Two-Thirds of Norwegian Respondents to Centre's "Open Letter" Support Israel and the Battle Against Antisemitism

August 2, 2006

SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTRE
64, avenue Marceau - 75008 Paris - Tel. +33147237637 - Fax: +33147208401
http://www.wiesenthal-europe.com

Two-Thirds of Norwegian Respondents to Centre's "Open Letter" Support Israel and the Battle Against Antisemitism

Paris

On 8 August, the Simon Wiesenthal Centre's Director for International Relations, Dr. Shimon Samuels, wrote an "Open Letter to Norway" to protest an article by Jostein Gaarder, entitled "God's Chosen People", published in the Oslo daily, AFTENPOSTEN. (See below)

Today, Samuels advised the newspaper's Editor that "so far, our Letter has received over 700 replies. 446, or two out of three, decry the positions of Gaarder. Of the negative third, 42 are almost word for word copies pointing to a form-letter campaign of manipulation. Others are unrepeatable racist obscenity."

The letter noted that "Jostein Gaarder's feeble attempt at an apology in your edition of 12 August, for the offence he had caused, only sinks him further into the mire of Judeophobia - despite its camouflage in Biblical language. It is certainly an inadequate response to our Centre's 'Open Letter to Norway'."

Nevertheless, Samuels enunciated his own apology: "My 'Open Letter' to you stated that 'Jostein Gaarder ... has become seriously ill, either with malice or, perhaps, Alzheimer, or both.'"  He explained that "this letter had been dictated by mobile telephone from the underground bunker of a handicapped youth village kibbutz in the Galilee, under rocket bombardment by Hizbollah. Over the static, my word 'amnesia' was misheard by my office as 'Alzheimer'. My sincerest apologies are due to all Alzheimer patients and to their families."

The letter noted that "ironically, 'Kishorit' village, where my family is currently volunteering, is a joint Jewish and Arab facility, illustrating the reality that the learning disabled, generally, bear no prejudice. They are too busy supporting each other in the face of the outside world's indifference."

Samuels also pointed out that "Kishorit raises mini-Schnauzer dogs, known for their value in pet therapy treatment, especially in eliciting affectivity from autists and Alzheimer patients." (Attached please find the Village's Director letter on defending the handicapped in wartime, which, Samuels says, "is more eloquent than I could ever be.")

Samuels' letter emphasized that "such projects, which have received the support of the Wiesenthal Centre, represent a test for democracy, which can be measured by its attention to its weakest sectors: the handicapped, the elderly, minorities", adding that "Kishorit is also a celebration of life and, in spite of personal despair, the drive to rehabilitation and improvement of the quality of life for the generations to come. Indeed, a direct challenge to the culture of death, the incitement to suicide and martyrdom of those who threaten the democratic condition."

The Centre evoked its interest "in developing a pedagogy of life, a compendium of best practices for survival... For us, the Holocaust survivor is such an example. To come out of hell, having lost all, and to rebuild life and family is a victory over Auschwitz. We invite all Norwegians to join in a global brains-trust in empowering the stimuli to life."

Samuels concluded that he viewed "the 446 supportive responses to our 'Open Letter' as Norway's caucus of integrity, and we welcome those respondents as a new Norwegian constituency into the world-wide membership of our 440,000 strong Simon Wiesenthal Centre... Mr Editor, our 'Open Letter to the People of Norway' has truly been vindicated."

For further information, please contact Shimon Samuels at +33.609.77.01.58.

 

ATTACHMENT

Date: 08/08/2006 09:31
RE: War Zone

I write this from the shelter at a learning disabled kibbutz near Carmiel in the Galilee - an area that has absorbed some 200 katyushas in a day. The katyushas falling around us at this moment are deafening I am sending you a letter from the Director of the kibbutz which presents the human face of this drama.
Shimon Samuels

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July 18, 2006
 
Dear Friends,
 
Thank you again for your concern. Sustaining katyusha rockets isnt part of our mission, but that has become part of our daily routine. As for the long-term consequences of this situation, we will examine this together once this war is over and we are able to do so in peace (in every sense of the word).  

Meanwhile, Kishorit is on very high alert but we have had to admit that it isnt feasible to keep our entire community underground in shelters for days on end. The effect is simply too terrifying for our members, who must come up for air. Since we are in the line of fire we have no alternative other than to stay indoors, close to shelters. When the sound of an exploding katyusha is heard, we all know to run to the nearest one.  Shabbat this week was not a day of rest at Kishorit. Twenty-five katyusha rockets rained down around us, hitting Carmiel and Majd el-Crum, both so close to us and both sustaining damage and injuries. These are not just our nearest neighbors, but where staff members live. 

One shining light at the end of the gloomy tunnel is the success of the impromptu call to arms of the entire staff, Jews and Arabs alike, who have left their families in places such as Carmiel and Majd el-Crum to come to the Village to care for our members.  On ordinary days, the religious, cultural and political divides between all of us Galileans, Arabs and Jews, somehow miraculously evaporate at the gates of Kishorit. At a time like this, however, these differences are more difficult to set aside. So it is an enormous source of pride to me that members of staff from the Arab sector have chosen to leave spouses and children (themselves in the firing line) to care for a community that needs them. This is no small thing.  

As for the members and how they fare under the strain: there have been outbursts of weeping and a few panic attacks but, on the whole, I think this population of special people is deeply aware that we have not abandoned them and that, to the extent humanly possible, we are there for them and with them. So far, periods of calm outlast moments of crisis.

It has certainly helped that we have held various events designed to reduce tension. Since nightfall is the most difficult time of day, we have organized an evening of dancing (we called it a Tel Aviv disco), another evening was devoted to a sing-a-long, and last night we screened a movie marathon. In compliance with IDF Home Front directives, these events take place on the ground floor of the Clubhouse, which is the safest place in the Village for us to congregate in. Also, in accordance with the instructions of our psychiatrist, we have added carbohydrates to the regular menu, thus helping to decrease stress levels.  All our industries have shut down. Apart from the dogs and the goat herd which must be fed, there is no production at all. Riding classes have been cancelled, there is no manufacturing to speak of at PastelToys and the fields are not tended. Income is at a standstill  a heavy price we are going to have to pay when all this ends. At the moment, it would be foolhardy even to attempt to assess the long-term damage to our micro economy. That will be part of the aftermath with which we will have to contend.  For now, we are concerned with staying alive and well which, so far, we have managed to do very successfully.  Finally, you must know that your calls and emails are wonderful to receive and boost our morale no end. Sometimes Kishorit seems a long way away from Ben Gurion Airport and the world beyond but - at times like these - our friends suddenly seem very close by.    

Yours,
Shuki Levinger and the Kishorit family  
[web: http://www.kishorit.org
e-mail: kishorit@bezeqint.net]

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CENTRE SIMON WIESENTHAL - SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTRE - CENTRO SIMON WIESENTHAL
64, avenue Marceau - 75008 Paris - Tel. +33 (0) 1 47 23 76 37 - Fax: +33
(0) 1 47 20 84 01
E-mail: csweurope@compuserve.com 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wiesenthal Centre Urges Norwegian Prime Minister to Block Antisemitic Tax Amendment

Paris, 2 August 2006

In a letter to Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, the Simon Wiesenthal Centre's Director for International Relations, Dr. Shimon Samuels, protested "an attempt by your coalition partner, the Socialist Left Party (Socialistik Venstreparti, SV) to single out Jews for discrimination, this time, by an amendment of your fiscal policy, denying tax deductibility only to charitable donations to Jewish institutions in Israel. (See 'Demands to Stop Tax Benefits to Jewish Supporters', www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/ article 1404726.ece)"

Samuels noted that, "The essential principle of taxation in a democracy is equitability. Fiscal manipulation against Jews has been State policy under only three regimes: Hitler's Germany, Stalin's Soviet Union and the "jizyah" protection poll tax under Islam."

The letter continued, "Mr. Prime Minister, we are sure that Norway would not wish to join such company. Indeed, this policy would violate Norwegian anti-discrimination commitments under Council of Europe conventions."

The Centre urged the Norwegian government "to block this antisemitic legislation and, indeed, to reformulate it against funding the terrorist organizations that launched the current conflict in the Middle East," adding, "Of course, this would seriously question the continuation of Norway's subsidy, since January 2006, of one hundred million dollars to the Palestinian authorities. Today, Mr. Prime Minister, this means Hamas, which is proscribed as a terrorist organization by the European Union and the United States."

"Ironically, the Norwegian taxpayer is, through your government, financing the Hamas katyushas launched against the very Jewish institutions targeted by your coalition partner's tax proposal," concluded Samuels.

For further information, please contact Dr. Samuels at +33 6 09 77 01 58.