Muslim Palestinian Expectations Presented in Portland by Itamar Marcus

Itamar Marcus, Director of Palestinian Media Watch, gave a lecture tonight at Portland State U. This is a group that started working in 1996 that has translated Arabic spoken and written to see if the Palestinians are saying the same things to their people that they have said to us. They analyze Palestinian Authority culture and society from numerous perspectives.

What we heard was quite shocking to many. The task of reaching a peace accord with the Palestinians is marred by their cultural and religious goals which do not include having a peaceful Palestinian State next to Israel.

The Palestinian Media Watch have monitored and documented every type of Palestinian media; sports, music, videos, school books crossword puzzles, media meant for children and media for adults.

Soccer games are shown on TV with teams of 14 year olds and the teams are named after terrorists who sacrificed themselves with bombs in order to kill Jews which gives them martyrdom. This is the idol that these children worship. These teams were supported by UNISEF for two years in a row. The same thing was going on for the girls' teams.

Video news material was staged. They would tell their children to run towards fighting and then complain to the authorities that Israelis were shooting them. Other times they actually staged situations and children were acting like they had been shot. They would show real footage of Israeli planes and then show "dead" children as a result.

Muslims see themselves in a global conflict as much as one with Israel. They admire Saddam Hussain. Champions are named after him.

The Muslims are brainwashing their children and adults in every way every day. The shift to radical Palestinian Islam is not only with Hamas but also Fatah, the group we are planning to discuss peace with. Hamas won the election between the two groups by 56%. It's very name means "Islamic resistance Movement". Their charter includes world domination, no Israel at all but they will claim it all and rename it Palestine. All Jews are to be killed for G-d. They are in G-d's War. Fatah has been trying to be seen as the more moderate group but their citizens have just voted to cut off the hands of thieves, which goes along with the law in Saudi Arabia and other countries. The Palestinian Teacher's Union voted in the Hamas union in 2007.

As recently as October 11, 2007, Palestinian maps show that all of Israel is actually Palestine. Israel is not there. This is how they want it to be. They show TV historical dramas about the founding of Israel showing Jews that are depicted worse than Shakespeare's Shylock. I was sickened at the outlandish negative portrayal of a Jewish man dealing with some Arabs.

School books teach that children should partake in jihad and that there is no Israel. They are busy poisoning the minds of the children and are indoctrinating them to commit suicide. They teach that Jews are dangerous to the world and it a service to humanity to kill them. This has been going on more than that last 8 years. They are an old hand in staging and editing their video to make Israelis look like horrid monsters. Children are taught through TV to use violence to solve their problems which is the opposite of what we teach our children in schools. One example is that Hamas "borrowed" Mickey Mouse" and gave him the new name of Farfur. Farfur teaches the children to be bloody and violent and that Islam shall rule the world. They used Farfur in one story where a child did not do his homework, and he told the teacher that because of the problems his family had, it was the Jews' fault. Pressure was brought on Fatah to take this off the air, so they had Farfur killed off by the Jews, turning him into a martyr which caused the children to hate Jews even more and want to go on Jihad. The goal of those putting pressure on the station was to save Mickey Mouse. They did not think about the attitude created by killing Mickey, or rather, Farfur.

The Palestinians have received more financial aid than any other country, including Israel. They have not put it to good use, but have wasted it, and then they turn around and blame Israel, the USA and Europe for them not having any money.

We look upon these suicide bombers with shock, wondering how anyone could possibly blow themselves up for any cause. Since the beginning of the Muslim religion in the 700's AD, this type of behavior has been found and encouraged. They are even encouraged by their mothers. They view this as aspiration, not desperation, as we had thought. They are honestly taught on TV and shown that after a man was blown to bits he was married to 72 dark-eyed virgins. We view this as a joke. They are dead serious. We need to look at these things through their eyes to understand what they are doing. A story was told on Palestinian TV of a 9th century period where Mohammed's friend was captured and he died in battle. A girl came down from heaven for him. This thinking has a long tradition. If a girl dies in battle, she becomes one of the virgins and gets a man. A mother whose son became a martyr saw friends coming to her home. They told her, "Bless you on your son's wedding day. " They came to celebrate. They encourage their sons to die for Allah. Eighth graders were interviewed. They said they seek death, not life. Their philosophy is the opposite of Israel's, whose toasts of L'Chaiym, or "To Life" identifies their view. Life is the most important state, not death.

We saw 15 year old martyrs who are role models for other children to encourage them to follow them to blow themselves up. 70 to 80% of Palestinian chidren want to do this. It's called Shahada, or afterlife and that they will not be dead. They really believe that they will go to Paradise, a place full of amusement park items and other such wonders and delights.

Americans and Jews are placed in the same catagory. The goal is Islamic supremacy. Islam is to rule the world. They tell us that all peoples will benefit from this.

We cannot make peace with a people that does not intend to have peace. One Muslim was mentioned that is a moderate and does not believe all of this radical philosophy. It was said that we need to build him up and help him spread the word of living in peace as others are trying to do. Knowing what has happened in Lebanon to Christian leaders causes me to think that he doesn't have a chance. He will be in danger of being murdered if he is spotlighted. It comes down to this. Peace will have to wait until children are not being brainwashed. Their textbooks have to be changed. Their TV programs need to be revamped. Hatred has to stop being the focal point in their life. Europe needs to be a part of the plan as all of Muslimhood is being swept up in this radical movement. They need to stop supporting groups and withhold their money for them. The world cannot become emprisoned. One thing we can do is to educate people about what the Palestinian Media Watch has unfolded. History would have been taking different directions if more people were made aware of others' aims. We need to realize what is the truth. Truth should rule, not extremism.

This lecture was brought to Portland by the Jewish Federation of the Greater Portland Community Relations Committee and Hadassah.

I knew about school books and staging video for TV propaganda that was happening many years ago. I had heard about math books with story problems such as: if 2 Jews are killed in Tel Aviv and 3 are killed in Safed, how many are killed? David Bedein wrote about uncovering facts that showed that the backhoe incident where an American for Peace volunteer was killed accidently while protesting the actions of the Israeli Army and not as the Palestinians suggested. The terrorists could not win battles with the army, so they found that they could defeat Israel with media.

The Israel Lobby and US foreign Policy Authors in Portland

We've only been waiting for 2,000 years for the rebirth of Israel after most Jews were taken as slaves in 70AD by the Romans after they burned our Jerusalem. Though Israel was reborn in 1948, it has taken American Jews many years to have an Israel Lobby in Washington D.C.

Often I have criticized our propaganda machine, if there exists any, as all I ever hear in the newspapers, TV and radio are articles denouncing Israel regardless of what it does. I've thought, "why can't there be any articles of a positive nature about Israel?" I wasn't even aware that we had an Israel Lobby machine. It can't be very big as there aren't that many of us available or knowedgable.

Jews are less than 1% of the population in the states, but suddenly John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt have attacked our little lobby as being too powerful. I'd like to know what power we have over the stubborn politicians in Washington.

I don't think it's the Israel Lobby that has been so successful in persuading President Bush to be supportive. I think it's his own personal feelings about Israel. Right now there are many Christians on the right of political pursuasion who have claimed that Israel is a part of their revelation that has to do with bringing about their savior in the very near future. Iran and other nations have possible atomic weapons that they could use to attack Israel first and then the United States. Times are scary right now, and prophecies seems to be coming true. The Israel Lobby is a scapegoat for frightened people who can't understand why anyone would want to support Israel.

The very existence of Israel has been threatened and attacked since its inception, but the little country has prevailed, shocking everyone. Threats only get worse. Every president of the United States has proclaimed support for Israel, and a few have actually helped. That is supposed to be the stand the United States has taken since it voted for Israel's birth in the U.N.

The Israel Lobby has little power. They don't even tempt politicians with money or food. They only have truth on their side, and that truth is that Israel has a right to exist. There it is. Somehow, they have managed to get politicians to listen to some of their facts. Perhaps they are good speakers. John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt have written a tome of misinformation about them that lazy people have gobbled up as factual because they haven't the ability to read carefully and their mindset is also against Israel. I find that this tome is just sloppy writing that isn't even factual. It's poor writing for someone with the credentials that these two men have.

These two Phd's, one from Harvard and the other from Cornell spoke to a huge crowd at the Hilton Hotel Grand Ballroom on October 24. So many people were so eager to bash Israel that they had to find this immense room to hold them all. Unfortunately, they probably made a lot of money selling their book. Bashing Israel sells. This teaches me that though someone is very well educated and comes from outstanding schools, it doesn't mean that their views are correct. We must all check out information before swallowing it. We must find ulterior motives for their actions.


"As HASHEM lives, Who brought up and brought back the offspring of the House of Israel from the land of the North and from all the lands wherein He had dispersed them; and they will dwell in their own land."

Recent Russian Anti-Semitism

Foreign immigrants have been coming into Russia. The Russian's negative reaction included a hatred for Jews in the capital Sunday, November 4th. By careful manuevers, about 2,000 marchers avoided arrest while chanting slogans against them. They shouted "glory to the Russian nation" and called for the death of Jews but not the foreign immigrants. Other rallies took place within Russia while observing their National Unity Day. President Vladimir Putin was near Red Square, and declared that efforts to divide Russia from the outside were bound to fail. Who does he consider the outside trying to divide Russia?

Jews in Russia have been there for eons. They are not foreign immigrants. Yet when it comes to finding a scapegoat, they are the first to be sacrificed.

Resource: Oregonian, November 5, 2007 page A9

European Anti-Semitism Disclosed in Portland

EVER AGAIN, narrated by Kevin Costner, was shown at Portland State's Smith Memorial Student Union Bldg on Halloween day with a follow-up panel discussion by four professors. The film was made by the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles. I attended. The film was not sugar coated. It showed the growing anti-semitism in England, Germany, France, Holland and Belgium that was becoming out of control. What frightened me was the viciousness of the anti-semities and their hatred.

This has been brought about by skinheads from Eastern Germany as well as the many Muslims moving into these countries. The Muslims are against Israel, and demonstrate against Jews that they find. They are encouraging the stabbing of Jews. One scene showed about forty adults beating up Jewish children in a demonstration. One moving scene was that of Daniel Pearl and his father.

Professor Aomar Boum, anthropologist, a young Muslim Berber from Morocco, was one of the panelists. He was the most positive of the four in hoping for communication between Israel and Palestinians. He is writing a book about Muslim attitudes towards Jews. Coming from Morocco, his experience with Jews has been good. I just hope he can influence others to rethink their positions towards Jews. Being as old as I am, I am more in agreement with the other more pessimistic panelists, but there is always hope.

We can see that this is the reason that Israel is important to us all. When countries turn against us, we have a haven to flee to called home. The problem that creating this home has caused has also turned people into anti-semites. The fact is that we have suffered anti-semitism in eras when we had no Israel, so that it is not the whole cause. The cause is "who we are."
Today I received an email about the rising anti-semitism in England from my cousin a few miles away. It cited many things happening similar to those in the movie. Suddenly people are aware of what's happening.

Ann Coulter's Speaking Against ADL's Apathy Towards Israel

Then I just received Ann Coulter's article "How Long Before the ADL Kicks out all its Jews? The title is silly but her article is not. I hate to say it, but she makes some valuable points. The fact is that Israel is in danger of being eliminated. The ADL is not facing the truth, and is pussyfooting around with other less important issues. Anti-semitism is rampant (as reported yesterday during the discussion) in Eugene, Oregon on the U. of Oregon campus. A group or groups there are busy villifying Israel, which of course causes Jewish reprocussions. To condemn Israel is the same as condemning any Jew in the USA. The Anti-Defamation League is busying itself with other issues. Our young people are too busy to be concerned with Israel. We haven't stressed its values to our own children. The one group that it matters to happen to be a group we have not identified with in the past: the right-winged Republicans.
It seems that the ADL has chided my favorite radio personality, Dennis Prager because he found fault with Keith Ellison, who wanted to take his congressman's oath on the Koran and not on the bible. Dennis Prager has done more on his now defunct radio show for Israel than any organization I can think of. He discusses, writes, sends information to those interested, and has since been off the air in Gresham/Portland, Oregon. I just found out from Victor Sharpe, historian, writer and musician, that Dennis now has his 3 hour daily radio program on the local am 9.10 station KTLK starting after a 9am news and going till noon. After Dennis is Michael Medved, also another supporter of Israel. So I agree with Ann Coulter in this. ADL, get on the stick and start supporting Israel and those who support it.
Thank you to Hadassah's Portland Chapter and the Harold Schnitzer family Program in Judaic Studies at PSU. Also thank you to Rabbi Aron Heir from LA, and the PSU faculty Linda Maizels, the anthropologist Aomar Boum and Victoria Belco for their panel participation. After viewing such a shocking movie, we needed to talk about it and hear their viewpoints.

Ann Coulter Says Jews Imperfect

Ann Coulter called Jews "Imperfect" on a Cable TV program. Interviewing her was Donny Deutsch, who happened to be Jewish. He gave her a chance to alter her statement, but she stuck with her comments. When reported on Fox News by James Carvill, one of the men he was talking to thought she wasn't being anti-semitic. However, I and other Jews feel insulted by this comment. The commentator doesn't understand that this is an inuendo and clearly gives the implication that Jews need to become Christians in order to be "perfect." Does he have to be hit over the head to understand this?

ANTISEMITISM ABOUNDS by Nadene Goldfoot

Where is antisemitism today? Right in the Irvington district in Portland, Oregon. Painted in large, clear red letters was the word JEWS on the side of a neighbor's home. The Portland Police Bureau refused to designate this action as a hate crime. However, they will be keeping a watch on further developments. Writing this on a home is an antisemitic act. Those who have experienced antisemitism know. What's happened in Portland was the convention of hate-mongers called The Hammerskin Nation that are out to get Jews and Blacks. I'm sure we'll see more activities of this type.

On NE Alberta Street "Jews"was written on storefronts. This happened before the Hammerskins had their convention. People there understood that this act was antisemitic.

Last week a children's show "Between the Lions," from Iowa Public TV aired on OPB. The segment of "Here come The Aliens" had an outer space alien lurking around described as "sickly green" It had a long nose and a Jewish star on its body. Allen Chalfen was in horror as he viewed this program, called OPB and cancelled his membership. This type of antisemitism happened in the 40's. Now it's happening again.

Let's start with more frequent and sharper attacks on Israel where the attacks are singling out Israel out of all proportion to any other country in the Middle East. Natan Sharasky said that legitimate criticism becomes antisemitism when in turns into demonization, double standards and deligitimization, which is happening right now. British National Union of Journalists voted to boycott Israeli goods. They did not criticize any Palestinian group or action. The same thing occured with academics in England. A few American academics countered and they finally dropped their boycott plans.

Words can sway people into false knowledge. Jimmy Carter's new book accused Israel of apartheid. The reason was the wall. He forgets the fact that the wall was constructed when the West Bank towns sent suicide bombers to kills Jews and called their terrorists "martyrs". Yet, the wall between Mexico and the US is bigger and is keeping out people who only want jobs. Israel has many Arab citizens, but no Jew can become a Jordanian, let alone enter their country. No Jew can ever enter the future state of Palestine, and no Jew can ever visit Saudi Arabia as a tourist. Carter gave Israel a black eye with his name calling, and the idea sticks with people and shapes their attitude towards us.

Professors Walt and Mearsheimer's new book about the "Israel Lobby" has brought about an anti Israel movement on many campuses. Jews make up between 1-2% of the population in the USA and have AIPAC as the spokesperson for Israel. AIPAC does not fund their campaigns, but though they do not have voting power or money, these professors say they control the US foreign policy. It couldn't be that congress has listened to the speakers and found they were in agreement with them.

In the Muslim world "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" and "Mein Kampf" are best sellers. These books are as antisemitic as possible, the latter being written by Hitler himself. Hamas has a charter against Israel that cites the Hadith:"The Day of Judgment will not come about until Muslims fight the Jews, when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say "O Muslims, O Abdulla, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him." Hezbollah's leader Nasrallah in 2002 said: "If Jews all gather in Israel, it will save us the trouble of going after them worldwide."

Antisemitism didn't come about because of "occupation" of land legally acquired in 1967 after being attacked first and then winning after that attack. It's because we are Jews. During Rosh Hashanah, the shofar (ram's horn) plays a melody that is like a code. The message is: Wake up! We just hope that Olmert is awake when he agrees with the US to give away the West Bank; some of us think he's asleep. Many Christians in the USA agree with us.

Christiane Amanpour, CNN moderator's recent 3 part program segment, "God's Jewish Warriors" contained sprinklings of Palestinian propaganda against Israel. She is Iranian, and I'm afraid her personal prejustice was showing.

This is why when many of us hear criticism about Israel, our shackles rise. We are waiting for the other shoe to fall. It's almost like a conditioned reflex. Antisemitism declined when Israel was born again and victorious, but after 1967, the situation changed. Palestinians became nationalistic and terroristic against Israel, I'm sure being urged on by the very Muslim nations that told them to flee from the territory in 1948. With the continuence of terrorism comes antisemitism.

Condensed mostly from Gary D. Acheatel of Ashland, Oregon's article in the Jewish Review October 1, 2007, "Today's headlines motivate concerned Jew's call to activism." Letter to the Editor from Allen Chalfen of Portland, Sunday's Oregonian Opinion "When hate and fear come to the neighborhood" by Whitney Otto, and my input.

Ahmadinejad's Hatred for Israel Believed by Portlander

I was appalled today when I read the letter to the editor from a Portlander who asked the questions of what did the Palestinians do to deserve 60 years of occupation and death at the hands of Israel, and why is it that anyone who suggests that Israel be made to live in peace within its own borders are labeled madmen or anti-Semitic?

Of course I wrote a letter to the editor immediately back after reading this trying to explain a few facts in 153 words. Whether it will be published or not is another question.

This shows that some Americans will swallow what a person like Ahmadinejad is saying. If the person wasn't already prejudice against Israel to start with, he has wound up believing the garbage Ahmadinejad is spewing. Hopefully, the students at Columbia University are better informed about current events.

Nursery With Toddlers Almost Hit by Rockets

Six rockets and a mortar shell fell in Israel Monday that were shot from Gaza and the aim was to hit a nursery school. I have found that these terrorists are always aiming for women and children. Mensch, they are not. Sderot, the town that is only one mile away from these attacks, has a population of 22,000. The parents have endured rocket attacks constantly, but now that school has begun, are taking their children out of school until the attacks cannot hit the schools. Olmert has now vowed that every rocket launcher and those people involved will be destroyed. Hamas is riling up the Gaza population telling them to beware of Israel, now.

This is how it goes. Terrorists constantly flail at Israel without retaliation until something that cannot be endured happens; and then we retaliate. Then we are the bad guys. If the rest of the world were asked to put up with such behaviors, I doubt very much that they would. Even in Portland, when the case happens that we try to defend ourselves, the terrorists are urged by some to keep up the fight against us.

Helping Sderot Schoolchildren

Portland's Hadassah group held a picnic this summer in Portland on August 19th in order to donate money for the children of Sderot, Israel for school supplies. One of the members will travel there this fall and see how the city is faring.

The first day of school was Sunday, September 1st, and 1.5 million children went back to school in Israel. In Sderot, a rocket landed near the school Saturday night, which is in the city. That was followed by two more Qassam rockets. Parents know that the schools are better fortified than their own homes and hope for the best. This past month 300 rockets landed in the area. The people of Sderot have had rockets attacking them for the past four years.

Our newscasters are always remarking that these Qassam rockets are homemade, as if they can cause no damage. They may be homemade, but cause a great deal of problems. I'm sure none of our American citizens would be blase about such attacks near their children's schools, homes or stores. Hamas continues these attacks while peace talks are being negotiated.

I lived in Safed, in the northern Galilee from 1981 to 1985 where I taught in the junior high school. We had practice bomb drills there in a bomb shelter in the school where we had to spend hours. I had hoped that by this year, such a need of bomb shelters would be a thing of the past. The bombing continues.

Letters to Editor in Oregonian Again

Robert Hamilton wrote an article in the Oregonian stating that arming Israel with $30 billion dollars because we are giving $20 billion to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates is obscene.

It was commented on by Linda Cohn who wrote that she agreed and said that what Israel needs is for the international community to tell the Palestinians that they must honor their signed agreements with Israel, to end all terrorist activities, accept Israel's right to exist and destroy all terror groups and confiscate illegal weapons. They should also preserve and protect all Jewish holy sites and educate their people for peace.

Roberta Palmer answered that with a list of reasons why Palestinians should resist the Israelis. She concluded that Israeli crimes are very long and stated that Israel stole Palestinian lands, cited the destruction of houses and orchards, and even the restriction of movement at checkpoints, road blocks and "Israeli" only highways. She went on about how Gaza children suffer from malnutrition and post traumatic stress from Israeli violence and intimidation. Even imprisonment whose only crimes were to be between 15 and 45 were listed. She stated that when the PLO accepted the legitimacy of Israel within the 1949 armistice borders, the Arab population ceded more than half the land granted them by the UN partition. She thinks the Palestinians accepted Israel's government and Israel persists in violating UN resolutions 242, 181 and so on. She thinks we are confiscating the remaining 22% of their land is forcing them to accept defeat as a people. She hopes they continue to resist.

Needless to say, I wrote a reply to this letter which is full of so many untruths, that I had a hard time deciding what to say in 150 words or less. I hope my letter gets printed but probably won't. I hate the idea of her having the last say on this, which people will think is all truthful.

CRITICIZING ISRAEL

Criticizing Israel

Recently Christiane Amanpour presented a three-part series on CNN examining the role of religious fundamentalism in the world, starting with "God’s Jewish Warriors." I watched, as did many of my friends and was appalled with what I heard. My antennae shot up quickly as I was contronted with false statements, one after the other in quick succession. I was afraid this would happen. Cristiane is Iranian, and I had a feeling she would be presenting something alien to the actual facts that I knew. The program moved along so swiftly that I could not take notes on anything. In order to counter any viewpoints, I needed to have taped the program and played it back with a lot of stopping and starting.

A non Jewish friend saw nothing wrong with the program. All three segments met with approval. The negative presentation of Jews was accepted. I, on the other hand, saw nothing wrong in the presentations of the Moslem and Christian segments, not being aware of any problem with their sides, whereas he was a little disappointed with the Christian episode.

Jews are so accustomed to negative comments about their religion that we are very sensitive to any criticisms. The same goes for Israel. People are just so ready to believe the worst about us, that they do. We are constantly either ignoring comments and hoping they go away, or get in the defensive mode, which I do. From the Dark Ages, people have been accusing us of poisoning their children, their well, their food. Adolf Hitler told lies about us and tried to exterminate every one of us. Persia’s Hamen told lies about us and tried to kill all the Jews and now Iran’s ruler is saying the same thing. These are but a few of the examples that come to mind.

Recently the British academia have come out against Israel and are boycotting any trade with it. Britain, who had the mandate to keep order in "Palestine" after the Ottoman Empire fell, never did favor the Jews there. Finally, someone has stood up to this hatred. Standing with Israel is the University of California’s Robert Birgeneau at Berkely, New York University’s John Sexton and Columbia University’s Lee Bollinger.

Since 1948 Israel has been constantly attacked by the surrounding Arabs, but have accomplished a great deal. It has no oil or other natural resources but produced universities, research centers and other institutions of like causes. The USA scientists have more patents in the world, but Israel is second. Israel has more start-up companies listed on Nasdaq and export more life-saving medical technology than any other country. Israelis have received more Nobel and other international science prizes than any other country. Israeli academics are at the forefront in working on peace efforts. The British boycott seems to be backfiring.* All this effort is from one of the tiniest states in the world, smaller than one third of the size of Oregon with only about five million Jews at the young age of fifty-nine years. With the creation of another state, Palestine, it will be even smaller.

Jews do a lot of criticizing of ourselves, mostly in regards to Israel. A friend of mine in Israel just wrote and said that he felt that unless you live there, you really don’t have the right to criticize. It’s the Israelis whose lives are on the line. He’s right. I lived there for five and a half years and became a citizen. I felt the same way. However, we have people to the left and people to the right living in Israel, and all have a chance to voice their opinions, just like America. It’s a different feeling when we criticize ourselves; it’s more like it’s family criticism. When others do it, we feel the antagonism, the hated of people with no understanding or empathy. Usually they criticize the wrong things. They swallow propaganda and it shows how little they really know. To be so quick to believe the worst hurts. If only they would criticize something blaringly incorrect.

When confronted with, "Gee, I can’t criticize Israel without you thinking I’m antisemitic", I realize that this is true. I am very defensive about Israel. I am aware of all the problems Israel is facing and know they are trying harder than most people understand to be fair and righeous in their dealings with Palestinians.

Somehow, child psychologists and marriage counselors have come up the idea of starting with something positive and then slipping in a criticism and ending on a positive, helpful note. I just wish people would do the same thing when discussing Israel. Don't just criticize us. Is it so much to ask that people learn something about the situation first?

* Alan M. Dershowitz "Academic Hijacking" in Hadassah magazine Aug. Sept 07

Ex Blazer Fan Living in Israel

Richard Brownstein and his family moved to Israel several years ago. He has the most extensive Blazer paraphanalia in the world. He has a blog that is fantastic. Both he and his wife write in it. Not only has he writings and pictures, but a 90 second video I hope all who read this would watch. Go to http://www.brownsteins.net/ As soon as we know who the #1 pick will be, I'll have to write to him and tell him about it.

Letter to Editor Saying Israel Doesn't Want Peace

I blew my top today when I read a letter from Albany, Oregon to the editor in today's Oregonian saying that "Israel has never really wanted peace." It went on to say that Israel only wants the peace process, negotiations and is stalling so it can get all or most of the land. She went on to say that Hamas has only pitiful rockets and AK-47's, as if they were simply slingshots. Also she felt that the United States and Israel didn't like the outcome of a democratic election that the Palestinians held.

After screaming a lot, I sat down and answered her letter and sent it in. To me this lady knows nothing but the slander she has been reading; the propaganda of the Palestinians. Of course, a little bit of anti-semitism must be part of the mix in her beliefs. People who are so quick to believe the worst of Israel also believe the worst of Jews. I'll print my letter if it doesn't get printed in the paper.

This lady thinks that the Palestinians held a democratic election. The parties were two terrorist organizations; Fatah and Hamas. Fatah isn't any peaceful party, but was crafty enough to state that they recognized Israel. They were suddenly the darling of the USA and Israel. Abbas's history is a shocker at best. He's not a friend of the Jewish people, but is the lesser of the two evils. If I were a Palestinian, I would have feared for my life if I had voted for the more docile party, knowing that revenge was around the corner and I could be killed for doing so. No, it's not the democracy that we know in Portland, Oregon. They're just using the word. This anathema of terrorists terrorizing the opposite party in the name of democracy should be obvious.

Of course Israel wants peace. Only idiots want to have a continuing war in their land. Israelis are not idiots.

Slandering Israel from Palestinians in Portland

Nadene Goldfoot
Free speech is all well and good in America. At Portland State University the Palestinians will have their day to slander Israel in the name of "free speech".

On June 19th, 2007 they will have a free all day propaganda session from 10am to 5pm in Hoffmann Hall. This reminds me of the recent Reed College night propaganda speech I attended. Only a few of the packed audience were Jews. I was curious to see how the Palestinians presented their case.

Way back during World War II, propaganda was spread about Blacks, Japanese and Jews. This is one way of fighting those you hate, and there's always the uninformed who are willing to gobble it up as it suits their thoughts exactly. A Wolf Creek man stated that "we should kill off all the Jews". Rumors implied that Jews were shirking their army duties. Others stated that "Jews controlled all the wealth of the world". In Bend people were saying that Jews were just making a big profit out of the scrap and rubber businesses.

Hitler said that if you repeat something often enough, others will believe it. That's exactly what the Palestinians will be doing now in this Portland State U. all day session.

Anti-Semitism in the U.N.

Yesterday ex-President Carter spoke in Ireland in a human rights meeting about Israel and how he thought they were making all sorts of mistakes. Tuesday the members of the U.N.'s new human rights watchdog decided to watch Israel very closely but are stopping their observations in Cuba and Belarus. After all, they need everyone on Israel's borders.

Why is it that this group continues to single out Israel for this type of condemnation? Could it be that they just don't like the Jewish country? The United Nations is made up of a lot of Arab nations and they certainly are using every conceivable method to pound at Israel.

At least the United States objected. Here the United States has received help in dealing with terrorism from Israel, from security measures in airports to dealing with terrorists in other ways. Canada objected. So there are two rational countries on Israel's side. Why didn't other countries object?

Israel has its own human right's groups. Jews are very self critical. The Physicians for Human Rights, an Israeli group, has made sure through their supreme court, to be heard. They are asking Israeli authorities to offer immediate medical treatment to anyone needing it at the Erez Crossing at the Gaza Strip. Palestinians are fleeing Hamas gunmen and wish to get out of harm's way. Israel has already taken in two people hit by Hamas gunfire 24 hours after they were wounded. Last week three wounded people were allowed into Israel.

What is so galling is that Jews came up with the most humane ideas in the world, such as kosher killing of animals for consumption. Jews have treated women and babies more humanely than any other country in the world. Jews are a most humane group. This is really what it means to be Jewish, and their enemies have the power to cast accusations that are believed by others.

No other country has had such trials as being attacked and told they would be driven into the sea by others in the "hood." Then to rub salt into the wound, no other country has had to put up with this vilification of their morality that they need to be watched by watch dogs to keep them from breaking some human right. We, who were were the teachers of human rights, are now being watched for the wrong reasons.

Jewish Doctors Fight Diabetes in Israel

I read an article in a Portland university newspaper by a political science student stating that Israel has no value and is costing the United States too much money. He dismissed the facts that Israel has been producing all sorts of valuable items including many scientific ones that can help the world.

Evidently Diabetes in the United States is costing 1/8 of all federal money in health care. It's so wide-spread that they are calling for a new government post just for diabetes and it's financial problems. They expect the cost to soar in the next two years by 60%, and in the next 30 years 62 million American could die from it.

In 2004 Israel had already started a diabetes program in Jerusalem at the first Russell Berrie International diabetes Symposium. It involved more than 300 scientists from Israel with goals to have three diabetes centers with the highest level of scientific research and clinical care. This program was designed to triple the current level of research in diabetes.

I wonder how much the current state of affairs fighting terrorists have affected the program. How many of these scientists have had to do their milueem (serving in the army) and not be able to work in their labs or clinics helping people? How many of these doctors will die serving to protect their country instead of finding a cure for diabetes?

By not appreciating Israel's worth and respecting their right to exist in this world, they may be cutting off their own nose. If they find they have diabetes, perhaps they will realize what they have done.

Israel is not just draining the United States of money and existing as a nonproductive entity. These creative Jews from all over the world have the chance to put their minds together and come up with all sorts of valuable items that not only help to keep them afloat as a country but enable them to give back to the world. All can benefit in what Israel can produce. Is the world going to sit back and allow Iran to try to wipe them off the map? I wonder how many care. Where are Israel's friends now?

Escapee from Iran Marries Portland Girl by Nadene Goldfoot

My cousin's daughter has married an Iranian Jew, Daniel, who escaped from his country. His parents had to use all their money to pay a group of smugglers to get him out. He became part of a group of 14 boys who fled on camels at night to a border town. After another nightfall they continued their journey in pick-up trucks and were carried over the border to Pakistan, also a Muslim country.

After being in Pakistan for two days, the Pakistani Police caught them. They tore Daniel's shirt while looking for hidden money. Finding none, they threatened to send the boys back to Iran, and were about to, but changed their minds for the price of twenty dollars. Luckily they hadn't found the $1,000 Daniel's mother had sewed into his shirt. That was for a plane ticket to Austria. One cannot go directly to USA from Pakistan, so there is an arangement with Austria to allow Iranian refugees to stay there until their receive immunity from the American government.

After they arrived in Pakistan, they went to the UN embassy and were granted official UN protection papers requiring all UN member countries to help them. With this backing they received temporary Swiss passports. They showed these to the Austrian embassy and were granted visas. This took a month to be completed. Then they were allowed to travel to Austria. He stayed there for 8 months until the American Embassy had his papers ready.

At the age of 16 years he arrived in America. He stayed with religious Jews and went to a Satmar camp one summer where he won a scholarship to Yeshiva University. Daniel decided to study Talmud and to become a doctor, so he studied religious subjects in the morning and medical studies in the afternoon. Luckily he had a brilliant mind. Not many could do this at the same time. He loved studying the religious subjects and was torn between the two. Finally he decided that he could bring happiness into homes by being a doctor.

Entertainment Industry Controlled by Who? by Nadene Goldfoot

There remains the unmitigated belief that Jews control the entertainment industry in the United States. Considering that the Jewish population is only 1/4 of 1% of the world's population, you must wonder how such a small group could gain control of such a large industry. For such a grand feat, Jews should be awarded a grand prize.

There are, in fact, many Jews in the entertainment industry. It has been an area that they have found success. It was Samuel Goldwyn and Louis B. Mayer (MGM) that produced the first full-length sound picture, "The Jazz Singer." Mayer of MGM even created the idea for the Oscar. Many are the founding fathers of other Hollywood studios. Adolph Zukor built the first theater used just to show motion pictures. George and Ira Gershwin and Irving Berlin were famous composers. Harry Houdini Weiss was a superb magician and stage performer. Flo Zigfield of Zigfield Follies was the creator of American burlesque. Steven Spielberg is a most successful filmmaker. They were there at the inception of the industry and helped to create it. Does anyone wonder why other Jews have tried to follow in their footsteps?

There just happens to be a lot of talent in the Jewish community that lends itself to this industry. It didn't come to the people overnight. Jews have done their fair share of suffering and found that making jokes about it lessened the burdens. Thus comics and jokes were created long ago, before Hollywood. The arts has been held in high esteem in the Jewish culture. Children were expected to take up some form of musical instrument. In every synagogue was a Cantor who sang the prayers. The ability to sing was cultivated. Yiddish Theater has been a cultural experience dating back into time. All this background fomented and was able to be used in the emerging United States. It simply has been a transfer of what one did in the old country to New York or Hollywood.

There is nothing sinister in finding many Jewish people in the entertainment fields. They are there as individual citizens and not as a group bent on a diabolical plot of taking over an industry. People tend to try to be successful in areas they feel competent in, and this is one of them.

Jews tended to congregate in cities in New York, New Jersey, Florida and Connecticut as well as Hollywood. Here were the very centers for the entertainment industry. Many new entertainers had their starts in the Catskills and then branched out to other places. They were in the right places at the right times.

Several years ago in Portland, Oregon, a school board member was quoted as saying that "he sees Jews running everything. Today they run the country." Some even thought that Jews constituted at least 3% of the city, though in reality they make up only less than 1%, because Portland is not a big center for Jews, even on the West Coast. Yet Jews have managed to make their mark here.

The reason for that is their culture. Education is regarded as the most important asset that a person can have. After years of being expelled out of seemingly safe havens and finding the opposite, Jews have had to run for their lives. The easiest thing to take with you is your head and what's in it so that you can use what you know to relocate and help your family. Education is part of our religion. One learns to read and write Hebrew at an early age and to discuss what was read. Spouses are chosen for their intelligence and not their brawn, though it's nice if the male has both. Alcoholism was not a part of the culture. Wives were treated as princesses. This created a nice environment for learning.

The Jewish mother has had a lot to do with the success of the children. She is a drive that causes excellence in her children leading them to become doctors and lawyers. She has caused so much Jewish guilt, that a child dare not bring home anything but A's in school. My father told me to be the best in whatever I wanted to be." I became a teacher, but was chided and a disappointment because I didn't go for a higher degree. This is the typical Jewish household.

Jews have lived through the quota system of only allowing a certain percent of their group into colleges and universities. Many who were capable of becoming doctors were not allowed in because the quota was filled. The entertainment industry has been one field that they have been able to enter as individuals pursuing the American dream. All they needed was chutzpa and talent.