Janša meets WJC delegation in Slovenia — Jerusalem Post
Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša met with a delegation from the World Jewish Congress (WJC) in Ljubljana. The visit took place after the opening of Israel’s first embassy with a permanent presence in Slovenia, the Jerusalem Post reports.
The WJC delegation was led by Sarah Friedman, the organization’s director general in Israel and North America, and Hadassah Getzstein, chair of the WJC in Israel. Maya Samakovliya, executive director for community relations, and Ernest Herzog, chief operating officer and head of antisemitism, intelligence and security, also took part in the talks.
Opening of the Israeli diplomatic mission
Israel opened its embassy in Ljubljana on September 9. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar attended the ceremony and opened the diplomatic mission together with Slovenian Foreign Minister Tine Kajzer. The countries then signed a cooperation program in education, science, culture, youth policy and sports through 2030.
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Ruth Cohen-Dar became Israel’s first ambassador permanently based in Slovenia. Previously, she served concurrently as Israel’s ambassador to Slovenia and Malta and headed the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s unit on antisemitism and Holocaust remembrance.
Security of the Jewish community
WJC representatives welcomed the restoration of diplomatic contacts between Slovenia and Israel and called for the appointment of a special commissioner to combat antisemitism and support Jewish life. The organization said Slovenia’s small Jewish community has faced vandalism, threats and intimidation in recent years.
According to the WJC, the incidents targeted the Jewish Cultural Center and a Jewish cemetery in Ljubljana, while after Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, threats were also made against community leaders. The WJC also described the current meeting as different from its visit to Slovenia in April 2024: according to the organization, senior officials in the previous government had then refused to meet Jewish leaders.
