Shorts: World

German tennis officials apologize

berlin (jta) | The hosts of a tennis tournament in Germany caused a controversy by describing the Nazi era as a "golden age" for the club.

German Open officials apologized last week for an article in the tournament's program, which said the club enjoyed its best years after Jewish tennis players left Nazi Germany. The article said, "The number of members was reduced by half but in this way, the former so-called Jews' club opened itself to new members."




German foreign minister lauded

berlin (jta) | Germany's foreign minister received the Leo Baeck Prize from the Central Council of Jews in Germany.

In a ceremony this week, Joschka Fischer was feted by Israeli author Amos Oz and by Paul Spiegel, head of the Central Council of Jews in Germany.

Fischer pledged to uphold Germany's relationship with Israel, which he said is "based on our responsibility for the Shoah, and that is why our connection is defined by unshakable support for Israel's right to exist and the security of its people."




Israel's president speaks in Russia

moscow (jta) | Israel's president urged Russian Jews to keep Jewish culture and tradition alive and to ensure Jewish continuity.

Moshe Katsav, who is among leaders of more than 50 countries who came to Moscow last week for the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the victory over Nazism in World War II, met with some 600 representatives of the Russian Jewish community and Jewish war veterans.