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Montenegro Angers Jewish Community by Registering Second Body

Government's decision to register a second Jewish association, run by the previous chief rabbi, has split the tiny community in the Balkan country.
Montenegrin Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic (left) at a meeting with European Jewish Community representatives. Photo: Government of Montenegro

Montenegro’s Ministry of Justice on Wednesday said that when it registered a second Jewish community in the country on May 17, the Religious Community of Jews, it acted in accordance with the Freedom of Religion Law and did not violate the Act on Mutual Relations.

The existing Jewish Community in Montenegvo on May 24 accused the government of violating the Act signed in January 2012, which recognized Judaism as the fourth official religion of Montenegro.

“By law, a religious community can be registered if there are at least three adult believers who are Montenegrin citizens and reside in Montenegro,” it said.

“The Act of Mutual Relations between the Government and the Jewish community in Montenegro is not of international law as it is not concluded between two international legal entities,” the ministry added. “So, it has lower legal force than the Freedom of Religion Law.”

During a meeting with European Jewish Community leaders, Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic on May 17 welcomed the registration of another Jewish religious organization in the country, stressing that the government would cooperate with “all well-meaning people, without discriminating against the basis of ethnicity, political or religious beliefs”.

But on May 24, the head of the Jewish Community in Montenegro, Nina Offner Bokan, accused the government of bad faith, noting that the Act on Mutual Relations says new Jewish organizations can be registered only with the allowance of the Jewish Community in Montenegro.

“A new religious community of Jews in Montenegro has been registered without the consent of the Jewish Community of Montenegro. The organization was registered by former chief Rabi of Montenegro, Ari Edelkopf, despite the fact he was officially sacked in 2020,” Offner Bokan said.

Los Angeles-born Edelkopf was appointed Chief Rabbi in Montenegro in November 2019, after having to leave Russia after his permit there was revoked on claims that he represented a threat to Russia’s security. He denied wrongdoing and demanded a court review of the unspecified charges against him, but it never happened.

According to the 2011 census, the Jewish community counts a mere 110 people, although the World Jewish Congress estimates as many as 400 to 500 Jews now live in the country.

One of the youngest Jewish communities in the world was officially registered in July 2011. The World Jewish Congress says only about 10 per cent of Jews in Montenegro are actively involved in the community.

According to the European Jewish Congress, Jews have been present in Montenegro at least since the Middle Ages, though it is not known whether they ever had their own synagogue.

The government in 2013 gave the Jewish community land on a 99-year lease to build the country’s first synagogue when the Jewish community was led by Yasha Alfandari. Luciano Mose Prelevic was appointed Chief Rabbi of both Montenegro and Croatia since the Jewish Community was registered in Montenegro.

Samir Kajosevic