Burgas, June 26, (BTA/GNA) – “I believe in art and I think it’s important. But in order to protect ourselves from antisemitism and to fight it, education is key, Avital Leibovich, director of the American Jewish Committee in Jerusalem, Israel, and an expert on Middle East diplomacy, the Balkans and geopolitical strategies, said in an interview with BTA.
She was in Burgas at the invitation of the Centre for Jewish-Bulgarian Cooperation Alef to participate in the first International Youth Conference entitled “The Salvation of Bulgarian Jews – Possibilities for a behavioural role model for today’s youth”, which was held on June 20 in the seaside town as part of the International Youth Literary Festival “Friendship – Meaning and Salvation”. The four-day event also marked the final stage of the tenth anniversary International Student Literary Contest “Whoever Saves a Human Life Saves the Universe”, which in this edition reached 30 young authors from nine countries. They were tasked with writing on a theme inspired by the 80th anniversary of the Rescue of Bulgarian Jews.
Avital Leibovich shared with BTA her impressions of the festival and the importance of education, as well as the role of the government in preventing antisemitism.
Following is the full text of the interview:
What impressions do you leave Burgas with after the International Youth Literary Festival “Friendship – Meaning and Salvation”?
- To begin with, this is my first visit to Bulgaria and the beautiful city of Burgas. I think I was surprised by a few things. First of all, the similarities between the people in Israel and the people in Bulgaria. Secondly, the atmosphere is very warm and open and reminds me a lot of home. We are also a very warm and open society in Israel. Thirdly, the scope of the conference really amazed me because I met a lot of children there – young people, teenagers, boys and girls of different ages from many countries in Europe who, instead of investing their time in TikTok and Instagram – the things that children usually do, had actually decided to learn history, and the history of the Jewish people, and the history of the Jewish people in Bulgaria. Alongside the topic of Bulgarian Jews, they discovered more information about the Holocaust. So it was very important for me to hear them. On a personal level, I have a father who is a Holocaust survivor. He is 83 years old, he was born in Poland in 1940, and only a few months ago he chose to share his story to the entire family. To hear from the next generation what their plans are to prevent a similar Holocaust from taking place in the future was very meaningful for me.
Are there specific lessons, as you said, or stories that you’ll take home with you after this event?
- Yes, of course. To start with, Alef started this project 10 years ago and to think that from a very small idea of a few students at the beginning, yesterday we filled the International Convention Centre here with hundreds of people and dozens and dozens of students from many countries can show us that from one dream and one idea there is a whole universe now, which is very impressive and I salute Alef for the incredible work and dedication.
I think it’s important for every person in the world, no matter if they’re Jewish or not, to understand what is the Holocaust, because one of the biggest issues that we have in the world today against Jewish communities is growing antisemitism. At the American Jewish Committee, we conduct polls every year – both in Europe and in the United States – and every year the situation gets worse and worse. Every year we see growing numbers against Jews and antisemitism. If we look at a country like the United States, which is a great friend of Israel, the Jewish community there is less than 2%, and still it is the second group there that is the target of hatred and antisemitism, even though it is so small. In Europe, too, we see this growing.
This is something that the authorities should fight, they should legislate and enforce it. Alef is doing educational work by educating children. Governments have a different role – to make sure that when something antisemitic is happening, that person will be sentenced to prison or otherwise punished, some kind of law enforcement, so that events like this do not repeat and spread in bigger scales.
Why is the story of the saved Bulgarian Jews not so well known in the rest of the world?
- There are many stories about Jewish communities that are not so well known in the world. But there is a large Bulgarian community in Israel that comes from Bulgaria. I met with them before I came here to Burgas, and they told me something that is very special to the Bulgarian Jewish community. They told me that they love the country, they love Bulgaria, they had a great life here. Their neighbors here treated them like anyone else and they continue to pass that on as a legacy to their children and grandchildren.
This is something you don’t see in many communities because Israel is made up of many immigrant communities. As I told you, my father comes from Poland, but he doesn’t want to go back to Poland. He doesn’t want to visit it, he doesn’t want me to go there, he doesn’t want us to go on a family trip there. But the Bulgarian community in Israel is in a completely different situation – the exact opposite. They have their own culture, they have their own Bulgarian food and restaurants in Israel, they have a Bulgarian school, they have a Bulgarian football team, they have a Bulgarian choir. In other words – they are so connected to the country even today, so many years later – 80 years later, because their experience was ultimately positive. And that is something that is important to tell.
The young participants in this contest are creating art to tell events from history. Do you think art will ultimately help save the world?
- I think art has a very important place in the world. I think some people understand messages and connect with information through art, whether it’s through story writing, novels or paintings. Sometimes an image that transforms a message can often be more powerful than an entire article and have a greater impact. I believe in art and I think it’s important. But in order to prevent and combat antisemitism, education is key and very important. That’s what Alef does, and that’s what I do. However, governments around the world also need to create legislation that enforces punishments when such antisemitic attacks happen. I am happy to say that I felt very welcome in Bulgaria, I felt hospitality, I felt at home. Overall it was a very positive experience, and it was my first time coming here, so I have only good things to say.
BTA/GNA