Jewish communities in the political and legal systems of post-Yugoslav countries

Abstract

After the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the Jewish community within Yugoslavia was also split up, and now various Jewish communities exist in the seven post-Yugoslav countries. Although all of these communities are relatively small, their size, influence, and activity vary. The political and legal status of Jewish communities, normatively speaking, differs across the former Yugoslav republics. Sometimes Jews or Jewish communities are mentioned in constitutions, signed agreements with governments, or are recognized in laws that regulate religious communities. Despite normative differences, they share most of the same problems - a slow process of return of the property, diminishing numbers due to emigration and assimilation, and, although on a much lower scale than in many other countries, creeping anti-Semitism. They also share the same opportunities - a push for more minority rights as part of ‘Europeanization' and the perception of Jewish communities as a link to influential investors and politicians from the Jewish diaspora and Israel.

Nakon raspada Jugoslavije, jevrejska zajednica unutar Jugoslavije je takođe podeljena, i sada postoje različite jevrejske zajednice u sedam post-jugoslovenskih zemalja. Iako su sve ove zajednice relativno male, njihova veličina, uticaj i aktivnost variraju. Politički i pravni status jevrejskih zajednica, normativno gledano, razlikuje se u svim bivšim jugoslovenskim republikama. Ponekad se Jevreji ili jevrejske zajednice pominju u ustavima, potpisanim sporazumima sa vladama ili su priznati u zakonima koji regulišu verske zajednice. Uprkos normativnim razlikama, oni dele većinu istih problema - spor proces povratka imovine, sve manji broj zbog emigracije i asimilaciju, i, iako u mnogo nižim razmerama nego u mnogim drugim zemljama, rastući antisemitizam. Oni takođe dele iste mogućnosti - zalaganje za više manjinskih prava kao deo "evropeizacije" i percepciju jevrejskih zajednica kao veze sa uticajnim investitorima i političarima iz jevrejske dijaspore i Izraela.