Thanks To Scandinavia Offers Fellowship to Bulgarian Scientist
Thanks To Scandinavia Offers Fellowship to Bulgarian Scientist
NEW YORK, December 13, 2004 …. Thanks To Scandinavia welcomed Mr. Dimiter Avtanski of Bulgaria as a Fellowship recipient at Beth Israel Hospital in New York. Mr. Avtanski is the second Bulgarian to win an award from TTS, reflecting the expansion of the organization’s mission to recognizing those in Bulgaria who rescued Jews during World War II.
Mr. Avtanski is working with Dr. Leonid Poretsky in the Department of Endocrinology at Beth Israel, learning new techniques for treatment over a one year period that he can teach to colleagues upon his return to Bulgaria.
In 2003, TTS announced the establishment of a Fellowship For Bulgaria to offer future Bulgarian leaders training in the United States in a variety of fields. Galya Galabova, selected by the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry and Shalom – the Organization of Bulgarian Jews, was the first award winner. Ms. Galabova worked with TTS to create a brochure with the short history of how 50,000 Jews in Bulgaria were saved during World War II.
Since its founding 40 years ago by the late entertainer Victor Borge and New York attorney Richard Netter, Thanks To Scandinavia has spearheaded the recognition of heroism and humanity of the people, churches, and governments of Scandinavian countries in saving many of their Jewish compatriots from the horrors of the Nazis. The realization that it is possible for the righteous to stand against evil, TTS believes, must be publicized, recognized and preserved as a moral guidepost and standard of human behavior for all time.
The addition of Bulgaria represents the first time in its history that TTS is expanding its scholarship program beyond Scandinavia.
“Despite Nazi attempts at deportation, the entire 50,000-member Bulgarian Jewish community was spared from the Holocaust,” Netter said. “Ordinary Bulgarians lay across railroad tracks in order to physically prevent the deportation of Bulgarian Jews. This remarkable achievement deserves both gratitude and acknowledgment.”
For further information about the Fellowship for Bulgaria contact Rebecca Neuwirth, Executive Director of Thanks to Scandinavia, at neuwirthr@ajc.org.
Thanks To Scandinavia Welcomes New Consuls General of Nordic Countries as Honorary Directors
NEW YORK, December 13, 2004….Thanks to Scandinavia welcomed incoming Consuls General Svend Roed Nielsen of Denmark and Osmo Lipponen of Finland as Honorary Directors of the organization, a positive step in underlining a historic friendship among the Nordic countries, Americans, and Jews worldwide.
Liv Mørch Finborud, Consul General of Norway, was named Honorary Director of AJC when she came into office last year. And TTS is pleased to have a close relationship with Ambassador Kjell Anneling, who is currently Acting Consul General of Sweden, as well as with Mr. Anton Karlov, Acting Consul General of Bulgaria a country with which TTS has recently begun to work.
Thanks To Scandinavia, an institute of the American Jewish Committee, has worked closely for decades with the consuls general in New York to keep alive the history of Scandinavians who rescued Jews during the Second World War and to build contemporary bridges of friendship, dialogue, and understanding. “Through this new cooperation, we hope to extend the cooperation and understanding that we have with the Scandinavian countries,” said Richard Netter, president of Thanks To Scandinavia.
Thanks To Scandinavia, created by Danish entertainer Victor Borge and New York attorney Richard Netter in 1963, has given over 3,000 scholarships to students, teachers, and medical professionals from the four Nordic countries, primarily for study in the United States, as well as in Israel and within Scandinavia. Thanks to Scandinavia also sponsors public programs in the United State, Israel, and Scandinavia highlighting the example of Scandinavians who rescued Jews during World War II as one that maintains a vital contemporary meaning. The organization has published scholarly books in English on what happened to Jews in each of the countries during the war.
For further information about Thanks To Scandinavia call Executive Director Rebecca Neuwirth at (212) 891-1403 or visit www.ThanksToScandinavia.org.
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RSVP NOW! TTS Dinner Benefit on Feb 28
Thanks To Scandinavia is very excited to announce that on Tuesday, February 28th we will be hosting our very first dinner benefit at Swedish star chef Marcus Samuelsson’s hot new restaurant, Red Rooster. Rather than waiting for months to get a seat at this sold out restaurant, why not join us for an evening of [...]
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