Ambassador Arthur Koll joined the Jewish community of Serbia to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah, an eight-day holiday known also as the Festival of Lights. The Ambassador was invited by the Chief Rabbi of Serbia, Isak Asiel, to light the first Hanukkah candle in Belgrade's synagogue "Sukkat Shalom".

Hanukkah starts on the 25th day of the Jewish calendar month of Kislev - this year on December 21. The holiday celebrates the victory of the Jewish rebels (Maccabees) against the Hellenic Seleucid Empire in 165 BCE and the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem.

Hanukkah celebrates both the physical victory of the small Jewish nation, led by Judah Maccabee, against the mighty empire and the spiritual victory of the Jewish faith against the Hellenism. Its sanctity derives from this spiritual aspect of the victory, and the miracle of the flask of oil, when a portion of sacramental oil meant to keep the Temple candelabrum lit for one day lasted for eight days, the time it took for the Temple in Jerusalem to be rededicated.  

The festival is observed by the kindling of the lights of a special candelabrum, the Menorah or Hanukiah, one light on each night of the holiday.

Hanukkah, from the Hebrew word for "dedication" or "consecration", represents a joyful family festival. Gifts are exchanged, parties are given, children play games, and latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (doughnuts) are served. These are delicacies made with oil, long associated with Hanukkah.

“It is with great honor that I fulfill today my duty in presenting the Medals to the Righteous among the Nations, to those people who risked their own lives to save Jews during the Second World War,” said H.E. Mr. Arthur Koll, Israeli Ambassador to Serbia, during the ceremony at the Embassy of Israel in Belgrade.

Ambassador Koll presented the Medals to the children and grandchildren of the Righteous Borivoje Bondžić, Grozdana Bondžić, Ljubica Mandušić-Gazikalović and Jelica Ranković. “Their acts of enormous bravery and selflessness will remain forever engraved in our memories,” emphasized Ambassador.    

“Regretfully in present days, the phenomena of hatred, racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism did not disappear as if history taught us nothing,” said Mr. Koll adding that “the Righteous’ heroic deeds should serve as a “lighthouse that would show us a way into a brighter future.”

The Bondžić family took an enormous risk while hiding Dr. Julija Dajč at their house in the village near Aleksandrovac between 1942 and 1943. Julia was pregnant and there was fear that she might deliver without proper conditions. Despite the fact that there was a death penalty for hiding Jews, the Bondžić family decided to hide her, thus risking their own lives. Thanks to courage of Borivoje and Grozdana, the lives of Julija and her son Ilan Doron were saved from certain death. Mr. Ilan today lives in Haifa and he is a father of three children.     

Ljubica Mandušić-Gazikalović was a widow and lived alone with two kids in Prizren. She decided to fight for the lives of Mr. Josef Levi and his family, who left Belgrade running away from the Nazis. Ljubica and her 18 years old daughter Jelica made a special lurking-place in the garden where they hid the Levi’s from November 1941 until March 1943. In the constant fear of death they all lived as one family. Ljubica risked not just her life, but also the life of her children, in order to saved Mr. Levi and his family from Nazi persecution.

Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority, was established in 1953 to preserve the memory and story of each of the six million Jews murdered by the Nazi regime and its collaborators but also to recognize and honor the few who risked their own lives to save Jews from certain death. Those people are the Righteous among the Nations.

A person who is recognized as Righteous among the Nations is awarded a medal bearing their name, a certificate of honor, and the privilege of having their name added to those on the Wall of Honor in the Garden of the Righteous at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. This is the highest honor bestowed by the Jewish people, through the state of Israel, on non Jews.

The Ambassador of Israel to Serbia H.E. Arthur Koll officially opened the Israeli Stand at CVP Agro Expo 2008, the third agriculture exhibition and congress in Belgrade. The Israeli stand “Israel: Innovative Solutions” is offering all information necessary for search of business opportunities, creation of contacts for economic cooperation and exchange of knowledge in the field of agriculture.

“We are pleased to participate in this important agriculture fair. Israel being a leader in agricultural technologies and know-how and Serbia with its impressive agricultural sector have a strong basis for cooperation for mutual benefit”, emphasized ambassador Koll.     

The Israeli stand in Belgrade also promotes “the Agritech Israel 2009” a famous international agricultural exhibition that will take place in Tel Aviv in May next year. Agritech Israel is serving as a platform to bring together more than 7,000 foreign visitors from 115 countries to interact with leading agriculture technology companies of the world.

Israel is a major exporter of agro-technology solutions world wide. Israeli agriculturalists developed revolutionary drip irrigation systems which provide massive savings in water consumption. The country is also recognized as a leader in the fields of developing new seeds and seedlings, greenhouse technologies, specialized agricultural equipment and dairy and poultry production.

CVP Agro Expo is taking place from 28 until 30 October at EXPO XXI Belgrade International Expocentre in Belgrade.