Sunday, November 11, 2007
Debating Antisemitism in Sweden
Anti-Semitism, in Sweden? Depends who you're asking
By Cnaan Liphshiz
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/922248.html
Fri., November 09, 2007 Cheshvan 28, 5768
The Swedes are not anti-Semitic, the Rabbi of Stockholm's Orthodox Jewish community, Meir Horden, told AngloFile on a visit here this week. According to Horden, Swedish Jews have only hostility from local Muslims to fear.
But Zvi Mazel, a controversial figure in Sweden ever since he served there as Israel's ambassador in 2004, strongly disagrees.
"It's not true to say that the Swedes are anti-Semitic. Some of them are hostile to Israel because they support the weak side, which they perceive the Palestinians to be," Horden said. The capital's Orthodox community numbers 4,500.
In an interview on one of his frequent trips here, Horden went on to say that "generally speaking," Swedish support for the Palestinians comes from the same place that led the Swedes to help Holocaust survivors.
"Of course you can't compare the two things, but that's their way of thinking," Horden explained at his Modi'in home after delivering a lecture on Swedish Jewry at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. "It's frustrating because the Swedes don't look too much into historical facts."
Mazel, however, speaks of a deep-rooted anti-Semitic sentiment that he says is inherent to Swedish culture. "If it weren't for this lingering anti-Semitism, the incident would arguably never have happened," Mazel said in reference to his interference with a work of art at a Stockholm museum in early 2004, during his term as ambassador.
Believing that an art exhibit celebrated Palestinian suicide bombers, Mazel caused the installation to short-circuit, and was forcibly removed from the museum as a result.
Blind hatred
Some days later, Mazel told a Swedish newspaper that "Sweden is among the most severely anti-Semitic places" with "daily agitations in the media to kill Jews."
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon supported Mazel's actions. Mazel retired several weeks later.
"I'm very surprised by Rabbi Horden's statements," Mazel said. "Anti-Semitism is prevalent in Swedish society as it has always been, and is apparent in cases of blind hatred of all things Israeli."
Mazel denied that his perspective on Sweden is warped because of the museum incident, and points to the first-ever systematic study on anti-Semitic images and attitudes in Sweden, released in 2005.
The poll of 5,000 adults in Sweden on their attitude to Israel and Jews found that over a third had "somewhat ambivalent attitude towards Jews," with 5 percent admitting to strong anti-Semitism.
Horden clearly disagrees with the assessment of the former ambassador. "Mazel does speak of anti-Semitism in Sweden," the rabbi said, but I don't think that's a problem," Horden says.
"Six percent of the population is Muslim and this causes problems, like attacks in graveyards, but you don't feel an anti-Israel situation."
Horden, an Israeli-American who was trained to serve in Sweden by the Rothschild Foundation, says that regardless of anti-Semitism, being a religious Jew in Sweden is tough. "Shabbat starts at noon at summer, and kosher food is hard to get."
Other problems are rooted in Sweden's ultra-liberal atmosphere, Horden says. When he, together with Muslim and Christian leaders, signed a petition in 2004 against same-sex marriage, the Reform Jewish community told the media that Horden's action did not represent the Jewish community as a whole.
"It was just important for the Reform stream to show Swedish society that they were indeed liberal and not extremists or fanatics," Horden claims.
Smiling, he adds: "I was surprised to see gay Jewish couples who wanted to get married in synagogue. In Israel the homosexual community is so anti-religious."
By Cnaan Liphshiz
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/922248.html
Fri., November 09, 2007 Cheshvan 28, 5768
The Swedes are not anti-Semitic, the Rabbi of Stockholm's Orthodox Jewish community, Meir Horden, told AngloFile on a visit here this week. According to Horden, Swedish Jews have only hostility from local Muslims to fear.
But Zvi Mazel, a controversial figure in Sweden ever since he served there as Israel's ambassador in 2004, strongly disagrees.
"It's not true to say that the Swedes are anti-Semitic. Some of them are hostile to Israel because they support the weak side, which they perceive the Palestinians to be," Horden said. The capital's Orthodox community numbers 4,500.
In an interview on one of his frequent trips here, Horden went on to say that "generally speaking," Swedish support for the Palestinians comes from the same place that led the Swedes to help Holocaust survivors.
"Of course you can't compare the two things, but that's their way of thinking," Horden explained at his Modi'in home after delivering a lecture on Swedish Jewry at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. "It's frustrating because the Swedes don't look too much into historical facts."
Mazel, however, speaks of a deep-rooted anti-Semitic sentiment that he says is inherent to Swedish culture. "If it weren't for this lingering anti-Semitism, the incident would arguably never have happened," Mazel said in reference to his interference with a work of art at a Stockholm museum in early 2004, during his term as ambassador.
Believing that an art exhibit celebrated Palestinian suicide bombers, Mazel caused the installation to short-circuit, and was forcibly removed from the museum as a result.
Blind hatred
Some days later, Mazel told a Swedish newspaper that "Sweden is among the most severely anti-Semitic places" with "daily agitations in the media to kill Jews."
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon supported Mazel's actions. Mazel retired several weeks later.
"I'm very surprised by Rabbi Horden's statements," Mazel said. "Anti-Semitism is prevalent in Swedish society as it has always been, and is apparent in cases of blind hatred of all things Israeli."
Mazel denied that his perspective on Sweden is warped because of the museum incident, and points to the first-ever systematic study on anti-Semitic images and attitudes in Sweden, released in 2005.
The poll of 5,000 adults in Sweden on their attitude to Israel and Jews found that over a third had "somewhat ambivalent attitude towards Jews," with 5 percent admitting to strong anti-Semitism.
Horden clearly disagrees with the assessment of the former ambassador. "Mazel does speak of anti-Semitism in Sweden," the rabbi said, but I don't think that's a problem," Horden says.
"Six percent of the population is Muslim and this causes problems, like attacks in graveyards, but you don't feel an anti-Israel situation."
Horden, an Israeli-American who was trained to serve in Sweden by the Rothschild Foundation, says that regardless of anti-Semitism, being a religious Jew in Sweden is tough. "Shabbat starts at noon at summer, and kosher food is hard to get."
Other problems are rooted in Sweden's ultra-liberal atmosphere, Horden says. When he, together with Muslim and Christian leaders, signed a petition in 2004 against same-sex marriage, the Reform Jewish community told the media that Horden's action did not represent the Jewish community as a whole.
"It was just important for the Reform stream to show Swedish society that they were indeed liberal and not extremists or fanatics," Horden claims.
Smiling, he adds: "I was surprised to see gay Jewish couples who wanted to get married in synagogue. In Israel the homosexual community is so anti-religious."
Labels: Antisemitism, Sweden, Swedish society
Monday, November 05, 2007
Anti-semitism in the USA
ADL survey: 15% of Americans 'unquestionably anti-Semitic'
By Haaretz Service
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/919518.html
Mon., November 05, 2007 Cheshvan 24, 5768
The Anti-Defamation League on Thursday released recent survey results which it says show 15 percent of American adults hold "unquestionably anti-Semitic" views.
The figures represent an increase of one percent since last time the survey was conducted in 2005, and contradicted a decade-long trend of reduced anti-Semitism.
The ADL, which is an international organization aiming to reduce anti-Semitism through programs and services, conducted the telephone survey of 2,000 Americans registered as voters in October. A similar survey conducted by it in 1998 showed anti-Semitism dropped from 20 percent to 12 percent over the preceding six years.
Presenting the results of the survey at the ADL National Commission's annual meeting, National Director Abraham Foxman expressed his concern at the apparent reversal of previous trends away from anti-Semitism.
"These findings, coupled with the ongoing acts of anti-Semitic incidents and hate crimes, suggest that anti-Semitic beliefs endure and resonate with a substantial segment of the population, nearly 35 million people."
The survey found that 31 percent of participants believe Jews are more loyal to Israel than America, down from 33 percent in 2005, and that 27 percent believe Jews were responsible for the death of Christ, down from 30 percent in 2005.
A further 15 percent believed that Jews have "too much power in the U.S.", which remained unchanged from 2005, while 20 percent and 18 percent respectively believed Jews have too much influence in business and on Wall Street.
"When it comes to Jews, old stereotypes die hard," said Foxman, adding that "Jewish power" has replaced many ethnic stereotypes previously attributed to Jewish Americans.
By Haaretz Service
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/919518.html
Mon., November 05, 2007 Cheshvan 24, 5768
The Anti-Defamation League on Thursday released recent survey results which it says show 15 percent of American adults hold "unquestionably anti-Semitic" views.
The figures represent an increase of one percent since last time the survey was conducted in 2005, and contradicted a decade-long trend of reduced anti-Semitism.
The ADL, which is an international organization aiming to reduce anti-Semitism through programs and services, conducted the telephone survey of 2,000 Americans registered as voters in October. A similar survey conducted by it in 1998 showed anti-Semitism dropped from 20 percent to 12 percent over the preceding six years.
Presenting the results of the survey at the ADL National Commission's annual meeting, National Director Abraham Foxman expressed his concern at the apparent reversal of previous trends away from anti-Semitism.
"These findings, coupled with the ongoing acts of anti-Semitic incidents and hate crimes, suggest that anti-Semitic beliefs endure and resonate with a substantial segment of the population, nearly 35 million people."
The survey found that 31 percent of participants believe Jews are more loyal to Israel than America, down from 33 percent in 2005, and that 27 percent believe Jews were responsible for the death of Christ, down from 30 percent in 2005.
A further 15 percent believed that Jews have "too much power in the U.S.", which remained unchanged from 2005, while 20 percent and 18 percent respectively believed Jews have too much influence in business and on Wall Street.
"When it comes to Jews, old stereotypes die hard," said Foxman, adding that "Jewish power" has replaced many ethnic stereotypes previously attributed to Jewish Americans.
Labels: Antisemitism, Jewish power, stereotypes, surveys, United States
