RESOLUTIONS OF
THE WORLD CONGRESS OF THE JEWS FROM EGYPT
Haifa, 2-6 July 2006
Article 1: The Jews from Egypt and the Promotion of Peace
The World Congress of the Jews from Egypt will establish an International Committee in Haifa, City of Peace, composed of representatives of Jews from Egypt from all over the world. This Committee will have as an objective to safeguard the culture and the heritage of the community and to develop and promote the research and literature of the Jews from Egypt. It will also have as an objective to promote peace between Israel and its neighbours. The WCJE calls upon Arab nations and the Palestinian Authority to eliminate the hatred of Jews from education programs. The Jews from Egypt have the experience of harmonious relations with their Arab neighbours and can indeed be of help in promoting understanding, reconciliation and peace in the region.
Article 2: Study and Research of the Culture, Literature and Patrimony of the Jews from Egypt in Israel and in Jewish education worldwide
The World Congress of the Jews from Egypt addresses the Israeli Government and the Minister for Education to ask them to include in the schools, colleges and universities the study of the history, literature, culture and patrimony of the Jews from Egypt in modern times. This should include the 20th century exile of the Jews from Egypt from different aspects in order to make known its history, its magnificent past and its contribution to Egypt and the State of Israel. The WCJE encourages the development of the Academic Centre in Cairo and hopes that the Egyptian government will establish an equivalent Centre in Israel.
Furthermore, the “Jews of Egypt Endowment” recently founded by Racheline and Joe Barda at Haifa University should be encouraged, as well as other research institutes whose purpose is to advance the study on the Jews from Egypt in Israel as well as in the Diaspora.
Article 3: The Patrimony in Egypt
The World Congress of the Jews from Egypt gratefully recognises the unfailing
efforts of the Jewish Communities in Egypt to preserve and maintain the
remaining patrimony and:
a) Affirms its commitment to the protection, preservation and care of the Jewish Patrimony in Egypt as well as its maintenance and security over the years.
b) Recognises the urgent need to copy the Communal Registers for archival and eventual certification by a competent Jewish religious authority. It persists in its request and respectfully urges both the Egyptian government and the Heads of the local Jewish Communities in Egypt to authorise this.
c) Recognises the need to create a legal structure allowing concerned foreign organisations to cooperate with the leaders of the Jewish Communities in Egypt to ensure the long-term preservation, protection and maintenance of its patrimony. This will include the creation of a Jewish museum.
d) Recognises and supports the efforts of the Association Internationale Nebi Daniel, together with the American Jewish Committee (AJC), European Jewish Congress (EJC) and The American Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), in order to realise these objectives.
Article 4: The publication of the “WCJE Congress Book” 2006 and “The Golden Book of the Jews from Egypt” (2007)
The World Congress of the Jews from Egypt will edit and publish the “WCJE Congress Book” in Hebrew, English and French.
In 2007 a new project and fund will be started by the International Committee of the WCJE to publish the comprehensive “Golden Book of the Jews from Egypt” in Hebrew, English and French.
Article 5: Creation of a Museum of the Jews from Egypt in Israel
The WCJE supports the establishment of a Museum of the Jews of Egypt in Israel and proposes the creation of a fund for this purpose.