Whereas the Chief Rabbi of the Jewish Community of Oporto has not legally been prevented from continuing handling Sephardic certification processes at CIP/CJP, he is a religious authority recognised by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, with all the competencies for that mission;
Whereas the criminal proceedings underway are essentially based on unbelievable anonymous denunciations, one simple example being the name of Patrick Drahi linked to the Jewish Community of Oporto and not to the Jewish community of Lisbon;
Whereas CIP/CJP received from Roman Abramovich the sum of 250 euros, no more no less, which no one can refute;
Whereas leaders of CIP/CJP have been subjected to searches on account of contacts they never had with registry offices, of embezzlements that are technically impossible to carry out in this organisation, and of allegedly being co-responsible for the Chief Rabbi’s certification activity (all resulting in indictments for traffic of influence, tax fraud and money laundering, as well as falsifying documents, i.e., the certificates issued by the Chief Rabbi);
Whereas all the above:
The Board of CIP/CJP has decided that it is no longer interested in collaborating with the State in certifying Sephardic Jews and recalls the proposal it made in 2013/2014 to the PSD/CDS government to the effect that an international commission should be set up.
The Community maintains that it has worked in full transparency and maintained rigorous and honest standards during the mandate it was given throughout its role in the Sephardic certification process.
CIP/CJP will continue to evolve in all its statutory aims, following the trajectory that in the space of a single decade has made it one of the most relevant Jewish organisations in the world in respect of religion, culture, philanthropy and fighting antisemitism.
Whereas the criminal proceedings underway are essentially based on unbelievable anonymous denunciations, one simple example being the name of Patrick Drahi linked to the Jewish Community of Oporto and not to the Jewish community of Lisbon;
Whereas CIP/CJP received from Roman Abramovich the sum of 250 euros, no more no less, which no one can refute;
Whereas leaders of CIP/CJP have been subjected to searches on account of contacts they never had with registry offices, of embezzlements that are technically impossible to carry out in this organisation, and of allegedly being co-responsible for the Chief Rabbi’s certification activity (all resulting in indictments for traffic of influence, tax fraud and money laundering, as well as falsifying documents, i.e., the certificates issued by the Chief Rabbi);
Whereas all the above:
The Board of CIP/CJP has decided that it is no longer interested in collaborating with the State in certifying Sephardic Jews and recalls the proposal it made in 2013/2014 to the PSD/CDS government to the effect that an international commission should be set up.
The Community maintains that it has worked in full transparency and maintained rigorous and honest standards during the mandate it was given throughout its role in the Sephardic certification process.
CIP/CJP will continue to evolve in all its statutory aims, following the trajectory that in the space of a single decade has made it one of the most relevant Jewish organisations in the world in respect of religion, culture, philanthropy and fighting antisemitism.
