Latest Parisian trend: Israeli men
Israeli men have arrived. The prestigious French fashion magazine Stiletto announced that it intends to publish a special edition devoted to the “Israeli man” to mark its 60th anniversary.
The magazine’s editor in chief, Laurence Benaïm, contacted Anita Mazor, Israel’s cultural attaché at the Israeli embassy in Paris, and asked for her help in producing the special publication. The edition will be edited by journalist and author Clemence Bullock. The special edition will also focus on social and current affairs, alongside the traditional topics of fashion and design.
“I think Europe is beginning to discover a different Israeli, and that Israeli film has contributed to this significantly. Behind the rugged and rough image of Israeli men is a creative man who takes an interest in wine and who has something to say about culture and literature is coming through.” — ynetnews.com
Oxford society invites David Irving
Holocaust denier David Irving has been invited to speak to the Oxford University debating society.
The invitation from the famous Oxford Union angered some student groups and activists. British National Party chairman Nick Griffin and Belarussian dictator Alexander Lukoshenko also were invited to speak. “It will be a disgrace if these discredited speakers are allowed a platform at a forum on free speech,” said Oxford Jewish Society co-presidents Daniel Bloch and Steven Altmann-Richer.
However, Oxford Union President Luke Tryl said, “Although I do think these people have awful and abhorrent views, I do think Oxford students are intelligent enough to challenge and ridicule them.” — jta
Poland honors Righteous Gentiles
Poland for the first time officially honored its citizens who aided Jews during the Holocaust.
Polish President Lech Kaczynski paid tribute Oct. 10 to 50 Catholic Poles at a ceremony attended by some 1,800 people at the National Opera in Warsaw. Most of the honored are recognized by the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem as Righteous Among the Nations, non-Jews who risked their lives to help save Jews from the Nazis. “You have proven to us that it is within each of us to fight evil,” said Yad Vashem Chairman Avner Shalev. “The Jewish people will forever remember you and the lessons you have taught us.” — jta
Controversial soccer player to stay on
A German soccer player of Iranian descent who refused to travel to Israel for a soccer match will continue to play for the German national team.
Ashkan Dejagah, who was born in Iran but moved to Germany as a child, refused to travel to Tel Aviv last week, prompting a political debate in Germany and protests by Jewish community leaders.
German soccer federation (DFB) officials met with Dejagah on Tuesday, Oct. 16 and said he would still be allowed to play for Germany. “He clearly stated that his request not to be nominated for the game in Israel had no racist or anti-Semitic background,” said DFB president Theo Zwanziger.— ap
Briton who saved Jews honored
A Briton who helped hundreds of Jewish children avoid being sent to their deaths in Nazi concentration camps from Czechoslovakia shortly before World War II received the country’s highest military decoration on Oct. 9.
Sir Nicholas Winton, 98, was awarded the Cross of Merit of the 1st class by Defense Minister Vlasta Parkanova for saving 669 Czechoslovak children by organizing train transport from Prague to London at the outbreak of the war in 1939.
“I am completely overwhelmed that should happen to me for something I did before most of you were born,” Winton said during a ceremony at the defense ministry. — ap
Neo-Nazis in Serbia get prison time
A Serbian court sentenced three neo-Nazis to up to 25 days in prison for attacking an anti-fascist rally in Novi Sad. The three men were among 60 members of the pro-fascist National Front arrested Oct. 6 during a demonstration by some 5,000 people. The National Front had planned a rally for the same day, but its demonstration was banned by local authorities following an outcry from Jewish and anti-racism groups. — jta
CopyrightJ, the Jewish news weekly of Northern California