The Canadian Jewish News, Thursday, November 18,1993-Page 11
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BBC Meets Czech Leaders
PRAGUE — Legislation will soon be passed permitting the return of property to the Jewish community, the chancellor of the Czech Republic told three visiting representatives of B'nai Brith Canada last week. Lubos Dobrovsky, in an hour-long meeting with the BBC leaders, also discussed the growth of intolerance. BBC president Gabriel Nachman, executive vice-president Frank Dimant and Brian Morris, chair of the institute for international affairs, also met members of the Jewish community, the prime minister's office, human rights groups and Gypsy representatives. Last month, the neighboring Slovakian parliament passed a law that will return public and communaUewish properties to Jewish organizations and communities throughout the country. It was the first time an east European government recognized the World Jewish Restitution Organization (WJRO) as the legal heir of Jewish communal property in that country.
Jonathan Pollard Lobby Day
WASfflNGTON — Hundreds of supporters of Jonathan Pollard descended on Washington last week to urge the Clinton administration to commute Pollard's life sentence for spying for Israel. In an event dubbed International Jonathan Pollard Lobby Day, about 500 Pollard siipport-ers met with members bf Congress and the Israeli ambassador, Itamar Rabinovich, in an effort to free the former civilian Navy intelligence analyst. Speakers, including several members of Congress, encouraged the assembled Americans and, Canadians to keep pushing for Pollard's release- The events were sponsored by the Vancouver chapter of Citizens for Justice for Jonathan Pollard and the Coalition for Jewish Concerns-Amcha.
Rabbi Weiss Sues Glemp Again
NEW YORK - Cardinal Jozef Glemp, head of Poland's Catholic Church, is again being stied for defamation by Avi Weiss, the New York activist rabbi. Glemp. on his first trip back to the United Staites since 1991, was visiting Polish communities in the Seattle area last month when he was served with legal jDapers related to Rabbi Weiss' lawsuit. The rabbi contends Glemp slandered him in a 1989 homily. In that sermon, the Polish prelate said the Bronx rabbi had been trying to killa group of Carmelite nuns jiving in a convent at the perimeter of the Auschwitz death camp when Rabbi Weiss and six followers demonstrated there in July 1989. Rabbi Weiss first sued Glemp for libel in 1989. but the suit was dismissed in March 1992. A separate slander siiit the rabbi brought against Glemp, this one in Poland in November 1989, was also dismissed.
JDC Assured on Azeri Jews
NEW YORK — The Jews of Azerbaijan have full freedom of religion, the republic's president, Heydar Aliyev, assured a visiting delegation this week. That message, to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, was reinforced in a meeting with the chief Musliin cleric of the former Soviet republic, which is largely MiisHm arid borders Iran. "Any relations that Azerbaijan may develop; with Iran will not effect the friendly relations with the Jews of Azerbaijan," the cleric, Hadj Alia Pashazade, reportedly said; The JDC helps support two synagogues in the capital city 6f Baku, as well as the central Club of Jewish Culture, Club Aleph. Since 1989. 16,000 Jews have left the country for Israel, but 30,000 remain.
Croatian Jews in Fear
NEW YORK — Fearing a resurrection of the country's fascist past, the Jewish community in Croatia has; sent a letter to the country's president urging him to affirm Croatia's democratic traditions. In the two years since Croatia broke away from Yugoslavia and becanle an independent republic, President FranjoTudjman has initiated steps designed to bolster his support among the country's nationalists. But according to Tudjman's critics, his attempts to instill patriotic pride have gone too far, resulting in a program that is officially rehabilitating the fascist Ustashe regime, which governed the country during World War II. Ognjen Kraus, the president of the Jewish community in the Croatian capital of Zagreb, last month sent a letter on behalf of the country's Jews _: to Tudjman, asking him to take stepsjto reverse what niahy Ijn the country consider a frightening trend.
Boycott's Effects Examined
cott against Israel is having on U.S. companies. The U.S; trade representative, Mickey Kantor, last week asked the U.S. International Trade Commission to conduct a "carefully researched assessment of the impact of the boycott on U.S. firms."
Nazi Leader Beaten Up
BONN — The leader of one of Germany's largest neo-Nazi parties'had his teeth kicked out and bones broken by left-wing radicals who beat him up in downtown Bonn. Police said Friedhelm Busse^eader of thg far-right Free German Workers' Party (FAP) was recognized by a group of radicals and brutally attacked recently. The 73-year-old Busse, whose party the government is trying to suppress for propagating Nazi ideology, was taken to the hospital with bad bruising, broken bones in one foot, and minus several teeth. A police statement said Busse had been walking through Bonn's shopping district when he passed a stall set up by the anti-fascist ANTIFA organization. "It was extremely unwise of the far-right leader to visit the ANTIFA information stand, where he wias most probably recognized," the statement said;
Bubis Leads Kristallhacht March
DACHAU — Marking the 55th anniversary of Kristallhacht — the start of open persecution of Jews by the Nazis — Ignatz Bubis. head of Germany's Jewish community, led a procession earlier this month through the site of the concentration camp at Dachau. It was on Nov. 9. 1938 that the Nazis burned and plundered synagogues and property, leaving the streetsiittered with broken glass that gave the night its name. More than 90 Jews were killed and 30,000 arrested. The violence was a prelude to the Holocaust. Bubis marched at the head of a column of 1.000 people, who filed silently past the burning candles at the site of the former concentration camp. At a news conference later. Bubis criticized the way Germany has handled the neo-Nazi resurgence. About 4.800 far-right attacks have been reported in Germany since 1991, with 26 deaths.
Holocaust Denver Arrested
MANNHEIM — A leading American Holocaust-denier; Fred Leuchtef. has been arrested in Germany for inciting racial hatred and denigrating Nazi death camp victims. Leuchter was arrested as he was about to appear on a television talk show. The 51-year-old Boston resident claims to be an engineer and a gas chamber expert. But he was discredited during the Ernst Zuhdel Holocaust-denial trial in Toronto when he admitted he had no engineering degree and when the judge refused to accept him as-an expert witness. In a later US- case, he agreed he would not hold himself out as an engineer. Nevertheless, his ''engineering report.'' prepared for Zundel's trial, is touted by neo-Nazis as offering scientific proof of the impossibilitypf gas chambers. The charges against Leuchter carry a maximum seritence of five years in jail.
WASHINGTON — In a move hailed by the Jewish community; the Clinton administration has ordered the first government study on what effect the Arab economic boy-
Mitterrand Won't Honor Petain
PARIS — Responding to a large outcry from Holocaust survivors and World War II veterans, French President . Francois Mitterrand has officially announced that he will no longer lay a wreath at the tomb of Marishal Henri-Philippe Petain. The ongoing plans to annually honor Petain, a hero of World War I but a villain in the collaborationist Vichy government of World War II, had stoked increased anger throughout France. Ceremonies were held throughout France last Thursday for the annual observance of the World War I armistice.
Spanish Royal Visit
JERUSALEM —In what was perhaps the highlight of his three-day visit to Israel, King Juan Carlos of Spain addressed the Knesset last week, making what observers here described as an outspoken political speech. In his speech, Juan Carlos, on his first trip to Israel, congratulated the country on its breakthrough toward peace with the Palestinians. He recalled that the "first step" had been taken in his own coital, in November 1991, with the coh-vening of the Madrid conference on Middle East peace. The king's visit is the first ever by a ruling European monarch. Juan Carlos signed joint Israeli-Spanish economic agreements intended to ease the strains that have marred relations between the two countries in the past.
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Emunah Women of Toronto
Invites the Community to a Dinner
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^ The Fiftieth Anniversary of the Rescue of the Danish Jews and their Refuge in Sweden
in the presence of The Honourable Consul-General of Denmark
POUL LAURSEN and The Honourable Consul-General of Israel
DROR ZEIGERMAN
at Baycrest Terrace, . 55 Ameer Ave., Toronto
Monday, November 29, 6:30 p.m.
Featuring a personal account of the escape by guest speaker
RABBI IB NATHAN BAMBERGER Presentation of a specially commissioned sculpture by NAOMI REICH-FREUDMANN
Proceeeds to a Garden of Memory at Neve Michael Children's Village Pardes Ghana Israel
Couvert: $65.00 For reservations please phone Emunah Office at 635-9847