Princess Visits Jewish Center

By COLlive reporter

Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands was one of the high profile participants who came on March 31, 2011 to pay their respects for a European policy expert.

The memorial for Stanley Crossick was held in the European Jewish Community Centre in Brussels, a place the influential Jewish man was a frequent visitor.

Crossick, who passed away at the age of 74, was at the heart of government and legislation as co-founder of the European Policy Centre, a think-tank committed to making European integration work.

He was also a proud Jew who forged a strong bond with Lubavitchers – Rabbi Moshe Garelik of the Rabbinical Centre of Europe and Rabbi Levi Matusof, a lobbyist for Jewish causes in the European institutions.

“This center was very dear to Stanley.. a very special man,” Mrs. Nechama Tawil of the EJCC, opened the memorial ceremony and welcomed its many dignitaries.

Her husband, co-director of the EJCC, Rabbi Avi Tawil, led the traditional prayer “El male rachamim” in memory of the departed.

“He was a very dear friend,” said the European Union’s Commissioner of Culture Androulla Vassiliou. “Sincere, kind and open, he was a great source of advice which he gave from the heart.”

Other speakers included the Princess, members of the Crossick family, Chinese Ambassador to the EU Song Zhe, Judge David Edward, Prof. Laurens Jan Brinkhorst, Dr. Fraser Cameron, John Wyles – friends and colleagues.

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