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May 15, 2009
Rich Jewish past of Scandinavia
Norwegian and Swedish Jewry survive and thrive despite their long and troubled history.
EVA COHEN
The landscape, the trees, the bright sun, all very similar to Ontario and even parts of British Columbia, but the social and political landscape of Scandinavia is extremely different than anything Canadian. This spring allowed me a very interesting trip to Norway and Sweden, showing me a different reality for Jewish communities than those I had seen in the rest of Europe.
First stop: the town of Torp, about an hour's train ride from the centre of Oslo, Norway. Here, it is very rural, and could almost pass for the outlying parts of the Lower Mainland with its rolling hills and proximity to the ocean.
There is one distinct difference that speckles the horizon. Steeples number at least 1,600 for the Church of Norway alone in this country (a Lutheran denomination). However, this multitude of structures speaks more to the past than to an accurate reflection of present-day Norway. Although 82 per cent of the Norwegian population belongs to the state church, only about three per cent attend church services or other religious meetings more than once a month. A statistic that reflects the recent trend toward non-affiliation is the proportion of weddings celebrated in the Church of Norway, which fell from 85.2 per cent in 1960 to 44 per cent in 2007. This move toward secular life has affected the entire behavior and viewpoint of the nation. Religious tradition of any kind is often frowned upon, and has encroached upon an important Jewish tradition – keeping kosher.
Shechitah, the ritual slaughter of mammals and birds according to Jewish dietary laws, is forbidden in Norway. Therefore, it can be very difficult to find kosher meat. All meat is currently imported from France and can only be bought from the Kosher Mat in Oslo, near the synagogue. Cheese products also are not kosher and are imported from Denmark. Kosher wine can usually be bought in the state wine shops, but mostly, the only one available is Adom Atic and anything else must be specifically ordered.
It hasn't been an easy history for the Jews of Norway. The original settlers were mostly Sephardim who were chased out of Spain and Portugal in 1492 and 1498. There has been more than one declaration through the centuries stating that the official religion of Norway was Lutheran Protestantism and forbidding anything else. It wasn't until 1851 that an article from the 1814 National Constitution, which forbade Jews and Jesuits from entering the kingdom, was revoked.
Back to the present day. The overall Jewish population in Norway is only 1,500, compared to the relatively larger population of around 18,000 in Sweden.
The synagogue in Oslo is a quaint white building with a crest over the entrance in Hebrew that reads: "Because my house is the house of prayer, as is read by all the nations." The congregation follows an Ashkenazi Orthodox service and convenes regularly on Shabbat. However, during the summer months, the synagogue usually isn't open at all, aside from Shabbat, and visits must be arranged beforehand.
The flight from Oslo to Stockholm is quite short and only costs the equivalent of about $70. There are other modes of transportation, including by boat, train and driving but flying is by far the fastest option, with indirect roads and train tracks.
Swedish Jewry has also experienced a hard time practising and being Jewish. Anti-Semitism is definitely present, with a loud anti-Israel demonstration in front of Stockholm Parliament taking place the second day of my visit. Making international headlines last month, a tennis match in Malmö between Israel and Sweden was overrun by hatred. The Jerusalem Post reported that although there were only 3,000 fans inside the stadium, an approximate 6,000 anti-Israel demonstrators had gathered outside to protest the Swedish government's willingness to host the Israelis for the competition.
I stayed with cousins in the countryside near the city of Upsalla. Although the largest Jewish population is in Stockholm, the cities of Upsalla, Malmö, Gothenburg, Borås, Helsingborg and Lund all have Jewish communities as well. The most active community is in Stockholm, which has a primary school, kindergarten, library, a bi-monthly publication, Judisk Krönika, and a weekly Jewish radio program. Interestingly, due to Ashkenazi immigration from eastern Europe, Yiddish is officially recognized as a non-territorial minority language in Sweden.
For visitors to Stockholm, there is a Jewish museum, but it is mostly for locals – to explain Judaism to them. However, while I was there, a second room, normally housing special displays, had enlarged profiles of different personalities from the Norwegian Jewish community discussing their views on the history of Jewry in the country. The views were very interesting, ranging from complete acceptance by the locals to a move toward rediscovering roots and becoming a more observant community.
The city of Stockholm is a treat to visit and boasts several museums and other tourist destinations. The harbor is beautiful and is surrounded by stately old buildings.
Denmark and Finland also have Jewish populations and a longer tour of Scandinavia would show more of the unique past and present of this part of the world. Norway and Sweden, though, from my own experience are definitely worth the visit – if even just for the brilliant, bright sunshine and beautiful countryside!
Eva Cohen is a freelance writer based in Leeds, England.
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