'Kippah walks' fight anti-Semitism

Sofia Nerbrand in Malmö, Sweden, has committed herself to organizing peaceful demonstrations against anti-Semitism and xenophobia.

On Saturday, May 18, during the European Song Contest taking place in the same town, around 300 people joined the “Kippah walk” in a city that has had severe problems with anti-Semitism recent years.

“We want to show that we do not tolerate this," Nerbrand says. "Malmö is the most cosmopolitan city in Sweden. Personally, I love cosmopolitan cities, and I get upset when people have to hide their affiliations and identity, be it Jewish, Muslim, or homosexual."

Already, more than ten “Kippah walks” have been organized. Jehoshua Kaufmann, member of the Mosaic Parish in Malmö, took the initiative to organize the walks. It started as a spontaneous walk through the city after the service in the Synagogue. Ten or fifteen people joined with Jehoshua, keeping their Kippahs on their heads after the service, and walking proudly together to the square Möllevångstorget.
 
“You had to hide being a Jew. You did not wear your Kippah outside the synagogue. We had to do something about that. The best way would be to show up with a Kippah wherever there were people around,” said Jehoshua Kaufmann to the local newspaper Sydsvenskan, about the initiative.

Since that time, there have been a growing number of people joining the peaceful walks in the city. Other cities in Sweden have been following the initiative and the impact of the “Kippah walks” is increasing.

Jehoshua Kaufmann stresses the importance of the walks as a tool in the fight against fear:

“The main thing was not [whether to wear] a kippah. The main thing was to fight the fear that Jewish people felt. I am convinced that these walks have had an impact. Today the fear is less, at least among the adults. Among young people, fear is still a problem.”

On Saturday, both priests, imams, rabbis, politicians and others joined in a march that exemplifies the motto of the European Song Contest: “We are one.”

“I think it was important that this initiative was taken by ordinary citizens, and not by representatives from either a religious community or the authorities,” says Sofia Nerbrand.

On Monday, May 20, the US State Department released the International Religious Freedom Report 2012, which identified a growing anti-Semitism, especially in Venezuela, Egypt, and Iran as well as an increase in anti-Islamic sentiment in Europe and Asia.

The “Kippah walks” were organized through social networks, and a Facebook group was created. In October, 350 people joined the walk. Prominent political leaders and Jewish spokespersons have been taking part of the regularly organized walks and giving speeches, such as ministers Erik Ullenhag, Birgitta Ohlsson, the chair of the municipality Ilmar Reepalu, and Willy Silberstein, chair of the committee against anti-Semitism in Sweden.

Sofia Nerbrand says the walks are however politically independent, which is important to her.

“I am a liberal myself," Nerbrand remarked, "but the walks have been open to both left-wings and right-wings”.
The walks have equally been open to people from all denominations. Muslims have joined the walks, as they too experience violence and threats in Malmö. One of the speakers in October was Hanin Shakrah, introduced as a lawyer, a Muslim and of Swedish-Palestinian nationality. Christians have been participating as well, and people have come to Malmö from all over the country to show their support. The Swedish Church supported the “Kippah walks” in a statement in December.

The importance of the initiative is clear in light of attacks, harassment and violence towards Jews in Malmö, the most recent in September 2012, when the synagogue was attacked, and a bomb exploded close to the building.  The rising numbers of attacks and violence towards Jews in particular in Europe, but also towards Muslims and targeted groups such as the Roma people, have reached the attention of the European Union.

The European Parliament issued a resolution in March 2013 against xenophobia and racism: “European Parliament resolution on strengthening the fight against racism, xenophobia and hate crime."
In the press, the situation in Malmö regarding hate crimes, and especially the hate crimes directed towards its Jewish citizens, have become a topic of frequent debate. Jehoshua Kaufmann sees a favorable relation between the press and those responsible for the walks.

“Yes, I think relations have been very good and positive. The interest in the matter is high.”

In Dagens Nyheter, one of the most prominent newspapers, the first page and three whole pages covered the story about Jews leaving Malmö, last Friday. This story is not positive, however, because it covers the sad outcome of harassment and violence.

"[It] is important to note that a great part of the population in Malmö and elsewhere do not tolerate these tendencies,” says Sofia Nerbrand. For her, and for many Swedes participating in the walks, these are a way to demonstrate their belief in a free, open and peaceful society.

Facts on attacks/ incidents in Malmö towards Jews

+ March 2009: Davis Cup Sweden-Israel was held -- with no audience. The authorities in Malmö motivated this unusual handling of the situation by “security issues”.

+ December 2010: The Simon Wiesenthal Center issues a warning regarding Jews going to Malmö, the risk being “harassments and scorn”.

+ April 2012: President Obama sends Hannah Rosenthal, Special Envoy and the head of Office to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, to Malmö.

+ September 2012: A bomb exploded outside the Synagogue.

+ December 2012: Two Jewish women report hate crime and harassments in Rosengård, Malmö.
 
Facts on Kippah walks

+  The first walk was held in December 2011 in Malmö.

+ Participants from all denominations and varying political affiliation have been participating.

+ In Stockholm, a “Kippah walk” was organized in August 2012.