jpr / European Jewish Digest Volume 2 Issue 11 November 2015 Institute for Jewish Policy Research jpr / European Jewish Digest Volume 2 Issue 11 November 2015 Looking at the headlines across Jewish Europe

Institute for Jewish Policy Research

1 / Issues concerning intimidated,” and called for security measures to antisemitism be increased. Violence, vandalism and abuse In Marseille, France, a Jewish man was stabbed by a man wearing an Islamic State T-shirt who Incidents of violence, vandalism and abuse were shouted antisemitic abuse at him along with two once again reported in the media across Europe other men. The victim, a teacher at a Jewish school, in November. In Italy, Natan Graf, a Jewish suffered injuries not considered life-threatening. businessman and nephew of Milan rabbi Hetzkia According to prosecutor Brice Robin, three people Levi, sustained serious injuries outside a kosher on two scooters had approached the teacher and pizzeria in Milan after being stabbed seven times then “insulted, threatened and stabbed their victim by a man wearing a balaclava. Raffaele Besso, in the arm and leg. They were interrupted by the president of Jewish Community of Milan, said that arrival of a car and fled.” Michele Teboul, regional “this is the most serious event that ever happened president of the Jewish representative group CRIF, in our community.” Renzo Gattegna, president said, “I’m very shocked because this is the second of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities incident of its kind in a very short time,” adding (UCEI), said “we will go forward, without being she was worried about the threat of further attacks.

In , a Jewish cemetery in Hanover was / ABOUT EUROPEAN JEWISH DIGEST desecrated with swastikas. Tombstones were defaced and the prayer house damaged. In the Written by Richard items. Its purpose is to city of Cotbuss, two women were arrested after Goldstein, JPR’s Director provide the reader with allegedly trying to vandalise the synagogue. Two an overview of incidents of Operations, the windows and a window frame were seriously European Jewish Digest and activities that have is a monthly publication occurred across Europe damaged. In the UK, at the beginning of the that summarises some of each month. Note that all month, police were investigating “very offensive” the key Jewish-interest details come exclusively antisemitic graffiti that appeared in Hackney. stories in Europe, and from press reports, and This followed a few days after “Kill Da Jew” provides links to articles have not been verified was sprayed on the same road at the end of about various newsworthy by JPR researchers. October. More antisemitic graffiti was found later in November.

/ ABOUT JPR Also in the UK, a Jewish student at Birmingham University was trolled with antisemitic abuse after The Institute for JPR’s research and she tweeted a photo which had been displayed Jewish Policy analysis offer detailed across her campus, showing an image of Hitler Research (JPR) is a insights into a wide with the words “Hitler was right” written UK-based research unit, range of issues, including consultancy and think Jewish population size, underneath. Izzy Lenga, education officer at the tank that specialises in geographical density, age Birmingham student union, posted the photo in contemporary Jewish and gender structure, order to highlight antisemitism. She said that “the issues. Formerly the education, charitable backlash to my tweet has been extremely nasty and Institute of Jewish giving, volunteering, deeply upsetting. This sets a worrying precedent. Affairs, JPR has stood at antisemitism, Jewish I am worried about the rise of antisemitism the forefront of Jewish practice, religious across Europe and the world, and at points I community research for outlook and communal am worried for my safety and that of my peers, several decades and is participation. but I am most concerned for the Jewish student responsible for much Download JPR’s community. Many Jewish students will now, and of the data and analysis publications free of that exist on Jews in the charge from our website: completely understandably, be apprehensive to UK and across Europe. www.jpr.org.uk. speak up publicly about the antisemitism they may be facing, for fear of a similar backlash.”

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Megan Dunn, president of the National Union In Poland, an effigy of a strictly-orthodox Jew was of Students, wrote that “my Twitter stream has burned during a demonstration in Wroclaw against been a stark reminder of the very real and horrific accepting Muslim refugees. Whilst the effigy was reality of antisemitism that Jewish students face in burned, demonstrators chanted “God, Honour and Britain. This harassment is deplorable. It is time Fatherland.” Piotr Kadlcik, a Polish-Jewish activist that we all stepped up and played our part in facing said that “recalling anti-Jewish stereotypes proves down this disgusting abuse – whether online or on that we are still divided and that cooperation is not the street, once and for all.” possible.” The demonstration was organised by the National Radical Camp and All-Polish Youth. In Greece, the Jewish community protested after one of the country’s main newspapers published Also in Poland, the Czulent Jewish Association a caricature of former Finance Minister, Yanis published a report which showed that nationalism Varoufakis, as a Jewish moneylender. The image, and antisemitism are still present in some history which showed Varoufakis wearing a black skullcap textbooks. The report, called “Antisemitism is not and hunched over a ledger counting bags of gold, an option,” analysed 142 Polish history textbooks was published in Ta Nea. The Central Board of used in formal education settings and 29 used in Jewish Communities in Greece wrote in a letter to informal education settings. Anna Makowka- the newspaper’s editor that “we consider the use Kwapisiewicz, president of the Czulent Jewish of religious racist stereotypes to portray current Association, said that “there are factual mistakes, events as not only unacceptable and despicable, but distortions of history, as well as open and covert especially dangerous, as it spreads religious hatred nationalistic and discriminating content which and perpetuates prejudices that should not have a may lead to the strengthening of prejudice and place in today’s society.” antisemitism.” The report was presented to the Polish Ombudsman’s office in Warsaw. In the Netherlands, as a prank, students at Leiden University redesigned the dorm room of a Jewish In Belgium, a court sentenced French comedian classmate with motifs from a Nazi death camp. A Dieudonné M’Bala M’Bala to two months in video of the room showed mass graves painted on prison for incitement to hatred over alleged racist the floor, barbed wire hung on pipes and the words and antisemitic remarks he made during a show in “Arbeit macht frei” spray-painted on the walls. A Liège. He was also fined €9,000 by the court over a large swastika made of sticks was also on display. show he gave in the same place in 2012 in which he called Hitler a “sweet kid” and a “joyful braggart.” In the UK, the Scottish Council of Jewish He also called into question the Nazi gas chambers Communities (SCoJeC) said that Jewish students and described the Talmud as a “s*** book.” at universities are “denying or hiding” their Eric Lemmens, a lawyer for Belgium’s Jewish identity because of discrimination. The Council organisations, said: “All the accusations against said that Jewish students had been “hounded” Dieudonné were established – both incitement for not attending medical lectures on Shabbat to hatred and hate speech, but also Holocaust and that it had evidence university staff had denial.” The comedian was also ordered to publish criticised student work on Israel because they did the ruling in Belgium’s two main national daily not agree with the point of view being expressed. newspapers, Le Soir and La Libre Belgique. One student told SCoJeC that “I was told by my university that either I sit exams on Shabbat or I In Italy, Carlo Tavecchio, president of the Football fail,” whilst another said she no longer went to the Federation, was recorded in conversation with business school or library and was worried about Massimiliano Giacomini, editor of website attending classes “due to fear of being harassed Soccerlife, saying of Jewish businessman Cesare or attacked.” SCoJeC accused universities of not Anticoli, “he’s a right Jew boy … It’s better to taking action, saying that “it is troubling that keep a bit of distance between yourself and Jews.” when the Jewish Student Chaplaincy Scotland has He used the Italian term “ebreaccio,” a pejorative intervened with the support of SCoJeC to assist for “ebreo,” or Jew. Tavecchio also said of an Jewish students who find themselves subject to unnamed gay football official “but is it true that he abuse, our concerns have been dismissed by senior is a homosexual? … I mean I have nothing against university staff who appear not to recognise that them, but keep them far away from me, I am there have been failures.” totally normal …” In response to the publication

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of the recording, Tavecchio said: “It’s blackmail, personal and professional relationships with Jews. retaliation from someone to whom I denied The charges of homophobia are also groundless.” funding, who recorded me without my knowledge, not as part of an interview. What’s more, the audio In Germany, 87-year-old Ursula Haverbeck was file could have been tampered with. If you listen to sentenced to ten months in jail for Holocaust the recording, my words are clear: I have had long denial. Dubbed the ‘Nazi grandma,’ Haverbeck told the court in Hamburg that the Auschwitz death camp is “only a belief.” She was charged Violence, vandalism and abuse links with after saying on television / Jewish businessman / Scottish university staff that the Holocaust was “the biggest and most stabbed multiple times in accused of anti-Jewish sustainable lie in history.” Magistrate Bjoern Milan by masked attacker discrimination (The Herald, Joensson, who passed the sentence, said it was November 23, 2015) (The Telegraph, November “deplorable that this woman, who is still so active 13, 2015) / Effigy of haredi Jew given her age, uses her energy to spread such hair- / Jewish teacher is burned at Polish protest raising nonsense.” stabbed on Marseille street against refugees (Jewish by three men who shouted Telegraphic Agency, their support for ISIS (Mail November 19, 2015) Spotlight on the impact of the Paris Online, November 18, 2015) / Jewish group’s attacks on Jewish communities / Jewish cemetery report: Nationalism, in Germany defaced antisemitism appear in with swastikas (Jewish some Polish textbooks Following the Paris terror attacks in which 132 Telegraphic Agency, (Jewish Telegraphic Agency, people died and more than 350 were wounded, November 9, 2015) November 19, 2015) over 200 people gathered under heavy guard at the Synagogue de la Victoire to remember the / Two women arrested / Human rights group: in vandalism at German Ukraine Jewish victims. Among those at the service were Haim synagogue (Jewish mausoleum fire may Korsia, Chief Rabbi of France, Roger Cukierman Telegraphic Agency, have been arson (Jewish President of the CRIF umbrella group, Sacha November 18, 2015) Telegraphic Agency, Reingewirtz, head of the Union of Jewish November 9, 2015) / Police investigating “very Students, other leaders of the French Jewish offensive” antisemitic / French comedian community and Israel’s ambassador to France. graffiti in Hackney (Jewish Dieudonné sentenced to Rabbi Moche Lewin, Director of the Conference News, November 3, 2015) two months in prison (The of European Rabbis, led a prayer for the speedy Telegraph, November 25, recovery of the wounded. Chief Rabbi Korsia / Jewish University of 2015) Birmingham student said that French Jews “feel with all intensity trolled after complaining / Head of Italian the pain of the families touched by the tragedy over Hitler poster Soccer Insists He Is and the pain of the nation in general” and that (Birmingham Mail, November Not Homophobic or French society “will rise up from its grief like 4, 2015) Antisemitic Despite Recorded Comments (New American society rose up from the tragedy of / Swastika graffiti daubed York Times, November 2, 9/11, and like Israeli society, which never lay on wall near synagogue in 2015) down for attacks.” Highgate shocks Jewish community (Evening / Euro court rejects French Standard, November 17, comic’s plea over fine for Representatives of Paris’ Jewish community, 2015) antisemitism (Reuters, together with Muslim leaders, gathered outside November 10, 2015) the Bataclan concert hall to honour the 89 people / Greek Jews protest killed there in the attacks. They laid white roses, newspaper’s Shylock / German ‘Nazi grandma’, caricature (Jewish 87, sentenced to jail for alongside the hundreds of candles and bouquets Telegraphic Agency, Holocaust denial (Jewish left by members of the public. Standing at the November 2, 2015) Telegraphic Agency, venue, the groups sang La Marseillaise, the French November 16, 2015) national anthem. Hassen Chalghoumi, Imam of / Dutch university students create Nazi Drancy and President of the Imams’ Conference, death camp dorm room said that “anyone who uses hate speech has no (Jewish Telegraphic Agency, place in France and those places that preach hate November 18, 2015) are not places of prayer but are those of a sect. After this tragedy and the more than one hundred

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deaths, now is the time to close these places Körösi, Chairwoman of the Official Council of of hate.” Jewish Communities in , said that the security situation would be re-assessed on a daily In the aftermath of the attacks, most Jewish basis. In Belgium, synagogues in Brussels were communal activities were cancelled or postponed. advised to remain closed after the authorities Roger Cukierman said that “security services told ordered the country’s capital to stay on the highest us to cancel all the events we can. We need to limit state of alert. The Jewish Central Consistory of gatherings and meetings as much as possible.” Belgium, the country’s main Jewish umbrella He said “it’s a completely new situation. Before, organisation, advised synagogues to close down terrorists targeted specific groups like Jews and even for Shabbat. Prime Minister Charles Michel journalists, but now they’re indiscriminately said “what we fear is an attack similar to the killing all French people who won’t submit one in Paris, with several individuals who could themselves to sharia [Muslim religious] law.” possibly launch several attacks at the same time in multiple locations.” Jewish leaders around Europe expressed their shock and solidarity. Ronald S. Lauder, President Rabbi Avraham Gigi, Chief Rabbi of Brussels, of the World Jewish Congress (WJC), said the told an Israeli radio station that there is no future attacks represented “one of the most sickening for Jews in Europe. He added that “there is a sense forms of human violence one can imagine. The of fear in the streets, the Belgians understand French Republic is strong, the French people are that they too are targets of terror. Jews now pray strong, and your government is strong. I have in their homes [as opposed to synagogues] and no doubt that you and your government will some of them are planning on emigrating. The contend with this menace in the appropriate way. synagogues were closed, something which has Rest assured that in this endeavour you have the not happened since World War Two. People are support of the Jewish people and the entire free praying alone or are holding small minyanim world. Our common values are stronger than [small prayer groups] at private homes. Schools those of the terrorists. Our common values will and theatres are closed, as are most large stores, prevail. I think I speak on behalf of millions of and public events are not permitted. We live in Jews around the world, who are today grieving fear and wait for instructions from the police or with your people, when I say: Bon courage, the government.” Monsieur le Président! We stand with you! Vive la République! Vive la France!” Chief Rabbi In response Rabbi Menachem Margolin, Pinchas Goldschmidt, President of the Conference Director of the European Jewish Association, of European Rabbis, said “the Conference of said he was “determined to continue our work European Rabbis joins with communities around to ensure that the three million Jews [sic] who the world in mourning for those who were killed live on our continent can continue to command in last night’s tragic events in Paris. Our thoughts a safe home and to be able to freely and proudly are with the victims’ families … We are also identify themselves as Jews. We urge all European aware of how vulnerable the Jewish communities rabbis and community leaders to stand up in of France are, and we urge the government not defence of of European Jews to remain to neglect the security and protection of Jewish in their historic homelands should they choose institutions.” British Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis to, to support and encourage their pride in also sent his condolences to the people of France, their European heritage and to similarly fight saying “I am so deeply shocked to hear about the for their safety and security, as God forbid horrific events in Paris. Our hearts go out to the we should instil yet more fear in already very families of those killed and the many wounded in worrying times.” this senseless and brutal attack on our freedom and our democratic values.” In Nottingham in the UK, religious leaders called for more community projects to be run by a group Security implications were felt throughout of different faiths as a show of solidarity in the Jewish communities in Europe. Sweden’s Jewish wake of the Paris violence. Muslim, Jewish and community shut down synagogues across the Christian leaders met at the city’s Council House country in response to the country raising its and said that they wanted to build on “already official terror threat assessment level. Lena Posner- strong relationships.” Imam Sajid Mohammed said

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“it’s incredibly important that civic society shows dispute about the pamphlet’s authenticity, but said courage in standing together because courage that “experience shows that there are such groups leads to unity, unity leads to justice and justice in Jewish circles.” In a letter to Prime Minister leads to love. Love is greater than hate and that’s Beata Szydlow, the Anti-Defamation League the message we are putting out. We are not going said that Macierewicz’s appointment should be to be divided by fear or by terror; we are together withdrawn and that although his comments with our shared values and we are going to stand date back to 2002, “it indicates profound and together and make this city safe for everyone. We virulent antisemitism.” are all victims of this affront to humanity – every ethnicity and religious group in the world – and In Ukraine, opposition MP and Jewish oligarch we need to have this public declaration to show Vadim Rabinovich voiced concerns over the that Nottingham is a city that will stand together government’s use of far-right radical nationalist and fight against hate.” Tanya Sakhnovich, rabbi groups in the battle against Russian-backed at Nottingham Liberal Synagogue, said “when separatists. He said that “the government must different faith groups work together it shows stop flirting with ultra-radical organisations, that ordinary people share values, and that’s how which are increasingly gaining ground in we can build friendships which extremists and Ukraine.” However a spokesman for the terrorists won’t be able to destroy.” Dnipropetrovsk Jewish community said that whilst Rabinovich heads the All-Ukrainian Jewish Congress, he does not speak for Ukrainian Spotlight on the impact of the Paris attacks links Jewry. He added that “since Vadim Rabinovich / 200 gather at Paris / Synagogues in Brussels is presenting the position of his political party ... synagogue, under tight shuttered amid highest it is not a Jewish voice of Ukraine.” Despite this, security, to pray for terror state of alert (Jewish the heads of several Jewish organisations called victims (Jewish Telegraphic Telegraphic Agency, Agency, November 15, 2015) November 23, 2015) on the Kiev government to do more to prosecute antisemitic crimes, with Eduard Dolinsky of the / Muslim and Jewish / Swedish synagogues Ukrainian Jewish Committee asserting that he leaders gather at Paris shut down as terror alert does not believe that Ukrainian civil society has concert hall memorial (The is raised (World Jewish Guardian, November 15, Congress, November 19, responded adequately to the issue. 2015) 2015) Also in Ukraine, speakers at an anti-government / Jewish institutional / ‘There is no future for rally in Kiev called for the end of what they activities grind to halt Jews in Europe’, says in grieving Paris (Jewish Brussels’ chief rabbi, claimed was Jewish control over the government Telegraphic Agency, who says many do not and accused Israel of seeking to colonise their November 15, 2015) risk visiting Synagogues country. One speaker claimed that “Ukraine found because there is a ‘sense itself in a grip of the world Zionist conspiracy. We / Jewish leaders around of fear on the streets’ (Mail are fed up with this power with President Valtsman the world condemn Paris Online, November 26, 2015) terror attacks (The Jewish and [Parliament] speaker Groisman and other Jew Chronicle, November 15, / Paris attacks: trash,” and another called President Poroshenko 2015) Nottingham’s Muslim, a “kike”. Jewish and Christian leaders meet in show of solidarity (Nottingham Again in Ukraine, the Jewish community were Post, November 17, 2015) angered over the building of a monument to the perpetrators of an eighteenth century massacre that killed thousands of Jews. Residents of Uman Politics unveiled the statue to Ivan Gonta and Maxim Zheleznyakov, who were among the leaders of a In Poland, Antoni Macierewicz, the newly 1768 , which, according to some estimates, appointed defence minister, was criticised for killed between 20,000 and 30,000 Jews. Eduard statements made in 2002 when he told a right- Dolinsky of the Ukrainian Jewish Committee wing radio station that claims of a Jewish plan for blamed the far-right Svoboda party for the world domination outlined in the Protocols of the monument and said that “no comment from the Elders of Zion may well be true. In an interview government or from civil society has been made with Radio Marya, he acknowledged there was about this. Everyone is calm and this is a shame.”

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In Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon In Germany, the EKD, the country’s main apologised to the Jewish community after an Protestant organisation, disassociated itself from MSP retweeted an “abhorrent” antisemitic image. the antisemitism of its founder, Martin Luther, Sandra White, a respected Scottish National party and pledged to confront the dark side of its MSP, admitted causing offence by retweeting roots. In a unanimous decision, the EKD Synod what she acknowledged was a repellent and renounced Luther’s calls to persecute and banish offensive cartoon of Rupert Murdoch pulling Jews. In a statement the EKD announced that the strings of David Cameron, Ed Miliband and “we cannot ignore this history of guilt,” given the Nick Clegg, as well as a cartoon showing piglets, approaching 500th anniversary of the Protestant including one carrying the Israeli flag suckling Reformation. The statement also expressed its on an adult pig labelled Rothschild. Following an “sorrow and shame” for the Protestant Church’s apology by White and the deletion of the tweet, failure to respect and protect Jews. It added that Sturgeon told the Scottish Council of Jewish “Luther’s view of Judaism and his invective against Communities that “I know that she understands Jews contradict our understanding today of what the seriousness of this accidental retweet and it means to believe in one God who has revealed deeply regrets the offence it has caused … I do himself in Jesus, the Jew.” hope that Sandra’s letter addresses your concerns in relation to her actions. Regarding the original The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions campaign tweet itself, I find it and the image it contained (BDS) appeared in the press in November. In abhorrent … I will not tolerate antisemitism or Germany, Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter refused religious or racial hatred of any kind at any level a request from Israel’s Consul-General to cancel in our society.” a BDS event advocating a boycott of Israel in a municipal building. General-Consul Dan Shaham In Denmark, Prime Minister Lars Løkke said that “we are sorry that this antisemitic BDS Rasmussen expressed his support for Danish group has been allowed to use a municipal room Jewry and said he would do everything to to call for a boycott against Israel, which is by provide adequate security to the community law not allowed in Germany.” Volker Beck, a and its members. At a reception organised by Bundestag deputy for the Green Party, said that the Danish Jewish community, which included “those who do not see the antisemitic tone and several members of Rasmussen’s government and character of the BDS campaign do not want to see the police, Rasmussen said that Danish Jews were it. Advocating BDS is indeed protected by freedom an integral part of the country’s society and must of expression, but this should not be sponsored be “able to live a normal Jewish life in Denmark, by a particular city’s municipality. I consider with the traditions that come with that.” He that unacceptable.” praised the contribution of Danish Jews in the fields of culture, science and business and added In Spain, Amparo Pernichi, Cordoba’s that “I get concerned when the Jewish school is Alderwoman for Landscape and Infrastructure, vandalised, when a Gaza demonstration develops said that a local Jewish music festival would need into antisemitism, and when men do not dare to be rethought if a motion she had submitted in to wear a skullcap in Copenhagen because they favour of boycotting Israel passed. Her motion feel unsafe.” was rejected in the Cordoba City Council vote with only the United Left voting in favour. Its In Poland, thousands of people took part in coalition partner, the Spanish Socialist Workers’ an anti-racism protest in Warsaw, with many Party, abstained. The International Sephardi Music holding signs saying “Hug a Jew.” The protest Festival has been held in Cordoba since 2002. mainly focused on the perceived increase Pernichi’s four-page draft motion called Israel an in Polish nationalism and hostility toward apartheid state eight times, proposed to cut all ties Syrian migrants and other foreigners. At the and establish Cordoba as “an Israeli-apartheid free Umschlagplatz, organiser Agata Kwiaton´ said space” as “part of the Boycott, Divestment and “seventy-seven years ago, hundreds of thousands Sanctions, or BDS, movement.” of Jews were deported to the death camp of Treblinka from this very spot. They were In Sweden, an argument broke out when murdered because of their religion and origin. organisers of a commemoration Others were threatened with exile.” in Umeå were accused of excluding the local

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Jewish community. According to the leader of the small Jewish community, Carrine Sjöberg, Politics links as well as the local media, organisers from the / Polish defence minister / German Protestant local branch of the Arbetarpartiet, or Workers condemned over Jewish church denounces conspiracy theory (The antisemitism of founder, Party, failed to invite them to attend or address Guardian, November 10, Martin Luther (Jewish the gathering. Sjöberg said she was shocked to 2015) Telegraphic Agency, learn that the reason she was not contacted was November 13, 2015) because organisers believed that “Jewish people / Ukrainian Jewish leader accuses Kiev of / Anti-government will be scared to come” because often Israeli ‘flirting with radicals’ (The protesters accuse Israel flags are on display with swastikas daubed across Jerusalem Post, November of seeking to colonise the them. However, Umeå councillor Jan Hägglund, 11, 2015) Ukraine (The Jerusalem 63, who was the main organiser of the event, Post, November 23, 2015) / Sturgeon says sorry said that “I wanted the Jewish community to be for MSP’s retweet of / Ukrainians erect involved … I supported it to the hills.” He added antisemitic image (The monument to ‘national that he had spent most of his career fighting for Guardian, November 12, heroes’ who killed Uman’s equality and said he was “devastated” by the 2015) Jews in 18th century (The image of both himself and his city that had been Jerusalem Post, November / Danish PM: ‘Jews must 30, 2015) portrayed by international media. Hägglund be able to live here in insisted that Sjöberg was invited to take part safety and according to / Munich mayor snubs in the event several weeks in advance but was their traditions’ (World Israel’s request to cancel informed that she was not available because Jewish Congress, November city-funded antisemitic 11, 2015) BDS event (The Jerusalem Jewish groups were holding their own memorial Post, November 7, 2015) on the same day. Sjöberg confirmed that she had / Thousands march been sent a message by Hägglund but explained against racism and / Spanish pol says BDS that he had not been “specific” about his reasons antisemitism in Poland, law would mean ‘rethink’ carry signs saying ‘Hug of Jewish music fest for wanting to meet with her. a Jew’ (The Algemeiner, (Jewish Telegraphic Agency, November 10, 2015) November 16, 2015)

/ Swede defends anti-Nazi 2 / Revisiting Holocaust issues event without Jews (The Local, November 10, 2015) Documents relating to Holocaust victims were published in November. In Poland, thirty-nine postcards sent from the Warsaw Ghetto have more faded or rotten than medieval documents, now been added to the permanent collection at on bad quality paper due to the rationing. The the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw. The content and scale of the finding is unprecedented. postcards were written to Tamara Deutscher, It helps to fill a huge gap in the history of the living in London, from her family in the Ghetto. Holocaust in Budapest.” The census forms found The family was able to send letters to Deutscher in the apartment contain names of each building’s via the country’s diplomatic mission in Portugal, inhabitants and whether they were Jewish or not, where Stefan Rogasinski, a friend of Deutscher’s, with the total numbers of Christians and Jews forwarded the messages. The postcards were marked in the corners. The aim was to identify given to the Institute by Anita Prazmowska, houses to serve as holding locations for Jews before a historian and lecturer at the London School moving them to a planned walled ghetto in the of Economics. city’s seventh district.

In Budapest, a large cache of documents on the In the Netherlands, the municipality of Baarn, Jewish population of Budapest in 1944 before its near Utrecht, announced that it would build a liquidation by the Nazis was found hidden in a monument commemorating Holocaust victims wall during the renovation of a city apartment. near its central station in January 2016. Baarn The 6,300 documents contain a census of the was the municipality in which one of its schools city’s Jewish population. The documents were removed Jewish pupils from the class attended by believed to have been destroyed during World members of the royal family in 1952. Mark Röell, War II. Istvan Kenyeres, director of the Budapest Mayor of Baarn, said “a memorial wall will be City Archives, said “most wartime papers are erected and fitted with a plaque with the names of

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45 Jewish victims who were deported from Baarn Thomas Blatt, one of the few Jews to escape the or otherwise captured and murdered.” Sobibor death camp, died at his home in Santa Barbara, California, aged 88. Born in 1927 in In Munich, an argument broke out within Izbica in Poland, Blatt was imprisoned in the the city’s Jewish community over how to ghetto with his family and the town’s other Jews remember the victims of the Holocaust. The before being taken to Sobibor in 1943. His parents argument revolves around the Stolpersteine and brother were murdered upon arrival at the (stumbling stones), small bronze plaques set camp. Six months after arriving at Sobibor, Blatt into the pavement in front of the last place of was involved in an extraordinary act of resistance. residence of people murdered in the Holocaust. On October 14, 1943, Blatt’s role was to help trick One group, headed by Charlotte Knobloch, SS officers into thinking a fine coat had been saved President of the Jewish Community of Munich for them from a transport. One by one, they were and Upper Bavaria (IKG), is fiercely opposed to enticed to a storeroom and killed. The idea was the Stolpersteine because she believe they remind then to dress in the officers’ uniforms and march survivors of the dead and injured Jews who lay on the prisoners out of the gates, but the plan was the floor of concentration camps and the German compromised and turned into a mass breakout. soldiers who would step on them. However the Blatt managed to race towards the surrounding other side of the argument is led by Peter Jordan forest, jumping in and out of craters and over who describes Stolpersteine as “an essential bodies left by exploding minefields. More than 300 part of the post-war culture of remembrance.” prisoners escaped, but most were hunted down and Stolpersteine can now be found in 1,000 German killed. Blatt was one of about 60 who survived. municipalities and in twenty different European In a 2010 interview, Blatt said he still experienced countries, although there are none in Munich. nightmares and depression related to his Holocaust Jordan is now bringing a lawsuit against the city experiences. “I never escaped from Sobibor. I’m to try and change the policy. still there – in my dreams, in everything. My point of reference is always Sobibor.” In Lithuania, the Simon Wiesenthal Centre accused the Jewish community of a “shocking In the Netherlands, Anne Frank Fonds, the Swiss whitewash” after it posted an article on its official foundation that owns the publication rights to website proclaiming the innocence of a known Anne Frank’s diary, is adding the diarist’s father, Nazi collaborator. The article quoted research Otto, as co-author, in what is widely viewed by the state-sponsored Centre for the Study of as an effort to extend the book’s European the Genocide and Resistance of Residents of copyright. In most European countries, copyrights Lithuania, showing that Jonas Noreika, one of automatically expire seventy years after the the men responsible for the massacres of the Jews author’s death, which means at the end of 2015. of Plunge and Telsiai, “didn’t participate in the Yves Kugelmann, a member of Anne Frank Fonds’ mass murder of Jews in Lithuania during World board of trustees, said that “after the war, Otto War II.” Dr. Efraim Zuroff, Director of the Simon Frank merged, or compiled, the two versions of Wiesenthal Centre’s Jerusalem office, said that “it’s the diary that Anne Frank left, that were both a total scandal. There is no question that Noreika incomplete and that partly overlapped, into one was connected to the commission of Holocaust reader-friendly version. He typed over Anne crimes.” He added that it was a “shocking example Frank’s manuscripts and with scissors and glue of its total lack of sensitivity to the Holocaust subsequently, literally, ‘cut and pasted’ them into crimes committed by local Nazi collaborators.” He the version that was published in English from went on to say that “the local Jewish community the early ‘50s. The book he created earns his own uncritically adopts the conclusions of Lithuania’s copyright.” However, in a direct challenge, both Genocide and Resistance Research Centre, Isabelle Attard, a French Parliament member ignoring evidence that Noreika played a key role in whose grandparents died in the Holocaust, and the mass murder of the Jews of Plunge and Telsiai, Olivier Ertzscheid, a lecturer at the University of as well as of the entire Siauliai region. It is indeed Nantes, plan to publish the text on January 1, 2016. a shame and desecration of the memory of the A spokesperson for Attard said that she is prepared Lithuanian Jews murdered in the Holocaust when to defend her online version of the diary in court, the current community whitewashes the crimes of saying that “many revisionists, people who want to the perpetrators.” deny the extermination camps existed, have tried

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to attack the diary for years. Saying now the book wasn’t written by Anne alone is weakening the Revisiting Holocaust issues links weight it has had for decades, as a testimony to the / Postcards sent from / Thomas Blatt (The Times, horrors of this war.” Warsaw Ghetto given to November 26, 2015) Jewish institute (Jewish Telegraphic Agency, / Anne Frank’s father In Sweden, the family of Raoul Wallenberg November 4, 2015) made ‘co-author’ of diary asked Swedish authorities to declare him dead. in bid to extend copyright According to a statement released, the request / Holocaust documents (Jewish Telegraphic Agency, was made as a “declaration of death is a way to trove unearthed in November 17, 2015) Budapest apartment (The deal with the trauma we lived through, to bring Guardian, November 21, / Challengers vow to one phase to closure and move on. But it will not 2015) publish Anne Frank diaries affect his presence in our lives nor the inspiration as foundation moves to he is to us and to the world. The family has lived / Dutch town where keep control of copyright Jewish kids were (The Guardian, November in hope and despair: hope that their efforts would segregated builds 25, 2015) bear fruit and Raoul would return; despair as their Holocaust memorial hopes were dashed again and again. We have now (Jewish Telegraphic Agency, / Family seeks to declare decided to lay Raoul to rest and are planning a November 18, 2015) Swedish hero dead (The Local, November 20, 2015) memorial site.” Wallenberg was posted to Nazi- / Munich Jews feud over occupied Hungary during World War II, where Holocaust remembrance / German museum finds he saved tens of thousands of Jews by issuing (The Local, November 26, 18 pieces of possible protective passports in the final months of the 2015) Nazi-looted art (Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Holocaust. He disappeared in 1945 after being seen / Lithuanian Jewish November 17, 2015) arrested by Soviet officers in Budapest. Wallenberg community accused of would be 103 if he were alive today. Holocaust distortion (The / Germans pay for Jerusalem Post, November Nazi library (The Times, November 26, 2015) In Germany, the Kunsthalle Mannheim art 5, 2015) museum announced that it had found eighteen / Thomas Blatt, Sobibor works in its collection that may have been stolen escapee who testified from Jews by the Nazis. Some of the sculptures against Demjanjuk, dies at 88 (Jewish Telegraphic and drawings are by artists Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, Agency, November 2, 2015) Max Slevogt and Edgar Degas. The museum registered the pieces with the German Lost Art Foundation and on the Lost Art database in hopes of reaching possible heirs. Many observers have 3 / Other news stories about criticised Germany’s art institutions for being slow Jewish life in Europe you may to check for works that may have been confiscated have missed or purchased under duress from Jewish collectors during the Nazi period. In Poland, the Jewish community of Lodz received Also in Germany, Cologne University paid its first new Torah scroll since World War II. compensation to the British heirs of two Jewish The scroll was donated to the community by sisters who sold thousands of books to one of its British-based Jewish philanthropists Hilton and directors for a trivial sum before being killed in Louise Nathanson, and was introduced during the Holocaust. The university traced the heirs a special ceremony in the city’s synagogue. The after finding 555 books that belonged to Elise and small community of a few hundred members was Helene Richter, who were killed in Theresienstadt. previously using a very frail, older scroll that pre- The sisters’ library contained 7,000 books on dated World War II. English literature and theatre. The books were collected, but before any payment was made, In Russia, the Jewish community of Ivanovo Elise, 78, and Helene, 82, were deported by the celebrated the opening of a new synagogue and Gestapo to the concentration camp. The library Jewish community centre. The new centre includes agreed to pay an undisclosed sum to Alexander classrooms, facilities for a Sunday Hebrew school, and Laurence Jarosy, the sisters’ legal heirs, who Jewish library, a ‘chesed’ centre for humanitarian allowed the library to keep the books. services, a kosher kitchen and a synagogue. Berel

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Lazar, Chief Rabbi of Russia, said that “the conference organised by the World Jewish purpose of this centre is to create a warm and Congress (WJC). The National Community inviting space where the city’s Jews can explore, Directors’ Forum focused on developing connect and deepen their Jewish knowledge and cooperation between Jewish communities on commitment, and be a hub of light for the city issues of common concern, such as fighting at large.” antisemitism, strengthening communal security and effective communications on social media. In Ukraine, Limmud FSU, the Jewish learning WJC CEO Robert Singer, said “2016 will be conference, met in Lviv. The three-day conference a challenging year for Jewish communities brought together 700 Russian-speaking Jews. The everywhere, and everybody is aware of the conference was in Lviv for a second consecutive gravity of their responsibilities. This meeting year at the request of the city’s Mayor Andrii left no issues untouched, and subjects such as Sadovyi, and marked the twentieth anniversary the worsening security situation for Jews in of Yitzhak Rabin’s death. Speakers included poet many countries were discussed. Exchanging Igor Irten’yev, historian Igor Schcupak, Yiddish best practices and providing Jewish leaders scholar Velvel Chernin and academic Zeev Khanin, with the necessary tools are key missions of the currently the chief scientist of Israel’s Immigration World Jewish Congress, and I am glad that the and Absorption Ministry. group feels that a network is now in place and producing results.” In Bosnia, the Jewish community celebrated 450 years in the country. Jakob Finci, President of the In Spain, King Felipe VI spoke at a ceremony Jewish community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, granting citizenship to descendants of Sephardic instigated a series of anniversary events in Sarajevo Jews expelled in 1492. King Felipe said “dear which were part cultural and part academic. They Sephardim, thank you for your loyalty. Thank included the inaugural exhibition of Edward you for having kept like a precious treasure your Serotta’s photographs of the 1992-1996 siege of language and your customs that are ours too. Sarajevo, titled ‘Survival in Sarajevo,’ as well as Thank you too for making love prevail over a two-day international conference and private rancour and for teaching your children to love tours to see the world-famous Sarajevo Haggadah this country. How we have missed you.” Spain in the city’s National Museum. Although the granted citizenship to 4,302 people a day after Jewish community currently only numbers about the law went into effect and there have been 1,000, Finci said that Jews are equal partners amid nearly 600 citizenship applications and 10,000 a majority Sunni Muslim population because of information requests since then. their long tradition and presence in the region. He is also confident about the future, saying “we’ve In Germany, archaeologists discovered a been here for 450 years and our intention is to stay centuries-old mikveh underneath a vaulted cellar another 450. The flame of Jewish life won’t leave in the former communist East. The State Office Bosnia.” for Monument Preservation and Archaeology reported that the mikveh was found in the In Belgium, Reform Jews in Brussels launched the town of Schmalkalden, near the “Judengasse,” city’s first gay Jewish organisation called LGBT or “Jews’ Lane,” where a seventeenth century Jews in and around Brussels, and it now has sixty synagogue stood until it was destroyed in the members. David Weis, one of the founders of the Kristallnacht pogrom. They believe it may community, said that “the fact that Progressive have been built in the late sixteenth or early Jewish movements in the United Kingdom and the seventeenth century, when the local Jewish United States have started welcoming LGBT Jews population peaked. means that expats often still have links with Jewish communities back home. In Belgium, many LGBT Also in Germany, a new kosher supermarket is Jews have cut their links with Jewish communal set to open in Berlin. The Daily Markt in the life, and we hope indeed to bridge that gap among Charlottenburg district is the result of cooperation Belgian Jewry.” between the non-Jewish businessman Asan Mytev and entrepreneurs within the local Jewish In Portugal, top Jewish community professionals community, supported by Rabbi Yehuda Teichtal, from forty countries met in Lisbon for a a rabbi of the Jewish community in Berlin.

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In the UK, Jewish and Muslim leaders met at the Other news links

House of Lords to discuss how their communities / Polish city of Lodz / Centuries-old mikvah can “move forward” together. The meeting was receives first new Torah unearthed in former attended by Jonathan Arkush, President of the scroll since WWII (Jewish East Germany (Jewish Board of Deputies of British Jews, and Qari Telegraphic Agency, Telegraphic Agency, Mohammed Asim, Senior Imam at Makkah November 6, 2015) November 9, 2015) mosque in Leeds, and was arranged as part of / Jews of Ivanovo, Russia, / New kosher supermarket National Interfaith Week. celebrate a place of their opens in Berlin despite own (Chabad Lubavitch security concerns (Jewish Also in the UK, the media reported that up to News, November 25, 2015) Telegraphic Agency, November 26, 2015) 40,000 people took part in Mitzvah Day, an event / In Ukraine, Jews connect organised by the Jewish community involving with ‘kosher-style’ dose / House of Lords hosts hundreds of synagogues and schools around of Judaism (The Times of interfaith discussion on the country, and including volunteers from Israel, November 11, 2015) Jewish-Muslim relations (Jewish News, November neighbouring mosques and churches. At Edgware / In post-war Bosnia, 16, 2015) United synagogue, Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis Jews celebrate 450 years and Imam Ibrahim Mogra, Assistant General of survival (The Times of / Mitzvah Day unites Secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain, Israel, November 28, 2015) Jewish and Muslim leaders in kitchen (The Guardian, together helped prepare a meal for the homeless. / Brussels gets first gay November 22, 2015) Rabbi Mirvis said that he had “an enormous Jewish organisation amount of pride in the generosity, selflessness and (Jewish Telegraphic Agency, / More than four decades November 6, 2015) on, Jewish dialogue with community engagement” witnessed during the Orthodox Christians still event, and argued that the interfaith aspect of the / Senior Jewish fragile (Jewish Telegraphic day was crucial, maintaining “we must strengthen community professionals Agency, November 12, 2015) links and build bridges for tolerance and from forty countries / Prayer for Jews ‘should harmony.” Imam Mogra said both faiths taught the convene in Lisbon (World Jewish Congress, November be updated,’ say England importance of common humanity and “Britain has 16, 2015) and Wales bishops become a multicultural and multi-faith society. It’s (Catholic Herald, November very important to be cohesive, not just by talking / King of Spain honours 24, 2015) Sephardic Jews in but in action.” ceremony recognising citizenship law (Jewish In Greece, 38 leading Jewish and Orthodox Telegraphic Agency, Christian clerics and scholars met for two days in November 30, 2015) Athens for a rare dialogue on relations between the two faiths. This was only the eighth round of talks since formal interfaith dialogue between Jews and prayer for Jews as recited in the ‘Extraordinary Orthodox Christians began in 1972. It was only Form.’ The prayer states “let us also pray for the at the very end of the talks that the main historic Jews: that our God and Lord may illuminate tensions between the two religions were broached. their hearts, that they acknowledge Jesus Christ In calling for a gesture similar to the Catholic is the Saviour of all men.” Archbishop Kevin Church’s Nostra Aetate, Rabbi David Rosen, McDonald, chairman of the bishops’ Committee called for Orthodox Christian leaders to issue for Catholic-Jewish Relations, said it had a statement on the status of the Jewish people, caused “great confusion and upset in the Jewish saying that “a doctrinal repudiation that the Jewish community,” especially as it is different to the people had been rejected by God could have more acceptable ‘Novus Ordo’ version introduced enormous consequences.” Metropolitan Emmanuel after the Second Vatican Council, which reads of France, the head of the Orthodox delegation, “let us pray for the Jewish people, the first to hear did not respond to this in his concluding remarks, the word of God, that they may continue to grow speaking only about the need for greater people- in the love of his name and in faithfulness to his to-people contacts and his desire to include youth covenant.” Archbishop McDonald added that in the next round of talks. “the 1970 prayer … is basically a prayer that the Jewish people would continue to grow in the love In the UK, the bishops of England and Wales of God’s name and in faithfulness of his Covenant, appealed to the Vatican to change the Good Friday a Covenant which – as St John Paul II made clear

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in 1980 – has not been revoked. By contrast, the … work of the Holocaust Commission. David ‘Extraordinary Form’ of the liturgy reverted was one of the great pioneers of Holocaust to being a prayer for the conversion of Jews to education and he had a profound influence on Christianity.” how we remember the darkest hour of human history. I hope the new National Memorial to 4 / In memoriam the Holocaust, together with its accompanying learning centre, will help to continue the vital British historian Professor David Cesarani, work to which David dedicated so much of his specialist in Jewish history and the Holocaust, life.” Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis wrote that died at the age 58 in November. Cesarani “the British Jewish community mourns the was a research professor at Royal Holloway, loss of Professor David Cesarani, a towering University of London and wrote and edited academic and historian. May his memory be for over fifteen books. He was awarded the US a blessing.” National Jewish Book Award for history as well as the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to Holocaust education and his work advising the British government on In memoriam link establishing Holocaust Memorial Day. Prime / David Cesarani has Minister David Cameron said “I will always be died, aged 58 (The Jewish incredibly grateful to David Cesarani for his Chronicle, October 25, 2015) brilliant and passionate contribution to the

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