Jewish Life in Franco Spain Is Tolerated by All Existing Minorities

size and its implantation in an to Madrid and Valencia from
still be headed by the Cross, to lift the veil, as many Mar-
alien society, or possibly be- Barcelona—prepares children
ranos
still
feel
the
terrible
per-
and personal status is controlled
for their Bar Mitzvah and
(Copyright, 1959, JTA, Inc.)
secutions of which they were cause of this, has embarked
performs burial and wedding
upon
a
far
flung
cutural
and
(Editor's Note: Edwin Ey- by a religious body.
the butt as recently as the
ceremonies.
Five hundred years after the eighteenth century.
religions program.
tan, Chief of the JTA Eu•o-
Two youth leaders were
The community's adults meet
pean. headquarters in Lon- capture of Granada, the Exile
Officially, Jews have been in
don, made a special trip to and the Inquisition, the Jews the country for less than 30 brought from Israel, at consid- weekly for lectures, debates
Spain to study conditions of remain for Spain's masses the years. Some, of Spanish origin, erable cost, to teach Hebrew and social functions. The two
Jewish life there. Here are "infidels who have crucified left Salonika and Istanbul in and Jewish lore, organize sum- synagogues in Barcelona hold
Christ."
his impressions.)
the early '30's for Barcelona, mer camps and youth activities. daily services and organize Tal-
* * *
Among the masses, mainly when the then Spanish dictator A Hebrew choir, a theatrical mud Torah courses.
MADRID—The Jewish com- the superstition - ridden peas- Gen. Primo de Rivera lifted troupe and social functions bind
Cut off from the main stream
munity in Spain, insignificant ants, there is an atavistic under- Europe's oldest and most the youth together and serve
in the life of the country both tone to their loathing of the stringently enforced ban on to foster inter-Jewish weddings. of Jewish life and suffering
A rabbi, who lives in Bar- from serious economic hard-
because of its reduced number Jews. It is a hatred based on Jews. Others came during the
religion
and
not
on
race,
and
celona,
serves as a shohet, ships, the community has
and because of the small part
second World War and stayed
arranges for the distribution nevertheless managed to take
it plays in the nation's econ- even today a converted Jew is on.
of kosher meat and matzos its place alongside the rest of
omic, political and civic life, feted with something like the
The vast majority of the
—which are flown regularly world Jewry.
must be viewed in the larger return of the prodigal son.
Jews have remained either
perspective of Spain's general
For the Government, the stateless or foreigners for it
internal situation and of her Jews are an insignificant part is difficult and expensive, if
relations with her main allies: of a vast problem. There are at all possible, for a non-
Anglican Britain and Protest- no special discriminatory mea- Catholic to be naturalized.
ant America.
sures directed against them Many still hold Turkish or
J-( aPPY new Year
The fate of the Jews is close- and they can count on a more German passports.
ly linked with that of the other benevolent government attitude
Apart from a small number
minority groups, for the gov- than the Protestants.
of prosperous businessmen,
ernment, apart from certain
This is due partly to the mainly French and Swiss in-
minor concessions wrung from lack of interventions on their vestors, the Jews, technically
it by the Great Powers in favor behalf, which the. proud Spani- untrained and lacking capital,
of their proteges, defines its ards resent, and to the lack of eke out a difficult living.
policy in general terms as a proselytism in the Jewish faith.
Some work as peddlers, oth-
measure applying to all "non-
Calle Porvenir is a typical ers as salesmen; few are per-
Catholics."
Barcelona Street; it starts in manently employed and many
The Jews, not being a pawn one of the city's most luxurious
have to rely on Joint Distribu-
in Spain's international political residential quarters and grad- tion Committee assistance. This
game, and deprived of any in- ually tapers off into a small
is also due to the large pro-
fluential protectors, can serve alley lost in the squalor of
Insurance For Every Need
portion of elderly refugees who
as the "lithmus paper" which Spain's miser y. Half way have turned into hard-core
impartially marks the govern- through its length is No. 44,
cases. Some are permanently
18911 James Couzens Highway
ment's attitude to religious a three-story building, shiny
disabled, others chronically
minorities and spiritual liber- white in the Mediterranean sun,
sick.
alizatons.
U Niversity 2-8200
small and elegant with its early
Organized community life it-
Twentieth
Century
lines.
Over
Franco's Spain is at all ad-
ministrative levels closely its double wrought-iron gates, self is endangered when it has
Ben S. Sidlow — Hubert J. Sidlow
linked with the Catholic no shield indicates the identity to rely on the good-will of less
than a dozen members, most
Church, with which it co- of its owners.
Franklin I. Sidlow
of whom are only temporary
operates in formulating poli-
This is the Jewish Commu- residents.
cies and in carrying them nity Center in Barcelona, and
The community, in spite of its
out. Opposed to the Vatican's the appropriate symbol of the
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policy of compromise, the small community which came
■ ■
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■0■
■
Spanish Church still pursues into existence 30 years ago but
the fight against "infidels is still more tolerated than
Le Shono Tovo
and heretics." The law, how- admitted. Under a veil of
ever, has become more bene- anonymity, the building is a
volent and elastic.
center of active Jewish cultural
Hitherto unheard of facilities and religious life.
are granted to the Jewish com-
On the first floor, there is
munity. Legally, it has no ex- a spacious Sephardi syna-
istence, it is not even recog- gogue; on the second, a small-
nized as a cultural association, er Ashkenazi prayer hall,
but, in practice, it can count across the corridor, an as-
on the government's coopera- sembly room. Next to it is
of Continuous PEACE and HAPPINESS to the Entire Jewish Community
tion in fulfilling its tasks.
a library and the community
It has been granted its own secretariat. All over the
Pfc. Joseph L. Bale Post 474
cemetery and burial facilities; building, the pictures of Herzl
Detroit Post 135
it secures the necessary per- and Franco hang side by side.
Raymond P. Newman, Comman der
i Abe I. Morrison, Commander
mits for holding social and cul-
Edith Bale, Aux. President
Twelve hundred people are
Belle Bercowitz, Aux. President
tural activities, it finds accom- registered with the community
modation for its functions and in Barcelona, 300 in Madrid
Charles and Aaron Kogan Post 510
Jones Post 190
can count on the authorities for and some 20 are known to live
Harold Blumberg, Commander
Dr. Arthur A. Brown, Commander
a constructive approach to its in Valencia. The actual number
Audrey
Mogen, Aux. President
Deborah Bregman, Aux. President
problems.
of Jews in the country is prob-
Its main difficulties remain ably much higher.
Ginsburg-Rosenberg Post 513
Lt. Eli Levin Post 230
those on which the law cannot
Harold Gabin, Commander
The Barcelona community
Maurice
Bordelove,
Commander
be side-stepped; the granting secretary estimates them to
Sylvia Goldberg, Aux. President
Gertrude Hoberman, Aux. President
of naturalization is still based i several thousands," Spanish
on the applicant's Catholicism,
Lt. Roy F. Green Post 529
" many tens of thou-
Flint Post 231
obit notices in the press must sands,"
officials
and
historians believe
Marvin Foxman, Commander
Jack Parnes, Commander
that there is no Spanish family
Betty Scheinker, Aux. President
Shirley
Winston,
Aux.
President
without some Jewish blood.
Yeshiva U. Opens
The "lost" Jews fall in va-
Yetz-Cohen Post 530
Berger-Kleiman Post 252
Doors for 73rd Year rious categories: some have
Robert Goldman, Commander
(Grand Rapids)
married into Christian families
Anne Rubin, Aux. President
Morris Singer, Commander
and have been assimilated or
are tryng to assimilate; others
Sholom Post 537
were converted during the last
Lt. Raymond Zussman Post 333
Julius Goldstein, Commander
war when they feared a Nazi
Samuel Strauss, Commander
Evelyn Eisman, Aux. President
occupation of Spain following
Florence Weber, Aux. President
the Hitler-Franco meeting at
Harvey Dater Post 559
Hendaye; others believe it pru-
Sgt. Morton A. Silverman Post 418
(Lansing)
dent not to disclose their Jew-
Norman Sernick, Commander
Norman G. Wachter, Commander
ishness; and yet others are the
Shirley Sniderman, Aux. President
mysterious "Marranos" or "He-
Oak Park Post 716
braicos" disseminated through-
Maurice Noble, Commander
Bloch-Rose
Post
420
out Spain but particularly num-
Shirley Guitenplan, Aux. President
David Goodstein, Commander
erous in their traditional cen-
Florence Leider, Aux. President
ter in the island of Majorca
Pfc. Doran Goldfarb
Working out a problem in
Jewish historians and a spe-
physics are two students at cial branch of the Spanish
Tri-City
Post 272
Robert J. Rafelson Post 431
Yeshiva College, undergradu- Academy, the Instituto des
(Saginaw )
Morton Oppenheim, Commander
ate men's school of Yeshiva Estudios Hebraicos which is di-
Dr. Lewis !merman, Commander
Rhoda Brenner, Aux. President
University, which opened its
rected
by
the
known
scholar
73rd academic year this month
with the largest enrollment Francesco Cantera, are trying
in its history. The- univer- to pierce some of the mystery
JWV MEMORIAL HOME ASSOCIATION
sity, oldest and largest Ameri- which still surrounds these of-
ficial
Catholics
who
continue
can university under - Jewish
auspices, is comprised of 1.7 to observe certain Jewish rituals
DEPARTMENT . PRESIDENT
schools and divisions in New and who celebrate the High
DEPARTMENT COMMANDER
York, and is attended by some Holidays in the secrecy of their
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- 4,500 young men and women. homes. It is, however, difficult

BY EDWIN EYTAN

Ben S. Sidlow
Agency

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DEPARTMENT OF MICHIGAN

JEWISH WAR VETERANS OF THE UNITED STATES- & LADIES AUXILIARY
SINCERELY WISH A NEW YEAR

.

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MORRIS TULUPMAN

IRVING S. 'CANE

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President

SARAH NEMON

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