News - USA, New York, Consulate General of the Republic of Bulgaria

On 12 March 2026, an event was held at the Consulate General of Bulgaria in New York, organized jointly with the American Jewish Committee (AJC), to mark the 83rd anniversary of the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews. The event was titled: “Memory, Action, and Prevention: Bulgaria’s Commitment to Combating Antisemitism in the Broader Transatlantic Context.” It focused on Bulgaria’s contemporary policies to counter antisemitism, inspired by the historical memory of the rescue of nearly 50,000 Bulgarian Jews during the Second World War. The discussion emphasized the link between historical memory, education, and prevention, as well as the importance of international cooperation within the broader transatlantic context. The program included opening remarks, keynote presentations, a moderated discussion, a cultural segment, and a reception.

Prof. Rumyana Marinova-Christidi, Head of the Hebrew Studies Program at the Faculty of History of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski,” was the keynote speaker. She was in New York at the invitation of the Consul General of Bulgaria, Angel Angelov, and the American Jewish Committee. The event was attended by the Head of the Bulgarian Mission to the United Nations, Ambassador Guergana Karadjova, as well as the Consuls General of Israel, Georgia, Lithiania and others, members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of the American Jewish Committee, members of the Jewish and Bulgarian communities in New York, representatives of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, and descendants of rescued Bulgarian Jews who today live in the United States.

In her lecture, Prof. Marinova-Christidi recalled the historically strong relations of mutual tolerance between Bulgarians and Jews and emphasized that Bulgaria today remains among the countries with the lowest levels of antisemitism in the world and enjoys a well-deserved reputation as a country safe for all ethnicities and religions.

The event also featured Kaya Dekelbaum, a sculptor of Bulgarian and Jewish descent, who presented her sculpture “The Spirit,” an expression of gratitude to the Bulgarian people for their rescue of the Bulgarian Jews. Speaking emotionally, she noted that during the “dark years of the Second World War, Bulgaria was the only country in Europe from which light and humanity emerged.” Dekelbaum added that she was grateful to be a daughter of the Bulgarian people, who preserved their moral values in immoral times and demonstrated the “spirit” of humanity. The sculpture “The Spirit,” presented as part of an art installation, was displayed in the central foyer of the Consulate General and attracted significant interest.

Brandon Pinsker, Associate Director of the American Jewish Committee’s New York Office, briefly presented the work of AJC in the United States and worldwide and highlighted its partnership with its representation in Bulgaria. The cooperation between AJC and the Bulgarian government was noted in the context of the adoption of the IHRA definition of antisemitism, including by nine Bulgarian universities, as well as the development of the National Plan to Combat Antisemitism. Information was also shared about a number of joint initiatives in New York with the Bulgarian diplomatic missions in the city, including activities marking the 80th anniversary of the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews.

During the subsequent discussion, moderated by the Consul General, participants addressed the importance of education, historical memory, and institutional policies as mutually reinforcing elements in the efforts to prevent antisemitism, as well as the need for strengthened international cooperation and exchange of best practices. Particular attention was paid to the role of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews. A special guest at the event was Bishop Kliment of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in New York, who thanked the organizers for commemorating this historical act and for raising awareness of it among the American public.

The event concluded with a musical highlight featuring a composition by Milcho Leviev, a Bulgarian composer of Jewish origin, performed by the Israeli-born cellist and composer Tamar Sagiv.

During the reception that followed, guests had the opportunity to view the “Spirit” sculpture—whose presentation, enhanced by carefully designed lighting, created a powerful visual effect—and to share their impressions of the event. Among the attendees were numerous foreign and Bulgarian diplomats, representatives of Jewish organizations, American citizens of Bulgarian and Jewish descent, NGOs, and members of the academic community.