Minahasa in North Sulawesi holds Tondano Lake Festival at Moraya Fortress to promote tourist attractions in the region a beauty pageant Waraney and Wulan Minahasa a cultural party and a release of 1,000 lanterns and 500 obor kasih (torches) said the event is one of the most important tourism events held by the Ministry of Tourism this year "The synergy between the local and central government has a good impact on tourism and will make Minahasa a more popular tourist destination," Jantje said North Sulawesi has set a target of 1.78 million tourists in 2017 Cari English Manado Residents Prepare to be Hit by Regular Floods at the Beginning of the Year TEKS › English›Manado Residents Prepare to be.. Iklan Manado Residents Prepare to be Hit by Regular Floods at the Beginning of the Year Manado residents who live on the banks of the river are worried that they will become victims of annual floods for the umpteenth time in their lives Audio Berita This article has been translated using AI. See Original Please note that this article was automatically translated using Microsoft Azure AI, Open AI, and Google Translation AI. We cannot ensure that the entire content is translated accurately. If you spot any errors or inconsistencies, contact us at hotline@kompas.id and we'll make every effort to address them TEKS The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI. The original article can be found in Warga Manado Bersiap Dihantam Banjir Rutin Awal Tahun Farida Baso (56) showcases a pile of wooden scrap items on Thursday (18/1/2024) next to her home in Komo Luar village Following the flood that occurred in January 2023 residents who were unable to relocate themselves are trying to adapt to the risk of disasters North Sulawesi who live on the river banks are worried about becoming flood victims for the umpteenth time in their lives due to the increasing rainfall in January 2024 Although flood prevention embankments have been built in some locations the water continues to overflow as it did in January 2023 residents choose not to sleep when it rains at night She has even moved her electronic furniture to a higher place to avoid losing more of her belongings "I have placed the refrigerator on the table as well as the washing machine and clothes has also been discarded," Farida said on Thursday (18/1/2024) flooding hit 23 villages in 8 districts out of the total 87 villages in 11 districts almost 11,000 residents divided into 3,400 families became victims A flood control embankment stretches along the banks of the Tondano River In the aftermath of the flood that occurred in January 2023 residents who were unable to relocate themselves are attempting to adapt to the disaster risk the wooden furniture in Farida's house was also damaged She admitted that she cannot buy new ones because her income of Rp 150,000 per day from selling packed rice is already spent on her and her younger brother's daily needs Farida chose to stay because she could not afford a new house She had hoped that the floods be reduced after the river normalization project with a width of about 25 meters and the construction of a 7-kilometer embankment along the Tondano River since 2022 Also read: Lowered by Rain since Early Morning, Rain and Landslides Hit Manado the government has also constructed the Kuwil Kawangkoan Dam with a capacity of 26.89 million cubic meters which is able to reduce flood discharge by 146.6 cubic meters per second They said they already built the dam even up to when President Jokowi came to inaugurate it In the densely populated village of Ternate Tanjung Lingkungan 1 residents also choose not to sleep when it rains at night admitted to always being worried if the water in one of the branches of the Tondano River beside the village rises Two refrigerators were placed on a table at Farida Baso's (56) house on Thursday (18/1/2024) in Komo Luar Village After the flood that occurred in January 2023 residents who could not relocate themselves have tried to adapt to the risks of disaster We already know when the water is going to rise implying how often Kampung Argentina is submerged by floods due to its location protruding into the river while its houses lined along the riverbank." stated that she has moved her important belongings to the second floor of her house she and her child will also evacuate there if the water has risen and we're unable to move our belongings in time we'll just let them be submerged," said Fatma who had to let go of her television during the flood in January 2023 it can be seen from the water in the ditch Leny and Fatma say they cannot move even though they have been flood victims countless times they are also not eligible for government aid in the form of relocation to a special settlement for the 2014 flood victims in Pandu Village Only the neighboring village has received aid A damaged sofa due to floods was placed outside a resident's house on Thursday (18/1/2024) in the Ternate Tanjung Village Following the floods that occurred in January 2023 residents who were unable to relocate themselves are making efforts to adapt to the disaster risk the potential for high intensity rain continues to loom over Sulut The Coordinator of Observation and Information for the Sam Ratulangi Manado Meteorology Station said that heavy rain will fall from Wednesday to Monday (17-22/1/2024) accompanied by lightning and strong winds "This could result in hydrometeorological disasters such as floods and hail," Ben said regarding the potential widespread disasters in 15 regencies/cities in North Sulawesi." The trigger for heavy rain was a combination of Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) activity An anomaly of increased sea surface temperature in the Sulawesi Sea caused an increase in water vapor mass rising into the atmosphere Atmospheric instability will also significantly develop rain clouds for a week The condition of the waterways that directly flow into the river in Kampung Argentina residents who were unable to relocate themselves are attempting to adapt to the risk of disasters the public is urged to be vigilant of disaster risks The Head of the Manado Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) has been contacted to inquire about flood anticipation efforts but has refused to answer phone calls or text messages Also read: Kuwil Kawangkoan Dam Can Control Floods in Manado City the Mayor of Manado Andrei Angouw received an early warning about the potential for hydro-meteorological disasters from the Sam Ratulangi Meteorological Station in Manado which is under the auspices of the Meteorology He immediately monitored flood-prone areas Andrei reminds the public to also be aware of other dangers such as falling trees that can harm motorists and high waves that can endanger fishermen Analysis and policy evaluations are currently being conducted Tempo A museum dedicated to the memory of Nazi atrocities against the Jews is opened in Minahasa The museum building stands along with a synagogue NINETEEN posters containing documentary photographs of the Holocaust human tragedy are displayed along the walls of the Holocaust Museum in Minahasa mostly tell the story of the lives of Jewish people before and during the Holocaust—the genocide against Jews throughout World War II—in Europe A flat-screen television is set to the right of the museum’s entry See Other Packages Get daily summary of exclusive and in-depth news in your email Inbox by joining the Newsletter The Palace’s Candidates for Nusantara CALCULATED REPRESSION Land Lost in the Hand of Mafia State Abuse in Wadas Village 9 August 2023 – Cervical cancer is the second highest cause of death and one of the biggest health financing burdens in Indonesia there are 36,633 cases of cervical cancer in Indonesia with an increasing death rate but most are caused by Human Papillomavirus or HPV infection One of the important prevention efforts is the administration of HPV immunization The Government of Indonesia is committed to preventing morbidity mortality and disability caused by immunization-preventable diseases in order to achieve the 2030 SDGs The government is committed to building a stronger and more innovative system which is a priority for the Ministry of Health in improving health services in the country by strengthen and expand health services to focus more on preventive promotive efforts one of which is by introducing new types of vaccines added to the national immunization program the Minister of Health announced the expansion of HPV immunization nationally in Tondano North Sulawesi Province which was attended by the Governor of North Sulawesi Province and all levels of the North Sulawesi Provincial Government Regent of Minahasa and all the ranks of the Minahasa Regency local government representatives of international health development partners namely WHO GAVI and CHAI as well as the community in Tondano The activity was then continued with a visit to the implementation of HPV immunization at the launch site The first dose of HPV immunization is given to girls in 5th grade of elementary schools (or 11 years old for children who are not in school) and then the second dose is given to girls in 6th grade of elementary schools (or 12 years old) The provision of this immunization for children who go to school is carried out through the activities of the School Children Immunization Month or BIAS To accelerate the reduction of morbidity and mortality from cervical cancer at least 90% of HPV immunization is required across related sectors and all components of society is very important for this program to be successful a Joint Decree of 4 (four) Ministers was issued Research and Technology; Minister of Health; Minister of Religion and Minister of Home Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia regarding the Implementation of Improving the Health Status of Students where Elementary Schools/Madrasah Ibtidaiyah/other forms of the equivalent need to ensure the complete immunization status of each student the role of local government and the education sector is very important for the successful implementation of HPV immunization integrated with BIAS as one of the School Health Efforts (UKS) The role of the government alone is not enough the private sector and health development partners can support the acceleration of health transformation in order to achieve high and equitable immunization coverage so as to further strengthen the national immunization program “UNICEF is committed to supporting the Indonesian Government's efforts to eliminate cervical cancer in women by 2030 Providing free access to the HPV vaccine for elementary school-aged girls is very important for this effort The expansion of the national scale of HPV immunization in Indonesia marks a significant step towards protecting millions of girls from cervical cancer.” WHO Indonesia applauded Indonesia's effort to introduce HPV vaccination nationwide cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women globally and the second among women in Indonesia ninety percent of the cases happened in low- and middle-income countries such as Indonesia in combination with screening and early treatment will be the cost-effective way of cancer prevention WHO urged all countries to introduce HPV vaccines and ensure it reaches 90% of all girls by age 15 by 2030.” said Dr N Programme Design & Delivery Support Gavi is optimistic about supporting Indonesia in planning to expand this HPV immunization “Today is an important day in our joint fight to eliminate cervical cancer The HPV vaccine is very effective in protecting teenage girls from this deadly but preventable disease Gavi is proud to be working with the Ministry of Health and other partners to expand access to this powerful and life-saving vaccine that will protect generations of women and girls across Indonesia for years to come,” said Ohiri we can create Indonesian children who are healthy smart and strong and achieve cervical cancer elimination by 2030 This news was broadcasted by the Bureau of Communication and Community Services, Indonesia Ministry of Health. For further information, you can contact the hotline number 1500-567, SMS 081281562620, facsimile (021) 5223002, 52921669, and email address kontak@kemkes.go.id This news was broadcasted by the Bureau of Communication and Community Services, Indonesia Ministry of Health. For further information, you can contact the hotline number 1500-567, SMS 081281562620, facsimile (021) 5223002, 52921669, and email address kontak@kemkes.go.id are demanding the closure of a Holocaust museum that opened last week with some saying it is part of Israel’s attempts to normalize relations with Jakarta and its occupation of Palestinian lands The first permanent exhibition and museum in Indonesia devoted to the memory of victims of the Holocaust opened in North Sulawesi province on Jan and is housed inside Indonesia’s lone synagogue The opening occurred amid reported Israeli overtures to establish ties with the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause has long refused to open diplomatic ties with the Jewish State “We demand any exhibition be stopped and the museum be cancelled discontinued,” said Sudarnoto Abdul Hakim the head of foreign relations and international cooperation at the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) the country’s semi-official Islamic authority According to reports in the Israeli press, the museum-cum-exhibition is curated by the Jerusalem-based Yad Vashem – also known as the World Holocaust Remembrance Center – and one of its representatives attended the opening virtually The decision to allow the museum in Indonesia was “not wise” and could cause “communal friction” at a time when Israel is still occupying Palestinian lands and mistreating Palestinians The exhibition at the synagogue in West Tondano regency was inaugurated in the presence of North Sulawesi Dep Steven Kandouw and the German ambassador to Indonesia Its opening was timed to coincide with International Holocaust Remembrance Day deputy speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) and a lawmaker with the faith-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) said the museum was an attempt by Israel to whitewash its occupation of East Jerusalem and the blockade of the Gaza Strip He described Israel’s treatment of Palestinians as a form of “apartheid” and “racism.” “It turns out that the museum in Tondano is the result of a collaboration with the Yad Vashem Israel Museum whose director is a major figure in Israel’s illegal settlements in the West Bank,” Hidayat told BenarNews “I suspect it is part of manoeuvres to pave the way for the normalization of diplomatic relations between Israel and Indonesia.” an Indonesian businessman of Dutch Jewish descent who is the rabbi at the synagogue said the museum was created in part to defy growing anti-Jewish sentiment in Indonesia and claims by some people that the Holocaust never happened “I want to emphasize that this is not true Indonesian people may hate Israel but they must not deny the bitter and dark history of a nation (Jews) I want to show that racism and hatred cannot be tolerated at all,” a news report quoted him as saying Officials at the North Sulawesi provincial government could not be reached immediately for comment ‘Indonesia will side with the Palestinian people’ during meetings with officials in Jakarta in December had discussed the prospect of Indonesia normalizing ties with Israel Indonesia has insisted it will not establish diplomatic ties with Israel until there is a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict acceptable to both sides “The Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi conveyed Indonesia’s consistent position on Palestine that Indonesia will side with the Palestinian people in their struggle for justice and independence,” Teuku Faizasyah Israeli media reported that a delegation of Indonesian health officials visited Israel and met there with Israeli officials in an effort “to learn how to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.” Indonesia’s COVID-19 task force and the health ministry denied that their officials had gone to Israel while the Foreign Ministry said it was not aware of such a trip MUI’s Sudarnoto said Indonesia’s Jewish community should understand the objection to the museum “Jewish communities and the descendants of Jewish people everywhere clearly the brutal acts that have been perpetrated by Israeli Zionists against the Palestinian people since 1948,” Sudarnoto said Sudarnoto said local representatives of the MUI and other Islamic organizations had been in communication with the local government and the tiny Jewish community in North Sulawesi “The goal is to prevent things that are not desirable… Jewish community leaders there are willing to meet with MUI representatives to resolve the issue in a persuasive way,” Sudarnoto said Add your comment by filling out the form below in plain text Comments are approved by a moderator and can be edited in accordance with RFAs Terms of Use RFA is not responsible for the content of the postings be respectful of others' point of view and stick to the facts This demand is simply a veiled attempt at Holocaust denial The dates displayed for an article provide information on when various publication milestones were reached at the journal that has published the article activities on preceding journals at which the article was previously under consideration are not shown (for instance submission All content on this site: Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. The World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission on Faith and Order will convene in Tondano from 2-7 February for its first in-person meeting since being elected by the WCC central committee in June 2023.  Photo: Albin Hillert/Life on Earth Pictures The meeting is hosted by the Indonesian Communion of Churches and supported by the government of North Sulawesi the commission is anticipated to select vice-moderators and lay the foundation for its future endeavours Fruitful results of the study processes that took place in the previous period in light of current challenges in the ecumenical movement contribute to a particular momentum for the commission The meeting will provide an opportunity to reflect on these and establish the grounds for future work that will address the needs and challenges of the present-day world as the commission works on fulfilling its vocation to “assist the churches as they call one another to visible unity.” the commission is in the planning stages for Nicaea 2025 which is scheduled to take place in October 2025.  "WCC Faith and Order Commission convenes online for first full meeting" (news release, 30 November 2023) Publication “Towards a Global Vision of the Church, Volume II” released during webinar Learn more about "Nicaea 2025" Dr Andrej Jeftic reflects on history and future of WCC Faith and Order Commission (video interview) Please fill in this form if you would like to receive news and updates from the WCC by email Ecumenical CentreKyoto BuildingChemin du Pommier 42CH-1218 Le Grand-Saconnex Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time near the north-east tip of the island of Sulawesi south-east Asia’s first Holocaust museum was unveiled last month who operates Indonesia’s only synagogue in the lakeside town its opening on International Holocaust Remembrance Day was witnessed by more than 100 invitees among them local and district government representatives and foreign diplomats including the ambassador of Germany Rabbi Yaakov Baruch at the synagogue compound in Tondano Indonesia where he has launched a photo exhibition about the Holocaust.Credit: Ronny Adolof Buol On show inside the synagogue compound so far is simply a photo exhibition but for Baruch it is the fulfilment of a long-held ambition “I had a dream that one day I could open up a museum in Indonesia to educate people about the Holocaust,” he said The message of the museum is that racism and hatred must be fought from early on before it is too late.“ In the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country its establishment has not been welcomed by all with open arms Baruch (left) welcomes officials including German ambassador to Indonesia a group of scholars that oversees Islamic affairs “I beg the local government … this hurts the Palestinian people,” said Sudarnoto Abdul Hakim the head of the MUI’s international relations unit a senior figure in the Islamist faith-based Prosperous Justice Party and the deputy speaker of Indonesia’s upper house He said he believed the museum to be a ploy by Israel to try and normalise relations with Indonesia which has long rejected diplomatic ties because of its support for the Palestinian cause It’s an issue that has been in the headlines lately after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised the prospect of establishing formal relations between Indonesia and Israel during a visit to Jakarta in December The controversy about the photo exhibition prompted reporters to last week again pose questions to Indonesia’s foreign ministry about where it stands on Israel “We support the Palestinian people and we continue to work for the independence of Palestine within the two-state solution framework,” foreign ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said “Most Indonesian are not aware of the presence of a small Jewish community in the country” Baruch insists the exhibition in Tondano has nothing to do with conflict in the Middle East He told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age he forbids members of the synagogue displaying the Israeli flag “because it only provokes people” “I support the [Indonesian] government’s position,” he said offers a glimpse into the life of the tiny Jewish community in a nation of 230 million Muslims Baruch estimates there are about 50 Indonesian Jews across the archipelago descendants of Dutch colonialists and immigrants from Iraq and a further 500 expatriates living in Jakarta and Bali “It is difficult to find them because they hide their identity,” he said the only one in Indonesia.Credit: Ronny Adolof Buol Indonesia has traditionally been known for its moderate form of Islam and in Tondano as well the nearby provincial capital of Manado the small Jewish community is embraced and feels safe to openly display and practise their faith and mark holy days visitors from a prominent Islamic boarding school in Gontor even came to the synagogue twice a year to study Judaism Rising religious conservatism and intolerance in Indonesia has given the sprinkling of Jews beyond that inclusive corner of Sulawesi extra reason to keep a low profile “I had a bad experience when I was in Jakarta,” Baruch said recalling an incident in the capital a decade ago “I was with my [pregnant] wife at a mall and five big men shouted at me saying ‘crazy Jew’ They said they would kill me unless I took off my kippah They wanted to hit me but the mall security suddenly arrived and saved us where he has established a Holocaust museum.Credit: Ronny Adolof Buol he has led religious rituals behind closed doors inside a five-star hotel for security a 73-year-old Jewish woman who lives on the outskirts of the Indonesian metropolis “We do the Sabbath by ourselves and it’s just ourselves celebrating our own festive days,” she said The most important thing is that the soul goes to heaven.” that people aren’t buried according to Jewish customs as Judaism is not one of the six officially recognised religions in Indonesia “We can choose what [religion] to state in our ID cards we will be buried in the Christian way as stated in our ID card Research in 2014 by the Anti-Defamation League concluded as many as 75 million Indonesians It was a figure eclipsed in south-east Asia only in Malaysia an assistant professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame in the US interviewing 700 university students around Indonesia as well as 500 high school students in East Java province Jews came in third behind LGBTI people and communists [Anti-Semitism] is certainly a very serious problem there,” Sirry said “But most Indonesians are not aware of the presence of a small Jewish community in the country And they cannot even conceptualise Judaism as a religion because Judaism is not one of the officially recognised religions in the country.” Baruch would like the minute Jewish minority in Indonesia to be comfortable in revealing their true religious identity arguing that concealing it was a problem in itself “I’m asking them now to have guts by wearing the kippah and by interacting in the inter-religious groups.” After decades of keeping their religious affiliation under wraps it’s not an approach that will be easy to persuade Indonesian Jews to take up “What is the benefit that people know who we are?” said Elias “We have been in silence since the day of the Indonesian independence Just study the Torah and do your Sabbath at home so I can have conversations with my friends Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for the weekly What in the World newsletter here south-east Asia\\u2019s first Holocaust museum was unveiled last month who operates Indonesia\\u2019s only synagogue in the lakeside town \\u201CI had a dream that one day I could open up a museum in Indonesia to educate people about the Holocaust,\\u201D he said \\u201COur goal is that it is not only for Jews The message of the museum is that racism and hatred must be fought from early on before it is too late.\\u201C In the world\\u2019s most populous Muslim-majority country \\u201CI beg the local government \\u2026 this hurts the Palestinian people,\\u201D said Sudarnoto Abdul Hakim the head of the MUI\\u2019s international relations unit a senior figure in the Islamist faith-based Prosperous Justice Party and the deputy speaker of Indonesia\\u2019s upper house It\\u2019s an issue that has been in the headlines lately after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised the prospect of establishing formal relations between Indonesia and Israel during a visit to Jakarta in December The controversy about the photo exhibition prompted reporters to last week again pose questions to Indonesia\\u2019s foreign ministry about where it stands on Israel \\u201CWe support the Palestinian people and we continue to work for the independence of Palestine within the two-state solution framework,\\u201D foreign ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said He told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age he forbids members of the synagogue displaying the Israeli flag \\u201Cbecause it only provokes people\\u201D \\u201CI support the [Indonesian] government\\u2019s position,\\u201D he said The furore over the museum\\u2019s opening \\u201CIt is difficult to find them because they hide their identity,\\u201D he said \\u201CI had a bad experience when I was in Jakarta,\\u201D Baruch said \\u201CI was with my [pregnant] wife at a mall and five big men shouted at me saying \\u2018crazy Jew\\u2019 \\u201CWe do the Sabbath by ourselves and it\\u2019s just ourselves celebrating our own festive days,\\u201D she said \\u201CWe\\u2019re not looking for trouble The most important thing is that the soul goes to heaven.\\u201D that people aren\\u2019t buried according to Jewish customs as Judaism is not one of the six officially recognised religions in Indonesia \\u201CWe can choose what [religion] to state in our ID cards But my grandma chose Christian,\\u201D she said [Anti-Semitism] is certainly a very serious problem there,\\u201D Sirry said \\u201CBut most Indonesians are not aware of the presence of a small Jewish community in the country And they cannot even conceptualise Judaism as a religion because Judaism is not one of the officially recognised religions in the country.\\u201D \\u201CI\\u2019m asking them now to have guts by wearing the kippah and by interacting in the inter-religious groups.\\u201D it\\u2019s not an approach that will be easy to persuade Indonesian Jews to take up \\u201CWhat is the benefit that people know who we are?\\u201D said Elias \\u201CWe have been in silence since the day of the Indonesian independence Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what\\u2019s making headlines around the world \\u201CMost Indonesian are not aware of the presence of a small Jewish community in the country\\u201D Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Indonesia’s stance toward Israel and Jews came under the spotlight recently when two governors stated the Israeli football squad was not welcome to play in their respective provinces during this year’s Under-20 World Cup Rabbi Yaakov Baruch (right) prepares to read passages from a Torah scroll while congregation members chant prayers as part of a ritual at Indonesia's only synagogue in Tondano and the parking lot of an otherwise desolate compound on the edge of the Indonesian town of Tondano  in North Sulawesi is filled with cars hailing from areas dozens of kilometres away Inside one of the limestone cloaked structures three families have gathered – the men in brimless caps while the women in headscarves folded into a variety of styles – to recite verses from the Torah and listen to the sermons delivered by Rabbi Yaakov Baruch The Shaar Hashamayim Synagogue is the only place where Jews can practise their religion freely in Indonesia a Muslim-majority nation where anti-Jewish sentiment is rampant Indonesia’s oldest and only other synagogue – Beth Hashem – in Surabaya city was ordered to close in 2013 after conservative Muslim groups successfully lobbied the local government to tear it down The destruction came after the synagogue was for years abandoned and left to decay with the few remaining Jews in Surabaya preferring to practise their faith in secret due to constant and widespread harassment the handful of Jews living in the country’s capital Jakarta where the burning of the Israeli-flag is a common feature in virtually all pro-Palestine demonstrations also mostly choose to keep their religious identities under wraps out of fear of persecution “Indonesians view the Jews in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict there is a strong anti-Jewish sentiment because of their stance against Israel,” Rabbi Baruch Even in the predominantly Christian province of North Sulawesi members of the Shaar Hashamayim synagogue prefer to keep their religious identities a closely guarded secret beyond the confines of the compound “Only my immediate family and a few friends know that I am Jewish The rest just assume that I’m still a Christian,” a worshiper who wishes to be identified only by his Hebrew name Who knows what might happen if people find out I am Jewish.” who has been very open about his Jewish identity is careful about revealing too much about his personal background to spare his family from any potential backlash But he believes that things are getting better for the some 200 Jews across Indonesia and remains optimistic that one day they can practise their faith freely in the country Indonesia’s stance toward Israel and Jews has come under the spotlight recently when two governors - Ganjar Pranowo of Central Java and Wayan Koster of Bali - stated that the Israeli football squad was not welcome to play in their respective provinces during this year’s Under-20 World Cup The statements forced the world’s football governing body FIFA to strip Indonesia of its host status and move the tournament to Argentina Opposition by the governors stem from Indonesia’s long-running opposition against the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories while efforts to establish formal diplomatic ties between Indonesia and the Jewish nation have always drawn immediate backlash from the Indonesian public this enmity towards Israel has grown into anti-Jewish sentiment among many in the population A 2022 study by research firm Saiful Mujani shows 51 per cent of Indonesians prefer not to have Jews as their neighbours while 61 per cent say they do not want to see Jews as public officials The research shows that rejection towards the Jews are stronger in Muslim-majority areas the respondents' education and economic backgrounds do not appear to matter at all It is the only time such a survey was conducted by the firm Israel and Jews are like two sides of the same coin Those who are anti-Israel are most likely anti-Jew,” says Rabbi Baruch So strong is this animosity towards Israel and the Jews that any attempt to bridge the divide is viewed negatively Islamic scholar Yahya Cholil Staquf was lambasted by fellow clerics for visiting Israel and meeting the country’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu the older brother of Indonesia’s current religious minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas told local media then that he had been invited to speak at an interfaith forum in Israel adding that the meeting with Netanyahu was unplanned Rabbi Baruch had a similar experience last year garnering public backlash for simply trying to promote tolerance and understanding when he opened a tiny museum of just a handful of objects next to the synagogue dedicated to victims of the Holocaust “They said that (the museum) was an Israeli propaganda I was simply trying to educate people about this dark period in history and the dangers of racism,” he recounts Another reason why many Jews in Indonesia practise their religion in secret or renounce their faith entirely is the fact that Indonesia officially recognises just six religions and beliefs - Islam Given that religious beliefs are personal details needed in civic administrative matters like obtaining identity cards and marriage certificates some Jews tell CNA that they would simply identify themselves as Christians to avoid bureaucratic complications which consistently ranks among Indonesia’s most tolerant provinces in yearly studies conducted by the country’s religious ministry discussing ones’ Jewish heritage has become somewhat taboo among families of mixed Indonesian and Dutch ancestries of whom there are many in the province Rabbi Baruch says no one in his family had ever mentioned the fact that his maternal grandmother was born Jewish and had come from a long line of Jews living in the Netherlands until he was 15 years of age when he discovered it by chance “That moment changed my life and I chose to embrace my heritage The rabbi adds that his family had been very supportive of his decision to practise Judaism particularly his grandmother who encouraged him to one day become a rabbi and lead his own synagogue even though she herself no longer practises the religion my grandmother passed away before I fulfilled her wishes,” he says just three years before he set up the Shaar Hashamayim synagogue out of a dilapidated Dutch colonial-era house in his hometown Tondano He was officially ordained as a rabbi last year Rabbi Baruch says he has never been shy about revealing his Jewish identity a small town of 67,000 inhabitants surrounded by lush green hills rolling down to a nearby lake of the same name has been very supportive of the synagogue as well as the holocaust museum from day one Both buildings were officially opened by the local regent as shown by the granite placards bearing his signatures plastered onto their respective walls “Those criticising our presence are people far away from here,” he says As caretaker of Indonesia’s only synagogue Rabbi Baruch often receives invitations to attend interfaith forums and seminars in Jakarta and other cities He has also given interviews to national and international media outlets as well as podcasts hosted by Indonesian celebrities As the rabbi became more visible in the public eye many Indonesians have reached out to him expressing their interest to learn more about the religion “I became interested in Judaism after learning Hebrew in a theological school I wanted to learn more about Judaism and I finally got the chance to do so when I started coming here (to the synagogue) two years ago,” Mr Mordecai ben Abraham But Baruch’s openness and his decision to openly wear the Jewish skullcap kippah and other religious attributes in public come at a price as he and his wife were walking at a shopping mall in Jakarta that’s the hat of a murderer’,” Rabbi Baruch recounts Had the circumstances been different he would try to reason with the men but he decided not to get into an argument and comply because his wife was pregnant at the time Rabbi Baruch believes Indonesia has come a long way from when he first opened the synagogue at the age of 22 books containing provocative conspiracy theories such as how the Jews were supposedly bent on taking over Indonesia were very popular and proliferated all across the country People are getting smarter because they can find the right information online,” adds the rabbi This may explain why the two governors voicing publicly against the Israeli football squad playing in their respective provinces appeared to have suffered a public backlash who has been nominated by his party to run in next year’s presidential election was initially the front-runner in the polls which showed him enjoying a comfortable lead over other hopefuls But his remarks had caused his popularity to slip with recent polls putting him in second place behind his biggest rival When the FIFA decision was announced on Mar 29 the Central Java governor's social media accounts were inundated by condemnations from Indonesians disappointed that their country would not host its first ever World Cup Tondano synagogue member Mordecai says Ganjar has let down many football fans “It is good to see that many Indonesians feel that the government should not mix sports with politics and religion,” he adds the reaction from today's Indonesians is night and day compared to when the country’s first president Sukarno refused to provide visas for Israeli athletes competing at the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta Sukarno’s move was lauded then by the majority of Indonesians thankfully many Indonesians are better informed about (Judaism) They can separate Israeli’s politics and its Zionist principle apart from the Jewish faith observed by Indonesians who have nothing to do with the conflict happening there,” the rabbi says More work needs to be done before Indonesia can shed away its anti-Jewish sentiment and Jews in the country can practise their religion freely “We are not there yet but I feel we’re slowly moving towards that future,” adds Rabbi Baruch Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app We know it's a hassle to switch browsers but we want your experience with CNA to be fast Upgraded but still having issues? Contact us The newly-appointed WCC Faith and Order Commission met face-to-face for the first time to plan its next eight years of work Theologians from all continents gathered in Tondano hosted by the Indonesian Communion of Churches.  The World Council of Churches Faith and Order Commission The Faith and Order Commission is a unique body bringing together theologians and church leaders from Orthodox lay and ordained – with several places reserved for younger theologians.  the commission considered plans for the 2025 world conference commemorating the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea The Council of Nicaea shaped the creed that is still used by most Christian churches today and the Faith and Order conference in 2025 will ask “Where now for visible unity?” The commission heard research on Nicaea and its continuing influence and considered how to use the conference and the anniversary to bring Faith and Order work to a wider audience.  forming study groups to take forward theological work in the areas they identified as most important for ecumenical study on “the church in and for the world,” will focus on questions of peace on “being human: discerning humanity in the image of God” will take forward work on moral discernment and on theological anthropology A third will consider ecclesiological questions under the heading “being church towards visible unity.”  The commission members reflected on how de-colonial thought and other large-scale changes in our context might affect how they do their theological work.  The study groups are planning to use a wide range of methods with members of some groups preparing papers to reflect on their own contexts and some groups seeking opportunities to engage with Christian communities not currently involved in WCC work Online meetings will give the study groups opportunities to stay in touch more frequently throughout the year and online spaces can be used to build up a “bank” of shared resources Commission members also spent time getting to know each other and learning about the unique context of the church in North Sulawesi Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim country is known as the “city of a thousand churches” – and 13 of those churches welcomed commission members on Sunday morning Young people from local churches served as stewards during the commission meeting moderator of the Faith and Order Commission said: “We were overwhelmed by the warm and generous welcome from our Indonesian brothers and sisters and we are so grateful to everyone who has enabled this meeting to happen As a commission we have a long road ahead of us but we are full of hope and eager to begin our work.”  WCC Commission on Faith and Order elects new leaders (news release, 8 February 2024) WCC Commission on Faith and Order gathers with hope at the heart (news release, 3 February 2024) WCC general secretary to Faith and Order: “your commitment to deep theological reflection is vital” Photo gallery from the meeting (free to download) Editor’s note: AJP Assistant Editor Debe Campbell lived and worked in Indonesia for more than 20 years Returning in July on holiday with her husband where she conducted research and interviews for this story The world’s largest permanent menorah looms over Manado This incongruous symbol reigns over the fourth-largest Christian enclave in the world’s largest Islamic country The local government in 2009 spent $150,000 to erect the 62-foot-tall monument A local Pentecostal Christian legislator called for the menorah modeled after the one in front of Israel’s Knesset He hoped to attract tourists and business from Europe by emphasizing that Christians and Muslims lived peacefully in the province here There was no mention of its Jewish iconography The heterogeneous people of Manado appreciate tolerance The city is known as one of the safest in Indonesia churches from a multitude of denominations sit side by side the city of Tondano is home to Shaar Hashamayim the only synagogue in a nation that spans more than 5,000 miles across the equator with more than 18,307 islands does not recognize Judaism among its six officially sanctioned religions The handful of Jews in Indonesia typically declare Christian or another recognized religion on their official identity cards To have a national ID card that lists an unrecognized religion or leaves religion blank causes administrative problems making it challenging to register marriages or births families of Dutch Jewish ancestry once practiced their faith openly before Indonesia gained independence from the Netherlands in 1949 they converted to Christianity or Islam for safety But these old Dutch Jewish roots are part of a religious revival Jews first arrived in the Dutch East Indies with European explorers and settlers during the 17th century Indonesia was under Dutch rule from the 1700s until 1942 The first written report on Jews in Indonesia was by Jacob Halevy Saphir who was sent as a rabbinical emissary from Jerusalem in 1861 Jewish communities popped up in major trading cities where Jews often dealt in real estate mediating between colonial rulers and locals Given Indonesia’s traditionally moderate Islam there were an estimated 2,000 Jews across the country There are an estimated 20,000 descendants of Jews in Indonesia today although most have lost their historical identity with ancestors assimilating by speaking the local Indonesian language most Dutch and Jews in Indonesia were interned in camps from 1942 to 1945 Jews of Middle Eastern descent or from countries allied with Japan were left free until 1943 most of the Jewish people emigrated to more welcoming environs revolutionary separation from Holland from 1945 to 1949 again were detained or “disappeared.” The heavily-Christian-populated area around Manado was one of the last Dutch strongholds Yaakov Baruch (he asks that his secular name not be used for fear of retribution) was in a biblical discussion with his grandmother when she said I’m Jewish.” Baruch told the AJP that he had no clue about this ancestry until that day when she revealed documents including the 1878 birth certificate of his great-grandfather Baruch says that because his great-grandfather was born on Shabbat as were my grand-uncle and my grandmother’s sister.” Baruch’s grandmother produced an antique kippah and a Dutch-Israeli style tallit (prayer shawl) The family name of Begin was changed to Van Beugen His grandmother instructed him to collect everything and create a synagogue Thus began his journey from devout Christian to what he calls a “born again Jew.” He identified families of Dutch-Jewish descent but located only five remaining in Manado he began to build a congregation in Manado He estimates there are another 20-30 halachic Jews in Surabaya About a quarter of his congregants are of Dutch-Jewish ancestry; the others are converts from Christianity but services are still conducted either by Baruch or by Yehuda Ben Abraham whom he has trained to be a hazzan (cantor) There are other ancestral and converted Jews in Manado not affiliated with Shaar Hashamayim’s congregation The building housing Shaar Hashamayim was a gift from a devout Dutch-Christian couple with a heart for Jewish people Baruch says 75% of Tondano’s residents are Christian There’s a church on the same block as the synagogue ‘We will protect your synagogue with our blood,’” because they are anti-Hamas referring to the militant Islamist Palestinian organization Baruch is an international law professor at Sam Ratulangi University in Manado He augments his civil service salary as a professional wedding photographer He says in 2006 he went to the Jewish community in Singapore to study supplementing this education with trips to Israel and New York A lot of his Jewish learning came from “Rabbi Google” — printing Torah pages from the Internet and watching YouTube videos He says he accessed data in Amsterdam’s Jewish Historical Museum and Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem not Orthodox or Reform.” While he has yet to receive semichah (rabbinic ordination) he goes by the defacto title of rabbi Another small congregation operated as Torat Chaim in Indonesia’s national capital Founded by American Orthodox Rabbi Tovia Singer Its offshoot operates as Eits Chaim Indonesia Foundation Indonesia’s only Jewish organization reportedly sanctioned by the Religious Affairs Department Rabbi Benjamin Meier Verbrugge leads the United Indonesian Jewish Community He received ordination in 2014 from a New York yeshivah as a para-rabbi His 106 congregants include Dutch and Sephardic descendants and converts located in six areas of the country Leonard Chrysostomos Epafras of Indonesia’s esteemed Gadja Mada University the lead researcher in the Indonesian Consortium for Religious Studies told the AJP the religious revival is more like a new religious movement Invited by Epafras on an interfaith speaking tour across Indonesia in July Allan Brill from Seton Hall University in New Jersey assessed the wave of conversions and born-again Jews with ancestral roots Brill told the AJP that Australian liberal Conservatives who held a very short training in Jakarta “converted those who wanted to convert.” He said they had little training on how to be a Jew and that “the garb and practice don’t necessarily match.” Brill also attended a Shabbat service in Manado Epafras is planning to attend this Shabbat Beth Shalom synagogue was renovated in 1948 it fell into disrepair and was demolished by 2013 the nation’s primary tourism island destination with a large resident expatriate population Judaism is not happily welcome in Indonesia and we prefer to stay under the radar.” Baruch estimates that there are up to 300 Jews “I found no anti-Semitism,” Brill said of his time in Indonesia I never imagined the opportunity to visit a synagogue there My first visit to Manado in the early ’90s was as a journalist covering Indonesia’s then-president Soeharto as he opened a new tourism center in North Sulawesi had quite a different intent: visiting an up and coming religious leader building a new religious center Both trips included a dip into some of the world’s most beautiful coral garden reefs off Bunaken Island The social and political landscape have changed and I had planned our summer holiday to include a side-trip to see this synagogue for ourselves Encouraging contact from the synagogue’s principal led us to take a leap of faith and fly two hours from our holiday hub on Bali island to Manado on Friday collected us from the Manado hotel at 9 a.m The one-hour scenic drive wound through verdant nutmeg and coffee plantation-laced mountains to the lakeside city of Tondano the synagogue had some recent exterior cosmetic work with a stone façade upgrade Shaar Hashamayim is marked with a plain Hebrew-lettered sign reflecting ambient light through skylights and window shutters flung open to catch the breeze The expected synagogue accouterments were in place: a bimah adorned with a Magen David the aron kodesh (ark) housing a Torah that was purchased in Jerusalem and the prerequisite yad (Torah pointer) and tefillin tallits were adjusted and black kippahs came out of nowhere three children and I were sequestered behind the mechitzah (partition) and the five men and the young boys were beside the bimah which impressed the men wearing their unadorned black ones The service began with the hazzan in tefillin reading the siddur in Hebrew while followed along in a Chumash with Hebrew script Ruth followed English text juxtaposed with Hebrew script while the third woman fussed with entertaining her 3-year-old on a computer tablet Gil saw the fathers mentoring and guiding their young sons to absorb the essence of the spiritual intention One of the men offered Gil the text in Hebrew and English It reinforced the bridge to his Sephardic roots The Torah was paraded and unfurled on the bimah for a quick reading Baruch delivered a brief sermon in English and Indonesian about following a spiritual calling The service closed with fruit and home-cooked sweets a Christian wedding procession was parading through the street followed by the joyous wedding party dressed in bright blue and band members who waved as I leaned out the window snapping photos The call familiar to tourists across the archipelago rang out We headed as a group to a nearby restaurant for a Shabbat meal of fish turquoise tropical fish that were charcoal grilled and served on banana leaves to be eaten with fingers Our takeaway was that this group is sincere and dedicated about Judaism and following its traditions within an Indonesian context Whether Jewish by genetic roots or by choice there is no question that their commitment puts them in God’s hands A moderate magnitude 4.4 earthquake occurred in the Maluku Sea near the coast of Sulawesi Utara,  Indonesia The depth of the quake could not be determined but is assumed to be shallow.The quake was not felt (or at least not reported so) A moderate magnitude 4.0 earthquake occurred in the Maluku Sea near the coast of Sulawesi Utara,  Indonesia but is assumed to be shallow.The quake was not felt (or at least not reported so).