Respected friends, members of JOZ

Accepting the advise of the JOZ Board to suggest me for a president candidate of our community I am honored to be in position to offer you my program of activities for the next period of three years, as mandate of the elected president of JOZ is scheduled. Undoubtedly the program I am going to present shall be continuation of my successful and noticeable six-year engagement for the benefit of our community. Main goals of my work in the next period will not be changed significantly. Struggle against assimilation, return to faith and multinational tolerance shall be basis of my activities. Struggle to return our Synagogue to our possession is also something that is often characterized as a dream. I consider it as a reality. Without it there is no future for us as a religious community. That is why I will do my best to return our Synagogue to Jewish Community of Zemun, weather by finding a modus with authorities by ransom or by adoption a law for returning religious communities properties or in return for nationalized properties...

... During coming years I will, with same enthusiasm, continue to support marking of all of our religious holidays. I will make efforts to create consciousness of necessity of marking all significant dates from ours history, such as July 27^th 1942 when Zemun Jews were expelled to concentration camps, the Holocaust Day, Yom Hashoa, etc...

... Social activities will also be one of my priorities, especially because of the fact that we are actually an old community, in average. We must find resources to help our endangered members independently. Of course our Social Commission has the greatest responsibility ...

... Without doubt cultural activities are basics of our spiritual essence. Without culture there is no progress and that is why I always tried to make sense out of cultural events, to make them interesting to all generations. That kind of policy will be continued and I hope that the new management of Commission for Culture will introduce interesting and educational program.

... Our Internet site is our only publishing means, the only window to the world and a way to introduce to the people of other affiliation, to our friends, neighbors and enemies. I will do my best to make it an arm of peace, love and tolerance, our possibility to make bridges, not destruction. Our Internet site has and shall have an important role in modern communications. 

... At the end I would like to stress an importance of cooperation with Ministry of Religion of Serbian Republic, with local authorities and of course with city government. We must be aware that we are a part of this society and that we can only survive by fitting into it's entire flows. It is completely legitimate to address to any institution that can be of help to our goals. We had a solid, although declarative cooperation with former municipal authorities. As for now we have a same kind of relationship with present authorities. Shall it be better at the end or not is not important after all. For us it is important that any new administration is aware of our presence, of our needs and demands for normal activities and life in Zemun, without fear, repressions or attacks on our community.

... I shall continue to support all actions coming from all other Jewish communities, especially to manifestations such as Sholet in Novi Sad, Makabiada in Zrenjanin or the newest in Subotica.