Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., November 30, 2007 Kislev 20, 5768 | | Israel Time: 20:15 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 07:57 30/11/2007 Romanian Jewish groups, anti-Semites reportedly join forces By Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Romania, Jewish, cemetery  Activists from Romanian fringe ultra-Orthodox groups have joined forces with local anti-Semites in a bid to take over Jewish graveyards in Romania, the leadership of the country's Jewish community told Haaretz. According to the Jewish leaders, ultra-Orthodox groups such as the anti-Zionist Satmar sect are cooperating with Romanian legislator Corneliu Vadim Tudor to make financial gains from ownership of the country's 804 Jewish cemeteries. According to a government decree from 2002, the cemeteries' guardian and owner is the federation of Romanian Jews. The federation says many graveyards have large areas that have never seen Jewish bodies. These areas, the federation explains, are comprised of prepaid plots that have never been used Advertisement Moreover, 700 of the cemeteries are in towns which no longer have Jewish populations, and so the unused land could be sold. The first alleged signs of the "takeover" came in 2004, according to the Jewish community's leaders. That's when the New York-based ultra-Orthodox businessman David Kahan started publishing ads in local papers in which he accused the heads of the Jewish community of bartering land that belonged to cemeteries. The leaders of Romania's Jewish community deny these allegations. "Every time we touched any part of a cemetery, we did so after consulting with prominent rabbis from Israel, like Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu," says Romania's chief rabbi and former MK Menachem Cohen. "All the works in cemeteries were carried out under strict supervision by teams of ultra-Orthodox rabbis from Israel." Cohen conceded there had been land sales of former cemetery territory, but added all the profits went to a dedicative collective fund for payment for maintenance services around gravesites. Cohen said the funds also went to renovating synagogues and paying for medical services for elderly Jews. Kahan, who called these transactions shady, did so as the head of "the Union of Romanian-American Jews" ¬ an organization registered under his name that was formed in 1998. The heads of the local Jewish community say this association is a one-man show and a front that Kahan allegedly used to promote his businesses. Local leaders in the Romanian Jewish community point to two other organizations registered to Kahan's name in the U.S. Both the organizations ¬ called "the Federation of Orthodox Jewish-Romanian communities" and "the Rabbinical Council of Orthodox Jewish-Romanian communities" ¬ are a sham, they say. In parallel, Kahan is said to be engaged in efforts to pass new legislation on Jewish cemeteries. The leaders of the Jewish community accuse him of siding with Tudor, leader of the Greater Romania Party, who is known for his strongly nationalist and anti-Semitic views and Holocaust denial. In 2004, Tudor denounced certain earlier statements he had made as inappropriately anti-Semitic and acknowledged that the Holocaust had occurred. Tudor supported a bill to end the Jewish community's control over cemeteries. The bill's first reading passed, but it was eventually voted down. Recently, the daily newspaper Maariv ran an article that said the heads of Romania's Jewish community were dealing in land that belonged to the cemeteries and that they were entrusted to keep. Aurel Weiner, president of Romania's Jewish Federation, says the article was untrue and constituted a part of Kahan's efforts to influence public opinion. Kahan, for his part, says the Jewish Federation is attempting to vilify him because they are trying to preserve their hold on the cemeteries. "The Romanian government has abandoned its duties in that field, and the Jewish organizations are unable to take care of the gravesites," he told Haaretz. "The Jewish Federation has taken the cemeteries and turned them into a profitable racket," he says. Kahan confirmed to Haaretz that the Satmar sect is involved in efforts to change the current legislation on cemeteries. "They hail from Romania and, unlike the large Jewish organizations, they really care about the graveyards and about their ancestors who are buried there." Related articles: Polish mayor, rabbi join efforts to clean up Jewish cemetery The truth about the Satmar 'victory' Romania commemorates victims during national Holocaust day More Jewish World news and features Bookmark to del.icio.us Do Jews have a say? How much influence should Diaspora Jews have over Israel's decision? Nixon's nuke concern Former U.S. president feared Israeli nukes would spark an arms race.   1.   Is Olmert Behind This Too ? 08:52  |  S.Addlee 30/11/07   2.   Not thr first time 12:30  |  Bandar Michaels 30/11/07   3.   Satmar and the Body Snatchers 12:52  |  eddie 30/11/07   4.   Lets be completely honest about this 15:09  |  Paul Wood 30/11/07   5.   Necrophelia - Move on 17:11  |  Moving baby! 30/11/07   6.   SOME CORRECTIONS 17:55  |  David 30/11/07   7.   Bandar Michaels, my God, you truly are pathetic 19:55  |  Jake 30/11/07

Today Online Abbas: Now is the moment of truth for Palestinian statehood Responses: 183 Washington: No place yet for Syria in the peace process Responses: 63 Editorial: If Israel wants to avoid its apartheid epithet, it must halt expansion Responses: 125 High Court orders state to delay power cuts to Gaza Responses: 46 Haaretz.com TV: Gazans using Viagra to alleviate distress Responses: 30 Esther Solomon: Falling for falsehood of Holocaust e-mail Responses: 13 Rosner's Domain All these smartest men (and Condi too) Poll: So, was the Annapolis meeting a success? "The world was shocked" (WTR) Guest: Final status agreement within a year unrealistic More Headlines 19:49 Israel doesn't want UN to adopt Annapolis decisions 19:56 High Court orders state to delay planned power cuts to Gaza 19:33 IDF soldier dies of injuries sustained while checking tank 20:10 Millions of names thought vanished added to Holocaust museum records 18:36 Prisons Service: No more space to absorb Sudanese refugees 10:42 Washington: There is no place yet for Syria in peace process 18:46 Barak: I'll quit coalition once I know Labor will win elections 17:41 IDF catches two Palestinian teens with bombs at West Bank checkpoint 12:34 Year after cancelled gig, Depeche Mode member makes it to Israel 18:00 Cruise wins award following portrayal of would-be Hitler assassin Previous Editions Select Day 29 nov 28 nov 27 nov 26 nov 25 nov 23 nov 22 nov 21 nov 20 nov 19 nov 18 nov 16 nov

Special Offers Advertisement Invest in Macedonia New Business Heaven in Europe Long-term Israel programs MASA is your gateway. More programs. More grants. JOIN FREE AT JDATE.COM The most popular online Jewish dating community in the world! Explore the possibilities! Click Here! Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Dead Sea Salt Beauty and skin care from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 10% off! Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt. Holiday Inn and Crown Plaza Israel Lowest internet rate Guaranteed at ichotelsgroup.com !

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved