The Jewish Community of Montenegro got its the first rabbi with a residency in Montenegro

Rabbi Ari Edelkop is officially the first rabbi with permanent residency in Montenegro, which the Jewish community got, it was noted in the conversation between Minister Mehmed Zenka and President of the Jewish Community of Montenegro, Jaša Alfandari, during his audience at the Ministry for Human and Minority Rights, earlier today.

Minister Zenka welcomed rabbi Edelkop and emphasized that he firmly believe that he would continue to be successful and committed in contributing to the importance of the Jewish Community of Montenegro in preserving total harmony and coexistence.

Zenka emphasized the quality and serious work of the Jewish Community of Montenegro, which has been successfully working on the strengthening of inter-religious synergy in Montenegro, and generally on its recognition in the world as well. He sees nomination of rabbi in Montenegro as very important for the community, but also for the Montenegrin society as a whole, because the multiconfessional harmony is one of Montenegro's most impressive achievements.

We are pleased to hera that Montenegrin Jewish Community received once more a confirmation of its importance, said Minister and added that the Government of Montenegro confirms its readiness to constantly improve cooperation in order to preserve the coexistence in our country.

The President of the Jewish Community of Montenegro Jaša Alfandari recalled that the Agreement on the Establishment of a Mutual Interest between the Montenegrin Government and the Montenegrin Jewish Community defines, among the rest, that the Jewish Community itself, with the obligation to inform the Government thereof, elects and names their own clergy.

He explained to the participants of the meeting  that the rabbi Luciano Moše Prelević, who was nominated for the supreme communion of rabbi several years ago, also served as the chief of rabbi of Croatia. Because of the objective impossibility for rabbi Prelević of carrying out his duties on a regular basis in the Jewish community of Croatia and in Montenegro as well, the need to engage another rabbi with a permanent residency in Montenegro was recognized.

As it was concluded at the meeting, with the arrival of rabbi Ari Edelkop to Montenegro, existing cooperation can only become more intensive and more successful.

Ministry for Human and Minority Rights