I can appreciate how disheartening it is to see Israel and the Jewish people being maligned in your home country. I wonder whether Israeli hubris is to blame for Israel not even having tried to win the PR war. I am grateful that we Canadians have CIJA, our synagogues and our Jewish Federation to help us join in the battle against our own politicians and universities, and against ignorance in general. They organize petitions and letter-writing campaigns. I am personally engaging in a letter-writing campaign to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation about their lopsided coverage. Years ago I unsubscribed to the NY Times and let them know it was about their anti-Israel slant, but think that may have been the wrong tactic. With CBC, I’m not disappearing off their radar. After Oct. 7, Israel’s survival took on a new urgency. We can be totally disgusted with its leadership, but we must still support Israel's people and its sovereignty at all costs. We Jews have to get over our victim mentality and proudly use our strengths. Mine is letter writing. Find yours!
All I can say is that being a good person creates a ripple effect. People know you they know that you don’t think of Israel what the negative social media claims, and that has to be something.
I appreciate this view and thank you for sharing your thoughts. I am a United States citizen and Christian Zionist (a Christian who believes that the church has not replaced Israel, that they are still a separate chosen nation for God, and believes that have a right to exist in the land given to them by God). As someone who knows very little about the long deep history of animosity toward Israel in comparison to someone who has studied or has lived there, I try very hard to find those voices that make sense and tell the truth and facts regardless the implications.
I do personally believe as John stated that it is a spiritual battle and that things have been set into motion that cannot be thwarted. And along with that I believe Israel will win but to what detriment I do not know.
I understand your feeling but women are mostly discriminated intelectual and economically, so incredibly most cultures regard us as having a role without any authority or power
You know what they say, "two Jews, three opinions." All kidding aside, it sounds like you want to join with others to promote a single coherent narrative to support Israel through this horror, and you're finding it surprisingly difficult. My thoughts are that there are multiple twining narratives to support the founding of Israel (Zionist, Marxist, religious freedom, a haven for refugees from persecution), and, frankly, most people won't follow the threads because they aren't that interested. Even many Jews can't be bothered to learn about the history and context of the Middle East (see that cringe-y Oscar speech by a director who really should know better.) Israel is full of people who take different political, moral, and religious views on acts of violence. The complexity is what makes Israel a vibrant country. Every nation has the right to defend themselves and a responsibility to protect their citizens, especially when surrounded by belligerents who seek to destroy, rather than working to build their own states. Ah, that's where all those concrete shipments went.
From the other side, all we hear is the crypto-Islamic narrative about the oppressed "Palestinian People" who didn't exist prior to the founding of Israel, hammering a giant "VICTIM" card no matter what atrocities they commit, financed by Qatar, guided and trained by the extremist Islamic Revolutionary Guard, with a worldwide zombie army of rabid anti-semites masquerading as social justice warriors, shouting, "The evil colonialist war machine is bombing the babies! Make them stop!"
In the face of all this blood-letting frenzy, we can still distinguish right from wrong. We understand the limited objectives of the campaign by the IDF. Many of us see in this conflict the themes of Western liberal ideals vs. Islamism in bed with progressivist-authoritarianism. Stuff that needs long, serious essays exploring the historical and philosophical context. The stupidest voices always shout the loudest. But your essay makes me feel better. What counts is your heart. We have to see, in the midst of horror, that "All the world is a narrow bridge. The main thing is to have no fear at all."
It’s been like this forever. The PLO would say, “this land belongs to us” and Israel would say “we can share it.” The world then concluded that it really belongs to the so-called Palestinians and the Israelis are occupiers.
There has been virtually nothing of the discussions of our history in the land, the archaeological findings that regularly turn out to be in Hebrew, taking about Judaism, and that Israel is a tremendous decolonization effort by indigenous people.
This is a very powerful call to action, Gaida. I am neither Jewish nor Israeli. I am Irish and so from a country that is profoundly anti-Israel and anti-Semitic. We have politicians who disgrace themselves regularly on the world stage: see Mary Robinson, Michael D. Higgins, Richard Boyd Barrett (the vilest of them all), Mick Wallace, Claire Daly, etc with their pro-Hamas rhetoric. I am a member of the Ireland-Israel Alliance, but we have been advised not to meet on account of the hostile environment. I am frustrated because I don't know how to counter the pro-Hamas propaganda these politicians are allowed spread on national media outlets (RTE, etc). Sometimes I think it's a pointless exercise anyway as if people want to live in the dark that's their choice. It will eventually swallow them up. However, not everyone in Ireland is hostile to Israel and they are being lied to by people like those named above. As this is not uncommon in Europe, maybe, Gaida, we can start some kind of pan-European drive to correct the misinformation and disarm the disinformation spread by Hamas and their proxies? After all, many hands make light work. Sean
You have a clear understanding of the situation. We are fighting a battle with a religion deeply embedded in the culture and society. Arab culture is influenced by Islam to an extent not understood in the West. This in itself is crazy. The influence asserted by Arab culture through the use of its wealth is difficult to combat. In America there is now an organization CLDP that trains young Muslim men and women for service in the government of the USA. This is cunning. The website of this organization shows the placement of their graduates in the offices of many senators and congressional representatives (several Jewish members Schiff, Sanders etc.) here in the USA. The umma is embedding into the fabric of American society through politics. The sad fact is that this religion has no moderate faction to speak of fundamentally it teaches jihad. There is no distinction between politics and religion in Islam. I’m old and I don’t know if I have enough fight left in me but people must clearly be exposed to the truth about this 2 billion strong death cult. Too many times in the news we see western values projected in to what Muslim spokespeople actually say. They say what they mean clearly. They say death to the Jews death to America. Appeasing them is foolish. They must be stopped. They have infiltrated the UN to the extent that the UN is now nothing more than an endless generator of Jew hatred. Unfortunately too many bad guys turned out to be members of the tribe, Epstein Weinstein no doubt about the Jewish nature of these names. This stuff creates a pattern in people’s minds especially with ignorant people. The fact that the casualty statistics coming out of Gaza are never challenged that children are being killed not being exposed as 12, 13, 14, 15 & 16 year olds trained in using arms like RPG and AK47’s. We are responsible to expose and challenge. This information paints an ugly picture of us as people. It’s the same thing with us military aid to Israel. What they don’t tell you is that every penny must be spent in the USA the net overall effect from all this free stuff, in my opinion is the diminishment of Israeli ability to make their own equipment and at the same time makes Israel beholden to the US for support. Sorry about the rant I could go on and on I really appreciate what you wrote and posted. Thanks.
I can appreciate how disheartening it is to see Israel and the Jewish people being maligned in your home country. I wonder whether Israeli hubris is to blame for Israel not even having tried to win the PR war. I am grateful that we Canadians have CIJA, our synagogues and our Jewish Federation to help us join in the battle against our own politicians and universities, and against ignorance in general. They organize petitions and letter-writing campaigns. I am personally engaging in a letter-writing campaign to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation about their lopsided coverage. Years ago I unsubscribed to the NY Times and let them know it was about their anti-Israel slant, but think that may have been the wrong tactic. With CBC, I’m not disappearing off their radar. After Oct. 7, Israel’s survival took on a new urgency. We can be totally disgusted with its leadership, but we must still support Israel's people and its sovereignty at all costs. We Jews have to get over our victim mentality and proudly use our strengths. Mine is letter writing. Find yours!
A lot of food for thought here.
All I can say is that being a good person creates a ripple effect. People know you they know that you don’t think of Israel what the negative social media claims, and that has to be something.
I appreciate this view and thank you for sharing your thoughts. I am a United States citizen and Christian Zionist (a Christian who believes that the church has not replaced Israel, that they are still a separate chosen nation for God, and believes that have a right to exist in the land given to them by God). As someone who knows very little about the long deep history of animosity toward Israel in comparison to someone who has studied or has lived there, I try very hard to find those voices that make sense and tell the truth and facts regardless the implications.
I do personally believe as John stated that it is a spiritual battle and that things have been set into motion that cannot be thwarted. And along with that I believe Israel will win but to what detriment I do not know.
Buon auguri
Misogyny Is a snag on most well meant cultures
I understand your feeling but women are mostly discriminated intelectual and economically, so incredibly most cultures regard us as having a role without any authority or power
All the best
Israel shall win B"H
You know what they say, "two Jews, three opinions." All kidding aside, it sounds like you want to join with others to promote a single coherent narrative to support Israel through this horror, and you're finding it surprisingly difficult. My thoughts are that there are multiple twining narratives to support the founding of Israel (Zionist, Marxist, religious freedom, a haven for refugees from persecution), and, frankly, most people won't follow the threads because they aren't that interested. Even many Jews can't be bothered to learn about the history and context of the Middle East (see that cringe-y Oscar speech by a director who really should know better.) Israel is full of people who take different political, moral, and religious views on acts of violence. The complexity is what makes Israel a vibrant country. Every nation has the right to defend themselves and a responsibility to protect their citizens, especially when surrounded by belligerents who seek to destroy, rather than working to build their own states. Ah, that's where all those concrete shipments went.
From the other side, all we hear is the crypto-Islamic narrative about the oppressed "Palestinian People" who didn't exist prior to the founding of Israel, hammering a giant "VICTIM" card no matter what atrocities they commit, financed by Qatar, guided and trained by the extremist Islamic Revolutionary Guard, with a worldwide zombie army of rabid anti-semites masquerading as social justice warriors, shouting, "The evil colonialist war machine is bombing the babies! Make them stop!"
In the face of all this blood-letting frenzy, we can still distinguish right from wrong. We understand the limited objectives of the campaign by the IDF. Many of us see in this conflict the themes of Western liberal ideals vs. Islamism in bed with progressivist-authoritarianism. Stuff that needs long, serious essays exploring the historical and philosophical context. The stupidest voices always shout the loudest. But your essay makes me feel better. What counts is your heart. We have to see, in the midst of horror, that "All the world is a narrow bridge. The main thing is to have no fear at all."
I have empathy, but I don't believe changing perceptions after thousands of years is ever going to substantially change anything.
If there is one thing Jew Haters don't care about, it's truth.
The whole conflict is God vs Satan, and Satanists don't consider truth anything but an obstacle to overcome with more lies.
It’s been like this forever. The PLO would say, “this land belongs to us” and Israel would say “we can share it.” The world then concluded that it really belongs to the so-called Palestinians and the Israelis are occupiers.
There has been virtually nothing of the discussions of our history in the land, the archaeological findings that regularly turn out to be in Hebrew, taking about Judaism, and that Israel is a tremendous decolonization effort by indigenous people.
This is a very powerful call to action, Gaida. I am neither Jewish nor Israeli. I am Irish and so from a country that is profoundly anti-Israel and anti-Semitic. We have politicians who disgrace themselves regularly on the world stage: see Mary Robinson, Michael D. Higgins, Richard Boyd Barrett (the vilest of them all), Mick Wallace, Claire Daly, etc with their pro-Hamas rhetoric. I am a member of the Ireland-Israel Alliance, but we have been advised not to meet on account of the hostile environment. I am frustrated because I don't know how to counter the pro-Hamas propaganda these politicians are allowed spread on national media outlets (RTE, etc). Sometimes I think it's a pointless exercise anyway as if people want to live in the dark that's their choice. It will eventually swallow them up. However, not everyone in Ireland is hostile to Israel and they are being lied to by people like those named above. As this is not uncommon in Europe, maybe, Gaida, we can start some kind of pan-European drive to correct the misinformation and disarm the disinformation spread by Hamas and their proxies? After all, many hands make light work. Sean
You have a clear understanding of the situation. We are fighting a battle with a religion deeply embedded in the culture and society. Arab culture is influenced by Islam to an extent not understood in the West. This in itself is crazy. The influence asserted by Arab culture through the use of its wealth is difficult to combat. In America there is now an organization CLDP that trains young Muslim men and women for service in the government of the USA. This is cunning. The website of this organization shows the placement of their graduates in the offices of many senators and congressional representatives (several Jewish members Schiff, Sanders etc.) here in the USA. The umma is embedding into the fabric of American society through politics. The sad fact is that this religion has no moderate faction to speak of fundamentally it teaches jihad. There is no distinction between politics and religion in Islam. I’m old and I don’t know if I have enough fight left in me but people must clearly be exposed to the truth about this 2 billion strong death cult. Too many times in the news we see western values projected in to what Muslim spokespeople actually say. They say what they mean clearly. They say death to the Jews death to America. Appeasing them is foolish. They must be stopped. They have infiltrated the UN to the extent that the UN is now nothing more than an endless generator of Jew hatred. Unfortunately too many bad guys turned out to be members of the tribe, Epstein Weinstein no doubt about the Jewish nature of these names. This stuff creates a pattern in people’s minds especially with ignorant people. The fact that the casualty statistics coming out of Gaza are never challenged that children are being killed not being exposed as 12, 13, 14, 15 & 16 year olds trained in using arms like RPG and AK47’s. We are responsible to expose and challenge. This information paints an ugly picture of us as people. It’s the same thing with us military aid to Israel. What they don’t tell you is that every penny must be spent in the USA the net overall effect from all this free stuff, in my opinion is the diminishment of Israeli ability to make their own equipment and at the same time makes Israel beholden to the US for support. Sorry about the rant I could go on and on I really appreciate what you wrote and posted. Thanks.