Jews being harassed in Norway

The Mosaic Community in Oslo advises its members to leave the kippah at home for the time being. Only last Saturday, a Jew was attacked in the streets of Oslo by some Arabs, and the Community therefore recommends its members to act carefully.

Only about 1,300 Jews live in Norway, but because of the tensions and the current events in the Middle East, they too run the risk of getting attacked. According to the Norwegian newspaper Vårt Land, a Jew was assaulted by some Arabs in the streets of Oslo last Saturday. As a result, the Mosaic Community has sent out an advice to its members to leave the kippah at home, or cover it under a cap. It is also warning its members against speaking Hebrew in public. During the last days, the Community has received several threats and other unpleasant messages.

The Jewish journalist Mona Levin declared she was shocked by the Mosaic Community's recommendations. In a reaction she said she was going to put on her Star of David again: «We should not hide that we are Jewish. If we do that, we betray ourselves.»

At the same time, the cartoonist Finn Graff saw a chance to place an anti-Israeli cartoon in the popular Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet. The cartoon shows Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as a Nazi commander in the concentration camp of Auschwitz. The scene comes from the movie Schindler's List, in which the commander shoots down a random Jew from his balcony. For the sake of clarity: Finn Graff is the same cartoonist who declared only half a year ago that he would not draw a cartoon about Muhammad out of fear and «respect». Apparently he has no problems with his fear, nor does he need to show any respect when he can insult Jews or Israel, or Christians for that matter.