NEWS 1 Aish HaTorah Presents .. . DISCOVERY: A One-day seminar into the "whys" of being Jewish No Nomination For Jewish Film Come and make the discovery of a lifetime! Is there any real evidence that G-d exists? Who did write the Torah? How is Judaism relevant to today? For many of us, Judaism has meant little more than simplistic answers for an overly complex world. At best, we get a feeling of nostalgia remembering Jewish traditions from our childhood — or we may experience a sense of "belonging" when we find ourselves in Jewish company. But .. . Is Judaism a factor of great relevance to our lives? Something to give weight and thought to? Say Yes to Jewish Literacy!!! The Discovery Seminar will take place on Sunday, Feb. 9th and Tuesday, Feb. 11th Sunday 8:30am to 5:30pm and Tuesday 7:30pm to 9:00pm The Troy Marriott Hotel Registration fee is $50. Materials, breakfast, lunch and beverages are included. Phone 737-0400 AISFI HATORAIVALEYNU Rekindling the Jewish Spirit Ralph Adams Photography Eye Examinations Ultimate Eyewear Custom Contact Lenses Dr. M. Gottesman • Dr. M. Weishaus Optometrists Applegate Square Northwestern Hwy. (between 12 & 13 Mile Road) 86 FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 1992 Call 358-2920 Located in the Fairway Office Building across from The Links at Pinewood Golf Course (313) 363-3533 Hours By Appointment Weddings • Bar Mitzvah. Los Angeles (JTA) — Ger- many has failed to enter a German-produced Holo- caust-theme film, Europa, Europa, for Academy Award consideration, despite praise by American and interna- tional critics for the unusual film about a Jew who sur- vives the war among Ger- man army ranks. The refusal has astonished and enraged the film's writer and director, Agnieska Holland, as well as the Hollywood movie colony. Europa, Europa is said to be a true story, based on the wartime experiences of Solomon Perel, now 65 and living in Israel. Mr. Perel survived the Holocaust by hiding his Jew- ish identity in Poland and ended up fighting in the German army and attending an elite school for "Hitler Youth." He was saved from being shot by the Soviets after their capture of Berlin by his brother, who spent the war in a Nazi concentration camp. Ms. Holland, a native of Poland whose father is Jew- ish, shot the film almost en- tirely in German, with a German producer as well as a mostly German cast and crew. Under academy rules, it would be up to Germany to enter the film in the Oscar race, but it has not done so, according to reports in the New York Times and the entertainment trade maga- zine Variety. The reason, an angry Ms. Holland told the Times, is that the Germans "hate this subject, they really hate it." "I have many German friends, but I was really shocked at how the minds of the people changed after unification," she said. "The arrogance and xenophobia which was hidden is now of- ficial. "I cannot imagine making a movie in Germany," she said. "They felt guilty many, many years after the war, but it was official guilt. The time is over. This generation hates all those people who put them through the official guilt. What is left is ar- rogance and stupidity. My presence and my cinema is an offense to these people." The German Export Film Union, whose committee is responsible for selecting its country's entry, said in a statement that no German film in 1991 was good enough to qualify as an Academy Award nominee. An Export Union member was quoted as calling the film "junk" and the union's head described Europa, Europa as "an embarrass- ment." Orion Classics, the Ameri- can distributor of the film, has sent letters to academy members urging them, in effect, to take the film out of the foreign-language category and to nominate it in the more prestigious gen- eral competition for best pic- ture, director and screenplay. Racial Violence Spreads To Switzerland Geneva (JTA) — Racial violence and attacks on for- eigners seeking asylum, which have become com- monplace in Germany, seem to have crossed the Swiss border. The situation generated a demonstration in Lausanne on Jan. 17 against racism and xenophobia in Switzer- land. Jewish organizations, churches of various de- nominations, the Swiss Red Cross and the Office for As- sistance to Refugees were joined by the mayor, mem- bers of the City Council and a Jewish community leader, Rabbi Sadia Morali. "It all starts with attacks against one individual," Rabbi Morali told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. "We have seen it happen in France and Germany," he said. "Street demonstrations are a positive thing. But legal action to combat racism deserves looking into," he added. Racist incidents here are on the increase. Last month, shots were fired at a refugee hostel in Lausanne. A young woman was attacked after leaving Friday services at a synagogue in Basel. The Jewish community there has asked for police protection, especially be- cause Basel is just across the border from Germany and open to infiltration.