‘I am also from Finland’
Our family arrived in Israel in the fall of 1996. A few weeks later on a Shabbat day, there was a knock on the door at the absorption center, where we lived for 10 months. A smiling woman, my age, said in Swedish “Hi, my name is Ann, Shabbat Shalom, I am also from Finland.” Naturally we have been friends ever since. Best of all, we have attended the weddings of each other’s children.
Jews started to settle in Finland from 1825. Ann’s family came from Russia through the great grandfather who was a so-called Cantonist soldier. He was in the army of Tzar Nikolai II in Russian-ruled Finland. The name of Ann’s great grandfather was Moshe Leib Engel. He was only 12 years old when he was ordered to be in the army for 25 years. He stayed on in Finland, like many other Jewish soldiers.
Practically, Jews were not allowed to live in Finland at the turn of the century, but after retiring from the Russian army, they had the right to stay. They were not allowed to own anything though, so the means by which they could earn a living was very restricted. The Jews became tradesmen and craftsmen. The great grandfather, Moshe Leib started to sell matches and candies in the streets. Ann’s grandfather became a tailor, (like my own grandfather, further up at the West coast of Finland).
At one point there were so many Jewish men in Finland, but hardly any Jewish women. “What can we do?” asked the community. They decided to bring Jewish women to Finland, from wherever they could find willing participants. They arrived from all around, driving in ox carts.
Members of the Jewish community were granted civil rights in 1917, the year Finland became independent. During World War II. Finland was allied with Nazi Germany. German soldiers were stationed in Finland. There was this paradoxical situation of Finnish Jews fighting side by side with the Germans, against Russia, the common enemy. When Himmler demanded that Finland turn over their Jews, it was refused. Prime Minister Rangell said ” We have no Jewish question here.” Still eight Jews were handed over to the Germans, only one of them survived.
Ann’s grandfather Pesach Chalupovitsch married Moshe Leib’s daughter Anna. My friend Ann was named after her when she was born in Helsinki to Samuel Chalupovitsch and Esther Israel, from Denmark. They were involved in the Jewish community; in the Synagogue, built in 1906 and in the community center from 1961. The Jewish school started in 1920. Ann’s mother was also involved in setting up the Jewish Old Age Home.
They started to think of moving to a bigger community. They wanted to make sure their children found Jewish spouses, because they were longing for Jewish grandchildren. Canada became their choice in 1968. There, Ann married Ira Kravitz, a high tech professional and today also an ordained rabbi. They in turn made aliyah together to Israel in 1989. They are a perfect example of a successful Dati Leumi aliyah, the ideology that combines Zionism and Orthodox Judaism. They live in central Israel, having found a community that fits their religious philosophy and values.
Today the unofficial number of Jews in Finland is close to 2,000. The community in Helsinki is a very organized community, like everything else in Finland. It is officially an orthodox community and the young rabbi, Simon Livson, an orthodox rabbi, the only Finnish speaking rabbi in the world in a rabbinical position. There is the synagogue, the Jewish day school, kindergarten, the Jewish old age home and a place where to buy kosher food. Of course there is a Chabad center, like in every corner of the world, sharing the same synagogue.
Gone are the times of old when Jews were restricted in their aspirations. The Jews of Finland are today doctors, lawyers and engineers. Some have continued in their forefathers professions of dealing in textiles. For a long time there has been a Jewish representation in the Finnish parliament, by Ben Zyskowicz, a great grandchild of Moshe Leib Engel, making Ben and Ann cousins.
Full circle in so many ways. From a knock on the door in 1996 came a beautiful friendship. Two Finnish women, sharing the country of birth, but with very different personal stories. From the Finnish low key mentality of “do rather than speak,” we decided to settle in the Jewish homeland. We set course for the multi-colored canvas that is Israel and for the ideology we share in the three pillars: the Land of Israel, the People of Israel and the Torah of Israel. That is the dream we share for our families and not even once did we rethink our decision. Much of this and more went through my mind when attending the wedding of Ann’s youngest daughter.
We stood outside in the late afternoon for the chuppah, the background being the Judean hills between Jerusalem and Hebron. What a gift we were able to give our children, by bringing them to this wonderful country. The beautiful song and instruments of the wedding guests echoed between the hills, carrying the sounds of joy, the sounds of a bride and a groom. Dreams do come true, at least for two Jewish women from Finland! There is already a continuation, a new generation of young souls, singing our song and living our dream.
