. This day went down in the calendar at the initiative of Herman Zaharyaeva. Today, the world's raging anti-Semitism, which wanders through the streets of Toulouse, Paris and Brussels. And I think that the love between Israel and Christians, dialogue that exists between the Jewish communities and Christian communities is the key to tolerance. Let us remember, but not to forget. "