Concern over plan to burn Torah in Sweden

Rabbinical Association of Australia (RAA) president Rabbi Yaakov Glasman wrote to Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Monday asking the government to express its concerns to Sweden regarding the recent planned public burning of a Torah in Stockholm.

Activist Ahmad Alush received permission from Swedish authorities to burn a Torah and a Bible outside the Israeli embassy last Saturday to protest the prior burning of a Koran, before revealing he never intended to go through with the act.

“We were heartened by the international condemnation of the recent burning of the Koran, recognising that such acts are appalling and go against the principles of respect and harmony,” Rabbi Glasman said.

“It is therefore with great sadness that we learned about the planned burning of the Torah and Bible. Although this event was cancelled, we remain concerned that it may be planned again.

“As people of faith we firmly believe that two wrongs do not make a right. Burning any religious texts is a blatant disregard for the sacredness and significance it holds for millions of people worldwide.”

Calling the burning of any religious text “an abomination, an act of hatred, malice and intimidation”, Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Peter Wertheim took aim at the Swedish authorities for giving their permission.

“Their craven, shameful decision evokes historical memories of the burning of Jewish books during pogroms, expulsions, inquisitions and the Holocaust,” he said.

Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council executive director Colin Rubenstein said it was “very concerning” that the Swedish authorities approved the planned act.

“Freedom of speech is an important, democratic right, but acts or speech that incite hatred or violence, such as the burning of holy books, go beyond the limits of acceptable free speech and should be prohibited and strongly condemned,” he said.

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