Thursday, May 17, 2012 4:18 PM
“It’s said that to safeguard our future, we have to remember our past'”, said Moldovan Prime Minister Vladimir Filat
The Moldovan Prime Minister Vladimir Filat planted an olive tree in a ceremony held at the Grove of Nations in Jerusalem.
This is the first time that a Moldovan prime minister has visited Israel since the 1990s, when Moldova still had a presidential regime. Mr. Filat made a private visit to Israel about ten years ago, and declared himself impressed by the changes the State has undergone since then.
Of his visit to the Yad VaShem memorial to victims of the Holocaust, Mr. Filat said: “The Holocaust is a tragedy for all humanity, and it is the responsibility of all of us to ensure that such events never recur.” He added that the millions of trees that KKL-JNF has planted in Israel communicate a very clear wish for life and a desire to ensure the future of the Jewish People in their homeland.
“Planting an olive tree is an honor, and I am proud that it has been conferred upon me,” he said. “Let us hope that this tree will serve as a symbol of peace for the whole world.”
KKL-JNF World Chairman Efi Stenzler recalled that in Jewish tradition, planting a tree is an expression of friendship. He defined KKL-JNF as “the executive wing of the Jewish People,” and told his guests of KKL-JNF’s contribution to afforestation, construction and environmental conservation in Israel. “The Moldovan flag bears the image of an eagle holding an olive twig in its beak, as a symbol of both power and peace,” said Stenzler in conclusion. “This is the same olive twig that the dove carried to Noah’s ark after the flood.”
KKL-JNF’s Chief of Protocol Andy Michelson, who presided over the ceremony, told those assembled: “The Grove of Nations connects Yad VaShem’s preservation of the memory of those who died in the Holocaust to the continuation of life in Israel and the desire for peace.”
After the speeches were over, the Moldovan President and Chairman Stenzler planted an olive tree together.
Andy Michelson and Moldovan Minister of Agriculture Vasile Bumacov discussed the various challenges that both Israel and Moldova face where water is concerned. Climate change has caused drought in Moldova, and the Minister said he felt that KKL-JNF’s experience in combating desertification could be of great help to his own country, and that Israel’s agricultural technology and expertise could form the basis of productive cooperation between the two nations.
The Moldovan Foreign Minister Iurie Leancă reminded those present that his delegation’s visit marked 20 years of diplomatic ties with Israel. “Apart from good relations, we hope to strengthen commercial and economic ties, too,” he said.
One hundred thousand people of Moldovan extraction live in Israel, including Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, and the Jewish community in Moldova today numbers around 18,000. “This human bridge strengthens the connection between us,” said Mr. Leancă.
While the guests were busy tasting a selection of fresh locally grown fruit, Efi Stenzler told the Moldovan Prime Minister about KKL-JNF’s contribution to agriculture, which takes the form of land preparation, development of water sources and the construction of rural communities.
Prime Minister Filat commented especially on the scent of the apricots, which, he said, reminded him of his childhood. He tasted the fruit of the prickly pear, and heard how its name (sabra) is used to designate native-born Israelis.
At the conclusion of his visit, it seems that the Moldovan Prime Minister will be taking two enduring memories home with him: how it feels to plant an olive tree in Jerusalem, and the delicious tastes and scents of locally-grown Israeli fruit.