SOCIETY / BUSINESS

Helena-Reet Ennet: the Finnish, Estonian and Scandinavian Jewish community is growing!

May 17, 2017

NordenBladet – „The Finnish and Estonian Jewish community is very small on the large scale, yet it is growing. It is a great pleasure to admit that today more and more local jews are attending cultural events,” says founder of the Northern countries binding sizeable portals NordenBladet and OHMYGOSSIP editions, Israel´s media ambassador in Scandinavia Mrs Helena-Reet Ennet.

„For over ten years now I have witnessed the profound and cordial commitment of the leader and advocate of Estonian Jewish Community, Estonian Chief Rabbi Mr Šmuel Efraim Kot. He has attained perfect fluency in both Russian and Estonian, and entrusted to his care and governance the local Jewish community is blossoming again. Rabbi Kot has accomplished a lot. And although the Jewish community here is mainly Russian-speaking, he has managed to bridge the gaps within the Jewish community in Estonia and has been joining together all Jews dwelling in Estonia – the Estonian, Russian, English and Hebrew-speaking Jewish citizens and believers. It is splendid to admit that the Jewish red letter days’ celebrations and cultural events are attended by more and more people from the local Jewish community.”

„Similarly, the trends with regard to viability of other Scandinavian Jewish communities have shown obvious increase. The Israeli Embassy in Finland holds regular informative receptions for high officers and individuals connecting the community of Jews and developing or advocating the Jewish culture. The present Israeli ambassador in Estonia and Finland, Mr Dov Segev-Steinberg has within the brief period in office managed to enliven and captivate nearly the entire Scandinavian media, and via his refined, immensely elegant media events has drawn attention to important issues related to the Nordic Jewish community. There is active participation in the Jewish community program events on the side of Honorary Consul Mr Fredrik Ekholm, director of the Finland-Israel Trade Association Mr Esa Virtanen and Mr Deiv Salutskij as well as lately returning from Finland to Israel, the deputy head of a diplomatic mission, Mrs Arezoo Herzel. Likewise, the notable VOIS (Voice of Israel in Scandinavia) managers Mrs Mila Kadosh and Mr Felix Noibar stand out with seldom missing a Jewish community event. The list of active members and Israel friends is long!”

„Also, an efficacious promoter and supporting pillar for the Jewish community and Israeli program is the Israeli Government Tourism Office in Sweden, an acknowledged delegate in all major Nordic fairs, always staying in touch with the mainstream media and Northern cream of the crop bloggers.”

Estonian Chief Rabbi Mr Šmuel Efraim Kot