Exhibition "Jewish languages" in Vršac

In the framework of the perpetual project the Jewish community of Pančevo takes under the title "Deactivated Communities of Southern Banat", the exhibition " Jewish languages" was opened on the 22 of November in the Vršac City Library. On 22 panels, with many interesting illustrations, basic explanations of the languages of the Jewish people, starting with the Aramaic language, Biblical Hebrew, Judeo-Spanish (Ladino) and Yiddish, up to the modern Hebrew language, were presented. Visitors also had the opportunity to hear an educational lecture and watch a video presentation on the same topic. After completing the official program, the audience enjoyed tasting the Jewish cuisine and the sounds of Jewish music, performed by Nikola Salaćanin.

The JC of Pančevo thanks the Vršac City Library and Aleksandar Putink, a member of the JC of Pančevo who lives in Vrsac, without whose assistance this manifestation would not be so successfully realized.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZyaFdxkhiM

The exhibition and film "Jewish languages", by Barbara Panić, was first shown in 2016 during the European Day of Jewish Culture in Pančevo. The JC of Pančevo with its project "Deactivated Communities of the Southern Banat" aims to present all its activities in the cities of southern Banat. There existed important and prosperous Jewish communities before the Holocaust. Through that project, besides Vršac, the exhibition was shown this summer in Bela Crkva, too.

http://infobc.rs/izlozba-prezentacija-jezici-jevreja-u-gradskom-parku-video/

The jubilee, fifth conference of the Jews from the region, southeast and central Europe was held in Budva from 2-5 November. The organizer of this manifestation is the Jewish Community of Montenegro. A total of 16 countries participated. The guests were welcomed by Jaša Alfandari, President of the Jewish Community of Montenegro, H.E. Alona Fisher Kam, Ambassador of Israel to Serbia and non-resident Ambassador of Montenegro, Mikhail Chlenov, one of the directors of the Eurasian Jewish Congress, Yigal Tzachor, member of the Governing Board of the World Jewish Congress and Amnon Ben Ami, Executive Director of KKL-JNF.

The theme of this year's meeting of MAHAR was "Where the Jewish Diaspora is Going".
In this context, it was very interesting to hear the lecture "Jews in Montenegro", by the writer, historian and publicist Marko Popovic, who spoke about the history of Jews in Montenegro.
Special attention was drawn to the panel lecture and the exhibition "Eichmann and Miki Goldman" by Avner Avraham. The special surprise guest was Miki Goldman who attended the execution of the death sentence over Adolf Eichmann and was in charge of spilling his ashes into the sea beyond the territorial waters of Israel after the execution.
Four exhibitions were also shown: "Katharsis Sephardica", by Žana Bajić, "Jews in Split", by Ana Lebl, "Participation of Jews in the development of voluntary firefighters in Zemun", by Nenad Fogel and "Europe and the Jewish Diaspora", by Goran Levi and Edita Jankov.

In the musical and entertainment part of the program Israeli singer Ofri Eliaz participated, singing ladino songs in modern arrangements, and the Macedonian choir "Mois Hason" from Skopje, under the baton of the maestro Tomislav Šopov. The choir delighted everyone who attended the concert and also those who remained after the concert to enjoy the late evening hours with the member of "Mois Hason".
Although the program was interesting and quite dense, there was time to enjoy the beauty of the host city of Budva, and some conference participants were brave enough to dive and swim in the blue waters of the Adriatic.

300 years from the establishment of Bela Crkva

The whole year 2017 in Bela Crkva was marked by the significant jubilee, the 300th anniversary of the existence of this Banat town. The closing ceremony was held on October 15 when the bust of the founder of Bela Crkva, Count Mercy, have been unveiled in the City Park, followed by a special program and a solemn academy in the Gymnasium and Economic School hall. The program was attended by the representatives of the Jewish Community of Pančevo, the president David Montijas and his associates. The former Jewish Community of Bela Crkva was extinguished after the Holocaust because there was anymore no Jew in it. Later it was territorially incorporated in the Jewish Community of Pančevo, with the aim of maintaining the heritage of the Bela Crkva Jews. Thus, during the "Summer in the Park" manifestation, the exhibition "Languages ​​of the Jews", by the author Barbara Panić, was set first on the Summer Stage, and then at the Cultural Center.

Klaudius Florimond Mercy (1666 - 1734), the German, was Count, Field Marshal, General-Governor of the Imperial Province of Banat and later Governor of the Timisoara Banat. He participated in almost all important battles that were conducted in his time, in the conquest of fortresses along the Danube and on the part of the Austrian army in the liberation of Timisoara and Belgrade in the war against the Turks. In Banat, he carried out numerous reforms, of which the most important was the colonization. Thus, Bela Crkva and some smaller settlements were founded. He started and carried out the process of draining wetland Banat soil, forming arable land and vineyards and cultivating silkworms.

The program in the City Hall, among other participants, included the presentation of the senior curator of the Pančevo Museum Srđan Božović, the City Choir and the tenor Nikola David, a cantor and an assistant professor at the University of Esslingen, Germany, born in Bela Crkva and the member of the Jewish community.

In 2017 three books that describe the history of Bela Crkva were issued: "The pictures of the borough – Bela Crkva in the paintings" by Igor Vokoun, "Chronicle of the Bela Crkva from 1717-2017" by Živan Ištvanić and the monograph "Bela Crkva-three centuries" by Željko Komarica, Igor Vokoun, Ivana Ristić Hubert and Emanuel Veverica.

More info on http://www.juznibanat.rs/otkrivanjem-biste-osnivacu-svecanom-akademijom-bela-crkva-obelezila-tri-veka-postojanja/

Members of the Jewish Community of Pančevo were guests of the Jewish Community of Kikinda, 23 September, 2017.

The settlement of the Jews in Kikinda dates back to the end of the 18th century. Already in the year 1800, a Jewish religious community was established, which had a synagogue, a rabbi and a preacher. The largest number of Jews in Kikinda was recorded in the twenties of the last century, accounting for about 2% of the total population at that time. Although few, Jews have considerably built the history of the city, primarily as doctors, lawyers, industrialists, traders. Before the WWIIr their number was significantly lower, and in the Holocaust, like in other parts of Banat, more than 90% of the Jewish population of Kikinda were killed. Today, the Jewish community of Kikinda has about thirty members who actively participate in the cultural life of the city, and thus preserves the memory of the former Jewish inhabitants of Kikinda and nurtures the Jewish tradition.

One of the manifestations in which the Jewish Community of Kikinda regularly participates is the manifestation "Days of the Pumpkin", which has been held in Kikinda for more than three decades. This year the program with which the Jewish community was presented to its fellow citizens and numerous guests was the film "Kikinda: Traces of the Jewish Past", followed by an exhibition of photographs titled "Jewish community in Great Kikinda from the 18th century to the destruction of the Second World War". The program was realized in cooperation with the Historical Society of Kikinda. The film was screened at the Lane Theater Hall, and an exhibition was held in the Cultural Center of the city.

Having watched a superbly filmed movie and looking at an excellent exhibition, the hosts and guests were socializing at lunch in a local restaurant and visited numerous stands, all in the pumpkin sign, set in the city center.

This year the south Banat municipality of Bela Crkva celebrates three hundred years since it was established in 1917 by the count Mercy, the governor of Banat region in Austro-Hungarian monarchy. The first settlers were Germans, and in the mid-18th century the Serbs, a little later Romanians, then Hungarians and in a smaller number other nations.

The first tolerated Jewish family was mentioned even before 1750, and the family of Abraham Schlesinger was registered in 1753 as settled and inhabited. Despite numerous restrictions, the number of Jewish families has gradually grown. The Jewish Community was founded in 1830. The first synagogue was built in 1836, the second in 1856, and the third in 1898.

The Jews of Bela Crkva had the fate of all Banat Jews. In august 1941, they were arrested and deported to the Belgrade camps Topovske Šupe and Sajmište, from where only a few of them returned. After the revitalization project regarding the small Jewish communities in the 1990s, the Jewish Community of Bela Crkva was attached to the Jewish Community of Pančevo,which has the task to preserve and nurture the Jewish heritage of the former Jewish communities.

As part of the celebration of the significant jubilee of Bela Crkva, three hundred years after its foundation, on Avgust 19th the exhibition of the Jewish Community of Pančevo named "Languages of the Jews" was put up on the Summer Stage. Along with the exhibition a video film on the same topic of the author Barbara Panić, curator of the Jewish Historical Museum in Belgrade, was shown. The event was completed by musician Nikola Salaćanin, who presented the languages of the Jews through traditional Jewish songs in Hebrew, Ladino and Yiddish. After the presentation at the "Summer in the Park" event, the exhibition was transferred to the Cultural Center of Bela Crkva, where the visitors could see it the next ten days.

 Maccabiah Games in Zrenjanin, 24 Jun, 2017

Traditionally each last weekend of June, the Jewish community of Zrenjanin hosts the multi-sport event „MAKABIJADA“. This year it was the 16th Maccabiah games in a row, impeccably organized with a well-designed sports program. The weather was very hot, so many of us found refreshments at the nearby lake. We thank and congratulate all of the members of the Jewish community of Zrenjanin and Ms. Liljani Popov, the president of the JCZ, on successfully organized Maccabiah Games 2017.

In 1985, after re-establishing diplomatic relations between Yugoslavia and Israel, Dr. Andrija Preger, David Montijas (president of the Pančevo Jewish Community) and Ivan Weitzenfeld, the members of Yugoslav Jewish Community, participated at the 12th Maccabiah Games in Israel. The opening of this sport event see on https://www.youtube.com/

 Representatives of the Jewish Communities in Serbia visited HE Alone Fisher Kamm, 12 June, 2017

H.E. Alona Fisher Kamm, Israeli Ambassador to Serbia, hosted in her residency Mr. Robert Sabadoš, the president of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Serbia, and the presidents of the Jewish Communities of Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš, Subotica, Pančevo, Zrenjanin and Sombor. At this meeting, the Jewish Community of Pančevo represented Miroslava Kon Panić, vice- president. In a two-hour conversation, the Ambassador has been informed of plans and work related to the survival and development of our small Community. After that, the Ambassador spoke about her further engagements, primarily in the field of culture, and potentials that Israel can offer for the economic cooperation with Serbia.

Descendants of Franja Ofner visited Jewish Community of Pančevo, May 25, 2017

Jewish Community of Pančevo was pleased to welcome Joel Fisher and twelve members of his family, including a two-month old baby Jonathan. The guests came from Israel, and at the initiative of Dr. Čedomila Marinkovic, a longtime friend JC Pančevo, visited not only the city of their ancestors, but also the Jewish Community whose members were famous merchant family Ofner.
In fact, Joel's mother Klara, was a daughter of the famous Pančevo merchnat Franja Ofner and granddaughter of Joseph. They had the colonial store at the Starčevačka st. 2 (today Žarko Zrenjanin st.). Klara married John Fisher in 1932, the director of the first steam bakery "Soko" (later Soko Štark), and moved to Belgrade. They lived at Džordž Vašingon st., where they had survived German bombardment. Jovan was mobilized as an officer of the Kingdom of Yugoslavian army, and survived the war in a POW camp in Osnabruck. Klara and her children, son Peter (now Joel) and daughter Agnes, fled to their parents in Pančevo. From there they were later deported to Belgrade. They escaped detention to the Sajmište camp using false documents, moving to Budapest, on the 6 December 1941. In Hungary, they have spent the war. They were among the few survivors who returned to Pančevo. After the war they lived in Kasapinovićeva street, No. 11, at the factory of coffins. With the first Aliyah, in 1948, they moved to Israel.
Joel Fisher and his wife Ester have a daughter Vivit, who works in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel, twins Joab and Amir, and five grandchildren. All of them came to visit the city where Joel, their father and grandfather was born, to say Kaddish at the family Ofner monument at the Jewish cemetery of Pančevo, and to visit other places where their families lived and suffered persecution.

The first visit of the newly elected president of FJCS

Robert Sabadoš, the newly elected president of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Serbia, visited the Jewish Community of Pančevo on May, 18. In his speech to the members of the JCP, Sabadoš put emphasis on the future of the small Jewish communities in Serbia whose survival and development can not be sustained without strengthening a Jewish identity through the number of activities - religious, cultural, sports. The topics also were the Holocaust restitution law and the future Holocaust Museum at Sajmište old fairground.
The interest on subject presented by Robert Sabadoš found confirmation in numerous questions and comments by the audience.

first from left Robert Sabadoš 

Dragan Dolic won the prize at the 59th award competition of the FJCS

Awards ceremony of literary contest "Ženi Lebl" of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Serbia was held on Monday, December 21, 2015.The jury comprising of Filip David, writer, Dr. Milan Ristovic, professor of history, and Bogdan A. Popovic, literary critic, unanimously decided to award the following works: the first prize received Anna Maria Grunfelder for the work “Holocaust survivors: Displaced persons – repatriation in the former Yugoslavia since 1941”, the second prize shared two authors, Radivoje Davidovic for the work “Jewish reading room” and Biljana Albahari for the work “Overview of Jewish periodicals in Serbia”. Denis and Anita Pericic were awarded with the third prize under the title “Germanica – Ballad of the province”, as well as Aron Albahari for the work “Ancient Israel in documents of the neighboring peoples and countries" and Dragan Dolic, a member of the Jewish community in Pancevo, for the work “Quiet time”. The jury also recommended for purchase the work under the title “The position of Jews in the Ottoman Empire from 16th to 18th century” by Srdjan Veselinovic.

Jewish Community of Pancevo congratulates all of the awarded winners!

Jewish Community of Pancevo visiting Bela Crkva

The Jewish Community of Pancevo organized a multimedia evening in the City Museum of Bela Crkva, on December 14, 2015. The manifestation started by opening The Prominent Women of Jewish Origin exhibition, which had a goal to show successful women of Jewish origin known since Biblical times and recognized in various fields - science, literature, painting, ballet, chess, aerospace, fashion and cosmetics, politics, film ... In the crowded hall of the Museum, Rabbi Isak Asiel held a very interesting lecture titled Women and Judaism. In the nearly hour-long speech, in many instances, he emphasized equal treatment of women and men.

The evening was completed with traditional Jewish music performed by guitarist Nikola Salaćanin.

Check this video, starting at 9th min https://www.youtube.com/

European Day of Jewish Culture 2015

European Day of Jewish Culture took place in Pancevo on Wednesday, September 9th 2015. The main event was the exhibition "Bridges", aiming to show a good relation and friendship between Israel and Serbia, specially in hard time of Serbia in May 2014, when Serbia was hit by catastophic floods. The authors are David Montijas, the president of JC Pancevo as a creator, Miroslava Kon Panic, coordinator for cultural events who was in charge of setting of exhibition and Darko Derikrava, young  volunteer as a designer. The exhibition was held in the premises of JC of Pancevo and lasted to the end of September. Opening the exhibition, the young member Miss Lidija Blagojevic addressed the visitors, introducing them with the manifestation " European Day of Jewish Culture " and pointing out the importance of building the bridges of friendships among people.

The exhibition consisted of twenty panels covering three main topics:       

Help of the State of Israel, Israeli voluntary organizations and the Embassy of Israel in Serbia during the floods in Serbia, 2014

Israeli investments in Pancevo

Cooperation and good relations of JC Pancevo with other ethnic communities (in Pancevo there live more than 20 different nations)

After the opening of exhibition, in front of the JC Pancevo premises it was held a concert of Jewish traditional music under the open sky. For the purpose of the concert the street was closed for traffic. All visitors were offered to try some Jewish food specialties, made by Women's League of the Community.  At the same time interested visitors could buy very valuable books from the field of art Judaica.

After the concert, in a pleasant and friendly atmosphere it was served a dinner for guests from other Jewish communities from Belgrade, Zemun, Vrsac, Zrenjanin, friends, representatives of city government, other ethnic organizations and institutions, etc.

The summer Hebrew course

In the Jewish Community of Pančevo Professor Dušica Stojanović held the quick Hebrew course from June 30, 2015 to July 9, 2015. The course was attended by ten students, Jews and non-Jews. In a good atmosphere of socializing, on the basis of eight two-hour thematic lessons, they learned how to manage different situations when arriving to Israel. Owing to professor Dušica’s dedication and enthusiasm, students showed the highest level of interest and achieved considerable knowledge of alef-bet, and basic vocabulary.

Jewish Community of Pančevo in Vršac

The Jewish Community of Pančevo presented this year's program of European Day of Jewish Culture in Banat place Vrsac. The event took place in The Cultural Centre on December 1st and was very well attended. After the lecture of rabbi Isak Asiel on women in Judaism, the exhibition titled "Prominent Women of Jewish Origin" was opened. Besides main program, the artist Nikola Salacanin played Jewish traditional music. The visitors also were offered some traditional Jewish food and the publication "The Smells of Jewish cuisine", prepared by the Women League of the Community.