Israel vs. the rest of the world?

[Thomas Jefferson]

It has always fascinated me how one culture, arguably more than any other, could produce such great music. Perhaps it's something to do with centuries of persecution. So many of the greatest musicians, composers, and performers of the 20th century for instance, come out of the modern Jewish diaspora, and in particular the Jewish emigration to America.

 

Music has been an important part of the Jewish religion since biblical times. The traditional synagogue service (which is in Hebrew) has a theatrical tone to it, especially on the high holy days like Passover and Yom Kippur.

 

There is the influence of persecution in their their cultural and artistic output but I find them to be a very optimistic and proactive people.

 

I would argue that the Mancunian culture has produced better and more defining music.

 

A bit of a stretch when you consider the Yiddish theater was the bedrock of early Hollywood and the development of the film music genre.

Edited July 31, 2014 by Thomas Jefferson

[Thomas Jefferson]

[quilp]

 

There is so much propaganda in this war it is hard to know where the truth lies, but it looks like these figures come from Al Jazeera, which I wouldn't call a source likely to be biased towards Israel.

 

 

So what do YOU conclude from those statistics?

 

 

Males of 'fighting age' obviously make up the majority.

[spook]

 

 

 

There is so much propaganda in this war it is hard to know where the truth lies, but it looks like these figures come from Al Jazeera, which I wouldn't call a source likely to be biased towards Israel.

 

So what do YOU conclude from those statistics?

 

Males of 'fighting age' obviously make up the majority.

Exactly what I saw. The other thing thats often overlooked is that women can and do engage in conflict.

[Thomas Jefferson]

An interesting article by Dr Michael Brown.

 

 

The fine line between anti-zionism and anti-semitism

 

It is widely reported that Martin Luther King once said, “When people criticize Zionists, they mean Jews. You’re talking anti-Semitism.”

 

Was Dr. King right? Is anti-Zionism the same as anti-Semitism?

On the one hand, it is definitely possible to criticize the policies of the state of Israel or to question whether the Jewish people have a divine right to the Land of Israel without being anti-Semitic.

 

On the other hand, there is often a fine line between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism, and it doesn’t take much prodding to find out just how fine that line is.

 

Put another way, there’s not that big a jump from, “The Israelis are evil occupiers” to, “The Jews are evil occupiers,” to, “The Jews are evil.” And so, the moment Israel does something perceived to be wrong by the world, an outburst of anti-Semitism is not far away.

 

Just consider some of the signs and slogans seen and heard in anti-Israel protests worldwide in the light of Israel’s war with Hamas. (Note that most of the protesters are Muslims living in America or Europe or elsewhere.)

 

Anti-Semitic graffiti in Rome declared, “Jews, the end is near.”

 

In Canada, Muslims chanting “kill the Jews” confronted supporters of Israel.

 

In Berlin, protesters cried out in the front of the Israeli Embassy, “Jew, Jew, cowardly pig – come out and fight alone.”

 

In Chicago, threatening anti-Jewish leaflets were found this past Sunday, while in Boston, protesters shouted “Jews back to Birkenau!” at a Jewish couple on Saturday.

 

In Miami, protesters were recorded screaming out, “We are jihad.” The video of the protest is said to be “filled with profanity mixed with violent anti-Semitism reminiscent of 20th century Nazi rallies.”

 

Protesters in France carried signs saying, “Gaza is a concentration camp” while some called out “Death to Jews” and “Hitler was right.”

 

And this has not been just a matter of words or even of attacks on buildings. It has resulted in attacks on Jewish people.

 

As the Algemeiner reports, “A violent mob of more than a dozen men in France assaulted a Jew at his home in a Paris suburb after confirming that his photograph had been published by a French Facebook page identifying Jews to be targeted for physical intimidation.”

 

Things have gotten so bad that Israeli Jewish Congress President Vladimir Sloutsker recently said, “Never before since the Holocaust have we seen such a situation as today. We are potentially looking at the beginning of another Holocaust now. These events will only grow in scale across Europe.”

 

Even if those fears are exaggerated – at least, at present, since a number of European leaders have condemned these protests, especially their anti-Semitic elements – it cannot be denied that for many around the world, in particular for Muslims, anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism go hand in hand. (Let’s remember that in Islam, anti-Semitism preceded anti-Zionism.)

 

That’s why, during Israel’s 2009 offensive in Gaza (“Operation Cast Lead”) a Muslim woman on the streets of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, screamed at a Jewish woman, “Get back to the ovens!”

 

This is anti-Semitism, plain and simple, and Israel’s war with Gaza simply reveals what was always there, lurking beneath the surface. In keeping with this, a Muslim protester in Miami said to a Jewish reporter, “I’m gonna kill you mother f––r, you and the all Israelis!” And, so a Jew in Miami should be killed, along with all the Israelis.

Read more at: http://www.wnd.com/2014/07/the-fine-line-between-anti-zionism-and-anti-semitism/

[Thomas Jefferson]

Another interesting point from Dr Brown in a post on his Facebook page:

 

Something struck me last night that was very intense. We often wonder how the world stood by and, for all too long, did almost nothing while millions of Jews (and others) were slaughtered in cold blood by the Nazis and their compatriots. Yet today, when 170,000 people have been slaughtered in Syria in a few short years -- to give the most glaring example -- for the most part, we hardly think about it, let alone, as nations, do anything about it.

I'm aware, of course, that it's very hard to determine who the "good guys" are vs. the "bad guys" in Syria (although, without a doubt, there are countless thousands of innocents being killed and displaced), yet during the Holocaust, much of the outside didn't fully understand (or want to understand) what was happening, while the slaughter in Syria is happening right before our eyes, as is the forced exiling of the Christians in Iraq. How can we not care?

[slinkydevil]

A brief interlude for some lovely Israeli music

 

Yerushalayim Shel Zahav (Jerusalem of Gold), written by Naomi Shemer, sang by Shuly Nathan.

 

 

I prefer a bit of Massive Attack

 

Massive Attack visit Palestinian refugees in Lebanon: 'All of them have a right to a life of dignity and beauty'

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/massive-attack-visit-palestinian-refugees-in-lebanon-all-of-them-have-a-right-to-a-life-of-dignity-and-beauty-9635645.html

 

[Thomas Jefferson]

Massive Attack are rubbish.

[Lxxx]

Massive Attack are rubbish.

So is the Jewish tripe you keep posting.

 

Now where's my Happy Mondays album....

[Thomas Jefferson]

Bullshit. Where's my Itzhak Perlman album?

[Thomas Jefferson]

Note he said Jewish, not Israeli, thus confirming he is a Jew-hater.

[Shake me up Judy]

Bullshit. Where's my Itzhak Perlman album?

 

As the Yiddish saying goes: 'Only a Jew can really play the fiddle'

[Dreidel Dreidelsohn]

A good shabbos to you all! :-!

 

I DON'T F*ING ROLL ON SHABBBOS.

[spook]

A good shabbos to you all! :-!

 

I DON'T F*ING ROLL ON SHABBBOS.

Bit early in the day for lighting the candles innit?

[Thomas Jefferson]

Maybe they're in Australia.