10 Friday, August 21, 1981,

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Documentary Sets Emotions on Edge Among Denmark' s Jews

more' on Bismark. Yet the
brochure. A smaller con- even in scheduling of games
Parliament.
interest of young Germans
Lebanon
and
non-Jewish
gregation
(of
about
35
A long-held antagonism
in the Holocaust is strong,
teams.
And
then
an
Israeli
toward the Melchiors, par- families) and described
and growing stronger, ac-
basketball
team
comes
to
ticularly by one family, is in the Jewish Tourist
cording to the report.
play in Denmark — and ne-
Guide
as
"a
very
obser-
the catalyst that has pro-
How the Danes, from roy-
gates
the
concept
by
making
•
duced the current gaping vant, Aguda-like com-
alty on down, acted to save
no
objection,
and
actually
rift in the Jewish commu- munity" is also located in
Danish Jews from the
playing, on the Sabbath.
nity. At least that is how the Copenhagen.
Holocaust is a well known
At least among the large
Israel, however, is a story. With their help, all
situation was described to
number
of
men
and
women
strong
attraction
for
Jewish
this 'reporter by Melchior
but about 500 escaped to
during an interview a few who attend the main concern in Denmark and Sweden. The "happy
days after the Sunday show- synagogue, Rabbi Melchior the land has its Zionist fed-
homecoming" of Danish
eration, and other interna- Jews in 1945 is noted in a
ing of the film and the sub- sees contentment with the
,nces.
tional groups, such as Bnei brief historical listing in a
traditional observa
sequent developmentS.
Melchior had just been in- There is little dissatisfac- Akiva, again with its con-
pamphlet about the
formed that approximately tibn, he said, among women centration on youth. The
synagogue, along with t•
1,000 people had gathered at being separated from the Kol Torah Organization,
notation that in 1953. Kin t,
men,
and
participating
from
which
claims
a
membership
the previous evening in a
Frederik IX and Queen In-
Copenhagen meeting hall to the upstairs gallery. More of about 50, was organized
grid attended a special
protest the action of the di- women are attending his specifically "to fight the as-
Thanksgiving service on -
Jewish
studies
classes,
similation
by
organizing
rectors in dismissing him.
the occasion of the 10th an-
Obviously buoyed by his however, than was true study circles and social ac-
niversary of "the miracul-
The Melchior family demonstration of support, about a decade ago, he re- tivities."
ous escape."
THE KOSHER
The country's youngest
In 1983 the community
HOTEL
has been renowned in he nevertheless remarked marked.
We were talking in the
will mark the 150th' an-
Denmark since the era of that "I'm beginning to feel small study of his home, an Jewish organization, es-
SEAtULL HEATED POOL
Opening
World War . II, a grandson like a man at his own fun- apartment on the fourth tablished by the chief niversary of the conse c -
NOVEMBER 26 •
of the late Chief Rabbi is eral. The words of praise are floor, high above the bustle rabbi last year, is the ration of its large
GLATT
Society for Danish synagogue. Located in
now the spiritual leader sounding like a eulogy."
NATIONAL
KASHRUTH
as always nEl
For 1,000 people to come of sto'r es and traffic in the Jewish History, which
the heart of old
of the congregation es-
CALL TOLL FREE
busy
thoroughfare
on
which
sponsored its second Copenhagen, near to the
together, at the start of the
tablished
in
Oslo,
Nor-
1- 800-327-4523
summer school recess and it is located, a few blocks Nordic Congress on
church in which its Torah
On The Ocean at list St Hizrni Beach
way, by his grandfather.
from the synagogue. The
A brother of the current on sudden notice, was indi- study was dominated by a Judaica June 14-17. The scrolls were safely stored
cative of the emotional in-
opening setting was the during the German occu-
Chief Rabbi is one of the
tensity with which the situ- very large desk and the Jewish Department in pation, the building was
two Jews in the Danish
ation is laden. The entire bookshelves which lined its the Royal Library, but "completely restored in
Rothenberg's New g Glatt
"taxpaying" membership of walls. On one rested several most of the sessions were
1961, thanks to the sup-
COLOR
the official Jewish commu- large books of "registra- held at the community's port of the Conference on
tions"
of
the
births,
deaths
PASSPORTS
nity is reported to be ap-
central address, a large, Jewish Material Claims
and marriages of the people renovated home dedi-
proximately 2,500, al
Hotel & Tennis Club
against Germany."
ID. & VISA
though the Jewish popula- of the community.
cated as the community
For the young — the 300
PHOTOS
SUMMER SPECIAL!
There
is
no
civil
registra-
tion of Denmark is said to
center
in
1968.
pupils
in the Jewish Day
Opening
June
30
PROFESSIONAL
number closer to 8,000, still tion of these events, Mel-
per person.;
Any political turmoil in School, those in the two
PORTRAIT LIGHTING
chior
explained,
as
the
cus-
from $26 per night dbl. occ.
a small enclave in a nation
Talmud Torah schools, and
tom in Denmark is to have the host community seemed in the four Jewish kinder-
of over five million.
• 3 private tennis courts
far
removed
as
the
histo-
the the religious authorities rians and educators met in gartens in Copenhagen, as
in
Services
• Olympic size swimming pool
• 400 ft. private beach
Synagogue in Copenha- handle these matters. the spacious conference well as those in the several
• Color T.V. in every room
gen "follows the Or- Under any circumstances, rooms, enhanced by cere- youth groups — their future
• Synagogue on premises
thodox ritual" and all Melchior would have such monial art, for an exchange as members of a strong
RESERVE NOW FOR .
"institutions of the com- duties for the next several of information and review of Jewish community of Danes
HIGH MOLY PAYS
munity are conducted in months.
That the Jews of De- research. Subjects discussed is not so secure. Assimila-
SUCCOTH
accordance with the
PHOTOGRAPHY
nmark
are making a ra n ged from Jewish an- tion at the rate of 50 percent
strict requirements of
Call Toll Free 800-327-833 2
strong
effort
to educate tiquities to the teaching of in a community numbering
26511 W. 12 Mile Rd.
Jewish traditional law,"
43rd St. 8‘ Collins Avenue
and
interest
their
youth the Holocaust. at the most 8,000 could have
Corner Northwestern Hwy.
MIAMI BEACH (305) 532-3311
to quote the synagogue
Uri Yaari, the editor of staggering results in just a
Jewish
1 y is
s app Arent
from a directory of corn- the monthly magazine pub- generation.
"Without some infusion
munity organizat ons, lished by the official Jewish
community,
who
is
also
a
from
abroad," Yaari said,
most of which are de-
signed for youngsters, teacher of mathematics in a the community will shrivel
teenagers and young Danish public school, par- in about 50 years, "and it is
adults. The Scandinavian ticipated in the session on hard to see where that infu-
Jewish Youth Federation the Holocaust. He reported sion could come from now."
headquartered in that a participant from Although Danish Jews
Copenhagen, is a "roof Germany revealed that the demonstrate, strongly on
organization" for 23 subject is given the behalf of Soviet Jewry, they
minimum of exposure in know very few released
member organizations.
schools there — one lesson emigres will come to De-
Established in 1919, it ar-
ranges seminars and on the period for every 10 or nmark.
sports activities as well
as issuing publications.
A Danish youth organiza-
tion plans cultural and so-
TRIP
cial activities for Jews be-
JERUSALEM (JTA) — general chairman of the
tween the ages of 13 and 30,
APPX. USD
"Don't
take anything for Bond organization, and
"divided into respective
long time Bond leader Ju-
junior and senior groups." granted in Israel. Always lian Venetzky. Hal Lin-
remember
that
we
live
in
a
For sports activities, young
den, the star of ABC-TV's
Jews turn to Hakoah, and it miracle."
This advice was offered by "Barney Miller," who
is reported that 300
was a delegate to the con-
youngsters participate each President Yitzhak Navon to ference, was presented
600
Israel
Bond
Organiza-
week in some aspect of the
with the Israel Bond
daily - program of football, tion leaders from the United Freedom Award.
States,
Canada
and
West-
handball, badmintoh and
The delegates visited the -
table tennis. The society is ern Europe who are attend-
also "the starting point for ing the 30th anniversary port of Ashdod last week
the Danish participation in conference of the organiza- where three veteran Israel
Bond leaders unveiled a
the Maccabiads in Israel," tion.
He noted that although commemorative plaque
according to a descriptive
the history of the Jewish marking the role of the
brochure.
As the organizations for people is measured in Bond organization 20 years
youth, particularly in thousands of years, a short ago in the construction of
sports, try to maintain the period of time can be deci- the port.
precarious balance of gen- sive. If Israel had been es-
Alice Peerce, national
eral and Jewish interests, tablished 10 years earlier,
chairman
of Israel Bond's
efforts are sometimes hundreds of thousands or board of governors,
26711 Northwestern Hwy.
undercut by Jews them- millions of Jews could have
attended the inaugural in
Southfield, Michigan 48034
selves. Melchior described been saved, Navon said.
1961. Ashdod is now the
The President was in-
(313) 352-4873
his success at getting teams
largest port city in Israel
troduced
to
the
confer-
to respect the Sabbath, both
Mon.-Thur. 9:00-5:30 p.m. Fri. 9:00-5:00
with a population of 70,000.
in the Jewish leagues and ence by Sam Rothberg,

By a 4-3 vote, the
By EDITH SCHAPIRO '
COPENHAGEN (JTA) — Mosaiske Trossamfund di-
The House of David in De- rectors moved to dismiss its
nmark is not only small, , Chief Rabbi, Bent Melchior,
and getting smaller, but it is immediately following the
now a house divided. In showing June 14 of a TV
mid-June, .a serious split in documentary on Jewish life
the government council of and customs, for which Mel-
the official Jewish Commu- chior was narrator and con-
nity of Denmark hardened sultant.
It was charged that the
into open confrontation,
with the struggle rating at- film, centered in Copenha-
tention even in the general gen, had breached the com-
munity's security. Consen-
Danish media.
sus was that the screening
had provided a handle
THE SMART
which the small majority
CHARTER TO
could grasp 'in taking a pre-
LAS VEGAS
determined action against
H.M.H. & F.
Melchior, who had suc-
ceeded his father in the
557-5145
position.

'

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Bond Leaders Meet in Israel,
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