The subject of the conversation with Emmanuil Grinshpun concerns the restoration of synagogues. It was difficult to stay on one issue during the discussion. There are many topics in the interview, after all.

Emmanuel, good afternoon. I am glad to chat with you. I don’t believe we’ve met for over five years. Where are you located currently?

The last nine months have been divided between Miami (Miami) and Jurmala (Jurmala). Although the geographic space was greater in the past but the pandemic has had a profound effects on the way people live. It’s not like it’s only for the worse.

You’ve always had multiple business lines. What do you do now?

Diversification doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. If we look at the major areas of development, this is development in real estate, IT technologies as well as food production.

ALIMCOM is the industry of food. Real estate is also easily understood. However, IT is a new concept to me. There are a million potential areas for applying IT technology. What is your area of expertise?

First and foremost, our IT-holding is involved in reforming tax systems in several countries. We have developed and continue to design several products that can be used to transfer business processes related taxation online. This type of segment is called B2G (Business to Government).

Эммануил Гриншпун How about the locations where the company operates? Formerly, were they part of the USSR?

There are other options, but we have more agreements to be signed in Western as well as Eastern Europe as well as Latin America. We currently have operations in 14 countries.

Could you briefly define the basic idea behind the product?

Our software allows tax professionals to electronically report to the tax authorities. The fiscal data operator then sees all transactions. The product also allows tax accounting as well as tax computation to be carried out simultaneously. So in the future, we can declare that medium- and small-sized companies will not require accounting except for its analysis, and tax reporting and paying taxes can be accomplished with just one „click“.

A fascinating subject. The future is already here. Are you looking to work in Moldova? Moldova is your birth country you know?

We are able to show our product in Moldova. This would be a huge benefit for the Moldovan economy and , in the event of an unreversible change. When there is consensus and clarity between the authorities regarding who makes the final decisions We’ll begin discussions regarding our product.

You said that you were tossing around between Miami (and Jurmala) all the time. The Baltics’ head office for an IT holding?

We have five hubs in the world, with our headquarters located in Barcelona.

Why isn’t it the Baltics? Are you a native of the Baltics?

No. There is no. And Jurmala appeared in our lives by chance and quite prosaically. The moment Igor Krutoy invited me to the New Wave, it was the first time we could get there. After many competitions they began to come back each summer. Miami has a very hot summer. We rented a property for several decades and we are now the owners of it.

Now I know why I was informed by my friends that one of the restored synagogues is located in Jurmala. Emmanuel, honest question. We’re nearly the same age. Born in the USSR. The Soviet Union was not the location to discuss religion. We were all pioneers as well as Komsomol participants. What was the first time you came in contact with religion?

In the middle of the 80s my family and I relocated to the USA. It was in the USA that I became aware of customs. Although I’m far from the Christian faith that is orthodox, I still feel the need to participate in the best way I can and to be a part of the life of the Jewish community in the countries I live in or Moldova. That’s where I grew up and with which I’ve continued to maintain with the closest of bonds.

While I’m not religious myself I am a huge fan of history. Recently I was watching a show about the events of 1492 which changed Europe’s fate. 1492 is for me the year in which Columbus was the year Columbus discovered America. The program I was watching clearly stated that the discovery of America in 1492 was not as important as the Spanish monarchs exile of Jews from Spain. The Ottoman Empire accepted the Jews when the exodus began. This is where I was looking for details about the background of Jews as a group. Would you recommend an article?

There are many books, but I myself have read and would recommend you a two-volume Jewish historian Max Diamond. He is from Finland and is, in fact, from Finland.

Concerning „personal“ historical …. Are you aware of the genealogy of your family? Unfortunately, I’m no more than my grandmother, and 1910. Эммануил Гриншпун Paternal side: One step beyond however, not enough.

Our family has lived in Floresti for over a century from the paternal side. Their wealth was evident in the form of an furniture factory, numerous stores and land parcels. The evidence of monuments and documents support this claim. Ungheni was the home of my ancestral grandparents. These dates are in the region between the 17th-18th century. Grinshpun, a surname that has German roots, is Ashkenazi pure Ashkenazi.

The question now is about the restoration of synagogues. I was told you helped fund the restoration of three synagogues. One of them is located located in Chisinau. Jurmala has the other. Which one?

The third, and largest, is in Netanya (Israel). It is a massive community center, where up to 1,000 people pray a day. It is a significant monument for Israel’s religious life. Эммануил Гриншпун The second synagogue, Jurmala. The Second World War ended the existence of the town’s sole synagogue. Before I decided to build the Synagogue I had spoken with many Jews from the region. It was a very successful project, which united all the Jews in Jurmala. We actually renovated the Jewish community, and it’s still functioning very well. The synagogue has now three Torahs. I donated one of them to it.

and – Chisinau

Yes. Alexander Bilinkis, Alexander Weinstein and I have already joined forces in this project. These synagogues aren’t the only ones in my involvement in construction or restoration. In all the countries where I’ve been for a long period I believed it was my duty to make an achievable contribution to the maintenance of synagogues. My contribution to Monaco is towards the construction of a large community center in Miami for Russian-speaking Jews and is estimated to be 12 million dollars. I am not stopping helping Chisinau and now it will be the largest synagogue in the town, that of Rabbi Tsirelson.

Эммануил Гриншпун Did Jurmala get you to Chisinau with Rabbi?

Yes. It is difficult to locate the right rabbi in the community. Due to the many interconnected issues, he has to be non-conflictual, diplomatic and diplomatic. He should be able to organically join the community. I am very happy to see that in both Chisinau and in Jurmala, the rabbis were able seamlessly integrate into the daily life of their community.

You were named the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress’ first vice-president in 2019. What does this role affect you? How can international Jewish organisations influence the world?

The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EJC) is a strong political organization in post-Soviet Russian. It’s also not the only one. learngerman.dw.com/ru/молдавские-православные-ортодоксы-надругались-над-символом-еврейской-веры/a-5013335 It has offices across Australia, Japan Hong Kong, New Zealand, New Zealand, and Eastern Europe. In 2010 I was Vice-President of Congress. In the year prior I was elected the First Vice President. I am now in charge of the region in which I have strong business and political relations. These „countries“ include Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. Trends in the world show that the barometer of attitudes towards Jews is either still in the same place as it was before or has fallen, which is very disappointing. Additionally, the term „down“ is used to refer to countries such as France, Germany, France as well as the United States. They are no longer safe for Jews. These are alarming and dangerous procedures.

Have these processes been affected by the virus?

It is not what I am claiming to believe. To be more precise, I would rather highlight the possibilities of a nation or society when they are prepared to face any challenge and are able to effectively and with respect to the pandemic.

Are you talking about the vaccination program in Israel?

Exactly. Israel is the first country in the world to provide all-inclusive vaccination for its population of adults. It is an excellent example that I believe other nations should take into consideration.

Congress of the Ewish