Abrabanel: Musings on the Jewish condition

Canadian politics continue to produce silly Jewish stories. According to CTV.ca, some Canadians are distraught at receiving Rosh Hashanah cards from the Conservative Party.

While the Conservatives have said most Jews don’t mind getting the cards, Montreal native Sonia Zylberberg said she was “stunned” when she received one in the mail.

“I looked at it, and then I was offended and I sort of wanted to throw it out,” she told CTV Montreal’s Rob Lurie on Wednesday, adding she isn’t sure how Harper knows she’s Jewish.

It turns out the party doesn’t know she’s Jewish. They’re guessing.

While Karla Kaminsky, who lives in Montreal, wasn’t offended by the Rosh Hashanah card she recently got in the mail, she was a little surprised — after all, she’s not even Jewish.

“My reaction when I first got this was, ‘He’s a little late for New Years,’ and then when I realized he meant Jewish New Year, I though[t,] ‘Oh, he thinks I’m Jewish.”

Lord, may we all have the problems of these worried Canadians.

Norway’s Aftenposten reports on yesterday’s opening of a new Jewish museum in Oslo. We don’t usually focus on such minute gestures, but this one includes (in the photo at left) one of our favorite people, rabbi and MK and former Dane Michael Melchior.

It’s worth noting that the government treated the opening as an important event. The crown prince presided, with the ministers of defense and culture in attendance. A clue to the reason comes in this telling quote:

“In other countries, Jewish culture is a natural part of the country’s culture,” said the new museum’s leader Sidsel Levin. “That hasn’t been the case in Norway.” …

The museum’s debut exhibit describes how Norwegian Jews have influenced both cultural life in Norway and the struggle against German occupation during World War II.

Little bit of guilt there, IMHO.