While the programme is still being formed for Yom Limmud Sydney (hint: diarise the date July 3rd), we can give you a sneak peak on
some of our top notch international presenters.
They are also speaking at Limmud Oz in Melbourne the week before on June
25 – 27.
Has your bubbah
ever sat at the Shabbat dinner table and shook her head in disgust with the
anti-Semitism that has emerged from Europe? What would you do if you thought
your country was on the route to anti-Semitism as seen before World War
II? Would you flee to Israel? Write facebook posts? Rally politicians? Annika Henroth Rothstein decided to seek asylum in her own country in 2013 in order to
draw political attention to the situation for the Jews in Sweden.
Annika thought that neo-Nazi parades and banning Jewish
practices like circumcision and Kosher slaughter (while Hallal slaughter is
acceptable) was a step too far for Sweden. In a letter to the ‘Elders of
Zion’ she wrote:
What I am asking for is no more than what is given to any refugee
seeking asylum in my country, or in the whole of the EU. They want the freedom
to practice their religion. Not to be persecuted due to ethnicity, gender,
sexual orientation or political beliefs. These are basic human rights,
expressed in the United Nations universal declaration of human rights as well
as a crucial part of the Swedish constitution. People from all over the world
seek refuge in my country in order to be who they are. To have the ability to
live freely. I want this for them, and I want this for us.
According to The Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, anti-Semitic crimes have tripled since 2010. Worst is the situation in Malmö where we see an increase in 320% just from the year 2011. These are the statistics of reported crimes; we can only imagine how many crimes go unreported each year.
According to The Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, anti-Semitic crimes have tripled since 2010. Worst is the situation in Malmö where we see an increase in 320% just from the year 2011. These are the statistics of reported crimes; we can only imagine how many crimes go unreported each year.
Not to mention that her suitcase has been vandalised en
route from Sweden to Israel, presumably because it had an Israeli flag on it. And she has experienced harassment on a train
in Sweden, bordering on physical assault by a Muslim and no one came to her
aid. In a recent article, she comments that she is not surprised that to hear of a teacher who was fired in Malmo for being a Jew.
This political adviser, writer and activist will be speaking
at Yom Limmud Sydney, and speaking about the situation today for Jews of Europe. I wonder if your bubbah will still be shaking her head after hearing her talk! To read some of her articles, click here. To find out who are the other headline acts, click here. And don't forget to diarise July 3!
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