CENTER

CENTER FOR HUMAN DIGNITY-JERUSALEM

Founder and Dean

Rabbi Abraham Cooper

Asociale Dean

February 23, 2012

Mr. Pall Magnusson,

General Director Efstaleiti 1

Reykjavik, Iceland

Dear Mr. Magnusson:

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is a leading Jewish Human Rights NGO dedicated to learning the lessons of the Nazi Holocaust and promoting tolerance and mutual respect and understanding. On behalf of our 400,000 constituent families, I am writing to you about a matter of deep distress to our community.

As you know, since 1944, the entire Hymns of the Passion by Hallgrimur Petursson have been broadcast by the State Broadcasting Service to the people in Iceland. We understand that one hymn is read each day for the 9-week period of Lent, and that it is considered a major honor to be asked to read one of these hymns over the air. Many of Iceland's most distinguished citizens, including the late President, Mrs. Vigdis Finnbogadottir, have accepted the invitation with pride.

While we deeply respect the Christian faith and faithful, we feel we must express our shock over the many blatantly anti-Semitic references that pervade Petursson's Hymns. There are over 50 references to Jews, all of them negative, most of which reinforce hateful notions about Jews that laid the theological groundwork for 20 centuries of anti-Semitic hatred and persecution.

It is inconceivable that such intolerance be expressed anywhere, but even more so over the airwaves of a modem democratic nation. The fact that such anti-Semitic references are read by some of the nation's most distinguished citizens over the air serves to only reinforce hateful notions about Jews and poison new generations of impressionable young people with onerous stereotypes of Jewish cunning, treachery, and of course, the toxic charge of deicide.

We are attaching a list of the anti-Semitic references included in Petursson's Hymns. Out of a sense of deep respect, but profound urging, we ask you and other officials of the State Broadcasting Service to once and for all, eliminate them from the airwaves of the RUV. The people of Iceland and the Jewish people deserve better.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Abraham Cooper

Associate Dean

Cc: Ambassador Gudmundur Arni, Washington, DC

International Headquarters

1399 South Roxbury Drive, Los Angeles, California 90035-1709 t) 310.553.9036 f) 310.553.8007 www.wiesenthal.com

NEW YORK • FLORIDA • TORONTO • JERUSALEM • PARIS • BUENOS AIRES

From the Simon Wiesenthal Center's letter to Pall Magnusson - Director of Icelands Radio & TV

The Jews arrive in the Garden

Hallgrímur Pétursson (1614-1674)

Priest and Poet is regarded as Iceland's greatest religious poet, best known for his Hymns of the Passion. First published in 1666, the Hymns of the Passion have been translated into many other languages, including Latin and Chinese.

For centuries Icelanders have read the Hymns of the Passion, along with the Bible, for inspiration and spiritual comfort.

During Lent the Hymns are still read today in all major churches in Iceland. More

Passiu Salmar - Hymns of the Passion

Talmud

King's Torah - Torat Ha'melech

Dear Mr. Cooper and Mr. Hier,

Shall we make this a counting competition about how much genocidal hatred is to be found in each of these books, one of which is not 400 - but only a few years old?

Start here:

Haaretz July 29, 2010 - Book condoning murder has another rabbi in hot water

Counterpunch 2 august 2010 - Israeli Rabbi Preaches "Slaughter" of Gentile Babies

Jerusalem Post 18 oktober 2010 - Yosef - Gentiles exist only to serve Jews

National Journal - The Complete Guide to Killing Non-Jews

Jerusalem Post 1 november 2009 - Jewish terrorist Yaakov Teitel arrested for alleged series of hate crimes

Judas' Kiss and Christ's Arrest

Christ's address to the Jews

The Soldiers mock Christ

Though he appear undignified.

Canst tell the butt of thine abuse

Better than did these foolish Jews?

The Priest's Conference

Saviour, to convict

And in their zeal misguided

Death's penalty inflict.

The Jews' First Charge before Pilate

They deemed a desecration

To shed the guiltless captive's blood,

They hailed with acclamation.

The Jewish elders now present

A threefold accusation,

And charge the Saviour with intent

To lead astray the nation.

Christ's Confession before Pilate

The blessed Master to accuse;

To save me from the Jewish

Or remedy my captive flight

The Jews Second Charge before Pilate

Of all and every ill

The Demand for Crucifixion

That Jesus must be crucified

The Prince of Life their prey must be

The murd'rer set at liberty

Christ led from the Judgment Hall

"Away with Him!" they shouted,

Their enmity undoubted

"He must be crucified!"

The righteous law of Moses

The Jews here misapplied,

Which their deceit exposes,

Their hatred and their pride.

Pilate and the Jews

"This culprit must be crucified!"

The Governor rightly called Thee king

The Jews Thee to the cross would bring.

Pilate's Unjust Judgment

Upon themselves and on their seed

The burden of their dreadful deed

The Jews assumed in thoughtless rage.

It dogs their steps from age to age

Christ bears His cross

The boundless riches of His grace.

What the Jew foolishly forswore

He makes of us -- a chosen race.

The Superscription on the Cross

The Jews its truth would not admit,

lts message contravening.

"It must not stand!"

Was their demand,

Such honor would the Jews deny

To Jesus, Whom they hated.

The Burial of Christ

The Guard on Watch

The evidence they sought to hide.

But God's great wisdom could defeat

Their plan to cheat

And soon laid bare their vile deceit.