All over the world, Jews celebrate Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Armed police stand outside the two synagogues in Norway. – We’ve got a generation of young people who don’t remember anything other than that the police are present at activities and events, says leader of the Jewish community in Trondheim, John Arne Moen. On Tuesday, PST raised the threat level in Norway to high. It is primarily the threat to Jewish and Israeli targets that is even more acute. Friday evening begins the Yom Kippur celebration in the synagogue in Oslo. Photo: Tommy Iversen / news – Many feel put off – It is clear that it increases the nervousness of some of us, says John Arne Moen. – We are only about 1,500 Jews in Norway. You don’t have a critical mass to hide in, so many people probably feel exposed. He says they have a daily dialogue with the police and PST. There is a heavy police presence at the organization’s events and activities. Threat level 5. Critical terrorist threat PST considers that a terrorist attack will soon be carried out or a terrorist attack has been carried out and several attacks may occur. 4. High terrorist threat PST considers that one or more persons have concrete and realistic plans, and are taking concrete steps to carry out terrorist attacks and/or that several circumstances increase the terrorist threat. 3. Moderate terrorist threat PST assesses that one or more persons have an intention to carry out a terrorist attack, but without having taken concrete steps or have realistic plans and/or that certain circumstances increase the terrorist threat. 2. Low terrorist threat PST considers that there are few people who have a desire to carry out terrorist attacks and/or that few conditions increase the terrorist threat. 1. No terrorist threat PST considers that no person has a desire to carry out a terrorist attack and there are no conditions that contribute to a terrorist threat. Source: www.pst.no – That’s mostly what we can do and it’s the only thing the authorities can do. In that sense, we feel the situation is under control. Moen says the Jewish community has lived with threats for many years. – It fluctuates back and forth in intensity, but I think we can say that in the last 20-25 years it has been relatively constant that one is aware that one is being put off. – It gradually becomes a matter of course that it is like that, but of course we would like it not to be like that. Armed police are present outside the synagogue in Trondheim. Photo: Grete Thobroe / news Pre-emptive measures – We put in place preventive measures to ensure the safe and secure execution of the event. That’s what Øyvind Lorentzen of the police in Trondheim says. He said that the police will be present outside the synagogue. In addition, he says they are taking other measures they think are necessary. – There have been no concrete threats against the synagogue. Lorentzen says it is the security assessment PST came up with on Tuesday that is the background for the measures. – We are taking a serious view of the threat situation we now have and are following the situation closely in order to take urgent measures. He says the police are taking the measures they can with the knowledge they have at the present time. – It must be safe to celebrate Yom Kippur in the synagogue. Øyvind Lorentzen, section leader for the prevention department in the police in Trondheim. Photo: Bent Lindsetmo / news – An opportunity to come together Michael Kohn is a rabbi in the Mosaic Trust Community in Oslo. He says that Yom Kippur is an important day in the Jewish calendar. – Yom Kippur is the day of atonement. With it ends a longer period where you focus on self-examination. Michael Kohn says that the Yom Kippur celebration focuses on reconciliation between both humans and between humans and God. Photo: Frode Fjerdingstad / news He adds that the feelings created by the threat situation will be a theme during the celebration. – It feels like an opportunity to come together and share uncertainty, worry, curiosity and a little fear with each other. He believes that the Kippur celebration is important as the situation is. – It is important that we as a community are able to put words to some of the feelings. – This way the worries can be reduced by talking about them with others. In the synagogue in Oslo, the celebration begins with an evening service on Friday evening. The celebration lasts until sunset on Saturday. Photo: Frode Fjerdingstad / news Although the threats may cause concern, the rabbi does not think anyone refrains from celebrating in the synagogue. – I think our members have great confidence in both the police and those who look after our security. Yom Kippur Yom Kippur is the Jewish Day of Atonement. It is one of the most important holidays in the Jewish religious year. The Day of Atonement is marked ten days after the Jewish New Year Rosh Hashanah. Yom Kippur ends the ten-day penitential period that begins with Rosh Hashana. Prayers for forgiveness characterize this entire period. On Yom Kippur you must not work and the day is marked by a 25-hour long fast. Terrorist acts in Sweden and Denmark – Several factors have influenced this change and strengthened the terrorist threat, said special advisor Siv Sørensen in PST when they raised the threat level on Tuesday. Among other things, she pointed to the escalation of the war in the Middle East. In recent years, attack activity by extreme Islamists has increased in Europe, she said. – In the wake of Israel’s warfare, we have seen a strong radicalization of extreme Islamists and this helps to explain the increase in the frequency of attacks. Sørensen also referred to attacks against Israeli targets in Sweden and Denmark last week. On Tuesday 1 October, there was a shooting at the Israeli embassy in Stockholm. On the night of 2 October, there was an explosion at the Israeli embassy in Copenhagen. Published 11.10.2024, at 11.33 Updated 11.10.2024, at 12.34 p.m
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The Jews in Norway celebrate Yom Kippur – there are armed police outside the synagogues – news Trøndelag – Local news, TV and radio
