Cooperation Between the MoD and the EMIH

Szöveg: Ádám Draveczki-Ury | 2011. július 9. 6:01

On Monday, June 4, Defence Minister Dr. Csaba Hende, Slomó Köves, the Executive Rabbi of the Unified Hungarian Jewish Congregation (EMIH), and Sándor Sarkadi, the President of the EMIH signed an agreement on cooperation in Budapest.

The ceremonial signing of the cooperation agreement took place in the Manfred Wörner Room of the Ministry of Defence headquarters on Balaton Street, where accompanying Defence Minister Dr. Csaba Hende, MoD Parliamentary State Secretary Dr. István Simicskó was also in attendance, representing the portfolio.

Under the terms of the agreement, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) recognizes and highly appreciates the Unified Hungarian Jewish Congregation’s community-building activities and efforts aimed at elevating the nation in a moral and spiritual sense. In line with that, the MoD supports the goal of the Unified Hungarian Jewish Congregation (EMIH) – a community representing a considerable number of Jewish believers in Hungary – that by taking up service in the Military Rabbinate of the MoD Army Chaplaincy the EMIH would provide spiritual care for soldiers of Jewish identity and other persons working in public service. The Ministry of Defence is going to initiate trilateral (MoD-MAZSIHISZ-EMIH) negotiations with a view to achieving that EMIH can take part in the activities of the Military Rabbinate of the MoD Army Chaplaincy in an organized way, and in accordance with that, a new agreement on the operation and tasks of the Military Rabbinate should be drawn up.

Following the signature of the agreement Dr. Csaba Hende thanked Slomó Köves and Sándor Sarkadi for the cooperation between the Ministry of Defence and the Unified Hungarian Jewish Congregation to date, and expressed his hope that it continues to be fruitful in the future as well.