Here is just a quick update and some points of interest in the case of the arsonist attacks on the synagogue in Crete. The names of the men accused have yet to be released. The latest information from the Athens News agency reports that the men charged included 2 Britons, 1 Greek-American, 1 Greek, and 1 U.S. national, who has yet to be found. One of the individuals is still in custody, but the others have been released.
These news updates have been surrounded by articles about the prayer services held in protest of Anti-Semitic attacks and support of working to reconstruct the synagogue and Jewish culture in Greece. It is also important to note that these arsonist attacks weren’t the only recent incidents of Anti-Semitism. There have also been reported cases of defacing of Jewish graves.
I also found an interesting article on a Jewish blog about the incident. The author discussed how the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) had to ask the Greek government to issue a statement condemn the synagogue fires as Anti-Semitic attacks. The ADL leader compares this event to the government’s response to the firebomb attack on the Greek Parliament and questions their immediate reaction to that event as compared to this delayed reaction. The ADL has been working to get the Greek government to recognize the issue of Anti-Semitism in Greece.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Just for Fun
As a Hispanic and having Jewish roots in both of my parents' backgrounds I have most definitely inherited a passion for dancing. So tonight I thought I'd take a break from looking at the serious stuff about Greece and look at something more entertaining, Greek dancing and Jewish dancing. I find it very interesting if not ironic how similar the Greek and Jewish styles of dancing are at occaisions like weddings. Both the music and the actual style of dancing are incredibly similar. I think this is a result of both Greece and Israel's mediterranean culture. I would love to see a Greek Jewish wedding dance.
Here's the Jewish dancing
And this is the Greek dancing
Also I found this site which is quite fascinating; because, it gives the history of Jews in Greece complete with pictures and a slideshow!
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/Greece.html
Here's the Jewish dancing
And this is the Greek dancing
Also I found this site which is quite fascinating; because, it gives the history of Jews in Greece complete with pictures and a slideshow!
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/Greece.html
Saturday, February 20, 2010
More on how Anti-Semitism has manifest itself in Greece.
Sorry to have taken so long in posting again. I’ll try to make up for it by posting new stuff more frequently from here on out. So here’s some more information about how Anti-Semitism manifests itself in Greece. I gathered most of this information from the Institute for Global Jewish Affairs website, which featured an interview of Dr. Moses Altsech, an expert on Anti-Semitism, Anti-Zionism, and the Holocaust in Greece. In his interview Altsech featured these key points
• Anti-Semitism in Greece occurs not only among extreme rightists and leftists. It is embedded in Greek mainstream society and manifests itself in religious contexts, education, politics and the media. Jews are often not perceived as true Greeks, although many families have lived there since the 15th century.
• A Eurobarometer survey in the year 2000 showed Greece to have the highest degree of xenophobia in the European Union.
• Greek mainstream media regularly uses the terms "genocide," "Holocaust" and the names of concentration camps drawing a parallel between Nazi Germany and Israel today. In this, Greece is more similar to Syria and Iran than to the Western world.
• As the Greek Jewish community is small and not very vocal, the international condemnations of Greek anti-Semitism by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, Anti-Defamation League and others are especially important.
He goes on to explain how the people struggle to view anyone who is not Orthodox as a true Greek. There is also a strong opposition to Israel in the media as Israelis are often compared to the Nazis and accused of genocide of the Palestinians. This opposition to Israel is doubled with a disdain for America. The news of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 was met with a headline about the tragedy and then a question about “what the world could fear from the American paranoid reaction.” Much of the angst toward America is fueled by the fact that America supported the right wing resistance fighters against communist rulers during the Greek Civil War. Prior to 2004 when this article was written physical violence against Jews was not present. However that year a rabbi was targeted at a Greek train station and Jewish buildings have been subject to bombings and now arson attacks. Unfortunately, the Anti-Semitism that Jews in Greece are fully aware of has not been made known to the public until recently. Greek Jews generally have tried to maintain a low profile after the Holocaust when approximately 92% of their population were killed leaving only around 5,000 Jews in Greece.
• Anti-Semitism in Greece occurs not only among extreme rightists and leftists. It is embedded in Greek mainstream society and manifests itself in religious contexts, education, politics and the media. Jews are often not perceived as true Greeks, although many families have lived there since the 15th century.
• A Eurobarometer survey in the year 2000 showed Greece to have the highest degree of xenophobia in the European Union.
• Greek mainstream media regularly uses the terms "genocide," "Holocaust" and the names of concentration camps drawing a parallel between Nazi Germany and Israel today. In this, Greece is more similar to Syria and Iran than to the Western world.
• As the Greek Jewish community is small and not very vocal, the international condemnations of Greek anti-Semitism by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, Anti-Defamation League and others are especially important.
He goes on to explain how the people struggle to view anyone who is not Orthodox as a true Greek. There is also a strong opposition to Israel in the media as Israelis are often compared to the Nazis and accused of genocide of the Palestinians. This opposition to Israel is doubled with a disdain for America. The news of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 was met with a headline about the tragedy and then a question about “what the world could fear from the American paranoid reaction.” Much of the angst toward America is fueled by the fact that America supported the right wing resistance fighters against communist rulers during the Greek Civil War. Prior to 2004 when this article was written physical violence against Jews was not present. However that year a rabbi was targeted at a Greek train station and Jewish buildings have been subject to bombings and now arson attacks. Unfortunately, the Anti-Semitism that Jews in Greece are fully aware of has not been made known to the public until recently. Greek Jews generally have tried to maintain a low profile after the Holocaust when approximately 92% of their population were killed leaving only around 5,000 Jews in Greece.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Introduction to the Country and the Issue
Greece is located at the Southeast end of Europe. It is known and respected by many for it's breathtaking natural beauty as well as it's ancient history and the artifacts and ruins that remain there.
Unfortunately, it's history has been marked by Anti-Semitism as early as post World War II. Although, Jews have been in Greece since Bible times primarily in Thessalonica, Anti-Semitism developped primarily following World War II after Jews were protected in Greece.
The common Anti-Semitic viewpoint judges Jews as not true Greeks, although they have been living there for centuries. As this blog post from an actual Greek Jew comments, "There's a ritual of 'burning the Juda' during the Greek Easter, but many locals call it 'burning of the Jew.' ''
The most recent reference to the issue are the arsonist attacks on one of the last remaining Jewish synagogues on the Greek island of Crete. The fire destroyed historical books and archives. This past week a fourth man was arrested, the other 3 men arrested included a Greek and two English men. The most recently arrested man is reportedly an American English teacher and they are looking for another American. Here you can find one of the most recent articles.
Unfortunately, it's history has been marked by Anti-Semitism as early as post World War II. Although, Jews have been in Greece since Bible times primarily in Thessalonica, Anti-Semitism developped primarily following World War II after Jews were protected in Greece.
The common Anti-Semitic viewpoint judges Jews as not true Greeks, although they have been living there for centuries. As this blog post from an actual Greek Jew comments, "There's a ritual of 'burning the Juda' during the Greek Easter, but many locals call it 'burning of the Jew.' ''
The most recent reference to the issue are the arsonist attacks on one of the last remaining Jewish synagogues on the Greek island of Crete. The fire destroyed historical books and archives. This past week a fourth man was arrested, the other 3 men arrested included a Greek and two English men. The most recently arrested man is reportedly an American English teacher and they are looking for another American. Here you can find one of the most recent articles.
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