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Finland commemorates 100 years of Synagogue

Updated: 08/Sep/2006 16:55

The synagogue of Helsinki

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HELSINKI (EJP)--- The Helsinki synagogue last week celebrated its 100th anniversary, with guests from the Finnish government, foreign dignitaries and leaders of the Nordic country’s Lutheran and Orthodox churches in attendance.

The Synagogue, which is the main sanctuary for the capital city’s 1,200 strong Jewish community also hosted Israel’s Tourism Minister Isaac Herzog and members of the local Muslim community.

Tolerant atmosphere

Gideon Bolotovsky, the Jewish community spokesman, claimed that such a wide ranging guest list showed how well the Jewish community was thought of in Finland.

"This proves that dialogue between different religions works on a very practical level in this country," Bolotovsky told Finnish YLE radio news, stressing the tolerant religious atmosphere in Finland.

Finnish parliament speaker Paavo Lipponen, along with President Tarja Halonon, stressed the place of the small Jewish community in the small Nordic country. "We feel natural sympathy for the Israeli people. You could say that... Jewry in Finland is enjoying special protection,” Lipponen said during his speech at the commemoration.

Finnish Jewish History

The majority of the small Finnish Jewish community – around 1,000 people- came to the country as a result of Jewish conscripts in the Czarist army in the early part of the 19th century being allowed to remain in Finland upon their discharge.

These Jews had strict regulations placed upon them by the Russian occupation, which curtailed their movement and activities. In 1917, upon Finnish independence, the newly inaugurated Finnish Parliament approved an Act concerning "Mosaic Confessors," and on 12 January 1918 the Act was promulgated.

Under the Act, Jews could for the first time become Finnish nationals, and Jews not possessing Finnish nationality were henceforth in all respects to be treated as foreigners in general.

During the Second World War, despite strong German pressure the Finnish government never acquiesced to take legal action against the Jews.

The Finnish Jewish community prides itself on its warmth and vitality. According to the Jewish community website: “Although we are one of the northernmost and smallest Jewish communities in the world, we have a very active community life and a warm heart!”