Sweden: Antisemitism in Malmö leads to shrinking Jewish community

Via Arutz Sheva 7 (Manfred Gertenfeld):

The third-largest Swedish town Malmö is considered by many experts to be the capital of contemporary European anti-Semitism. A few of the many aspects that justify this characterization are exposed in part of a new German documentary titled “The eternal anti-Semite – the story of an unrequited love.” It was shown very early this morning –- on the occasion of the anniversary of Kristallnacht -- on Bavarian TV.

The film follows the German Jewish author, Henryk Broder, who travels in Germany, France and Sweden. He is often accompanied by Hamad abdel Samad, an Egyptian writer living in Germany. Several Egyptian Muslim theologians have issued a fatwa that abdel Samad must killed for heresy. In the film he is seen with police bodyguards. 

Before Broder and Abdel Samad came to Malmö they made appointments with the head of the police and the mayor, but those were cancelled at the last minute. They met the town’s American rabbi, Shneur Kesselman. He tells them that the shrinking community had to put bullet proof windows in the synagogue. Even that did not help. A bomb went off in front of the synagogue and another bomb was thrown into the chapel of the Jewish cemetery and totally destroyed it. 

The rabbi, who belongs to the Chabad movement, says that he is regularly harassed when walking on the street. From passing cars people may shout insults at him such as “Death to the Jews.” Objects thrown at him include an apple, a lighter, a glass and a bottle. Kesselman arrived in  Malmö twelve years ago. He says that if he had known the reality for Jews in the town he would not have come, but now he will not leave out of loyalty toward the shrinking Jewish community. 

Kesselman expects many children of community members to leave Malmö. A few weeks ago, long after the movie was completed, stones again shattered the synagogue’s windows. On that occasion a former chairman of the Jewish community told the press that most incidents are perpetrated by Muslims or Arabs. 

A Jewish teacher at a public elementary school in a problematic neighborhood in Malmö is also interviewed. He speaks about shootings in the neighborhood, sometimes with lethal consequences. Children from other classes sometimes open the class doors and shout anti-Semitic insults at him. An eleven year old yelled Heil Hitler. The school’s management does not want to publicize the anti-Semitic incidents saying: “they are only children.” 

Before driving through a Malmö neighborhood with a large number of migrants, the police warns the filmmakers that they should not leave the car or even stop. This translates into plain English as: “This is a Muslim ghetto where the police have lost control.”

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