Peres, Putin Inaugurate Unique Jewish Museum in Moscow
November 8, 2012In a gala event Thursday, President Shimon Peres, along with Russian President Vladimir Putin, opened the unique Jewish Tolerance Museum in Moscow, which will use displays, interactive activities, and the latest technologies to tell the story of the Jewish people throughout the ages.
The 8,500 square foot institution cost millions of dollars to build and develop, and is the first to tell the “inside story” of the Jewish experience. While Israel’s Diaspora Museum has many exhibits preserving the memory of Jewish communities around the world, the Tolerance Museum takes a more “personal” approach, telling the story of Jewish faith throughout the ages, the Creation of the world, the giving of the Torah, the Holy Temples, and Jewish suffering in the Exile. The museum emphasizes stories if Jewish heroism in the Holocaust and under Communism in Russia.
Unlike the Diaspora Musuem, the Tolerance Musuem also tells the story of the Jewish people from a faith point of view. The museum was the brainchild of Russia’s chief rabbi, Rabbi Berel Lazar, and the effort was headed by Rabbi Alexander Barda, who heads the Organization of Russian Jewish Communities, and Rabbi Baruch Gurin, chairman of the Museum.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Peres said that the Jewish people “pray that the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, and the President of the United States who was just re-elected, Barack H. Obama, will join hands to put an end to terror and the dark threats against the world. We pray that they free the human race from bloodshed and the sowing of hopelessness.”
Peres also discussed the Iran issue. “The Iranian people are not our enemies. The hatred comes from Iran’s leaders, who prefer control over progress. Iran claims that its religion forbids development of nuclear weapons, but it develops such weapons. Iran claims that it is for freedom, but it discriminates against women. It proclaims it is for justice, but shoots protestors. It claims it is for peace, but manufactures terror,” Peres said.
“The suffering imposed on the Iranian people is not an act of G-d, but a defect of the leadership. We are not alone in this,” Peres continued. “I know the Russuans are with us in this. Russia has fulfilled many important missions in the past in the salvation of the world, and today a similar great mission awaits it,” he added.
Similar posts
-
Israel: Small Size, Big Impact
March 21, 2024Nestled along the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea, Israel is a land of immense historical sig...
-
Israelis Are Fighting For Their Lives
February 21, 2024By Jonathan S. Tobin The world looks a lot different from Kibbutz Kfar Aza than it does in the U...
-
Over 2 Million Arabs Live In Israel
January 23, 2024In the complex landscape of the Middle East, where diverse cultures and identities intersect, Israe...
-
'Fauda' Star Idan Amedi Injured Fighting in Gaza
January 8, 2024Despite the severity of his injuries, Amedi's father assured Israeli news channels that his life is...
-
Israel Is A Great Country To Live In
December 28, 2023Nestled at the crossroads of the Middle East, Israel stands as a vibrant and dynamic nation, offeri...
-
Dear World: I Don't Care
November 2, 2023By Avi Lewis I don’t care that you sympathize with Hamas I know you wouldn’t tolerate any of ...
-
Stand With Israel!
October 17, 2023Stand with Israel. Don't stand with the extreme terror organization Hamas. This is a war about huma...
-
Israel Thanks You For Your Support
October 13, 2023Israel extends its heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you, dear friends and supporters, f...