Go far and take a right

Antisemitism has been around in our world for hundreds of years. It was is a fixed phenomenon in European politics and culture as well - some say it even belongs to the European DNA. At first, antisemitism based mainly on religious reasons. Christian Europe blamed the Jews for killing Jesus, the Messiah, and considered that one of the biggest reasons why Jews deserved to get it. Later on, antisemitism developed into a faux-science about human races and took other political aspects. Putting the religious quarrel aside, it was believed that Jews were secretly working together to take over the world. Much of nazism and partly facism, too, was based on this belief.

In the past couple of years, there's been a lot of discussion about the far-right activity increasing in politics again. It happened in Finland too, when all of a sudden a party called "True Finns" won a lot of votes in our parliamentary elections. It was a big shock, widely debated and discussed on domestic level, and even the foreign media paid attention to what was happening in our little country.

Is far-right ideology and propaganda the same today? We have seen the phenomenon resurfacing not only in Finland but in Greece (a whole political party), France (le Pen) or even in Norway to some extent (the Breivik case - although this was the act of one single individual). Instead of the far-right movement being 100% antisemitic, it is more turning into racism against everything foreign. Not only may it be targeted against the increasing Muslim population in Europe, it is also possible that Europeans start turning against other Europeans. The European Union - as beautiful it is as an idea - is causing problems with e.g. the common currency in crisis. The South sucking money from the North keeps tensions building and the far-right parties use these tensions as fuel to create the vision of everything national, domestic and whatever is considered "familiar" being good. Everything else foreign is a threat, "bad for us" and must be eliminated. Hence, Jews might fall in to this category, again.

Antisemitism is on the rise, probably due to some of the old factors (15% of Swedes and 35% of French consider Jews having too much power in the world) but it is also the prolonged Israel-Palestine conflict that fuels Muslim immigrants in Europe to assault Jews. This is a "new" factor causing increase in antisemitic crimes after the WWII incidents. Whereas most antisemitic crimes in Poland, Germany and Austria are (still) done by indigenous people, in Sweden it is the Muslim minority picking up the fight. Even the ever-so-liberal Holland is showing increasing abuse and violence against Jews, mainly done by inhabitants of the country with North African roots. The conflict surpassed a long time ago from being a quarrel about two nations and borders. It is a conflict between ideology and religion. A Muslim (from e.g. Sweden) attacks a Jew (in Sweden). Basically these two individuals might not be a Palestinian and an Israeli but they fight the same fight in a foreign territory.

And all of this, what does it boil down to? Is it political? Is it racial? Is it religious? Is it cultural? Is it all of these factors together? Personally, I'm not a big fan of Karl Marx but he did have a point when saying that religion is opium of the people. Many bloody wars have been fought throughout the history of mankind in the name of religion (let's not get even started with the Crusaders) and this seems to persist today, tomorrow and forever. We just can't get along, can we?

Modern art pieces

It was a sunny Sunday and I had scheduled to go to Kiasma (the Museum of Modern Art in Helsinki). To be honest with you, I've never been a huge fan of modern art. It is really hard for me to appreciate something that, for the most part, could be created by a five-year-old or even by myself. The 10 EUR entrance ticket felt a bit pricey because I knew I wasn't going to get much out of the visit, but I justified it to myself as a donation for Helsinki's cultural efforts. No Guggenheim, so go Kiasma.

The visit was just as I had expected. A rolled up carpet leaning against the wall or a ashes on the floor didn't provide my soul with high, cultural nutrition. I don't know if I'm missing a gene because most of that stuff didn't open up to me? Fine, some Romanian artist had made some witty wall drawings and slogans regarding today's world, but that's pretty much it. My friend and I roamed the concrete floors of the museum with no clue what we're supposed to get out of it.

Without a quick visit to the 5th floor (which we didn't find by the way before asking the staff for directions), I wouldn't have had anything to share with you. Below are a couple of piece inspired by Judaism, containing Jewish symbols or made by a Jewish artist. Please, don't ask me to explain them to you in detail. I just know what the descriptions said for the pieces and that's it. :-)

Monument (La Fete du Pourim) from 1989, by Christian Boltanski. The collected clothes and faces tell of lives lived. The work does not refer to any specific persons but Boltanksi recycles faces from work to work. Purim is a Jewish celebration that involves wearing masks and costumes.

Wall writings I (2009-2010) by Outi Sunila. Afar, it looks like this...

...and upclose, like this. Random wall writings in public places captured by the artist and put into pins. Tip to the museum: I went to the gift shop to buy a pin from this collection - there weren't any.

Father, not Uncle (Freud/Katharina) 2008 by Michal Heiman. The work re-enacts one of Freud's case studies where a young woman asks him for help with her anxiety attacks. In the video, the artist reads Freud's study (in Hebrew!) while the texts in the video challenge and underline the details. Freud did later admit to altering the story.

Want to visit Kiasma? See their website for more details.

Driving them angry

I don't know if it's the (low) quality of Finnish media or the Finns who have nothing else to talk about, but a recent article on a certain Chevrolet model called SS keeps attracting comments and discussion online. People think Jews pull out the Holocaust-card way too much, and it's getting tiring.

This is what we say, in the country where you can go do your groceries in a KKK-market. No joke here. First world problems?

I tried to screen some Israeli newspaper sources in English for reactions in Israel for this car, without finding much, so how much big of a deal is it there? Is it the official statement of the Government, or an opinion of some individuals? And why do Finns care about this so much? It is not like the car is going to be banned in Finland. What difference does it make here what Israel (or the sources of Yedioth Ahronoth) think of Chevrolet's car naming policy?

Personally, I do find the abbreviation SS very easily to be connected to Nazi-Germany. There is a Finnish newspaper called Savon Sanomat, and their name is also abbreviated to SS. Sometimes when another paper is quoting Savon Sanomat, I had to read it twice since it felt a bit strange to read an article in the 2010s where it's states "according to the SS sources". A bit confusing.

What's puzzling more is that why don't these same people who create a fuss about Israel on this name case comment on other cases where an international company lost it's "battle", e.g. Starbucks changing their logo for the Muslim countries (removing the female figure - because that's offensive) or Ikea photoshopping their catalogue front page and removing the mother from the seemingly nice family picture (because showing a female in long pyjamas with sleeves and pants is offensive, too).

Crazy, crazy world...

Want more?

Here is a couple of my favorite websites. Topics and news on Israel and Judaism. Just sharing them with you, in case my blog isn't enough, ha ha!

The Times of Israel - my all-you-need-to-know what is going on in Israel. The daily e-mail newsletter keeps me updated. News and mostly other formal stuff. But check out blogger Sarah Tuttle-Singer: she is hilarious but with a point!

Jewcy.com - what ever is going on in the Jewish world, celebs and all, check out this website. Drew Barrymore's life as a shiksa. Jewish celebrities high school yearbook photos ranked. Not your bubbe's recipes section. Subscribe!

Bubala Please - already mentioned this last December. So far four episodes featuring an ethnic variety presenting Jewish stuff. Hell yeah, putos. The latest episode is on Purim - a Jewish holiday that was celebrated this week!

Tundra Tabloits - proud Finnish supporters of Israel and the US. From a political point of view.

Jerusalem Post - catch up on on-going stuff in Israel. Here you also have a possibility to practice your Hebrew reading skills (if you need any).

Judaism 101 - all you could ever need to know about Judaism is crunched into this website. A comprehensive guide for beginners and for the more experienced ones.

The Shiksa Blog - warning, browsing this blog may wake up your kosher appetite! Delicious recipes I intend to try out... one day...!

Mother knows best

I have had my fair share of feedback from my friends. Resigning my membership with the church, taking up on studying Hebrew, avoiding pork meat, visiting Jewish museums, reading nothing but holocaust books. You've gone way deep into this! Oh, next thing you know you're converting! You're blinded by all this stuff!

Well, damn it. Me quitting the church had nothing to do with my boyfriend. I'm studying Hebrew merely, firstly, to understand and read at least something when visiting Israel and secondly, of course to eavesdrop understand what my boyfriend is talking about on Skype with his family or friends. I consider pork unhealthy and well, the holocaust books... there I have no logical explanation. I'm just interested. Same goes for the museums.

But what is surprising is that my mother has been, let's say, supportive in all this. Sometimes I wonder who is more excited: me or her. My mother...

• Was actually the one I went to Israel with. She wanted to go there.
• Works as my SMS-alert if there's anything Israeli/Jewish on TV - may it be a TV show, movie, documentary and whatnot.
• Experiments making hummus at home. Because the ones in the store in Finland aren't as tasty as in Israel.
• Takes pictures of the synagogue in Zurich, just so later she can show them to me.
• Collects pamphlets from a pro-Israeli demonstration, just to share them later with me.
• Buys me a book, just because it was written by a Jewish author.
• Tells me about a Finnish actress, who converted to Judaism.
• Buys mangoes from Israel.
• Puts miniature Israeli flags on these mangoes from Israel.

So, Mom, do you just love your daughter very much and show your approval through all these nice gestures - or is there something I should know? :-)

Didn't read this yet. On the waiting list...

Jewish à la Paris

Paris is one of the most Jewish cities I have visited. After New York City and Jerusalem, it's a city where I most saw guys wearing kippahs and synagogues marked all over the town map. And, well, what do you know! My observation was spot on, as France has the largest Jewish population in Europe and 3rd largest in the world - after Israel and the United States. Makes a lot of sense.

In addition to the Memorial de la Shoah and Musée d'art et d'histoire du Judaïsme (the latter one saved for my next visit), there is a neighborhood in Paris that has the nickname of being the Jewish Quarters. Being a novice in the city, I thought it must be the area where all the synagogues seem to have gathered. I was ready with my phone to snap photos... But there was nothing Jewish about the area and even the synagogues were not visible to my shiksa eye.

Running through my facts with some locals, I was enlightened that the Jewish quarters are actually the area of Le Marais, spread across the 3rd and 4th arrondissements of Paris.

Go here!

So, what "Jewish" can you find in Le Marais? Jews settled in the region over 600 years ago, so no wonder Hebrew letters decorate the windows of many establishments there. I ventured a bookshop but to my misfortune, the books were either in Hebrew or French. The topics would have been interesting but with my language skills I wouldn't have been able to read them. Then, there was a falafel place, of course, and lots of them to choose from. This is the part of Paris where you can find one of those authentic, delicious falafels that you just wanna sink your teeth in and come back up for air with your chin smeared and dripping with tahina. Messy, but so worth it!

In addition there were a lot of Jewish restaurants, serving dishes I have only heard spoken of. Gefilte fish, blintz, knish... You name it, they have it. The delis and bakeries offered also to-go alternatives for those craving for Jewish cuisine and one of the latkes on display found its way to my mouth.

Le Marais isn't all kosher with just Jewish stuff. It is also known as the gay area in Paris and in addition to all the Jewish restaurants and shops, there are trendy boutiques as well. Sounds a lot like Israel - the country is much like this as well: a blend of everything. If you're ever around in Paris, visiting the narrow streets (= this is how Paris used to be) of Le Marais is worthwhile. And needless to say, it would make a perfect Sunday destination. On Saturday, thou shall not bother ;-)!

Random pictures of the Jewish Paris. Chez Hanna? Oui, s'il vous plaît!

Divas, monsters and music!

The time of the year is getting closer... Yeah, yeah, yeah! All the countries in Europe are digging into their national talents to find the perfect, unheard, cheesiest euro-trashpop song to bring home gold in the annual Eurovision Song Contest!

Finland has made its choice and goes to Malmö, Sweden this year equipped with Krista Siegfrids, who is desperate for you to marry her. Check out the video below... Can you spot influence from Katy Perry, 80's Madonna, maybe a dash of Carly Rae Jepsen? I actually quite like it!

Finland has won the Eurovision Song Contest just once since joining in 1961. It happened in 2006 in Athens, when don't-ask-me-where-they-came-from Lordi won the contest with back then records points. Hard Rock Hallelujah rocked Europe and found its way to my iPod, too. I remember that night well when I was in a nightclub and towards the end of the contest, the DJ stopped playing, people stopped dancing, someone turned up the TVs, people gathered around the screens to stare in awe and amazement - is this really happening? It did - and needless to say Hard Rock Hallelujah was played non-stop for the remainder of the night. Never ever had Finland received douze points from so many countries!

Israel has been a bit more successful that Finland in this musical battlefield. They joined the contest in 1973, and have won a total of three times. The most memorable one of the winners is by far Dana International with his her Diva performance in 1998. The 70's were Israel's golden era though when they won twice in a row.

Finland has many years been very confident about succeeding in the contest, but more often than that we've come in last place, sometimes missing qualification and next year's contest even. Those with the money are always in (the UK, Spain, Germany and France) and those with good neighbors are guaranteed with success. Yes, certain blocks for voting have been formed - and Finland is highly discriminated in its own block. The other Nordic countries rarely vote for us, even though we quite diligently always remember to grant at least Sweden some points. For example, Greece and Cyprus can rely on each other, Ireland and the UK favor one another and the Warsaw pact (Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, Armenia) always pull through for each other.

Despite the contest being called Eurovision, many non-European countries participate. Israel is a good example of this. I have not noticed Israel belonging to any voting block, so, maybe Israel and Finland should establish one? The Edge Countries Axis? :-)

Names on the wall

It has become almost like a habit for me to google any foreign city I am traveling to, to see if they have a Jewish museum in town. Surprisingly, quite many capitals or otherwise large cities do have one (Helsinki being the obvious exception here). I have visited Jewish museums in Athens (Greece), New York City, Copenhagen, Amsterdam and now most recently, Paris.

In many languages the word “holocaust” is the brand name for what happened to the Jews in WWII. This word of Greek origin, meaning whole/everything burnt, has found its way to most of the languages of the world. But the French language - bien sûr - is different. They use the Hebrew word “shoah” (meaning calamity) instead. Hence, voilà, in Paris you can find a museum called Mémorial de la Shoah.

Nearby the memorial, these signs will guide you to your destination.

In fact, there are two Jewish museums in Paris that I could find. Pressed for time, I had to choose one and opted for the Shoah Museum - a very dark theme to explore in a city known famous for its Light. Dragging along a very hesitant and unwilling companion, we buzzed the museum door and after a quick security check (very Israeli of them, by the way!) could roam free the inner court of the museum.

The outside and inner court of the museum are dominated by walls. There is a wall dedicated for the French people who helped Jews during the times of despair. A wall much bigger, with a lot more names on it, 76.000 to be exact, is a list of all those French Jewish men, women and children who were deported from France.

Names of the just people.

And the deported ones.

Inside, the museum is quite formal (much so, as there is no funky gift shop but just a bookstore). Unlike the other Jewish museums I have visited, this one stays in the subject and really, true to its name, concentrates on the Shoah. There are countless original photographs, posters, private letters to tell the story we all are familiar with. Yet, every time I am left speechless by it. And this time embarrassed, too, as Finland is marked in the maps on the same level as Hungary, Romania and other allies of Germany.

Antisemitism isn't anything new. It started already in 597 B.C.

Nazi-German propaganda on racial features, here children used as examples.

All railroads of Europe lead to Auschwitz back then....

Yellow stars were produced in France, too. The Dutch wrote "Jood", here in French "Juif".

A map of European countries during the war. Finland listed as scum with the rest of them.

Clothes of a survivor.

Mémorial de la Shoah is Europe's biggest information center on the subject and since there is no entrance free, a visit there should not take much effort if you are in Paris.  The museum is consequently located in the Jewish area of Paris known as Marais, but I will write more about that in another post...

In the memory of all those who were lost.