FSWC Reports:
From ynetnews.com:
Since the outbreak of the recent violence in Ukraine,
the government has experienced severe turmoil and chaos. The majority
of government institutions are unable to function normally. Government
stipends to assist the elderly and other payments have been frozen and
the police forces disbanded.
Ukraine has one of the
largest, and at the same time one of the poorest, Jewish communities in
the world. Out of approximately 300,000 Jews living in Ukraine, tens of
thousands qualify as elderly or families in need. The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews
provides assistance to this community, as it does to many other
communities in the former Soviet Union, both in routine situations and
in states of emergency.
READ MORE...
Friday, 28 February 2014
German Court Rules Alleged Former Auschwitz Guard Unfit for Trial
FSWC Reports:
From the Associated Press via ynetnews.com:
A 94-year-old man deported from the US for lying about his Nazi past is unfit for trial on allegations that he was an accessory to thousands of murders as an SS guard at Auschwitz, a German court said Friday.
The Ellwangen state court said Hans Lipschis is suffering from "worsening dementia" and couldn't be tried. He was charged with 10,510 counts of accessory to murder on allegations he served as a guard at the death camp from 1941 to 1943.
READ MORE...
From the Associated Press via ynetnews.com:
A 94-year-old man deported from the US for lying about his Nazi past is unfit for trial on allegations that he was an accessory to thousands of murders as an SS guard at Auschwitz, a German court said Friday.
The Ellwangen state court said Hans Lipschis is suffering from "worsening dementia" and couldn't be tried. He was charged with 10,510 counts of accessory to murder on allegations he served as a guard at the death camp from 1941 to 1943.
READ MORE...
Swastika, "Death to the Jews" Written on Synagogue in Crimea, Ukraine
FSWC Reports:
From ynetnews.com:
As Russian troops are entering Ukraine's Crimea region, a swastika and the inscription "Death to the Jews" were found on the Reform Ner Tamid synagogue in Simferopol, forumdaily.com reported.
“Clearly, it was important for the anti-Semites to commit this crime. Since the crisis began prices went up by 30 percent, pensions aren’t being paid. As usual, Jews are blamed (for) these disasters and Jews are held responsible. I am afraid to think how this will progress,” said Anatoly Gendin, the head of the Association of Jewish Organizations and Communities of Crimea.
READ MORE...
From ynetnews.com:
As Russian troops are entering Ukraine's Crimea region, a swastika and the inscription "Death to the Jews" were found on the Reform Ner Tamid synagogue in Simferopol, forumdaily.com reported.
“Clearly, it was important for the anti-Semites to commit this crime. Since the crisis began prices went up by 30 percent, pensions aren’t being paid. As usual, Jews are blamed (for) these disasters and Jews are held responsible. I am afraid to think how this will progress,” said Anatoly Gendin, the head of the Association of Jewish Organizations and Communities of Crimea.
READ MORE...
Thursday, 27 February 2014
Soccer Player in England Fined, Banned Five Games for "Quenelle" Salute
FSWC Reports:
From BBC News:
He has also been ordered to complete a compulsory education course, following a two-day Football Association hearing.
READ MORE...
From BBC News:
West Bromwich Albion have suspended striker Nicolas Anelka after he
was banned for five matches and fined £80,000 for his "quenelle"
gesture.
READ MORE...
Rare Editions of "Mein Kampf" With Hitler's Signature up for Auction
FSWC Reports:
From the Associated Press via ynetnews.com:
Two rare early editions of "Mein Kampf," signed by Adolf Hitler could sell for more than $20,000 at an online auction Thursday, officials say.
Nate Sanders, owner of Nate D. Sanders Auctions in Los Angeles, says he knows he'll catch a lot of flak for putting rare 1925 and 1926 editions of the racist screed up for bid.
READ MORE...
From the Associated Press via ynetnews.com:
Two rare early editions of "Mein Kampf," signed by Adolf Hitler could sell for more than $20,000 at an online auction Thursday, officials say.
Nate Sanders, owner of Nate D. Sanders Auctions in Los Angeles, says he knows he'll catch a lot of flak for putting rare 1925 and 1926 editions of the racist screed up for bid.
READ MORE...
Germany Rejects Reparation Claim from Greek Jews
FSWC Reports:
From AFP via ynetnews.com:
Germany on Wednesday rejected a fresh Nazi-era reparation claim by a Greek city’s Jewish community but offered the group cooperation on future projects.
“With regard to issues of reparations, there are no new developments and all these questions are answered,” a German Finance Ministry spokesman told a press conference.
READ MORE...
From AFP via ynetnews.com:
Germany on Wednesday rejected a fresh Nazi-era reparation claim by a Greek city’s Jewish community but offered the group cooperation on future projects.
“With regard to issues of reparations, there are no new developments and all these questions are answered,” a German Finance Ministry spokesman told a press conference.
READ MORE...
Leader in Major European Jewish Organization Calls for Israeli Intervention to Protect Ukrainian Jews
FSWC Reports:
From ynetnews.com:
Rabbi Menachem Margolin, director-general of the European Jewish Association (EJA), has urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon to urgently send security forces to the Jewish communities in Ukraine, which he says are suffering from a "growing wave of anti-Semitic attacks."
Margolin voiced his concern that the anti-Semitic activity in the eastern European country would escalate to the point of claiming lives.
READ MORE...
From ynetnews.com:
Rabbi Menachem Margolin, director-general of the European Jewish Association (EJA), has urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon to urgently send security forces to the Jewish communities in Ukraine, which he says are suffering from a "growing wave of anti-Semitic attacks."
Margolin voiced his concern that the anti-Semitic activity in the eastern European country would escalate to the point of claiming lives.
READ MORE...
Polish European Union Official Detained in Germany for Making Nazi Comments
FSWC Reports:
From ynetnews.com:
European Parliament Vice President Jacek Protasiewicz caused a riot in Frankfurt this week, drunkenly calling customs officials Nazis, asking them if they'd ever been to Auschwitz and shouting "Heil Hitler".
According to the website of German tabloid Bild and other media outlets in Germany, the Polish politician landed at the airport under the heavy influence of alcohol. Customs employees asked Protasiewicz to provide indentification, and in response he lashed out at them in front of dozens of stunned passengers.
READ MORE...
From ynetnews.com:
European Parliament Vice President Jacek Protasiewicz caused a riot in Frankfurt this week, drunkenly calling customs officials Nazis, asking them if they'd ever been to Auschwitz and shouting "Heil Hitler".
According to the website of German tabloid Bild and other media outlets in Germany, the Polish politician landed at the airport under the heavy influence of alcohol. Customs employees asked Protasiewicz to provide indentification, and in response he lashed out at them in front of dozens of stunned passengers.
READ MORE...
Wednesday, 26 February 2014
Israel to Donate Anne Frank Diaries to Japan After Copies in Tokyo Libraries Were Vandalized
FSWC Reports:
From AFP via channelnewsasia.com:
The Israeli embassy in Japan said Wednesday it would donate 300 copies of Anne Frank's "Diary of a Young Girl" to Tokyo libraries after hundreds of copies were damaged.
News of the defacement of the books, which tell the tale of a young Jewish girl who fell victim to the Holocaust, sent shockwaves worldwide and sparked alarm amid a rightward shift in Japan's politics.
READ MORE...
From AFP via channelnewsasia.com:
The Israeli embassy in Japan said Wednesday it would donate 300 copies of Anne Frank's "Diary of a Young Girl" to Tokyo libraries after hundreds of copies were damaged.
News of the defacement of the books, which tell the tale of a young Jewish girl who fell victim to the Holocaust, sent shockwaves worldwide and sparked alarm amid a rightward shift in Japan's politics.
READ MORE...
German Cartoonist Apologizes for Depiction of Facebook's Marc Zuckerberg
FSWC Reports:
From the Associated Press via ynetnews.com:
A German cartoonist has apologized for causing offense by depicting Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg as a hooked-nose octopus, after Jewish groups complained it resembled Nazi propaganda.
Cartoonist Burkhard Mohr says he had intended to make a point about Facebook devouring rival WhatsApp and didn't realize the parallels to the Nazis' anti-Semitic portrayal of Jews as hungry tentacle monsters.
READ MORE...
From the Associated Press via ynetnews.com:
A German cartoonist has apologized for causing offense by depicting Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg as a hooked-nose octopus, after Jewish groups complained it resembled Nazi propaganda.
Cartoonist Burkhard Mohr says he had intended to make a point about Facebook devouring rival WhatsApp and didn't realize the parallels to the Nazis' anti-Semitic portrayal of Jews as hungry tentacle monsters.
READ MORE...
New Acting Ukrainian President Pledges to Protect Country's Jewish Community
FSWC Reports:
From ynetnews.com:
Acting Ukraine President Oleksander Tuchynov has pledged that he will do everything in his power to safeguard the country's Jewish community, Chief Rabbi Yaakov Dov Bleich said.
The two met Tuesday night, Israel Radio reported, after weeks of turmoil and protests in the former Soviet state that saw the president overthrown and a warrant issued for his arrest.
READ MORE...
From ynetnews.com:
Acting Ukraine President Oleksander Tuchynov has pledged that he will do everything in his power to safeguard the country's Jewish community, Chief Rabbi Yaakov Dov Bleich said.
The two met Tuesday night, Israel Radio reported, after weeks of turmoil and protests in the former Soviet state that saw the president overthrown and a warrant issued for his arrest.
READ MORE...
Tuesday, 25 February 2014
German Newspaper Accused of Antisemitism After Printing Cartoon Depicting Facebook Chief Mark Zuckerberg as Big-Nosed Octopus
FSWC Reports:
From The Daily Mail:
The German newspaper, Süddeutsche Zeitung, has been accused of anti-Semitism after it published a cartoon depicting Mark Zuckerberg as an octopus controlling the world.
The cartoon was published in the newspaper last Friday after the announcement that Facebook had purchased Whatsapp. Two versions were published, one with the caption ‘Krake Zuckerberg’, the other ‘Krake Facebook’ – Facebook Octopus and Zuckerberg Octopus.
READ MORE...
From The Daily Mail:
The German newspaper, Süddeutsche Zeitung, has been accused of anti-Semitism after it published a cartoon depicting Mark Zuckerberg as an octopus controlling the world.
The cartoon was published in the newspaper last Friday after the announcement that Facebook had purchased Whatsapp. Two versions were published, one with the caption ‘Krake Zuckerberg’, the other ‘Krake Facebook’ – Facebook Octopus and Zuckerberg Octopus.
READ MORE...
British Lawmakers Urge Poland to Pass Holocaust Restitution Laws
FSWC Reports:
From ynetnews.com:
British lawmakers are urging Poland to commit to restitution legislation for property seized by the Nazis during the Holocaust, after Warsaw failed to pass any laws on the issue despite having signed a 2009 declaration to do so, JTA reported on Monday.
Fifteen members of the House of Commons and 35 members of the House of Lords sent a letter addressed to Polish Prime Minister Doland Tusk, lamenting Poland's "failure to fulfill, or even recognize, its responsibility to victims."
READ MORE...
From ynetnews.com:
British lawmakers are urging Poland to commit to restitution legislation for property seized by the Nazis during the Holocaust, after Warsaw failed to pass any laws on the issue despite having signed a 2009 declaration to do so, JTA reported on Monday.
Fifteen members of the House of Commons and 35 members of the House of Lords sent a letter addressed to Polish Prime Minister Doland Tusk, lamenting Poland's "failure to fulfill, or even recognize, its responsibility to victims."
READ MORE...
Greek Jews Seek Restitution for Nazi Ransom During WWII
FSWC Reports:
From the Associated Press via ynetnews.com:
Greece's biggest Jewish community says it has taken Germany to Europe's top human rights court, seeking the return of a huge ransom paid to Nazi occupiers more than 70 years ago to free thousands of slave laborers – who were still subsequently sent to German death camps.
The Jewish Community of Thessaloniki said it also wants "moral vindication" in a lawsuit tabled last week at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
READ MORE...
From the Associated Press via ynetnews.com:
Greece's biggest Jewish community says it has taken Germany to Europe's top human rights court, seeking the return of a huge ransom paid to Nazi occupiers more than 70 years ago to free thousands of slave laborers – who were still subsequently sent to German death camps.
The Jewish Community of Thessaloniki said it also wants "moral vindication" in a lawsuit tabled last week at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
READ MORE...
Sunday, 23 February 2014
"Israeli Apartheid Week" Begins
FSWC Reports:
From ynetnews.com:
Israel Apartheid Week will begin Monday in campuses across the US and UK. Throughout the week people will be invited to anti-Israel lectures and workshops, and checkpoints will be set up – but some Israelis are fed up and intend to do something about it.
The London School of Economics' (LSE) International History department sent an email inviting students to participate in a number of the week's events, organized by the local Palestine Society, including a lecture by Israeli Prof. Avi Shlaim, titled: Israel & Palestine: Problems and Prospects.
READ MORE...
From ynetnews.com:
Israel Apartheid Week will begin Monday in campuses across the US and UK. Throughout the week people will be invited to anti-Israel lectures and workshops, and checkpoints will be set up – but some Israelis are fed up and intend to do something about it.
The London School of Economics' (LSE) International History department sent an email inviting students to participate in a number of the week's events, organized by the local Palestine Society, including a lecture by Israeli Prof. Avi Shlaim, titled: Israel & Palestine: Problems and Prospects.
READ MORE...
U.S. Museum of Tolerance Buys Letter Written by British Philosopher Before WWII Arguing Against War with Nazi Germany
FSWC Reports:
From the Associated Press via ynetnews.com:
The Museum of Tolerance has acquired a 1937 letter written by Bertrand Russell in which the Nobel Prize-winning philosopher says if the Nazi army invades his native England the British should invite Adolf Hitler to dinner rather than fight.
The museum, part of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, announced Wednesday that it paid $4,000 for the letter at an auction in England last month.
READ MORE...
From the Associated Press via ynetnews.com:
The Museum of Tolerance has acquired a 1937 letter written by Bertrand Russell in which the Nobel Prize-winning philosopher says if the Nazi army invades his native England the British should invite Adolf Hitler to dinner rather than fight.
The museum, part of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, announced Wednesday that it paid $4,000 for the letter at an auction in England last month.
READ MORE...
Oldest Known Holocaust Survivor Dies
FSWC Reports:
From ynetnews.com:
Alice Herz-Sommer, the world's oldest known Holocaust survivor, passed away Sunday morning at the age of 110. Herz-Sommer had been admitted to a hospital in London, where she lived, after feeling unwell Thursday. "She passed away peacefully, with her family by her side," her grandson Ariel told Ynet.
"Much was written about her, but for those of us who knew her best, she was 'Gigi'. She loved us, laughed with us and cherished music with us," the grandson added. "She was our inspiration and our world will be significantly duller without her in it."
READ MORE...
From ynetnews.com:
Alice Herz-Sommer, the world's oldest known Holocaust survivor, passed away Sunday morning at the age of 110. Herz-Sommer had been admitted to a hospital in London, where she lived, after feeling unwell Thursday. "She passed away peacefully, with her family by her side," her grandson Ariel told Ynet.
"Much was written about her, but for those of us who knew her best, she was 'Gigi'. She loved us, laughed with us and cherished music with us," the grandson added. "She was our inspiration and our world will be significantly duller without her in it."
READ MORE...
Friday, 21 February 2014
High School Students in Oregon Kidnap Fellow Student and Carve Swastika Into His Forehead
FSWC Reports:
From the Associated Press via ynetnews.com:
Four US teenagers are accused of shooting a fellow high school student with a BB gun and carving a swastika into his forehead.
Authorities said the teens had spent an evening sketching out ideas for torturing him.
READ MORE...
From the Associated Press via ynetnews.com:
Four US teenagers are accused of shooting a fellow high school student with a BB gun and carving a swastika into his forehead.
Authorities said the teens had spent an evening sketching out ideas for torturing him.
READ MORE...
Anne Frank Books Vandalized in Tokyo Library; Motive Unclear
FSWC Reports:
From the Associated Press via ynetnews.com:
Anne Frank's "The Diary of a Young Girl" and scores of books about the young Holocaust victim have been vandalized in Tokyo public libraries since earlier this year.
The damage was mostly in the form of dozens of ripped pages in the books. Librarians have counted at least 265 damaged books at 31 municipal libraries since the end of January.
READ MORE...
From the Associated Press via ynetnews.com:
Anne Frank's "The Diary of a Young Girl" and scores of books about the young Holocaust victim have been vandalized in Tokyo public libraries since earlier this year.
The damage was mostly in the form of dozens of ripped pages in the books. Librarians have counted at least 265 damaged books at 31 municipal libraries since the end of January.
READ MORE...
Thursday, 20 February 2014
Three Suspected Former Auschwitz Guards Arrested in Germany
FSWC Reports:
From Reuters:
Three suspected former guards of the Auschwitz death camp run by the Nazis during World War Two have been arrested in southwestern Germany, the public prosecutor's office in Stuttgart said on Thursday.
It said the three accused, aged 88, 92 and 94 years old, are believed to have been involved in the murder of prisoners at Auschwitz in Nazi-occupied Poland.
READ MORE...
From Reuters:
Three suspected former guards of the Auschwitz death camp run by the Nazis during World War Two have been arrested in southwestern Germany, the public prosecutor's office in Stuttgart said on Thursday.
It said the three accused, aged 88, 92 and 94 years old, are believed to have been involved in the murder of prisoners at Auschwitz in Nazi-occupied Poland.
READ MORE...
EU Commission President Vows to Defend Religious Rights Including Kosher Slaughter and Circumcision
FSWC Reports:
From ynetnews.com:
European Commission President José Manuel Barroso says he opposes the violation of freedom of religion in the continent and plans to convene a special meeting with representatives of the European Union member states to discuss recent events affecting European Jewry.
During a meeting in Brussels with state rabbis, including the president of the Conference of European Rabbis (CER), Barroso said the European Commission would not tolerate the violation of important basic religious rights, like the freedom to conduct the circumcision and kosher slaughter rituals.
READ MORE...
From ynetnews.com:
European Commission President José Manuel Barroso says he opposes the violation of freedom of religion in the continent and plans to convene a special meeting with representatives of the European Union member states to discuss recent events affecting European Jewry.
During a meeting in Brussels with state rabbis, including the president of the Conference of European Rabbis (CER), Barroso said the European Commission would not tolerate the violation of important basic religious rights, like the freedom to conduct the circumcision and kosher slaughter rituals.
READ MORE...
Wednesday, 19 February 2014
Over One Hundred Torah Scrolls Stolen From Hungarian Jews During WWII Found in Russia
FSWC Reports:
From Reuters:
A Hungarian rabbi said on Tuesday he had uncovered 103 Torah scrolls stolen from Hungarian Jews during World War Two and stashed in a Russian library, adding he planned to restore and return them to the Jewish community.
Slomo Koves, chief rabbi of the Unified Hungarian Jewish Congregation, said he had found the scrolls while following up a previous recovery of Hungarian war loot in the Lenin Scientific Library in Nizhny Novgorod, 400 km (240 miles) east of Moscow.
READ MORE...
From Reuters:
A Hungarian rabbi said on Tuesday he had uncovered 103 Torah scrolls stolen from Hungarian Jews during World War Two and stashed in a Russian library, adding he planned to restore and return them to the Jewish community.
Slomo Koves, chief rabbi of the Unified Hungarian Jewish Congregation, said he had found the scrolls while following up a previous recovery of Hungarian war loot in the Lenin Scientific Library in Nizhny Novgorod, 400 km (240 miles) east of Moscow.
READ MORE...
Tuesday, 18 February 2014
France Condemns Graffiti in Southern City of Toulouse Targetting Jews, Members of LGBT Community
FSWC Reports:
From the Associated Press via ynetnews.com:
French authorities say they are trying to identify and apprehend those responsible for a recent spate of anti-Semitic and anti-gay graffiti messages that have appeared on buildings in the southern city of Toulouse.
READ MORE...
From the Associated Press via ynetnews.com:
French authorities say they are trying to identify and apprehend those responsible for a recent spate of anti-Semitic and anti-gay graffiti messages that have appeared on buildings in the southern city of Toulouse.
READ MORE...
Monday, 17 February 2014
Dreyfus Love Letters Revealed
FSWC Reports:
From ynetnews.com:
"When will I be able to kiss you? I kiss you a thousand times as I love you, as I adore you, my dear Lucie." The full letter was selected by the New York Times as one of the 50 greatest love letters of all times, and it is now unveiled in Israel for the first time alongside other letters Alfred Dreyfus sent his wife.
These kisses and expressions of love came out from a prison in France in the late 19th century. The writer, Alfred Dreyfus, was the first Jewish officer in the French Army, whose trial became a symbol of the anti-Semitic persecution of Europe's Jews at the time. The letters were sent to his wife, Lucie, who never stopped hoping for his release from prison.
READ MORE...
From ynetnews.com:
"When will I be able to kiss you? I kiss you a thousand times as I love you, as I adore you, my dear Lucie." The full letter was selected by the New York Times as one of the 50 greatest love letters of all times, and it is now unveiled in Israel for the first time alongside other letters Alfred Dreyfus sent his wife.
These kisses and expressions of love came out from a prison in France in the late 19th century. The writer, Alfred Dreyfus, was the first Jewish officer in the French Army, whose trial became a symbol of the anti-Semitic persecution of Europe's Jews at the time. The letters were sent to his wife, Lucie, who never stopped hoping for his release from prison.
READ MORE...
Israeli Prime Minister Says Advocates of BDS Campaign are Antisemites
FSWC Reports:
From News Agencies via ynetnews.com:
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that those who boycott Israel are anti-Semites.
Speaking at the Conference of Presidents, Netanyahu told a group of visiting Jewish-American leaders that it is time for Israel to "fight back" and "delegitimize the delegitimizers."
READ MORE...
From News Agencies via ynetnews.com:
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that those who boycott Israel are anti-Semites.
Speaking at the Conference of Presidents, Netanyahu told a group of visiting Jewish-American leaders that it is time for Israel to "fight back" and "delegitimize the delegitimizers."
READ MORE...
Jewish Member of the "Monuments Men" Accepts Award in his German Hometown
FSWC Reports:
From AFP via ynetnews.com:
A Jewish member of the "Monuments Men," a team of experts who rescued Nazi-looted artworks during World War II, accepted a medal from his German hometown at the weekend, media reported on Sunday.
Harry Ettlinger, 88, who had already attended a red-carpet screening of George Clooney's new "The Monuments Men" movie about the group at the Berlin film festival last week, received the so-called Staufer Medal at an art museum in Karlsruhe, southwestern Germany.
READ MORE...
From AFP via ynetnews.com:
A Jewish member of the "Monuments Men," a team of experts who rescued Nazi-looted artworks during World War II, accepted a medal from his German hometown at the weekend, media reported on Sunday.
Harry Ettlinger, 88, who had already attended a red-carpet screening of George Clooney's new "The Monuments Men" movie about the group at the Berlin film festival last week, received the so-called Staufer Medal at an art museum in Karlsruhe, southwestern Germany.
READ MORE...
Sunday, 16 February 2014
Denmark Responds Criticism of Its Kosher Slaughter Ban
FSWC Reports:
From ynetnews.com:
After Israeli leaders slammed Denmark's decision to ban kosher slaughter, the Danish response was quick to arrive.
Danish Ambassador to Israel Jesper Vahr responded to the widely quoted statement by Israel Deputy Religious Affairs Minister Eli Ben Dahan’s that "European anti-Semitism is showing its true colors across Europe, and is even intensifying in the government institutions," a statement made in regards to the Danish move.
READ MORE...
From ynetnews.com:
After Israeli leaders slammed Denmark's decision to ban kosher slaughter, the Danish response was quick to arrive.
Danish Ambassador to Israel Jesper Vahr responded to the widely quoted statement by Israel Deputy Religious Affairs Minister Eli Ben Dahan’s that "European anti-Semitism is showing its true colors across Europe, and is even intensifying in the government institutions," a statement made in regards to the Danish move.
READ MORE...
Israeli Officials Condemn Demark's Ban on Kosher Slaughter
FSWC Reports:
From ynetnews.com:
Israeli officials have joined the world Jewry in blasting Denmark's decision to ban kosher slaughter in the country. Israel's chief rabbi, the minister of religious services and his deputy expressed their anger over the ruling that kosher slaughter causes animal suffering, and demanded clarifications from the Danish government.
"Kosher slaughter is the most humane of all existing methods and prevents animal suffering," said Chief Rabbi David Lau. "I will speak to Denmark's ambassador to Israel and government officials in Denmark, and if this serious decision has indeed been made – we will demand its cancellation. This is a serious and severe blow to the Jewish faith and to the Jews of Denmark."
READ MORE...
From ynetnews.com:
Israeli officials have joined the world Jewry in blasting Denmark's decision to ban kosher slaughter in the country. Israel's chief rabbi, the minister of religious services and his deputy expressed their anger over the ruling that kosher slaughter causes animal suffering, and demanded clarifications from the Danish government.
"Kosher slaughter is the most humane of all existing methods and prevents animal suffering," said Chief Rabbi David Lau. "I will speak to Denmark's ambassador to Israel and government officials in Denmark, and if this serious decision has indeed been made – we will demand its cancellation. This is a serious and severe blow to the Jewish faith and to the Jews of Denmark."
READ MORE...
Members of Iran's Parliament Take Issue With Country's Foreign Minister's Remarks Acknowledging the Holocaust
FSWC Reports:
From ynetnews.com:
Iran's semi-official news agency has reported that some seventy Iranian lawmakers have signed a letter to question the Islamic Republic's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif over his "passivity" regarding the Holocaust and the Israel.
“What is the reason for the passivity in your views about the issue of the illegitimate Israeli regime and the Holocaust,” the letter asked, Iran's Press TV reported.
READ MORE...
From ynetnews.com:
Iran's semi-official news agency has reported that some seventy Iranian lawmakers have signed a letter to question the Islamic Republic's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif over his "passivity" regarding the Holocaust and the Israel.
“What is the reason for the passivity in your views about the issue of the illegitimate Israeli regime and the Holocaust,” the letter asked, Iran's Press TV reported.
READ MORE...
Hungary's Jewish Community Protests Rally Held by Far-right Party Inside Former Synagogue
FSWC Reports:
From AFP via ynetnews.com:
A political rally of the Hungarian far-right party Jobbik in a former synagogue sparked protests Friday by anti-fascist demonstrators who accused the group of "provocation".
Around 100 protesters, some wearing yellow stars pinned to their coats, held candles outside the building in the town of Esztergom, 31 miles north of Budapest.
READ MORE...
From AFP via ynetnews.com:
A political rally of the Hungarian far-right party Jobbik in a former synagogue sparked protests Friday by anti-fascist demonstrators who accused the group of "provocation".
Around 100 protesters, some wearing yellow stars pinned to their coats, held candles outside the building in the town of Esztergom, 31 miles north of Budapest.
READ MORE...
Hungary Holocaust Memorial Condemned as Attempt to Absolve Hungarians of Guilt
FSWC Reports:
From AFP via ynetnews.com:
The World Jewish Congress on Saturday accused Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government of trying to "falsify" history, adding its voice to concerns about Holocaust commemorations this year.
"The attempt to falsify history instead of commemorating the annihilation of two-thirds of Hungary's Jews has caused profound disappointment," WJC president Ronald S. Lauder said in a letter published by the Nepszabadsag daily.
READ MORE...
From AFP via ynetnews.com:
The World Jewish Congress on Saturday accused Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government of trying to "falsify" history, adding its voice to concerns about Holocaust commemorations this year.
"The attempt to falsify history instead of commemorating the annihilation of two-thirds of Hungary's Jews has caused profound disappointment," WJC president Ronald S. Lauder said in a letter published by the Nepszabadsag daily.
READ MORE...
Following Spanish Example, Portugal Plans to Grant Nationality to Sephardic Jews
FSWC Reports:
From ynetnews.com:
Portuguese Tourism Minister Adolfo Mesquita Nunes, who visited Israel last week, said the final wording of a law granting automatic Portuguese nationality to the descendants of Portugal's Jews will soon be completed.
The 400,000 members of the Portuguese Jewish community were expelled, killed or forced to convert to Christianity during the Inquisition in the 16th century.
READ MORE...
From ynetnews.com:
Portuguese Tourism Minister Adolfo Mesquita Nunes, who visited Israel last week, said the final wording of a law granting automatic Portuguese nationality to the descendants of Portugal's Jews will soon be completed.
The 400,000 members of the Portuguese Jewish community were expelled, killed or forced to convert to Christianity during the Inquisition in the 16th century.
READ MORE...
Friday, 14 February 2014
Court Orders French Comedian to Delete Sections of YouTube Video Deemed Antisemitic
FSWC Reports:
From AFP via ynetnews.com:
A French court on Wednesday ordered controversial comic Dieudonne to remove two sections of a video he has posted on YouTube which has been widely condemned as anti-Semitic.
In a ruling that will increase the pressure on the video-sharing website to ban the comedian from its platform altogether, a judge ruled that one of the passages breached French law on Holocaust denial and another one amounted to incitement to racial hatred.
READ MORE...
From AFP via ynetnews.com:
A French court on Wednesday ordered controversial comic Dieudonne to remove two sections of a video he has posted on YouTube which has been widely condemned as anti-Semitic.
In a ruling that will increase the pressure on the video-sharing website to ban the comedian from its platform altogether, a judge ruled that one of the passages breached French law on Holocaust denial and another one amounted to incitement to racial hatred.
READ MORE...
Kosher Slaughter Outlawed in Denmark
FSWC Reports:
From ynetnews.com:
Denmark has effectively outlawed kosher slaughter, with new regulations signed into law and expected to go into effect Monday.
Denmark’s Agriculture and Food Minister Dan Jørgensen approved a new regulation which stipulated the slaughter of animals cannot be undertaken without first stunning them, a move incongruent with kosher laws, the World Jewish Congress said.
READ MORE...
From ynetnews.com:
Denmark has effectively outlawed kosher slaughter, with new regulations signed into law and expected to go into effect Monday.
Denmark’s Agriculture and Food Minister Dan Jørgensen approved a new regulation which stipulated the slaughter of animals cannot be undertaken without first stunning them, a move incongruent with kosher laws, the World Jewish Congress said.
READ MORE...
Wednesday, 12 February 2014
Antisemitic Announcement Made on Belgian Train's PA System
FSWC Reports:
From ynetnews.com:
Passengers aboard a Belgian train from Namur to Brussels were stunned to hear an unusual message on the train's PA system: "Ladies and gentlemen, we are approaching Auschwitz. All Jews are requested to disembark and take a short shower."
The Janaury 31 incident led the Belgian rail company SNCB to file a police complaint over incitement to hatred.
READ MORE...
From ynetnews.com:
Passengers aboard a Belgian train from Namur to Brussels were stunned to hear an unusual message on the train's PA system: "Ladies and gentlemen, we are approaching Auschwitz. All Jews are requested to disembark and take a short shower."
The Janaury 31 incident led the Belgian rail company SNCB to file a police complaint over incitement to hatred.
READ MORE...
Israeli Tourist Finds Items With Nazi Symbols on Sale in Bulgaria
FSWC Reports:
From ynetnews.com:
An Israeli traveling in Bulgaria was shocked to find mugs carrying the picture of Adolf Hitler and decorated with swastikas in a souvenir shop in a ski resort. She later realized the shop was not only one carrying the Nazi paraphernalia, and found similar trinkets in other shops on the same street.
Janna Kushnir, 45, mother of four living in the Azor Regional Council, took her son Rafi, 13, to a Bar Mitzvah trip in Bansko, a tourist hub popular among Israeli tourists, located some 150 km from the capital Sofia.
READ MORE...
From ynetnews.com:
An Israeli traveling in Bulgaria was shocked to find mugs carrying the picture of Adolf Hitler and decorated with swastikas in a souvenir shop in a ski resort. She later realized the shop was not only one carrying the Nazi paraphernalia, and found similar trinkets in other shops on the same street.
Janna Kushnir, 45, mother of four living in the Azor Regional Council, took her son Rafi, 13, to a Bar Mitzvah trip in Bansko, a tourist hub popular among Israeli tourists, located some 150 km from the capital Sofia.
READ MORE...
Tuesday, 11 February 2014
Yad Vashem Hopes to Shed Light on the Stories of Jews in the Former Soviet Union During the Holocaust
FSWC Reports:
From ynetnews.com:
“To my dear brother, our city Priluki was taken over quite suddenly and very quickly by the German occupiers. My brother – you cannot imagine what terrible months we have been through - famine, extreme cold, abuse, looting, humiliation…. I wanted to die so many times instead of continuing this life! Even when I regretted not dying in the bombings, I still retained one hope – to see you again – even if for just a minute – before my eyes are closed. But this wish will also not be realized. Yuzik, I know that tomorrow is my last day, but I am strong and do not fear the end of my life. I am certain that you will avenge the death of your sister. Take revenge on those responsible for the deaths of Tulya, Mara and thousands of others. I kiss you and send greetings to your friends, to my brothers and sisters and, I hope, that one day you will avenge our spilt blood."
This farewell letter, which is now yellow and fading, is signed Eleonora Parmut, from the city of Priluki, Ukraine. She was 15 years old and was not expecting a miracle. It was clear to her that within hours of the ink drying on the paper, they would stand her in a line, would aim their rifles at her and her body would plunge into the killing pit.
READ MORE...
From ynetnews.com:
“To my dear brother, our city Priluki was taken over quite suddenly and very quickly by the German occupiers. My brother – you cannot imagine what terrible months we have been through - famine, extreme cold, abuse, looting, humiliation…. I wanted to die so many times instead of continuing this life! Even when I regretted not dying in the bombings, I still retained one hope – to see you again – even if for just a minute – before my eyes are closed. But this wish will also not be realized. Yuzik, I know that tomorrow is my last day, but I am strong and do not fear the end of my life. I am certain that you will avenge the death of your sister. Take revenge on those responsible for the deaths of Tulya, Mara and thousands of others. I kiss you and send greetings to your friends, to my brothers and sisters and, I hope, that one day you will avenge our spilt blood."
This farewell letter, which is now yellow and fading, is signed Eleonora Parmut, from the city of Priluki, Ukraine. She was 15 years old and was not expecting a miracle. It was clear to her that within hours of the ink drying on the paper, they would stand her in a line, would aim their rifles at her and her body would plunge into the killing pit.
READ MORE...
Sunday, 9 February 2014
Hungary's Main Jewish Group to Boycott Official Events Commemorating the Holocaust
FSWC Reports:
From Reuters:
Hungary's main Jewish group voted on Sunday to boycott official Holocaust commemorations this year unless they more clearly show the role of local citizens in the Nazi deportation and killing of Hungarian Jews.
The Hungarian Jewish Congregations' Association (Mazsihisz) decided to stay away from events marking the 70th anniversary of June 1944, when 437,000 Jews were sent to Nazi death camps within weeks, and set conditions for a change of position.
READ MORE...
From Reuters:
Hungary's main Jewish group voted on Sunday to boycott official Holocaust commemorations this year unless they more clearly show the role of local citizens in the Nazi deportation and killing of Hungarian Jews.
The Hungarian Jewish Congregations' Association (Mazsihisz) decided to stay away from events marking the 70th anniversary of June 1944, when 437,000 Jews were sent to Nazi death camps within weeks, and set conditions for a change of position.
READ MORE...
Friday, 7 February 2014
Antisemitic Incidents in UK Fall to Eight-Year Low
FSWC Reports:
From Reuters:
Anti-Semitic incidents recorded in Britain have fallen to the lowest annual level since 2005, a Jewish advisory body reported on Thursday, and said the decline may have been due to a recent lack of "trigger events" in the Middle East.
The 529 anti-Semitic incidents recorded in 2013 was down 18 percent from the previous year, according to a report by the Community Security Trust (CST) which advises Britain's estimated 260,000 Jews on safety issues.
READ MORE...
From Reuters:
Anti-Semitic incidents recorded in Britain have fallen to the lowest annual level since 2005, a Jewish advisory body reported on Thursday, and said the decline may have been due to a recent lack of "trigger events" in the Middle East.
The 529 anti-Semitic incidents recorded in 2013 was down 18 percent from the previous year, according to a report by the Community Security Trust (CST) which advises Britain's estimated 260,000 Jews on safety issues.
READ MORE...
Wednesday, 5 February 2014
Anne Frank's Toys Go On Display
FSWC Reports:
From the Associated Press via ynetnews.com:
Shortly before Anne Frank and her family went into hiding from the Nazis, she gave some of her toys to a non-Jewish girlfriend who lived in the building next door. The Anne Frank House Museum says the toys have now been recovered, and Anne's tin of marbles goes on display Wednesday at the Kunsthal art gallery in Rotterdam.
The Franks' neighbor, Toosje Kupers, kept the marbles along with a tea set and a book. It was only when Kupers, 83, was moving last year that she thought to mention the marbles to the museum.
READ MORE...
From the Associated Press via ynetnews.com:
Shortly before Anne Frank and her family went into hiding from the Nazis, she gave some of her toys to a non-Jewish girlfriend who lived in the building next door. The Anne Frank House Museum says the toys have now been recovered, and Anne's tin of marbles goes on display Wednesday at the Kunsthal art gallery in Rotterdam.
The Franks' neighbor, Toosje Kupers, kept the marbles along with a tea set and a book. It was only when Kupers, 83, was moving last year that she thought to mention the marbles to the museum.
READ MORE...
Tuesday, 4 February 2014
Conference Held in Paris to Support French Jews Facing Growing Antisemitism
FSWC Reports:
From ynetnews.com:
A conference titled "Israel Today and Tomorrow" was held in Paris on Monday, in the presence of over 15,000 French Jews, Tourism Minister Uzi Landau, Agriculture Minister Yair Shamir, and Deputy Defense Minister MK Danny Danon.
The conference was initiated by the Jewish National Fund to express support to French Jewry, following recent anti-Semitic incidents in France.
READ MORE...
From ynetnews.com:
A conference titled "Israel Today and Tomorrow" was held in Paris on Monday, in the presence of over 15,000 French Jews, Tourism Minister Uzi Landau, Agriculture Minister Yair Shamir, and Deputy Defense Minister MK Danny Danon.
The conference was initiated by the Jewish National Fund to express support to French Jewry, following recent anti-Semitic incidents in France.
READ MORE...
UK Bans French Comedian Accused of Antisemitism
FSWC Reports:
From AFP via ynetnews.com:
French comedian Dieudonne M'bala M'bala was on Monday banned from entering Britain after he reportedly planned to visit to support Nicolas Anelka in the footballer's anti-Semitism row. Dieudonne responded by giving Queen Elizabeth II his trademark Nazi-like salute.
The comic, who has a string of convictions for hate speech in his homeland, performed the stiff-armed gesture after naming the queen in a rant during a show in the Swiss town of Nyon.
READ MORE...
From AFP via ynetnews.com:
French comedian Dieudonne M'bala M'bala was on Monday banned from entering Britain after he reportedly planned to visit to support Nicolas Anelka in the footballer's anti-Semitism row. Dieudonne responded by giving Queen Elizabeth II his trademark Nazi-like salute.
The comic, who has a string of convictions for hate speech in his homeland, performed the stiff-armed gesture after naming the queen in a rant during a show in the Swiss town of Nyon.
READ MORE...
Holocaust Survivors Celebrate Bar/Bat Mitzvahs in Israel
FSWC Reports:
From ynetnews.com:
Twelve Holocaust survivors, five men and seven women, celebrated a joint bar mitzvah and bat mitzvah ceremony in Haifa last week, which they were unable to mark during their youth.
The participants put on phylacteries and covered themselves with prayer shawls. The audience threw candy at them and joined the singing and dancing.
READ MORE...
From ynetnews.com:
Twelve Holocaust survivors, five men and seven women, celebrated a joint bar mitzvah and bat mitzvah ceremony in Haifa last week, which they were unable to mark during their youth.
The participants put on phylacteries and covered themselves with prayer shawls. The audience threw candy at them and joined the singing and dancing.
READ MORE...
Monday, 3 February 2014
Holocaust Marked in Arab World in Two Events, but Denial Still Persists
FSWC Reports:
From Tazpit News Agency via ynetnews.com:
Two unusual events relating to Holocaust remembrance took place in the Arab world in December 2013: A first official conference on the Holocaust was held in Tunisia, dealing with Holocaust of the Jews of Tunisia, and the first visit by an Arab diplomat to a Holocaust memorial site, when Bahraini ambassador to France Nasser Al-Balushi visited a memorial in Drancy, near Paris.
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) reports that on December 14, 2013, Tunisia held the Arab world's first official Holocaust conference. The two-day conference, attended by historians, clerics, authors, and journalists, dealt with the Tunisian Jewish Holocaust, and its purpose was to commemorate the 5,000 Tunisian Jews who were sent to labor camps or European death camps during the Nazi rule of the country.
READ MORE...
From Tazpit News Agency via ynetnews.com:
Two unusual events relating to Holocaust remembrance took place in the Arab world in December 2013: A first official conference on the Holocaust was held in Tunisia, dealing with Holocaust of the Jews of Tunisia, and the first visit by an Arab diplomat to a Holocaust memorial site, when Bahraini ambassador to France Nasser Al-Balushi visited a memorial in Drancy, near Paris.
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) reports that on December 14, 2013, Tunisia held the Arab world's first official Holocaust conference. The two-day conference, attended by historians, clerics, authors, and journalists, dealt with the Tunisian Jewish Holocaust, and its purpose was to commemorate the 5,000 Tunisian Jews who were sent to labor camps or European death camps during the Nazi rule of the country.
READ MORE...
Iranian Forgeign Minister Calls Holocaust "Tragically Cruel"
FSWC Reports:
From AFP and ynetnews.com:
After years of denial and insults from previous president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's policy on the Holocaust seems to have undergone a similar about-face as its approach to United States. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told an international conference in Munich on Sunday that that the extermination of Jews by the Nazi regime was "tragically cruel and should not happen again," according to German TV station Phoenix reported.
"We have nothing against the Jews. We do not feel threatened by anyone," Zarif added.
READ MORE...
From AFP and ynetnews.com:
After years of denial and insults from previous president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's policy on the Holocaust seems to have undergone a similar about-face as its approach to United States. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told an international conference in Munich on Sunday that that the extermination of Jews by the Nazi regime was "tragically cruel and should not happen again," according to German TV station Phoenix reported.
"We have nothing against the Jews. We do not feel threatened by anyone," Zarif added.
READ MORE...
Sunday, 2 February 2014
German Jews do not Want British Director Honoured at Berlin Film Festival, Accusing Him of Antisemitism
FSWC Reports:
From ynetnews.com:
Germany's Jewish community has strongly criticized a decision to award British director Ken Loach, one of the most prominent activists of the cultural and academic boycott movement against Israel, an honorary prize at the Berlin International Film Festival, also known as Berlinale.
In recent years, Loach has applied heavy personal pressure on major film festivals around the world to cancel any event which is even partially funded by the State of Israel, basically calling for an economic boycott against the Jewish state.
READ MORE...
From ynetnews.com:
Germany's Jewish community has strongly criticized a decision to award British director Ken Loach, one of the most prominent activists of the cultural and academic boycott movement against Israel, an honorary prize at the Berlin International Film Festival, also known as Berlinale.
In recent years, Loach has applied heavy personal pressure on major film festivals around the world to cancel any event which is even partially funded by the State of Israel, basically calling for an economic boycott against the Jewish state.
READ MORE...
Documents Reveal That Some Assimilated Jews Returned to Judaism During Holocaust
FSWC Reports:
From ynetnews.com:
During the Holocaust, while some Jews abandoned religion and stopped believing in God, and others strengthened their faith, a unique phenomenon took place in the shadow of the horror: Assimilated Jews, some of whom had actually converted to Christianity, rediscovered their Judaism.
The aforementioned letter, as well as other documents and testimonies obtained by the Shem Olam Institute, reveal this unknown narrative in the history of the Holocaust.
READ MORE...
From ynetnews.com:
During the Holocaust, while some Jews abandoned religion and stopped believing in God, and others strengthened their faith, a unique phenomenon took place in the shadow of the horror: Assimilated Jews, some of whom had actually converted to Christianity, rediscovered their Judaism.
The aforementioned letter, as well as other documents and testimonies obtained by the Shem Olam Institute, reveal this unknown narrative in the history of the Holocaust.
READ MORE...
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