Thursday, May 8, 2014

OBAMA FIGHTING GLOBAL ANTI-SEMITISM

Nadene Goldfoot
                                                                                                      
reads the headlines today.  Great since the affect of today's anti-Semitism is hitting us all like a tidal wave!   We haven't seen or felt this much since the 30's in Germany.  European Jews have been hit the hardest with France, who has had the largest Jewish population other than Israel and the USA, who have experienced everything including terrorists going to a school to shoot Jewish children and staff members.

 England is another hot spot as well as Malmo, Sweden that has changed over the years.  There are a lot of immigrants in both countries.  What happens is that the poorer, more uneducated Muslim youth gang up on the Jews and there you have anti-Semitism.  I know of mature Muslims living in these countries who mind their own business and just want to live a nice life, unlike these other troublemakers.  In Sweden's case, it looks like their law just lets it happen without any stopping and of course from there it increases.  

American Jewish leaders were aghast when they learned that the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk was telling Jews to register themselves with pro-Russian separatists, pay a fee and declare all property holdings. ""All citizens of Jewish nationality over age of 16, living on territories of Donetsk People's Republic, have to register with DPR commissioner of nationality before May 3rd, 2014 at the Donetsk Regional Administration, room 514, registration fee is $50," the leaflet read. "Must have in person $50 cash, passport, all available IDs, and documentation of ownership of real estate and transportation." 

 Russia is why so many Jewish immigrants came to the USA in the early 1900s in the first place-after being kept in the Pale of Settlement for over 200 years.  Ukraine, one of the states of the Pale, treated Jews the worst.  1 1/2 million Jews were killed in Ukraine during WWII by Ukranians collaborators and Nazis.

In Riga, Latvia there was a sign on the kindergarten door that said, JEW FREE.  It didn't mean that Jews didn't have to pay to have their children attend.  It meant that Jews were not allowed to use their facility, just like in the 30s, 40s and 50s in the USA Jews could not be members of country clubs.

London's former mayor was caught peddling anti-Semitic stereotype literature saying they are all conservatives in their voting.  Ha!  Maybe they have reason to do that in England.  If anything, the USA has too many Liberals if you ask me!!  Let's see.  Jews in the USA might be 2% of the population and probably less in the UK.  Hmmm.  There's far more anti-Semitism going on right in England according to my former Enlgish ex-patriot who has gone over every year to visit his mother.  

All this anti-Semitism around the globe is causing more Jews to make Aliyah and move to Israel, especially from France lately.  Swedes have gone over, too.  

Even here in the USA, we've had to be wary as attacks have come to Seattle's Jewish Community Center.  Steps have been taken in various places including synagogues everywhere for protection.  New York City has the most Jews in the USA so have experienced more than most of us so far.  

A 36 year old former NY police officer was caught spraying anti-Semitic graffiti on 15 cars and 4 buildings near a synagogue and school in an Orthodox community in Brooklyn, New York;  a policeman who should know better but is full of hate, evidently who let it all spew out.  

In upstate New York, there is something going on in the Pine Bush School district.  Students are harassing the Jewish students.  

 Kansas has its anti Semitics, some of who turn out to be white supremacists.  After all, if they hate one group unlike themselves, they'll probably have no tolerance for others.  A well known Klansman,  Frazier Glenn Miller (named for my favorite orchestra leader),  is held for murder in the killing of three people outside two Jewish community facilities in Overland Park.   Why was he loitering around this place?  

Abraham Foxman, Director of ADL (Anti-Defamation League)  tells us that actually things have improved since he took over in the 60s.  Then, about 30% of Americans were anti-Semitic.  Today, about 12% to 14% can be said to be anti-Semitic.  

Mel Gibson, Louis Farrakhan and the occasional swastika scrawled on a synagogue wall are things we have lived with begrudgingly, but Jews in North America for the most part live free of discrimination or the threat of violence.  Mel Gibson is a well-known actor who drinks and lets us see his anti-Semitic viewpoints.  Farrakhan is a famous black preacher against Jews who cause all his problems he says,  and of course the people who think they will carry on Hitler's ideals draw swastikas, not having a glimmer of an idea of Hitler's insanity; either that or they share it with him.  

For those of us who were alive as children during WWII, such anti-Semitic attacks are doubly disturbing.  It's like we all have PTSD which make us more aware of the danger of anti-Semitism.  We're here to warn our younger family and friends to nip such acts in the bud either through more education, talks, speeches, program, whatever one can to turn things around.  Anti-Semitism is a virus too easily caught from others who want it to spread.  

One way Obama can fight global anti-Semitism is through the UN.  His secretary of State should not have left when Netanyahu started to speak.  That was disrespectful of her and set a pattern of disrespect for Jews everywhere.  Another way is to treat Israel with respect in such matters as peace programs instead of treating us as underlings that need to kow tow to the word of the mediator.  Set by example, Mr. Obama.  

Read more: http://www.jta.org/2014/02/18/news-opinion/united-states/anti-semitism-in-america-today-down-but-not-out#ixzz319rYHpia
Resource: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/05/05/ex-cop-anti-semitic-graffiti/8712175/
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/a/antisemitism/index.html
http://www.jta.org/2014/02/18/news-opinion/united-states/anti-semitism-in-america-today-down-but-not-out
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/04/18/us-jewish-leaders-deeply-troubled-by-anti-semitic-pamphlets-in-ukraine/
http://jewishfactsfromportland.blogspot.com/2013/05/ukraines-massacre-of-jews-worse-than.html
http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/14/us/kansas-jewish-center-shooting/
http://antisemitism.org.il/list/1



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