World roundup: from Spike Lee to Jewish banker bashing

We bring you the latest in Jewish news from around the world – dated 8 July

United States

Film director Spike Lee has helped make a nine-year Jewish boy’s birthday a memorable one by shooting a film with him. Dylan Freidman from New York worked with the iconic producer on a short film called ‘Dylan’s Wish,’ which follows the youngster around Brooklyn.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Students and young professionals met in Sarajevo for the fourth annual Muslim Jewish Conference (MJC), with delegates from countries including the UK and Israel. Ilja Sichrovsky, MJC founder, praised ‘outstanding applications’ from Muslims and Jews with important perspectives to share.

Panama

B’nai B’rith International, a Jewish human rights organisation, has condemned the increasing use of anti-Semitic rhetoric in Panama after the Central American country’s governor insulted a Jewish journalist and a top newspaper published evoked Holocaust imagery and Jewish stereotypes.

Greece

A top priest has appeared on a popular Greek TV show and blamed world Jewry for Greece’s financial problems. The Metropolite of Piraeus Seraphim said freemasons, Jewish bankers like Baron Rothschild and world Zionism were conspiring to enslave Greece and Christian Orthodoxy.

Jamaica

A Jewish Jamaican man who died protecting his girlfriend during the botched robbery of a kosher liquor store in New York is to have a road named after him. Yoseph Robinson was shot in the chest in 2010 after wrestling the robber, who was trying to steal his girlfriend’s jewellery.

Poland

The 23^rd Jewish Culture Festival was being held in Krakow this week. It featured an audacious audiovisual project, transposing Jerusalem life onto the historic Polish city and a voice installation combining people singing in Jewish, Muslim and Christian prayers within the medieval walls.