Jerusalem, Israel: Prime Minister Edi Rama’s remarks at gala dinner hosted in honour of the Albanian Prime Minister 

 

Honourable distinguished guests,

Dear Sasha,

My wife Linda and I feel so privileged to return to Israel after 7 years. Entering here, I was told that my first Jewish friend was here. A man I always remember with a feeling of great respect, whom I didn’t notice being in this hall, the former Ambassador to Albania, Ehud Gol. I am very happy to see you ambassador. You were the first Jew to tell me how tough it was and I am deeply grateful. 

Seven years of great abundance in the relations between Albania and Israel as well as between Albanians and Jews, but also, unfortunately, seven years of bitterness, often grievance when it comes to the spread of anti-Semitism, violent extremism and hatred language across the world and through so many networks that misinform. And here we are at this generous dinner hosted by a man I really appreciate for his great spirit, Alexander, and among so many Jewish friends and Albanian-Jews of the Jewish community.

Nothing but a Psalm could truly help turn our feelings in this very moment into meaningful words: “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!”

It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.” What unites us as brothers, is anything but a dream. To visit Israel in commemoration of this fact is a true honour and privilege and I am delighted, as an Albanian, that it keeps being cherished and not forgotten with time. It is a known fact that Albania was a friend of the Jewish community in their darkest hour, a fact we take pride in. 

The selfless part our fathers and grand-fathers have taken in this speechless endeavour to rescue human lives, Jews lives, is maybe a direct path that leads to Heavens, but above all, it is what binds us in an unwavering fashion to the best of mankind. It is fair to recall that from 1932 to 1945, during the most terrific upsurge of national-socialism and the Nazi invasion, Albania retained all the same the Jewish community as a religious community in its own right, imposing sanctions to anyone who would attempt or violate its rights.

 And there is a fact unbeknownst to the Jews, even to my Jewish friends, that the then Albania adopted the only law of positive discrimination in Europe and recognized the Shabbat and declared it a holiday. What Albanian from all confessions and all social strata, from the King to the shepherd have done to rescue Jews and to ensure the welfare of a remnant of the people of Israel until the thunderstorm cleared empowers our consciousness that as a people, we are created for great deeds which can make us worthy to one another and worthy to the entire mankind. 

Worthy of the entire mankind indeed, for how else can a nation’s policy be described when in 1943-1944, under the direct pressure of the Wehrmacht, the collaborationist government in place itself, together with the four main religious chiefs of the country accept to deliver to the Nazi the reserve assets of the Treasury, but categorically refuse to hand over the lists of the Jews sheltered in the country, especially the foreigners, the stateless and the homeless among them. As the identification of all the Jews that forced to leave their homes during the Nazi anti-Semite breakthrough found shelter and protection in Albania and had their lives saved from extermination comes to completion, we become more and more certain that the number of the Jews rescued in Albania is much more considerable that the number of 2265 displayed since 2005 at the Memorial Museum of Holocaust.

Last year, I had the honour to hand over a list of 3750 names to the most honourable rector of Yad Vashem. This number may somehow sound prophetic when one looks back at the history. There were 3000 Hebrews in 70-73 AD, shortly after the destruction of the Temple, who found shelter in Albania. I am highlighting this because there aren’t many among the Jewish community who know the history, and even they happen to know, history wasn’t just World War II and the custom “Besa”.  It goes back deep to history. These 3000 Jews, after they successfully hijacked a roman vessel carrying them to be held in slavery, these Jews berthed in the Albanian shores and founded flourishing cities like Phoinikè or Orikum. About 3000 were also the Sephardim Jews fleeing the Reconquista in Spain and Portugal at the end of the 15th century to whom Albania and especially the urban area of Vlora offered freedom, security and prosperity. 

In 2018, Albania opened a museum called “Solomon” in Berat, dedicated to the history of the Jews in Albania, and now we’re setting up a Jewish Museum in Vlora, in the “Jewish Road” at the city’s historic centre. In this city, an important center for the Albanian – Jewish community, there was for many years a Jewish-owned café, called “Israeli Patisserie”. In the words of its owners, “Albania was among the rare countries in the entire world where a small business could carry the Star of David in the storefront and be wholeheartedly embraced by the local community.” It is not by chance that we chose Vlora as the city our shared history and friendship will be commemorated in a museum.

The Albanian Jewish Museum will be a modern institution that will keep this history alive and will show future generations that Albanian hospitality is not a mere expression. In the meantime we are working on the construction of the Jewish Cultural Centre in the center of the capital city, a museum for everyone to recall the World War II, as well a contemporary Jewish center of culture, art, politics, and everything else that presents Israel to our people.

It will also tell the entire story of the coexistence between Albanians and the Jewish, one that didn’t start with the Second World War, but embraces many centuries altogether. It is important to note that Jews in Albania were saved by both Muslim and Christian Albanian families. They stayed true to the old saying that “The Albanian home belongs to God and friends.” The guest is not necessarily the one you invite, but the one who knocks on your door asking for help and who usually is a stranger. According to the custom, the guest is provided with shelter and protection. So far 73 Albanians, Moslems, and Christians, have been recognized as Righteous amongst the Nations and many others, including high ranking officials of that time are still waiting to be recognized as such.

I shared with some of my Jewish friends the story about the collaborationists, members of the Albanian Nazi puppet government, who made efforts to release four Jews out of prison, after being arrested by the Nazi command, and approved the decree to allocate the payment of 1500 gold coins for each of them. They pleaded with the German command to release them, because it would be a disgrace for them if they were not going to try. The four Jews were eventually released.

Last year, we put up a memorial for the victims of the Holocaust, in one of the most populated areas of the capital city. The memorial’s inscription reads in English, Hebrew, and Albanian: “Albanians, Christians, and Muslims endangered their lives to protect and save the Jews.” We are aware that what our grandparents did is more than just a bright chapter of our history. It is a national heritage treasure. We will do our best to keep it alive and for our children’s children to understand how precious this part of our national heritage is. At the same time, it is natural for Albania to adopt its stance against anti-Semitism and to make sure as a government that our country is in the forefront of the efforts against anti-Semitism.

 As I’ve already explained, this not about Israel, it’s not about the Jews, it’s about humanity today and how important it is not to commit to any form of retaliation, offensive attitudes towards others because they might be different by origin, ethnicity or religion. Israel is capable of defending itself, but the world should realize that the fight against anti-Semitism is not solely for the defence of Israel, but for the defence of its own values, principles and itself.

Without taking you more time, although it is not a good idea having a man from Balkan and an Albanian speak during dinner as you will have nothing to eat, but I would like to conclude with Sasha. I cannot describe the feeling I experienced when I met him along with a group of Jews, knocking on my office door asking me for help with their Afghans. By their Afghans, I mean their collaborators as NATO was withdrawing from Afghanistan. This was a tough challenge for all NATO countries, as opposed to not leaving behind the Afghans who had worked for us, who trusted us and exposed themselves for what we represented to them. From the very first moment, I was convinced Albania could not withdraw like the big and rich countries did and we had to open our doors and welcome these Afghans with whatever we can afford or otherwise they would become victims of the Taliban’s revenge.

We were used to be ruled not by the religious Taliban, but by atheists who ruled and isolated us by telling us that the American imperialism, Soviet revisionism and Israeli Zionism were the three devil horns. And we did it, not just for the Afghans, but for ourselves, the children, for what we are and the memory because we may not be rich, but our memory is still strong. And this is important. So when Sasha came and asked me what we could do for their Afghans it was really something that will stay with me for the rest of my life. I immediately realized and felt that he was a Jew who felt in debt to others of a completely different origin and religion, but who at that moment in history were threatened with extermination just like your ancestors. This is how it should be because anti-Semitism is a cause for everyone, not just Israel and Jews.

 Therefore, combating anti-Semitism is not only about raising the flag of Israel, but it is about raising the flag of humanity. Thank you. I hope I wasn’t boring and you enjoyed the speech. Thank you!

Host: I would like to invite Mr. Alexander and Mr. Mihail to come to the stage. We have a symbolic prize for you.

Prime Minister Edi Rama: I would like to express my gratitude for this beautiful object, which is more than just an object and the Albanians participating in this event know when I tell all the Jews to come to Albania and during the visit you will understand that, not only me, but also the Albanian people are worth it for this object.

Thank you!