Understanding one another cannot happen with yelling and talking at each other. We have to be willing to sit together and be honest about our own prejudices and how we see one another.
Uncomfortable Conversations with a Jew was published in April. It is essentially a conversation between author/actor/activist Noa Tishby and former football player and sports analyst Emmanuel Acho. Nothing is off the table between the authors in regards to Judaism, Jewish history, Israel, and how we have been perceived over the centuries.
Considering what is going on in the world these days, this is a title that we should all be reading. As Acho points out, we cannot fight hate and prejudice in our individual religious or cultural groups. It can only be vanquished if we all come together and speak up against those who would discriminate against us.
Do I recommend it? Absolutely. It is one of the best books of the year in my opinion.
Uncomfortable Conversations with a Jew is available wherever books are sold.
Israel does not deliberately target civilians, but Hamas does intentionally hide and operate in civilian areas, endangering innocent lives. Yesterday, tragically, seven aid workers from @WCKitchen were accidentally killed in an airstrike.
They say that it takes two to tango. It also takes at least two parties (depending on the situation) to make peace.
The latest conflict between Israel and Hamas has been going on for nearly four months. In the wake of October 7th, thousands of people on both sides have been killed. Many have been uprooted and have lost everything except the clothes on their backs and whatever they can carry.
When I was in Saudi Arabia, meeting with MBS last week, a week and a half ago, I revisited the same issue. He, of course, said he was very open to this. He thought this was a very good solution. It was a way to create a path to peace on day two, after the war was over, to rebuild a Palestinian state, and that he committed in the meeting that I was with, that he would do anti-terrorism missions, that he would create stability for the Palestinians because that is not something Israel can do alone, and shouldn’t have to ever do again.
It should be the responsibility of the Arab states to provide security, to fight against Hamas, to fight against Hezbollah, to fight against Iran, with the United States and Israel helping. MBS was very much open to that. With the Jordanians, the Jordanians were working overtime to get a new Palestinian leadership, because the current Palestinian leadership has been unable to create a Palestinian state for decades, and unwilling to even hold elections. The Jordanians were working overtime to secure a path to a new Palestinian leadership.
When we presented this idea, when I presented this idea in my five minutes with Prime Minister Netanyahu, he would not answer the question of the second state. I don’t know if it’s his unwillingness because of his current government or his change of view, or he’s never ever going to consider it again, but he’s wrong not to consider it, because this is the path to peace. This is what President Biden has in his vision for Middle East peace. This is what our allies have in their vision for Middle East peace.
This was the vision of the Israeli government before October 7th. I think October 7th was so brutal and so deeply destructive to the psyche of the Israeli government and the Israeli people, that they are not thinking straight. I’m hopeful that we can get Israel back on board, because this is the path to peace, and this is what should happen as soon as we can end the conflicts. I’m hoping this can happen in weeks and months, because this is something that has to happen now, before too many innocent lives are lost in both the Palestinians and in Israel.
On the other side of the coin, Hamas leadership has once more rejected a hostage deal because a permanent cease-fire was not included in the package.
So I ask you, how does one make peace with all involved refusing the come to the table?
P.S. South Africa‘s claim that Israel is committing genocide was rejected by the ICJ. If nothing else, there is a glimmer of hope that there are still good people in this world.
The International Court of Justice ruled in favor of Israel, reaffirming its right to self defense and dismissing calls for a ceasefire. But the fact that Israel is subject to such accusations is outrageous. This is the disproportionate obsession we’ve been talking about. Social… pic.twitter.com/y4TLMfBnkQ
For the last three weeks, some have been saying that the conflict between Israel and Hamas is political. It is not. It is outright murder.
What these people want is to make the world Judenrein. It does not matter if you are on the right or the left, religious or atheist.
The tweets below (specifically the one from Bernie Sanders) hit the nail on the head.
Sen. Bernie Sanders took time to remember the 11 Jewish people murdered by a white supremacist gunman who shouted antisemitic slurs as he opened fire in the Tree of Life synagogue.
This has nothing to do with the inhumane brutality in Gaza and Israel.
Where is Hamas headquarters located? Under a HOSPITAL IN GAZA.
Hamas is launching its war of terror from a command center under Gaza’s largest hospital. Thousands of wounded patients and more than 40,000 displaced people in the Shifa hospital are being used as human shields by… pic.twitter.com/9wVObv1uVt
One of the most disturbing things about the response (beyond the ballooning antisemitism) is that facts are being disregarded. Specifically from my fellow progressives. Does a city that has a well-regarded beach resort count as an open-air prison? I don’t think so.
While the members of Hamas leadership are sitting pretty, the average citizen is dealing with hunger, unemployment, and lack of economic opportunities. Now tell me, who is responsible for the crisis in Gaza?
The silence and/or protest from my LGBTQ siblings and fellow feminists hurts the most.
0:00 to 3:05
Those of us who believe in equality scream bloody murder (rightly so) when it comes to rape, sexual assault, and domestic abuse. But they remain curiously silent after the rape and torture of Israeli women on October 7th. Is it because they were Israelis or they were Jews? Or both?
The footage is necessarily graphic.
On Friday, Jewish demonstrators gathered in Grand Central Station in New York City to demand an Israeli ceasefire. The irony is that had any of them been found by the terrorists 22 days ago, they likely would have been murdered or kidnapped.
We have been through worse. There is a saying in Judaism:
“In each and every generation they rise up against us to destroy us. And the Holy One, blessed be they, rescues us from their hands.”
I know this will end at some point. It has to. The question is, how many will be killed (on both sides) before the destruction stops?
When it comes to disagreements, the only way to solve them is if both/all parties are able to come to the table and at least try to understand the other’s perspective. Without that willingness, any agreements are meaningless.
In regards to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, there are fingers being pointed on both sides. With all of this noise, destruction, and bloodshed, peace is as far away as it ever was.
The loss of life on both sides is a pain that all of us should feel. Part of the problem is the narrative coming from the media. Two WNYC shows have hosted guests talking about the Palestinian point of view: The Brian Lehrer Show and Notes from America.
While today’s episode of The Brian Lehrer Show was obviously one-sided, Notes from America was sadly deceiving. The Jewish speaker is a member of Jewish Voices for Peace. As far as I am concerned, this organization is excusing the hatred and murder that Hamas has incited. That is not to say that one side is all good and another is all bad. There are too many shades of grey that are either ignored or forgotten.
If the producers of Notes from America had invited Noa Tishby or Rudy Rochman, that would have been one thing. But the “debate” (if you want to call it that), was nothing more than the standard Israeli hate fest.
You can’t mourn for dead Jews while defending those who are trying to kill more. My monologue on the gaslighting of Israelis and the Jewish community by the international community in response to the #HamasMassacre for @iltvnews: pic.twitter.com/YIs2Ex3sX4
May the memories of all those killed be a blessing.
P.S. Cindy Flash was one of the many American Jews who were killed by the invaders. She was, in an ironic twist that I think says everything, a supporter of Palestinian rights. The terrorists who murdered her and more than 1,000 others did not care.
The only way to end a conflict is for all parties involved to come to the table with the intent of creating a legitimate and lasting peace.
There was another attack on Israel from Gaza earlier today. As usual, there is a significant number of dead and injured.
What I find surprising is the response from other countries.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a statement that he is “closely monitoring developments in Israel.
“Our commitment to Israel’s right to defend itself remains unwavering, and I extend my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this abhorrent attack on civilians.”
“I am shocked by this morning’s attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli citizens,” British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a statement. “Israel has an absolute right to defend itself.
“We’re in contact with Israeli authorities, and British nationals in Israel should follow travel advice.”
Zelensky denounced Hamas’ offensive, writing on Telegram, “Whoever uses terror is a criminal against the whole world. Whoever sponsors terrorism is a criminal against the whole world.”
I have two questions:
How long with this “sympathy” last?
Will they just sit on their hands or will their actions back their words?
This is an unprovoked massacre. Hamas terrorists invaded Israel and are now looking for Jewish men women and children to slaughter. Western media DO NOT present this as anything else.
I don’t know what it will take for the rest of the world to open their eyes. I only know that generations of people have died unnecessarily.
Am Yisroel Chai.
P.S. I came across a couple of interesting videos from Rudy Rochman from 2019. While attending the 2019 AIPAC conference, he tried to speak to the Neteurei Karta. They are a small minority of Jews (some ironically, live in Jerusalem) who believe that the modern state of Israel should not exist until the Messiah comes. The last time I checked, the Messiah is not coming anytime soon.
They actively support those who would destroy both Israel and the Jews as a whole. What they conveniently forget (or choose to ignore) is that they would be forced to wear the proverbial yellow star and have a target on their back like the rest of us.
At some point, we all meet our maker. It is just a matter of when and how.
Yom Kippur starts Sunday night. One of the most important prayers during the service is U’Netaneh Tokef.
Leonard Cohen‘s 1974 song, Who By Fire is an adaptation of the prayer. It is a reminder of how precious life is and how quickly it can end.
To those who are fasting, have an easy fast.
P.S. A genius at UPenn decided to allow the Palestinian Writer’s Conference to schedule an event next Monday, during Yom Kippur. One of the speakers is Roger Waters. The room(s) where the event is going to be held is in the same building where Hillel is holding Yom Kippur services.
Coincidence? I think not. It goes without saying that freedom of speech is important, especially when it comes to oppressed minorities. But this is nothing more than an antisemitic hate fest that is conveniently going to be held during Judaism’s holiest day. Good job, UPenn.
Last week, we all raised concerns over a conference at @Penn that's set to include some of the world’s most famous antisemites. This morning, we found out that an antisemitic attack happened at @PennHillel. Wherever anti-Zionism goes, antisemitism follows. pic.twitter.com/4Hgeut2whs
@Penn President Magill – I ask you, how do you want to be remembered? Do you want to be remembered for standing against antisemitism? Or turning a blind eye to Jew hatred? pic.twitter.com/lkB84dMMO5
I am not a big jewelry fan. But if I did, I would wear a Star of David.
September 1st, 1941, is a sad day of Jewish infamy. I could explain its importance, but Noa Tisbhy does it better than I can.
Just 82 years ago today Nazi Germany started forcing the Jewish community to wear the yellow Jewish star on their clothes in public so we could be identified and discriminated against under protection of the law. This was the start of finding a “final solution to the Jewish… pic.twitter.com/nktwptR6nU
In an ideal world, college (and higher education in general) is an opportunity to spread our wings and see the world beyond what we think it is. But we don’t live in an ideal world. We live in the real world, which is far more complicated.
A couple weeks ago, a controversy erupted at UC Berkeley in California. Back in August, nine student groups adopted by-laws in which they agree to not invite speakers who “hold views in support of Zionism, the apartheid state of Israel, and the occupation of Palestine.” In other words, the campus has certain sections that are judenrein.
First of all, Palestine is not occupied. Second of all, Israel is not an apartheid state. Third of all, they boiled the complex issue of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict into the idea that all Jews support Israel and subjugate Palestinian neighbors. None of this is true.
Recently Noa Tishby visited the campus and tried to get an understanding of what was going on. The video below speaks for itself.
I wish that we would see each other as human beings first and then see us via whatever labels we use to identify ourselves. But we don’t. We rush to judgment and make a generic statement about who they are. My fear in all of this is that the students are our future leaders. Who knows where the poison they spread today will take us tomorrow.
The basic purpose of journalism is to provide the public with the following answers to a specific news story: who, what, when, where, and how. After all of that information is provided, the viewing and listening audience should be allowed to make their own mind up about the story.
On Wednesday, Al Jazeerajournalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed in a clash between IDF soldiers and Palestinian extremists. As usual, the worldwide mainstream press does not report the whole truth.
The truth is that she was likely killed by one of her own people. While the Israeli government promises a thorough investigation, there is the usual silence and lies from their Palestinian counterparts.
I am going to end this post with the truth from Bassam Eid and Noa Tishby. This is antisemitism, pure and simple. The sooner the world realizes it, the sooner that real peace is possible.
As a human rights activist, I condemn the Palestinian Authority’s refusal to participate in a joint investigation into the death of Shireen Abu Akleh. What do they have to hide? I’ll tell you… the truth!
Writergurlny 
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