American Jewish Committee opens office in Poland

The committee's new branch will cover Poland, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovakia and Hungary.

It is the organisation's fifth European office, already having seats in Berlin, Brussels, Paris and Rome.

”The American Jewish Committee has been involved in Central Europe for more than three decades,” the organisation's CEO David Harris said.

”Opening an office in Warsaw is the next step in the growth of these relations,” he added.

”It will enable closer and more frequent relations with the seven countries in the region. We want to strengthen our friendship and partnership with these countries also in the context of transatlantic relations, between Europe and the United States, but also Israel,” he said.

Simone Rodan-Benzaquen, director of the organisation's Paris office, said the organisation, which works with diplomats and organises conferences, aims to show Israel as a young and technologically developed country.

“Israel is a very dynamic country, the only democracy in the Middle East, with a very young society and a lot of start-ups,” she said.

The organisation chose Poland for the site of its newest office because it is the largest of the seven Central European countries that it will represent, but also because of shared history.

According to Rodan-Benzaquen, most American-Jews have Polish roots.

The American Jewish Committee, founded in 1906, is one of the world's oldest Jewish lobby groups. (vb/pk)

Source: PAP, IAR