Anti Semitism

The rise in anti-semitic, anti-zionistic, anti-Israel, anti-Jewish rhetoric circling the web is nothing short of disturbing and disgusting.  Last Sunday, which is International Holocaust Memorial Day and the day that marks the liberation of Auschwitz, The Sunday Times of UK ran the following political cartoon.

As one can plainly see, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is depicted building a wall using the blood of Palestinian men and women.  Staring at this picture I am incredibly filled with anger and disappointment that only a short 72 years after the Holocaust officially began we seem to have lost sight as to what began this tragic time in history altogether.  A time when the world seemed to have lost all sense humanity.  What began as political cartoons in newspapers throughout Europe quickly turned into the systematic murder of millions of men, women, and children.  Families were sent to their deaths in concentration camps, like Auschwitz, where they were gassed and bodies burned.  Political cartoons such as this one, are echos of a not so distant past.  A traumatic, to say the least, time in history when the world went mad.  Will we ever learn?  Will we ever understand that to be part of the human race means to be humane?  To be caring and loving towards one another.  To stand up for what is good and right.  To have the fundamental right to exist.  

Auschwitz -where millions of lives were lost during WWII.

Tyrannical regimes like, Iran, Syria, and Russia (just to name a few) are consistently denying that there even was a Holocaust.  Denying that millions of people were enslaved into forced labor until there was nothing left but lifeless bodies waiting to die.  They call us the zionist problem of the middle east.  Us.  Israel.  The only true democracy in the middle east that fights for human rights, while defending her own right to exist.  The only place in the middle east that Christians, Jews, and Arabs can all be citizens and freely worship the Divine Entity that they call their own.  Christians and Jews have been driven out of nearly every Muslim country in the middle east, where religious freedom is unheard of.  Where elections are rigged and whomever has the most money can grab up power and call themselves "leaders".

Open your eyes!  Wake up!  What is happening in the world all around us is unacceptable.

"First they came for the socialists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a socialist. 
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me."  -Martin Niemöller (1892–1984)

We are supposed to be an evolved race, the human race.  We have technology at the tips of our fingers. We have modern science that can be used to save lives, stop hunger, and poverty.  Yet, still somehow the Jewish people are the focus of world events.  For what?  For nothing more than the notion of right to exist.  As the "chosen people", I have often pondered what we have been chosen for.  To be an international scapegoat?  To be a nation of people that are an easy target?  Why, because we look funny?  We wear little skull caps, have big dangling side burns, cover our hair, and dress modestly?  We pray in an ancient language?  We have the same rituals, traditions, and holy books for thousands of years?

Because I have blond hair and blue eyes, I was never personally a victim of anti-semitism.  I guess I don't "look Jewish".  Whatever that means.  I don't have a big hook nose?  My devil horn are hidden under my wavy hair that's not curly enough to be "Jewish"?  Not personally being a victim of persecution doesn't make it any easier to be around.  How do people stand by idly touting freedom of speech, which is truly freedom of hatred... freedom of incitement and ignorance.  This is not freedom.  This is what it's like being shackled to misinformation, misconception, and ignorance.  This is not open mindedness and tolerance.  This does not support the idea of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Recently I came across a fantastic group called, Toldot Yisrael who are helping to get out the truth about the history of the state of Israel.  Much like CAMERA is doing to ensure accurate news reporting in the middle east, and Free Middle East are doing to create awareness as to the truth about Israel.

Educate yourselves.  Find your truth and stand up for what you believe in.  Stand up for freedom.  Stand up for humanity.  Stand up for justice.  Knowledge is power and believe me, those looking to brainwash you into a lemming like state of hypnosis will do so at every twist and turn in the road.  

A Bravery Fiercer than Death

After now living in Israel as an Israeli citizen for 2 years I am proud and humbled to be part of something as special as this.  Crawling out from the crematoriums in Europe to arrive here, in the promised land is greatest of all blessings.  Listen up world, we have every right to exist and we will continue to do so through every face of adversity.  Every confrontation only makes us stronger and more ready to stand up for ourselves and what is right.  Never again.