On May 28th, 2014, The Rogatchi Foundation in partnership with the Jewish Religious Community of Estonia/Estonian Jewish Centre co-organised a Special Event in commemoration of the Day of Jerusalem and the 7th anniversary of the Tallinn New Synagogue.
The other distinguished participants included an official delegation from Israel, the Embassy of Finland in Estonia, the Municipality of Jerusalem. The programme of an evening of celebration was a large and interesting one, including the opening of Michael Rogatchi’s Jewish Melody exhibition of his original art series; addresses by the Members of the Knesset and leaders of the World Jewish Congress in Israel; a special presentation Jerusalem, My Stones by Dr Inna Rogatchi; tasting of kosher wines, and a celebration dinner.
The Israeli delegation included MK Gila Gamliel, the youngest Member of the Cabinet in the history of Israel and the only public Israeli figure among the permanent delegations and commissions of the Davos Forum; Colonel (Ret) Moshe Leshem, legendary solider who nowadays is a member of the Executive Board of the World Jewish Congress in Israel; former Knesset member Shai Hermesh, currently chairman of the World Jewish Congress, Israel; Josh Reinstein, the head of the Israeli Alliance Caucasus organisation in the Knesset and one of the 50 most influential Jewish people worldwide according to a top-list of the Jerusalem Post. The head of the Israeli Alliance in Brussels, Andras Patkai from Hungary, and the director for media at the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem David Parsons were the members of the official Israeli delegation.
Finland was represented by Ambassador Aleksi Härkönen, and The Rogatchi Foundation in addition to Inna and Michael Rogatchi had a special delegation that included members of the Foundation’s International Advisory Board: actress, director and translator Maija-Liisa Marton, and veteran politicians, co-founders of the Finnish-Israel Culture Association Marja and Tapio Holvitie.
The event was also attended by guests from the USA, living in Washington D.C. and New York.
The leadership of the Estonian Jewish community and the Jewish Religious Community of Estonia, Alla Jakobson and Boris Oks were very active participants in the celebration, alongside with Rabbi Efraim Shmuel Kot, the Chief Rabbi of Estonia.
The Estonian Jewish community which is known far beyond the Estonian borders for its devotion and friendly atmosphere, had been celebrating the 7th anniversary of its beautiful new Beit-Bella Synagogue and the Day of Jerusalem with an open heart and friendly mind.
One of the guests, a famous Finnish and Scandinavian actress and director Maija-Liisa Marton, who via The Rogatchi Foundation is also supporting the education of a Jewish orphan from Ukraine as her personal charitable initiative, noted while attending the Special Event in Tallinn: “It is a real pleasure to be here among you all in this beautiful synagogue, particularly because one can feel that people are coming and being here with a crystal heart”.
This Special Event in Tallinn was both a celebration and charitable event. The proceeds from the sales of Michael Rogatchi’s original art works will be supporting the school and educational activities of the Estonian Jewish Educational Centre. The school which is the best in Tallinn, teaches both Jewish and non-Jewish children.