University says sorry for ‘Hitler Superhero’ poster

From ‘ignorant students’ to a mutiny at a Jewish school, we round up the latest in Jewish news from around the world – dated 15 July 2013.

France

Reports that Jewish students ‘mutinied’ after being designated female supervisors were being denied this week by teachers at a school near Paris. Jforum, a French-Jewish news site, said 50 Mercaz HaTorah students refused to take tests after being assigned female watchers.

Switzerland

Holocaust survivors and victims’ heirs have received $1.24 billion from a Swiss fund set up after a scandal over dormant accounts of Jews killed in WWII. Swiss banks are accused of keeping money owned by Jews who hid funds in secret Swiss accounts but who then perished in the Holocaust.

Portugal

A new $1.5 million learning centre is this week due to be opened in a Portuguese town once heavily populated with Jews. The centre, in Trancoso, is being aimed at the area’s ‘anusim’ (descendants of Jews forcibly converted during the Inquisition) and is part of a wider repatriation drive.

Czech Republic

A Prague railway station from which tens of thousands of Jews were sent to ghettos and death camps between 1941 and 1945 is to become a memorial for those who died. It follows years of campaigning from Czech Jews and Holocaust survivors. The Prague-Bubny station memorial will open in four years.

United States

A respected New York rabbi has been arrested for impersonating a police officer after allegedly pulling people over and raging at them. Lawyers for Rabbi Alfredo Borodowski, who reportedly flashed a fake badge, described their client’s behaviour as ‘manic’ and said he suffered from bipolar disorder.

Thailand

A top Thai university has apologised for a poster showing Hitler alongside Superman, Batman and other superheroes. After complaints from the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, ChulalongkornUniversity said it was painted by ‘ignorant students’ who didn’t realise Hitler’s image would offend anyone.