BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

Thursday, January 26 2006

Belarus City Faces Anti-Semitic Newspaper Rant

MOGILEV, Belarus - The city of Mogilev has experienced an anti-Semitic upset, as two local newspapers - "Vecherniy Mogilev" and "Mogilevskiye Vedomosti" - have published spiteful and offensive articles calling on citizens to boycott the production of 'Bluminskiy' kosher bread, which is manufactured by the city's Thrid Bakery since October 2005.

The articles feature letters by local residents, who blame the bakery for "turning all of Mogilev into a Jewish community" and summon them to cease producing kosher bread. The author of this letter assured readers that it is "well known that koshering may require using blood from sacrificial animals". Other journalists participating in this campaign brought their "evidence" to prove that the production of kosher bread must be stopped. Although the publications also feature some positive opinions by an Orthodox priest and bakery workers, they go largely unnoticed among the general anti-Semitic views expressed in this series of articles.

None of the newspapers involved asked the local Jewish community or a rabbi for an explanation. Those Jews, who sent their written reactions to these horrendous publications, are convinced that their letters will never be published, which would prove that somebody is interested in promoting an anti-Semitic mood in Mogilev.

This latest incident is quite shocking considering that kosher bread production has been established and successfully operates in other cities of Belarus, including Bobruisk, Gomel and other locations. It is consumed by both Jews and Non- Jews, who exercise their own free choice when making their purchase.

Source:

http://www.fjc.ru/news/newsArticle.asp?AID=353593

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