Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., October 29, 2007 Cheshvan 17, 5768 | | Israel Time: 10:26 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Print Edition Diplomacy Defense Arts & Leisure Real Estate Jewish World National Advertising Magazine Week's End Business Opinion Rosner's Domain Anglo File Books Travel

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko. (Reuters) del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 00:28 28/10/2007 Ukraine President orders return of 700 confiscated Torah scrolls By Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz Correspondent Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko signed last week a presidential order to return an estimated 700 Torah scrolls confiscated from Jewish communities during the Soviet Union's Communist rule. The decision is seen as an attempt to mollify Jewish and Israeli opinion in advance of a visit to Israel by Yushchenko next week. The issue of state-held Torah scrolls has touched many nerves over the last year. The Jewish communities in Kiev and Zhitomir have been using scrolls on loan from the government, but, a few months ago, the state archive in Kiev demanded the return of the scrolls, citing misuse. Ukrainian Chief Rabbi Moshe Asman, who has connections in the President's office, intervened, and the local synagogues were allowed to continue using the scrolls. Simultaneously, efforts were made to recover all the estimated 700 scrolls confiscated by the Communist authorities in Ukraine, culminating in Yushchenko's order on Wednesday. Advertisement Yushchenko incurred the anger of Jewish activists two weeks ago after honoring a Ukrainian nationalist who was also a virulent anti-Semite, and his latest step is seen as an attempt to improve relations before his visit to Israel next month. The countries of the Soviet Union, especially Russia and Ukraine, still hold considerable cultural and religious treasures - both those confiscated by the Communists and those that were pillaged by the Nazis during World War Two and captured later on by the Red Army. Israeli attorney Mordehai Tzivin, who is active in cases of restitution of Jewish cultural property, said that "we should praise President Yushchenko for taking the feelings of the Jewish people in consideration, this was a brave move by him. We hope that other nations of the former Soviet bloc will take the same attitude and return the Jewish treasures they are still holding." More Jewish World news and features Bookmark to del.icio.us 6 years on Officials say Syria's suspected reactor was under construction in 2001. Nyet to aliyah The minister was wrong: Nativ's tactics simply aren't suited to today's Jewish village.   1.   Ukraine 00:41  |  President 28/10/07   2.   Ukraine 04:05  |  Saragosti Tobie 28/10/07   3.   Treasure to whom? 04:44  |  akiva (zionist) 28/10/07   4.   Stealing 05:03  |  Brenda 28/10/07   5.   re: President 05:22  |  Efox 28/10/07   6.   First came the Nazis, then came the Soviets. No wonder 06:24  |  Svetlana 28/10/07   7.   return of Torahs 08:52  |  dave s. 28/10/07   8.   #4 sTEALING bRENDA IT WAS 6 MILLION JEWS NOT 1,5 MILLION 09:00  |  Petra 28/10/07   9.   Torah Scrols 09:37  |  Leon 28/10/07   10.   stealing 10:55  |  David 28/10/07   11.   JEWS of the Ukraine learn from history 11:06  |  PETER S.M. 28/10/07

Today Online Gideon Levy: Peace summit will expose Israel's true colors Responses: 9 Israel allows money to flow into Gaza Strip despite sanctions Responses: 8 Ze'ev Segal: The assassin of a PM deserves no leniency Send response Itamar Rabinovitch: Preparing for life in the Middle East after Bush Responses: 2 Ukraine to ask Israel: Recognize 1930s famine as genocide Responses: 49 Rosner's Domain * Is Tikkun Olam a substitute for Israel? * New Guest: The Zionism of Winston Churchill * WTR: Only 35% of Americans believe Iran can be stopped * Is Haaretz really better than the New York Times? More Headlines 10:09 Two soldiers wounded in southern Gaza Strip clashes 09:45 Israel allows money to flow into Gaza Strip despite sanctions 10:22 Livni: China can play key role in defusing Iran nuclear dispute 10:12 Tamir, pressed to end teacher strike, to meet with union chief 08:08 Systematic mass murder of Jews detailed in huge Nazi archive 07:30 Ukraine to ask Israel: Recognize 1930s famine as state genocide 08:48 17-year-old boy found stabbed to death after Herzliya brawl 08:16 Mazuz: Katsav may have had consensual affair with accuser 04:30 Steep rise in child sexual assault complaints among Haredis 05:06 Pollution slashes almost a third of Israel's drinking water in 2005 Previous Editions Select Day 28 oct 26 oct 25 oct 24 oct 23 oct 22 oct 21 oct 19 oct 18 oct 17 oct 16 oct 15 oct

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