Sweden will host Eurovision in Malmö amid a rise in anti-Semitic incidents, raising concerns for the safety of the small local Jewish community.Israel's Eden Golan highlights tensions and faces mixed reactions with performance
I spent a Yom Hashoah week in Germany and Austria listening to the voices of Jewish members in Berlin. They attended an official Yom Hashoah, reading out the names of more than 56,000 Berlin Jews killed by the Nazis, one by one, as police watched outside the community's headquarters. Led by the Austrian Prime Minister. There were solemn press conferences with intelligence officials grappling with the myriad threats posed by multiple terrorist organizations, discussions with top diplomats about the war in Gaza, and glimmers of hope that the Abraham Accords would be revived “the next day.”
As if on cue, as pro-Hamas campus incursions from his hometown of Colombia to the University of California, Los Angeles, began to recede, they sprang into action across Europe, from Amsterdam to Vienna.
Anti-Semitic incidents have increased by triple digits in the United States, and the recently released Swedish National Crime Prevention Council details more than 100 anti-Semitic hate crimes that occurred between October 7 and the end of 2023. You may have missed the BRA report. In 2022, that number will increase five times.
It's certainly troubling, but why should we focus on Sweden?
Two words: Eurovision and Malmö.
The annual Eurovision Song Contest will be held this weekend in Sweden's third largest city, Malmö. Israel, which is in dire straits, will be represented.
Eden Golan's appearance on behalf of Israel at the jury rehearsal for the second semi-final, which is currently being held at the Malmö Arena, was met with some disapproval, but also applause.
Golan performs his entry song “Hurricane” for the first time in front of the audience! Some in the stands strongly opposed Israel's participation and advocated freedom for Palestine. Police inside Marmarina immediately intervened and detained these people. But apart from disapproval, there was also a lot of applause for Eden and her perfect looks.
In the subsequent recap, there was no shot of Eden Golan in the dressing room. She probably left for safety reasons.
Malmö's small Jewish community is deeply concerned about the direct impact of the rapidly increasing anti-Israel/pro-Hamas protests.
Already in November, pro-Hamas demonstrators burned an Israeli flag outside the city's only synagogue. The Jerusalem Post reported that Jewish residents were already nervous, seeing anti-Semitic and anti-Israel stickers everywhere.
The problem of anti-Semitism is something that I and every Jew or Israeli living in this area know about. When you go out into the street…you see shop windows in Malmö saying that Israel is committing war crimes, and this is terrible.
“The problem of anti-Semitism is something that I and all Jews and Israelis who live in this area know about,” said one Jewish resident. “When you go out into the street…you see shop windows in Malmö saying that Israel is committing war crimes, and this is terrible.”
“It's been completely demonized and it's horrible. None of us, except the local rabbi, can walk down the street with a Jewish symbol. I won't fly the flag because I'm sure it won't be a day before someone hits me with a rock thrown from a window.”
Some Jews removed the mezuzah from the outer gateposts. Speaking Hebrew in public is out of the question, and people are rarely seen wearing a kippah in public.
Security concerns in Malmö ahead of Eurovision are so serious that Israel has issued travel advisories and there is even an app to alert Israelis if trouble occurs.
Overreaction? It's unlikely.
In fact, this is not the first time a travel advisory has been issued for Malmö. Back in 2010, I traveled to Malmö with my colleague Dr. Simon Samuels. This came after the community's rabbi admitted to us that he alone had been subjected to hundreds of anti-Semitic taunts and harassment, and that the authorities had done nothing. After meeting with the city's mayor, chief prosecutor, and law enforcement chiefs, we found that Sweden's third-largest city is unwilling to protect its Jewish citizens and that those in responsible positions are unwilling to change the status quo. It became clear.
As a result, the Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) issued a travel advisory for Malmö about 14 years ago. I announced that the ban would be lifted on the day of the first indictment and conviction for anti-Semitic acts. That day, the sun had not yet risen in the city of Malmö.
Sweden's new central government is making new efforts to combat anti-Semitism. However, given that a large part of the local population has been radicalized, a process accelerated by pro-Hamas supporters since October 7, these measures will have no impact on this weekend's protests. There is a possibility that it will not be affected.
Eurovision has traditionally been an annual event where hope and love replace hate and intolerance for a few days, when the power of music supersedes political differences. We can all hope for the best. But Sweden is taking no chances. They have flooded Malmö with thousands of police to deal with anti-Israel protesters and ensure public safety.
14 years ago, we implored authorities to tackle anti-Semitism. They would not listen to our warning that it often begins and never ends with the Jews.
This year's Eurovision will proceed under a thick cloud of hatred for Po-Hamas. We are proud that the talented and courageous Eden Golan will represent our people with grace and dignity. We wish her every success.
But by the next morning, the SWC's travel ban was still in place, and fears about the future of Swedish Jews would continue to grow.
As for Malmö, city leaders must finally address anti-Semitism and treat Jewish citizens equally. Otherwise, Malmö should never be honored at future international brand events.
