FIRST FUND-RAISING CONCERT FOR NEW ZAGREB SYNAGOGUE HELD

ZAGREB, Nov 5 (Hina) - The ensemble "Julian Rachlin and Friends", consisting of Julian Rachlin - violin, Itmar Golan - piano, and Mischa Maisky - cello, on Monday evening held the first in a series of fund-raising concerts, to be held in Zagreb within the "Music for the Synagogue" project, launched by the Zagreb Jewish community. #L# The funds raised at the concert, which was held at Zagreb's "Vatroslav Lisinski" concert hall, will be used for the construction of a memorial synagogue, which will be part of a Jewish cultural centre in the city's Praska Street. The head of the Zagreb Jewish community and the body co-ordinating Jewish communities in Croatia, Ognjen Kraus, said that there used to be a synagogue in Praska Street, built in 1867. The synagogue was destroyed in 1942 during the Independent State of Croatia (NDH). The Jewish community wants to build, on the same location, a cultural centre which will appropriately represent the Jewish community in Zagreb and Croatia, Kraus said. Apart from the synagogue, the centre will also house a documentation centre, a hall for cultural events, an international gallery and a kosher restaurant. The cultural and communication centre of the local Jewish community will also contribute to Zagreb opening up to Europe and the world, Kraus added. Before the start of the concert, the audience were able to see part of a documentary called "From Dubrovnik With Love Julian Rachlin & Friends", which speaks about how the idea to finance the construction of the synagogue was born at this year's Dubrovnik Summer Festival. Last night's concert was also attended by President Stjepan Mesic, government and parliament officials and members of the diplomatic corps. (hina) rml