At times, we receive support from unlikely places and people. Perhaps this is one of those cases – with the Kalever Rebbe Shlita coming out in defense of Sweden, announcing in a Kikar Shabbos interview that the Swedes are not anti-Semites, crediting them with saving the Rebbe Shlita from the Nazi death machine.
The Rebbe, who spoke in Hebrew, English and a touch of Yiddish reports that his rebbitzin arrived in Sweden from Auschwitz, and he followed, adding thousands did the same. “The love for us that was exhibited is indescribable” he states in his description of the reception they received after escaping death. The level of care exhibited the Rebbe believes is almost “not found anywhere in the world”.
The Rebbe and his rebbitzin were there for a long time and the rebbitzin ran a soup kitchen for 1,000 people the Rebbe explains.
“I heard what is taking place now in Sweden, I did not believe it”. The Rebbe stressed over and over again the treatment and care for the Jews in Sweden. He lamented that the love was so overwhelming, that some females who survived began going with Swedish males. “When I saw this, I screamed, telling them ‘Do you know what your parents cried as they entered the gas chambers, that you should remain Jews’ and many left everything and came to Israel”.
The Rebbe believes the current incident was provoked “by foreigners from inside”, stating without any doubt “this was not the Swedes”. The Rebbe believes Nazis and anti-Semites who may have moved to Sweden after the war are at the root of the media reports painting Israel as killing people to steal their organs.
Citing this week’s parsha and the psukim regarding Amalek, the Rebbe quoted Targum Yonoson, who points out Amalek comes at night, with our enemies all uniting against us, and we must therefore learn the lesson, to unite, to end the internal strife and differences, and to turn to HaKadosh Baruch Hu to redeem us, to protect us, and to watch over us, no one else, only our Father in Heaven.
The Rebbe has dedicated his post-war life to achdus, unifying the ranks of Am Yisrael, to end internal strife and to bring back a basic awareness of yiddishkeit to the many lost souls in Eretz Yisrael. The Rebbe often laments that while in WWII many many lives were lost, in Israel; many souls are lost, with over a million children unable to recite Shema.
He uses this incident with Sweden to remind Am Yisrael once again that the only answer is belief in Hashem and achdus!
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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8 Responses
Unfortunately, the climate in Europe has changed much since 60 years ago. True, the Swedes were kind – and so were the Danes. Now, Denmark is perhaps the most anti-Semitic and anti-Israel country in Europe. Germany, on the other hand (accurately) described itself recently as “Israel’s best friend in the world, after the USA”.
That’s not to say that hakaras hatov should end. Only that this generation has clearly gone in a different (read Islamic) direction.
It is a fact that the
scandanavian countries–Denmark, Sweden–were unique in saving Jews and letting them come in, while the U.S., England, and Canada refused to open their doors.
The great mashgiach, Rav Shlomo Wolbe, ZT”L, was also in Sweden during the war, and he saved many young Jewish girls there, first from the Nazis, then from the Swedish Reform “Rabbi,” Dr. Ehrenpreis, who wanted to turn them into assimilated Goyim.
The derosha is very nice, but, with all due respect to the Rebbe, it’s quite obvious that the situation — 65 years later – has changed.
There is no question that the Kalever Rebbe Shlita is right when he states that this incident was provoked by foreigners inside of Sweden. The Swedes have been generally very warm and open to the Jewish people over hundreds of years. The open hospitality that the Swedes gave to the Holocaust survivors who came there after WW2 was unmatched in Europe. The Muslims have become strong voices all over Europe and are using their new voice to provoke anti-semitic backlash attacks all over.
Why is the Foreign Minister refusing even to condemn those comments? Is he considered a foreigner?
Their was 1 Swede who saved Yidden (lots of them) but he did it without approval of his goverment. The Danes on the other hand smuggeled out 72% of the Yiddin to Sweden at night using small boats not only evading the Nazis Yimach Sh’mum V’zichrum, but also to evade the Swedes. In Holland the Unions (to help the Yiddin) called a strike batteled & drove the Nazis away from Amsterdam for a few weeks. Today these countries are from the worst & most rabid anti-Semitic, although the Danes are “not” the worst. You are right about Germany (western Germany only) being much more friendly, but they come in 3rd, 1st is the Chech republic, 2nd oddly enough is Poland, and that is only in regards to Europe, also lets remember that the Romans were our best friends before they were invited to partake in the war between Aristoblus & Horkenus, & then they slaughtered millions of K’doishim. It can happen here too! Yidden, En Lonu Al Mi L’hishoein Elo Al Ovinu Shebashomayim
I am surprised that why are some blaming only foreigners. The Foreign Minister has refused to condemn those baseless allegations. Is he considered a foreigner?
I’m very surprised.
It is not the nations that hurt us. Not Germany, not Spain, not the Kozzacks, not the Crusaders. It is HKB”H who instills these nations with a hatered towards us. Therefore, HKB”H is not limited to utilizing only the nations that were hostile 65 years ago. He can use any nation He wants.
The only thing we can do is improve our Kovod Habrios towards the Nations, so that HKB”H should never punish us by instilling Sinnah in the Nations towards us.