Election Day & Barack Obama

    Micaiah ben Malachi and I completed our ballots a week before Election Day via absentee voting since we're both disabled.  Managing crowds and long lines prove to be quite difficult for us.  We always do absentee voting every major and minor election.  Before we voted, though, we watched all the Presidential debates and the one and only Vice-Presidential debate.  Though we wanted to vote for Senator Barack Obama, we were still somewhat undecided.  Some questions, Obama answered straight forward while he didn't answer other questions straight forward.  Senator John McCain did this as well, but anybody who watched the debates knew upfront where exactly McCain stood and what he was going to do.  People somewhat knew where Obama was coming from and where he stood, yet answers needed to clarify where he stood or was coming from were often vague.  The only major issue that was clear to Micaiah and I was that, if we voted for McCain, then Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska would be the Vice-President.  If something happened to McCain, then Sarah Palin would become President.  While I don't see a problem with a female Vice-President or President, the fact is that she is totally pro-life.  Like McCain, she wanted Rowe V. Wade overturned.  I am for women having their choice to keep the baby or abort, so I did not want that important right to be taken away just because they didn't agree with abortion.  On the other hand, to vote for Obama meant that the policies and changes he's been pledging to implement may not be fulfilled if Congress doesn't agree with him.  Yes, the President has the right to veto a bill, but bills still return to the House and Senate to be rewritten and voted on in the end.  If there's a lot of bickering across party lines or within the primarily Democratic Congress, then most to nothing of Obama's pledges will be fulfilled.  Of course, that wouldn't be his fault, yet many out here would blame him for it.  In short, voting for Obama would mean that he could be subjected to criticism and humiliation at the White House and by the public.  In lieu of Governor Sarah Palin's staunch pro-life views and the fact that Senator Obama may be the only Black person on the ticket in many years to come or in mine and Micaiah's lifetime, we voted for Obama.  Once we exercised our duty and our right, I tried not to think much about the election.  I didn't want to get my hopes up that Senator Obama would win only for Senator McCain to win.  The possible scenarios of humiliation or attempted assassinations Obama might experience if he were to win the election also weighed heavy on my mind.  In short, the idea of Obama winning excited me, yet it frightened me.  Micaiah ben Malachi and I know two people personally who have told us that they did not want a Black president.

    After a long hard day's work in our backyard on Election Day, Micaiah and I had dinner and took a little nap in our easy chairs in front of the TV.  He slept deep, but I was too keyed up to sleep deep.  I did not want to miss the final tally votes.  If Senator Obama won, I didn't want to miss his speech.  I think it was about 10:00 PM (Central) when I finally awoke altogether to hear that the final votes were in from the west coast States.  Obama won the election by fifty-two percent over senator McCain's forty-seven percent.  What was interesting was that Virginia, Indiana and a couple other States had more Democratic votes this year than in previous years since 1964, when Lyndon Baines Johnson was running for President.  Moreover, being that these were States in which race mattered most, it was interesting to learn that they still voted for Obama despite the fact that he's Black.  Race still matters to most people because many would prefer a White person over a Black person as President, but those who voted for Obama either genuinely believe in him, or they voted for him because they want to say that they are not prejudice or racist because they voted for a Black man.  Whatever their reason for voting for Obama, once it was confirmed that Obama won, another hour passed.  During that hour, Senator McCain gave his concession speech in Arizona.  Of course, the crowd booed when McCain mentioned Obama and Joe Biden's names.  At that, senator McCain calmed the crowd down with "Please".  His response to the crowd's booing was interesting, especially when he often referred to Senator Obama as "That man" or "That man over there" during the debates.  Suddenly, such booing from the crowd was unacceptable.  By this time, Micaiah finally awoke.  He Thought that Senator McCain was conceding to lose until I briefed him on the tally votes.  About fifteen minutes after McCain's speech, Senator/President Elect Barack Obama gave his speech from Chicago.  The crowd cheered so loud that one would think that all of the sports teams from Chicago won the World Series, Superbowl and basketball championship at the same time.  In Obama's speech, he admitted the fact that he knew that there are many people out here who would not like his ideas and plans.  He also admitted to the fact that all that he has pledged to do during his campaign may not be completely fulfilled during his first year in office or during his first term altogether.  Yet, he promised that he would try to do the best he could to accomplish what he pledged.  To me, that is all one can expect.  I would rather hear a speech like that than someone who makes a promise to do something only to not follow through.  He made a promise to try to give the world, but not a promise to give the world.

 

Makedah bat Leah   

Commentary: Reputed Klansman's Conviction Overturned In 1964 Deaths

I was very hurt upon learning of the overturning of the 2007 conviction of James Ford Seale, a former Mississippi Deputy Sheriff for the kidnapping and conspiracy to kidnap two Black Mississippi teenagers, Charles Eddie Moore and Henry Hezekiah Dee by the Fifth Circuit Of Appeal.  The deputy and his cohorts picked up Moore and Dee and drove them into the Homochito National Forrest in Franklin County, Mississippi where the teens were beaten and questioned at gunpoint.  Afterwards, the two were bound with duct tape, weighed down by a engine block and a railroad rail.  They were then thrown into the Old Mississippi River and drown.  Seale and another man, Charles Edwards, were arrested for the slayings in 1964, released on bond but were never tried.  The FBI turned the case over to local authorities and the case was dropped after a Justice Of The Peace said witnesses refused to testify.

The Fifth Circuit Of Appeal based their decision on "...the more than 40-year delay clearly exceeded the limitations period".  Judge Harold DeVoss, speaking for the panel said, "While we ar mindful of the seriousness of the crimes at issue, we cannot abdicate our duty to faithfully apply a valid limitation period."

It must be noted these men and the other men involved in these murders, were not charged with murder.  Murder does not have a statue of limitation unlike kidnapping and conspiracy to kidnap.  The federal police charged these men with lesser crimes because they did not think they could get convictions for murder in Mississippi.

While I understand the courts decisions, their decision has sent a clear message to minorities.  The message is, " we cannot count on the protection of the courts or the police whether it be city, county, state or federal law enforcement."  Likewise, the Fifth Circuit of Appeal has sent a equally troubling message to those forces which seek to rid America of People of Color, Jews and those who are vunerable such as the Mentally and Physically Disabled population.  This message is " ethnic, racial, religious and disablity cleansing is okay as long as you do not get caught and even if you do, only in rare cases will you face the death penalty."

There are several examples of this latter message.

Edgar Ray Killen was convicted of manslaughter for his role in the Mississippi Burning case in 2005, yet he was never convicted of First Degree Murder, which carried the death penalty.

Shawn Allen Berry, the last of three white supremacists stood trial in Texas for the dragging death of a black man, escaped the death penalty by being given a life in prison sentence, which means he will come up for parole in 40-years. His coherts,John William King and Lawrence Russell Brewer were sentenced to death.  The trio chained James Byrd Jr., by his ankles to the back of a pickup truck and drug Bryd along a country road until his body was torn apart.  Recently, someone desecreated the grave of Mr. Byrd.

Four members of  white supremeist group plotted and killed Alan Berg, a Jewish host of KOA-AM, a radio talk show in Denver Colorado on June 18,1984.  The group was charged with violating the civil rights of Mr. Berg.  They were not charged with conspiracy to commit First Degree Murder or First Degree Murder. Mr. Berg was shot to death with a submachine gun, outside his house.  Bruce Carroll Pierce,David E. Lane, Richard Scutari and Jean Margaret Craig at the time were members of a right-wing group based in eastern Washington State and northern Idaho known as "The Order or The Silent Brotherhood". They are now serving prison terms from 40 to 100 years for offenses such as terrorist threats, bank robbery and robbing three armored cars.

Probably the best and recent example which illustrate People of Color and other minorities will never again blindly trust the US government to protect their rights and persons ocurred on August 29,2005.  A Category 4 Hurricane named Katrina slammed into the US Gulf Coast states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida.  It left an estimate of 1,021 people dead. A majority of those left homeless where shipped to other states and many may never be able to return home and even if they could, their homes are gone. People of Color bore the highest death toll. Blacks, Asians and Hispanics who lived in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans died in the hundreds. The federal government was slow to respond to the desperate 911 calls from people trapped and drowning in their homes.  Other governments offered assistance including Cuba and Israel but it was refused.  No one was charged with Murder, Manslaughter (Second Degree Murder) and insurance companies began refusing to cover flood damages for those who stayed in well-to-do areas of New Orleans.

The point of my commentary is, minorities regardless of their skin color, nationality or religious affiliation cannot depend on the help of a racist, ethnocentric, xenophobic and Protestant/Christian country.  Yes, help eventually came but not before people drown and families were split up.  We cannot depend on a government who punish minorities to the " fullest extent" of the law but mildly punish white offenders for the same or worse crimes. A white, Christian life seems to be worth more than a Jew or People of Color.  The names may change but the game stays the same.  If we do not help each other, we will all surely perish as those in my examples.   

Distrubing Trends

Disturbing Trends

                                          Micaiah Ben Malachi

One of the benefits to be a Jew who is not connected to a Jewish Community or Jewish House of worship is the ability to focus on trends globally.  These trends are economic, political and social changes.  The trends that I am speaking about are, the great shift of people relocating for a better life or other reasons.   In particular, religiously observant people immigrating into Europe, Oceania and the United States of America.  Catholic, Protestants and Muslims dominate those groups.  Another trend is the global depression effecting almost every Developed and Under Developed nation.  The best examples of this is, the collapse of the US housing giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, Lehman Brothers Holding Inc, which filed for bankruptcy.  Lehman Brothers was a one hundred and fifty eight years old bank.  Its failure was due to, too many risky assets, with too little capital.  In other words, it loaned out too much money with too little money in the bank to cover its losses.  Another example is AIG (American International Group) an American insurance corporation, the 6th largest company in the world with offices in the UK, France and Hong Kong; is in danger of failing.  Its problem is the same as Lehman brothers.  They made too many risky loans and not enough capital to cover their losses.  Next, Bank Of America bought out Merrill Lynch an investment company which had been considered financially among the strongest and stable companies on Wall Street. 

Politically, Russia appears to want to reclaim its satellite nations of the former Soviet Union.  It has invaded the Georgian Republic and still has troops there.  Despite statements of condemnation, the Western powers who preached Democratic values did nothing.  This sent a clear statement to other "break away" countries in the Balkans that they cannot count on the Western Powers to come to their aid.  Moving on, Iran,  wish to join the list of nuclear powers.  It continues to develop its nuclear enrichment program despite warnings from the United Nations, United States and Israel.  China, is quickly becoming a economic and military power in Asia.  It speaks of friendship but continue to build its military forces.  Also, it is using its political power to force Taiwan to return to being a territory of China.  Israel, has begun to court its enemies in a bid for peace. Meanwhile, the Palestinians still threaten Israel with rocket attacks and suicide bombers.  Hezbolluah, in Lebanon continues to build and purchase more weapons and will attack Israel.  India and Pakistan both have nuclear weapons and it is only  matter of time before one use their nuclear weapons on the other. The country of Bolivia is endanger of declaring Martial Law.  The war of words continue between the United States of America and Columbia.  Finally, The United States of America and coalition forces are fighting a two front war in Iraq and Afghanistan. This undeclared war is not only costing lives on all sides of the conflict but demoralizing the troops who are fighting it.

Socially speaking, the countries in Europe and Oceania are experiencing a large shift of immigrants.  These nations has always been White and Christian.  However, a great number of immigrants are Muslims.  Their loyalties often are with their faith first. This has caused many immigrants to experience xenophobic attacks, racism, discrimination and "ghettoization" in their new found host nations.  Regardless of how much they work, they're still treated as "second class" citizens or not citizens at all.  Unfortunately, this mistreatment has produced a first and second generation of youth who do not feel a need to join their host nations.  They have become ripe for others who wish to destroy their host nations and replace it with a religious one. In America, there is a great push to close and police its borders and stop the flow of immigrants from Mexico and Central America.  On the surface, it would appear the complaints are based on politics, however, beneath the surface is the same xenophobia, racism and isolationism found in Europe and Oceania.  We live in  world that has been dominated by White people.  They opened their doors to non-white populations often out of guilt for past discrimination.  However, the immigrants today, have brown skin and are increasing whether it be legal or illegal immigration.  Their numbers cause a shift in political decisions, housing patterns and school curriculum.  Changes which are not welcome by most White Americans.  Many white Americans fear their way of life will change.  In addition, they fear the lowering of social barriers between Whites and non-whites will lead to sexual contact with non-whites, the eventual progeny will not be White but mixed race.  One need only turn on their televisions and look into the newspaper and other print media to see the fear of miscegenation and ethnocentric feeling which are present in this society.  This is not to exclude Afro-centric, Hispanic centric and other racial centric group behaviors.  Often the products advertised are for whites and often they are portrayed in dominant roles.  Minorities such as Asian Americans, Black and African Americans all play a support or minor role in the commercials, print media and prime time televisions networks controlled by White Americans such as ABC, NBC and CBS.   An example of this is, images babies with fine smooth creamy complexions, blonde or brown hair are shown in most commercials, white children shown as intelligent and resourceful meanwhile there are few Asian, Hispanic or Black, African American or Native American babies and children shown as such.  These images reinforce White American values and make it difficult for non-whites to feel apart of their country or host nation.

So what does all this have to do with being a Jew and one who lives outside the Jewish communities. Well there is a axiom which says; "those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it". Santayana 1905.

When the news of Lehman Brothers, AIG and Merrill Lynch became public knowledge, Monday, September 15,2008, I recalled the failures of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  I had seen this foot print before but could not place it.  Finally, it occurred to me where. On Tuesday, October 29, 1929.  The Stock Market crashed sending Wall Street into a frenzy of selling by investors trying to gain their money.  Many lost it all.  The depression was global in scope. As it was then and is today.  People lost their homes and their jobs as well. The news of September 15,2008 was almost 79 years from our last major global depression.  At that time, as is now, people began to mistrust their governments and their economies.  Politicians made promises of jobs, food and better living conditions for the masses. Yet, things continued to go from bad to worse.  Eventually, "scapegoats" were chosen from the population.  As we Jews know, Jews, Romas, Intellectuals, Homosexuals, "The Rhineland Bastards (mixed race children of German women and African soldiers) and the Mentally ill were singled out to bear the hatred of "White" people.  This hatred and mistrust was found not only in Europe but America as well.  On September 14,1930, almost ten years after the global depression hit, German industrialist and socialites began to support the Nazi party.  Jews were among those that supported the Nazis in hope they would turn around the economy and bring Germany back to its pre-World War I status in the world. 

Many Jews had thought they assimilated into the mainstream of German society.  They wore the same clothing, spoke German fluently, their children attended German schools and universities and worked in numerous occupations. However, they were still Jews in the eyes of their fellow countrymen and women.  The same is true for Jews and other minorities in the Developed and Undeveloped countries of today.  They had adopted the dominant cultural views and values.  History is repeating itself.  Then and now, Jews looked down on their fellow Jews.  They distance themselves from poor Jews and other minorities. Their communities are often closed to Jews they did not know.  Today Jews must recall that it was our own people who helped put poorer Jews into those boxcars knowing they were sending fellow Jews to their death.  Even if they wished to believe the lie of "resettlement".  It did not bother them until the deportations began to include their own relatives and friends.  Yes, the Nazis and others were guilty of murder or what is called today "Ethnic Cleaning". But, there were Jewish communities and committee who were just a guilty.

The point of this commentary is to focus your attention on the beginning stages of a near future Pogrom.  It is to alert you to certain situation that indicate this shift.  It is also meant to be a wakeup call to Jews who live in Jewish congregations and communities.  You must begin to outreach to Jews who feel left out and ignored.  You must begin to draw us into your congregations regardless of where we live from your synagogues and temples.  Your communities have begun to reflect those in the 1930's. Communities composed of the wealthy and middle class, college educated and white.   It was easy to single us out because we of our traits.  By opening your doors to other races and cultures, you will be enriching your congregations. By inclusion, many windows of positive change can wake up our apathetic congregations.  It has only been an estimated 75 years since our people were sent to their deaths at the hands of the Nazis and other followers of their doctrine.  Let us also not forget the Chmielnitzki massacres, Einsatzgruppen massacres and the Hebron massacres. In these Pogrom many of our ancestors died.  They too, like the German Jews, fooled themselves into believing they were equal in the eyes of their neighbors.  They were not.  Have Jews forgot the lessons of the past?  Makedah and I would give our lives to protect a fellow Jew. But we wonder if they would do the same for us?

Racism and Ethnocentric Attitudes Among New York Jews

    David Sasha wrote an article about the 92nd Street Y catalogue for 2008-2009.  The catalogue outlined the various conference groups to be held in New York with the focus on universal issues, such as beliefs and culture, that were of concern to all Jews.  However, the focus was not universal.  Rather, it slanted toward the Ashkenazi point of view.  Sasha explained that one of the Ashkenazi's beliefs is that a "real" Jew should speak Yiddish.  Also every "true" Jew must conduct their customs and rituals from the Ashkenazi view.  They leave no room for Jews who perform their own rituals and customs which could be different from the Ashkenazis.  Sasha went on to tell us that the conference chose themes and speakers who held the same pro-Israel or Zionist beliefs as they did, and that the Sephardim and Arab Jews and non-Jews who did not espouse the same beliefs of the Ashkenazim were not invited or were simply excluded from those who were chosen to speak at the conference and its focus groups.  Thus, many important voices among the Jews and non-Jewish populations were not being heard.  The conference focus was not on about the ever-changing diversity of American and world Jewry.

    Many of us who converted to Judaism, or were born as Jews come from different ethnic, cultural and racial backgrounds.  Thus, we  do not know how to speak Yiddish or Hebrew.  Yet, Ashkenazi Jews expect everyone to speak Yiddish and Hebrew fluently.  We are also expected to conduct our customs and rituals according to the Ashkenazi view, such as eating brisket and/or latkes on holidays, singing songs that reinforce the Yiddish culture and expecting all Jews to be Orthodox Jews.  As a result, non-Ashkenazi Jews are made to feel isolated and unwelcome in Ashkenazi communities.

    Another area of contention between Ashkenazi Jews and non-Ashkenazis is in the area of politics.  Ashkenazi Jews expect all Jews to be pro-Zionist, which means that Jews support and defend the State of Israel no matter the situation.  Non-Ashkenazi Jews, on the other hand, do not feel that Jews should support and defend the State of Israel blindly.  While we believe that the nation of Israel should be supported by Jews, we stop at the belief that Jews should support all the actions of the State, regardless of the moral and social implications of those actions.  For example, the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.  Israel should have the right to exist and expect that her sovereignty be respected by the Palestinians.  She should be able to live side by side with the Palestinians without fear of attacks, harassment or attempts to destroy.  This does not mean that the State of Israel has the right to punish all Palestinians because of what right-winged Palestinian militant groups do in their name.  Israel should also not mistreat Israeli Arabs simply because they are Arabs.  If they live within the borders of Israel, then they should enjoy the same and equal rights as any other Israeli citizen does.

    It saddens us to know that there are Ashkenazis who are totally blinded by their beliefs and prejudices.  This prejudice causes them to be looked down upon by other non-Ashkenazi Jews.  Ashkenazi Jews are living in a vacuum of their own creation, and this vacuum does not allow for a complete and open discussion of issues, customs and beliefs among their population.  As a result, many non-Ashkenazi Jews are made to feel unwelcome, and their opinions are often not heard by Ashkenazi.  Some non-Ashkenazi Jews become disillusioned with Judaism because of their encounters with rigid standards imposed on them by Ashkenazi culture and communities.  Ashkenazis should open the doors of their communities to complete and open discussion about their rigid requirements regarding culture, customs, and religious practices.  They should also allow for open discussion and debate of their political ideas.  There are many views to an issue or idea.

 

Makedah bat Leah & Micaiah ben Malachi

Reputed Klansman's conviction overturned in 1964 deaths

CNN) -- A federal appeals court overturned the kidnapping conviction of a reputed Klansman in connection with the 1964 deaths of two black teenagers in Mississippi.

James Ford Seale, a former sheriff's deputy, was convicted in June 2007 of kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping in the disappearances of Charles Eddie Moore and Henry Hezekiah Dee, both 19.

On Tuesday, a three-judge panel from the Fifth Circuit Court Appeals sided with Seale's claim that he should have never been tried in connection with the teens' deaths because a five-year statute of limitations on kidnapping-related offenses had expired.

"The more than 40-year delay clearly exceeded the limitations period," Judge Harold DeVoss wrote in the panel's ruling. "While we are mindful of the seriousness of the crimes at issue, we cannot abdicate our duty to faithfully apply a valid limitations period."

The ruling brought a surprise turn to a case that the FBI once trumpeted as an example of its efforts to close cold cases from the civil rights era.

"Today's indictment is one example of the FBI's strong and ongoing commitment to reexamining and investigating unsolved civil rights era murders and other crimes," FBI Director Robert S. Mueller said after Seale's indictment was announced in January 2007. "Under our Cold Case Initiative, we will continue to identify and pursue these cases of racially motivated violence to ensure justice is served wherever possible."

Seale was not tried for murder, but prosecutors alleged he and fellow Klansmen conspired to abduct, beat and murder Dee and Moore in May 1964. An indictment accused the Seale and his cohorts of picking up the two men hitchhiking and driving them into the Homochito National Forest in Franklin County, Mississippi, where the teenagers were beaten and interrogated at gunpoint.

Dee and Moore were then bound with duct tape, weighted down by an engine block and railroad rail. They were still alive when they were thrown into the Old Mississippi River, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Their decomposed bodies were found two months later during a search for three missing civil rights workers that would later be known as the Mississippi Burning case.

Seale and another man, Charles Edwards, were arrested in the slayings in 1964, but released on bond and never tried. The FBI turned the case over to local authorities, and the case was dropped after a justice of the peace said witnesses had refused to testify.

The cold case was revived in 2007 when Moore's brother discovered Seale was still alive during a visit to Franklin County to help research the case for a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation documentary.

Thomas Moore told CNN in January 2007 that he gave the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi FBI files on the case, which he had obtained from a Mississippi reporter.

U.S. Attorney Dunn Lampton helped form a task force that led to Seale's indictment. Seale was the first and only person convicted in the Moore and Dee murders, the Justice Department said.

Since then, other notable cold cases from the civil rights era have also gone to trial. In 2005, Edgar Ray Killen was convicted of manslaughter for his role in the Mississippi Burning case.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/09/09/conviction.overturned/index.html

Commentary: Reputed Klansman's conviction overturned in 1964 deaths

Commentary:  Reputed Klansman's conviction overturned in 1964 deaths

 

I was very hurt upon learning of the overturning of the conviction of James Ford Seale, a former Mississippi Deputy Sheriff. He was convicted in 2007 for kidnapping and conspiracy to kidnapping of two black Mississippi teenagers, both 19.  They were Charles Eddie Moore and Henry Hezekiah Dee. The deputy and his cohorts of picking up the two men hitchhiking and driving them into the Homochito National Forest in Franklin County, Mississippi, where the teenagers were beaten and interrogated at gunpoint. Dee and Moore were then bound with duct tape, weighted down by an engine block and railroad rail.  They were still alive when they were thrown into the Old Mississippi River.  Seale and another man, Charles Edwards, were arrested in the slayings in 1964, but released on bond and never tried. The FBI turned the case over to local authorities, and the case was dropped after a justice of the peace said witnesses had refused to testify.

 

The Fifth Circuit Court overturned the lower courts decision stating "...[Seale] stated he should have never been tried in connection with the teens' deaths because a five-year statute of limitations on kidnapping-related offenses had expired."  The Court ruled. "The more than 40-year delay clearly exceeded the limitations period," Judge Harold DeVoss wrote in the panel's ruling. "While we are mindful of the seriousness of the crimes at issue, we cannot abdicate our duty to faithfully apply a valid limitations period."

 

While I understand the reason for the ruling, I also understand the Fifth Circuit of Appeal's decision, sent a clear message to those who wish to ethnically cleanse the United States of America of Black Americans, African Americans, Native American, Asian Americans and Hispanic American and Jews can do so without playing the ultimate penalty, the death penalty. There are examples to validate my opinion.

Edgar Ray Killen was convicted of manslaughter for his role in the Mississippi Burning case in 2005, yet he was never convicted of First Degree Murder, which carried a death sentence.

Shawn Allen Berry, the last of three white men to stand trial for the dragging death of a black man, escaped the death penalty late he was sentenced to life in prison. Under Texas law he must spend 40 years behind bars before he can be considered for parole. He and two others murdered James Byrd Jr., Two other men, white supremacists John William King and Lawrence Russell Brewer, already have been convicted and sentenced to die for chaining James Byrd Jr. by his ankles to a pickup truck and dragging him along a country road until his body was torn apart.

Four members of a white supremacist group plotted to kill Alan Berg, the Jewish host of a radio talk show, because of his religious background and argumentative personality.  The defendants are charged with violating the civil rights of Mr. Berg, the talk show host on radio station KOA-AM in Denver, who was shot to death with a submachine gun outside his town house here on June 18, 1984. The defendants are Bruce Carroll Pierce, 33 years old; David E. Lane, 39; Richard Scutari, 40, and Jean Margaret Craig, 54. All of the defendants were members of a right-wing group based in eastern Washington and northern Idaho known as The Order or the Silent Brotherhood. ''They all believed in something called the Aryan race, and they believed the Aryan race was in danger from what they saw as the enemy of the Aryan race: the Jewish people. They shared a belief that there was Jewish control of our country.'' A 'Plan to Save the Aryan Race.  They agreed upon an ambitious and serious plan to save the Aryan race, and this plan included assassination. The defendants are serving prison terms ranging from 40 to 100 years for a wide range of terrorist acts, including bank robberies and three armored car robberies. Robert Matthews, founder of The Order, who was killed in a shootout with the police at his hideout on Whideby Island in Washington in December 1984, actually murdered Mr. Berg.

For many decades Blacks and other racial and religious minorities counted on the Federal Courts to protect their rights and lives.  However, in the past few years, most of the achievements of the Civil Rights era have been diluted until the laws have only lost all meaning.  Nor longer can minorities depend on their government to protect them. In some cases they have more to fear from law enforcement officials and the courts.  Whites bigots and racist can openly express the hatred of brown skinned people and Jews without sincere condemnation, unless it causes the focus of the press on them and their activity. In 2008, there are whites, which continue to flee to the suburbs or rural communities to avoid minorities. Their suburban and rural communities are predominately white and use the law and social sanctions to isolate those minorities who wish to move into their communities.  In addition, many urban whites put their children in private schools to keep their children away from possible miscegenation later in the children's lives.  I am fearful that this country will recreate the era in which "brown skinned people and Jews" lived in fear of the "White man", instead of being his equal.

 

 

 

 

Barack Obama's Acceptance Speech

    I rarely get a chance to submit an entry to our blog, let alone work on the computer when our grandsons are here, as I'm often tuckered out by the time we have tucked them into bed.  Tonight is a different matter, though.  I am so full of energy.  It's as if I'm on a caffeine high.  What is going on?

    This week, the Democratic National Convention has been taking place in Denver, Colorado.  Yesterday, roll call was taken as each state announced who they chose as their Presidential nominee.  When it was New Yourk's turn, Senator Hillary Roddam Clinton stood up and declared that roll call be suspended, and that a unanimous vote be taken.  Not only did an overwhelming majority of delegates unanimously vote for Senator Barack Obama, but if there was anybody who opposed, I certainly did not hear them voice their opposition.  Then, earlier this evening at about 9:00 PM Central time, Senator Barack Obama gave his acceptance speech.  Leading up to the moment that he gave his speech, though, the crowd of eighty-five to ninety thousand people at the convention in a football stadium that only fit about seventy thousand people rallied.  Various short speeches were given by other Senators as well as by Obama's chosen Vice-Presidential running mate, Joe Biden.  There were also performances by Stevie Wonder followed by Michael MacDonald.  I do not remember what song Stevie Wonder performed first, but the next song to follow, Stevie dedicated to Barack and his wife, Michelle.  The song was called "Signed Sealed Delivered".  As Micaiah ben Malachi was getting dinner ready for our grandsons, our nineteen-month-old and four-year-old grandsons, and I held hands as we danced to the song in the middle of our living room floor.  Of course, the children loved it because they could be wild for a little bit indoors.  In my case, the excitement was the historical moment, that being Barack Obama being the first African-American ever to be nominated by delegates of any party (Democratic in this case) to be on the Presidential ticket on Election Day.  As political analysts on CNN talked, I could hear people rallying in the background and music playing in between the speeches.  One of the songs I heard was Whitehead and McFadden's "Ain't NO Stoppin' Us Now", which came out in the 1970's and has been an ongoing theme song during and after the Civil Rights Movement for people of color.  I had already tucked our grandson's into bed, but I still could not help but dance in my easy chair to the song.  Not only were they playing the twelve-inch version, but they could not have picked a more fitting song for the occasion.  (Only those familiar with the old vinyl records would understand my reference to the twelve-inch version.)  I was so into the spirit that I wished that we were there or, at least, that our VCR worked for us to have recorded the whole program, including Obama's speech.  The rallying and high spirits I felt was like when I was watching the World Series in 1987 and 1991, and rooting for the Minnesota Twins.  Even then, I wished that I was at the games.  As Wolfe Blitzer and Anderson talked, they spoke about this historical moment and how people would be chatting about where they were the evening they listened to Barack Obama's acceptance speech.  Not only did I reflect on where I was and how I would relate this historical moment to the future generations of people, but I thought of our grandsons reading about this special evening and watching videos about it in history class.  If they came to Micaiah ben Malachi and I to tell us that they were reading about Barack Obama and this special evening, I would be telling them excitedly that they were in our house, dancing in the middle of our living room floor with me before Obama gave his speech.  My moment of excitement and chills running down my spine would be no different from those who were sitting in front of their TV's on August 28, 1963, listening to Martin Luther King Jr. give his "I Have A Dream" speech.  I am quite sure that those who have related that experience of 1963 to their children and grandchildren felt what I would feel tomorrow and the many years to come as I relate this evening's special occasion.

    As for Barack Obama's speech, itself.  His main focus was on the many promises that were broken to families in all walks of life.  Not only did he outline in clear detail what he wanted to do during his presidency, but he emphasized the fact that all of us citizens had to work together with the government to help each other and ourselves.  Neither the US government nor US citizens alone could do the work without the other's help.  I am excited to vote for him, and I hope that he wins the election.  My only concern, however, is that Congress could hold up many of the policies he wants to implement and laws he wants passed; thus, many things not being accomplished.  For now, though, let us keep the excitement alive and hope for the best.  If he wins the election, my excitement would be similar to when the Minnesota Twins won the World Series in 1987 and 1991!!!

Makedah bat Leah

Website

Makedah has already told the group alot about us. Her story does highlight some of the difficulties we face. The public perception and expectations about people with disabilities,racism and elitism. She and I created our own website for Jews who are living insolated and or rural areas an unaffiliated Jews in the Diaspora.  We felt many Jews who live in rural areas do not have close ties with other Jews. In addition, we need the support of one another to continue feeling apart of the Jewish People. Makedah is correct in that we have never step inside a temple or synagogue.  We hope someday we can. The two of us are teaching ourselves Hebrew, so we can say the prayers and blessings in Hebrew. Our goal is to find someone or an agency to help us purchase a Braille Embosser. It cost $2,000.  It is a machine which works with your computer, takes text from a document and translate it into Braille and prints it out in Braille. So many books are not available in Braille and if they are, they are too costly.  So we could then write our own books. As for our website,

http://www.isolatedruralandunaffiliatedjewsofthediaspora.com

 

Micaiah b. Malachi

What Would I Do

    Micaiah ben Malachi and I started considering converting to Judaism back in 2000, but we didn't officially convert until 2005.  From 2000 to 2005, we studied what it meant to be a Jew as well as the history of Jews.  One of the inevitable topics was about the various Pogroms and the Holocaust.  Not only did we discuss what happened and how some people survived to tell their stories, but we discussed what we would do if there ever was a Pogrom in our lifetime.  Such discussions between us still continue to this day.

    The various stories I have read and movies I have watched about people who were able to hide from the Nazis or escape their grip altogether never cease to amaze me.  Yet, I cannot help but think about the many who didn't survive.  Many of those who didn't survive the Pogroms and the Holocaust were poor, elderly, disabled or were turned into the authorities by their own fellow Jewish relations and friends.  This is when I often start thinking, "Would we even survive?  If so, how would we survive?"  I have had nightmares of impending Pogroms in which Micaiah ben Malachi and I were commanded to leave our house immediately and rounded up among other Jews and/or people of color.  Once we were all rounded up, we were divided up by gender and then into categories of those who were able to work and those who weren't able to work.  Of course, I was terrified at the prospect of being separated from Micaiah ben Malachi.  I don't know what else happened or would've happened in my dreams because I always awoke in terror.  Micaiah ben Malachi and I are Jews of color, but we live in a town that is primarily White and Christian.  If there is ever a Pogrom against people of color and/or Jews, we fear that we would be among the first in our town to be sent to the authorities.  Taking this scenario into account, Micaiah ben Malachi and I started discussing what methods we could use to escape, if there were any.  Figuring that we, more than likely, couldn't trust anybody to lead us to safety by vehicle or on foot, our only other way would be to escape at nighttime on foot on our own.  However, we face two obstacles.  Micaiah ben Malachi and I are disabled.  He is a quadriplegic and uses a power wheelchair, and I am blind and have to use a cane to navigate.  Since the batteries in his wheelchair would have to be recharged at some point during our trek of escape, we would have to stop at some place where he could plug his wheelchair in.  Then, we would have to wait for six to eight hours before his chair was charged before we could continue.  In that amount of time, someone could easily find us and either provide us safety or turn us into the authorities.  We fear that whoever allowed us to plug his chair in would turn us into the authorities.  How many times were Jews led to so-called safety only to be sent to their death within minutes or days?  What happened in cases like that is that the people who reached out a helping hand made those Jews feel comfortable and less afraid.  Once that goal was achieved, then the "charitable" person turned people in without the refugee's knowledge.  So, our next question we posed to each other was, "What would you do?"

    Speaking for myself, I couldn't continue my trek of escape without him.  For one thing, I wouldn't know where to go.  Even if I found bushes for me to hide in, I would be terrified of being alone.  I also couldn't continue on traveling, knowing that Micaiah ben Malachi was still sitting on the roadside in his wheelchair for any passersby to see and turn into the authorities.  His fate of death, whether by his own hands or by someone else's hands, would stay in my mind for the rest of my life.  I couldn't continue living, knowing that he had died without me by his side.  So, I would refuse to leave him even if he insisted that I do so.  I couldn't do anything else but to resign to the fact that we could be found and killed.  At least, though, we would've been discovered together by the roadside instead of separately.

Makedah bat Leah

Finally its happening

Well today to my utter surprise, our website has been picked up by Yahoo Bots and is now listed.  I could not believe my eyes.  Something I worked months to put together is actually now on the Internet. I hope that other Jewish people and those perspective Jews, will take advantage of it, read it and submit their ideas and stories.  It would be the first and only website devoted to all branched of Judaism and targeted at those of us who do not have a congregation or even group to feel a sense of belonging and Peoplehood. I am hoping people from around the world join in this and the yahoo group.  It would be interesting and fulfilling to know other Jews who deal with the same problems and must motivate themselves to carry on their Jewishness even if there is no one to give them a sign of approval. Now I need to find someone or a group, agency whatever who can buy Makedah a Braille Embosser. Then, we can put the text I see onto paper using Braille. So far, we have not been lucky. So many foundations will not help individuals and civic groups cannot raise that kind of money. Some might think $2,500.00 is not alot of money but it is to us. We live and survive only by the grace of Adonai. Too bad we could not hit the Power Ball and get the entire prize! We could then afford and help others like us.

 

Micaiah b. Malachi

UJC, JAFI press Olmert on conversion

UJC, JAFI press Olmert on conversion

Jacob Berkman

Diaspora Jews are stepping up pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to intervene in a dispute in Israel over conversions to Judaism.

Published: 07/15/2008

NEW YORK (JTA) -- Diaspora Jews are stepping up pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to intervene in a dispute in Israel over conversions to Judaism.

Leaders of the United Jewish Communities federation umbrella organization sent a sharply worded letter to Olmert on July 9 urging him to assign his Cabinet secretary "to oversee conversion."

At issue in this case is a dispute over who can perform conversions and which conversions should be considered valid by Israeli religious authorities.

The petition followed a Jewish Agency resolution, adopted at its board of governors meetings in mid-June, "to act immediately to advance the conversion issue."

"As leaders of the American Jewish community, we are writing to you to express our deep concern regarding the untenable instability that has characterized the conversion system in Israel over the past few months and ask for your personal involvement," said the UJC's chairman, Joe Kanfer, and its CEO and president, Howard Rieger, in their letter.

Calling out Olmert publicly is an unusual step for the UJC, which generally attempts to avoid placing public pressure on the Israeli prime minister.

Conversion long has been a flashpoint in Diaspora-Israel relations and within Israel itself, as the Orthodox-dominated Israeli Rabbinate has squared off with non-Orthodox denominations over the "Who is a Jew" debate. The Rabbinate consistently has refused to recognize Reform or Conservative conversions, and as it continues to adopt increasingly stringent conversion standards, a growing number of Orthodox voices are voicing alarm as well.

The most recent flare-up in this religious struggle came in the spring, when Israel's Rabbinical High Court dismissed Rabbi Haim Druckman, the head of the Conversion Committee that was established to facilitate the conversion process. In dismissing Druckman, who was considered relatively lenient on conversion, the court said it would annul thousands of conversions of immigrants from the former Soviet Union that he had approved.

The move rankled modern Orthodox rabbis, the Conservative and Reform movements, and the UJC, which holds that the conversion issue is central to its effort to create a sense of "Jewish peoplehood" between Diaspora and Israeli Jews.

"The issue of conversion has been around for a long time, and it became much more important since 1 million FSU Jews came into the country," Nachman Shai, the director general of UJC-Israel told JTA. "It suddenly became a central issue in terms of the reality of what are we going to do about them. On the record, we are saying we expect you to be involved."

A group known as the Coordinating Committee, which is comprised of officials of the UJC, Jewish Agency and the agency's international fund-raising arm, Keren Hayesod, meets with Israel's prime minister three times a year, and conversion is always brought up, Shai said.

While the conversion issue has been framed as a question of respecting the identity and practices of Diaspora Jews, critics of the Chief Rabbinate are stressing the predicament of an estimated 300,000 immigrants from the former Soviet Union who are not recognized as Jewish.

These are people who were eligible to immigrate to Israel under the Law of Return, which requires only that a prospective immigrant have at least one Jewish grandparent. But they are not recognized by Israel's religious authorities because they do not have a Jewish mother or have not undergone an Orthodox conversion.

The result is a host of social problems, starting with their inability to wed Jewish Israelis, since marriage is controlled by the Chief Rabbinate.

The recent letter from UJC comes at a time when many see Olmert as a lame duck because of political scandals that ultimately may force him from office. But Shai said it is an open letter to the Prime Minister's Office, not necessarily Olmert.

"If it is not Olmert, it will be someone else," he said.

As of Monday afternoon, the UJC had not heard back from Olmert, according to Shai.

Officials at the Jewish Agency, which receives about $140 million per year from the federations and plays a lead role in facilitating immigration to Israel and promoting Zionist education worldwide, are irked as well by the High Court's decision and the Orthodox Rabbinate's continuing attempts to hold a monopoly over conversion practices.

They are particularly upset that the court has stymied its Nativ program, which helps Israelis convert to Judaism over the course of their tours of duty in the army.

Hundreds would get through the courses and "at the 11th-and-a-half hour, after they have made all the efforts, there would be some minuscule reason why the applicant was not given the conversion," said Carole Solomon, the immediate past chair of the Jewish Agency's Board of Governors.

Druckman's firing was the last straw that forced the Jewish Agency to pressure the government for some sort of resolution, according to Solomon, now the chair of the agency's North American Council.

"It has been extremely frustrating," she said.

Orthodox leaders and organizations in America generally have urged the federation system to keep out of the debate over conversion and religious pluralism, arguing that the matter should be left to the Israeli Chief Rabbinate. Yet now even some Orthodox figures are speaking out against the recent moves by Israel's religious authorities.

The Rabbinical Council of America, a union made up primarily of modern Orthodox rabbis from North America, condemned Druckman's firing. But the RCA does not yet have a formal response to the UJC's letter to Olmert, according to the head of its conversion committee, Rabbi Barry Freundel.

Freundel said he was skeptical about the effect of such a letter, given Olmert's political situation and the fact that the prime minister is not a religious expert and might not be able to settle the issue. The letter, though well intentioned, was a bit misguided, he said.

"I think everybody has been concerned about what is going on," Freundel said. "This letter is very non-specific and is very hard to react to, but matters of Jewish law should be decided by experts in Jewish law, and I don't think he is one.

"I understand their frustrations," he added, "and I share those."

http://www.jta.org/cgi-bin/iowa/news/print/2008071520080715ujc.html

UJC, JAFI press Olmert on conversion - A Commentary

I read the article "UJC,JAFI press Olmert on conversion".  Since becoming officially a Jew and keeping up with the issue of conversion in Israel, I am frustrated and sadden.  How can one group of narrow-minded, prejudice individual set in judgment of who is a Jew and who is not?  I am angered when I see Orthodox Jews control every aspect of life in Israel.  It is dangerous.  Since when did G*d put them to over us? I have heard lies and misrepresentations of Reform Judaism on Israel National Radio, namely by Tovia Singer. In his and other Orthodox Jews opinion anyone who choose to convert to other branches of Judaism are not real Jews.  Makedah and I studied many years before we were able to find a Rabbi in the branch of Judaism we chose and convert.  There are countless other Jews who do not belong to or even wish to become Orthodox.  Why should the doors to our recognition be controlled by the Israeli Chief Rabbinate?  I were to make aliyah to Israel as the Orthodox groups are pushing, why would I be willing to die defending a country which does not accept me for me.  As  Black American, my life in Israel would be no different than here in America.  In both countries white people control what I can do and what I cannot.  In both countries I would be treated as if I were a "nobody".  Both countries have barriers whether legal or socially to hinder marriages they have ruled to be "taboo".  It seems to me being well versed in the Jewish Law should not allow them to hold a monopoly on conversions and conversion practices.  It should not matter if I converted in the United States Of America, The former Soviet Union or Europe.  Conversion is conversion and should be universally accepted in Israel. 

3 police and 3 gunmen killed at U.S. Istanbul mission

Wed Jul 9, 2008 1:25pm EDT

 

By Daren Butler and Paul de Bendern

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Three Turkish policemen and three gunmen were killed in an attack on the United States consulate in Istanbul on Wednesday, the city's governor said.

Witnesses told Reuters four attackers drove a car up to the high-walled compound situated to the north of Istanbul city centre and overlooking the Bosphorus waterway. Three jumped out as the car halted and began firing at police at a guard post.

The attack coincides with political tensions in Turkey. The ruling party is in a legal fight to avert closure over charges of anti-secular activities and police are probing a shadowy far-right group suspected of plotting a military coup.

Governor Muammer Guler said one of the police officers died at the scene in a gunbattle lasting several minutes, at a time of day when many Turks go there to apply for visas. Two had died of their wounds at a nearby hospital.

Two other people were also slightly injured.

Turkish broadcasters CNN Turk and NTV said, without citing sources, that the three gunmen from east Turkey were suspected of being members of al Qaeda.

CNN Turk also said two people were later detained in Istanbul, one of them a brother of one of the dead assailants.

Turkey and the United States condemned the 11:00 am (4:00 a.m. EDT) attack for which no one has yet claimed responsibility.

"We very much appreciate what was clearly a very rapid and proper response from the government to try to deal with the security situation in front of our consulate," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told reporters on her plane to Sofia.

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said he as "greatly saddened by the martyrdom of our three police officers in a terrorist attack".

Television images showed four bodies lying on the ground around the police post at the consulate's gates, with paramedics carrying out heart massage on one man. The shirt of another was ripped open. Blood was flowing from the head of a third.

"They (the assailants) were four people. Three of them got out of the car and fired at the police. I saw them dead afterwards lying on the ground and many more dead among the police," Enis Yilmaz, who was going to the consulate to get a visa, told Reuters. He said the fourth man drove off.

WEARING COATS

"We saw four people in a car, they were wearing coats and that seemed pretty weird in this weather. Then we saw they had guns," Muhammet Nur, 15, told Reuters.

"At first we thought they might be civil police but at that moment they drew their guns and a gun battle began," said Nur, who saw the gunbattle from a nearby cafe.

"I could not get the (car) plate number but my friend did."

Istanbul governor Guler said that the three dead gunmen were Turkish citizens, believed to be aged 25-30. Police were searching for a man suspected of driving the car.

Mutlu Gunes, a 13-year-old eyewitness, told reporters he was on his way to a mosque when he spotted several men preparing guns and placing them inside a Ford Focus car, before driving a short distance to the modern consulate complex.

"The three of them got out of the car. One of them shot a policeman in the chest and I saw one terrorist killing himself after being shot by police. Then I hid under a car," he said.

Turkey has seen armed attacks from a variety of groups over the years, including Maoists, Trotskyists, Kurdish separatists and Islamist militants.

The U.S. consulate was moved to a high-security location in 2003 as major consulates and embassies stepped up security following the September 11, 2001, attacks in New York.

The most serious attacks in Turkey were in November, 2003, when 62 people were killed by Islamist militants targeting two synagogues, a bank and the British consulate.

Four people were killed and 15 wounded in an explosion in Istanbul in June 2004, before President George W. Bush visited the city.

(Writing by Paul de Bendern; Editing by Dominic Evans)

Iran threatens to "burn" Tel Aviv, U.S. targets

Iran threatens to "burn" Tel Aviv, U.S. targets

E-mail article Share on Facebook Digg this Tell the Editors What bloggers are saying Published: 07/08/2008 Iran threatened to "burn" Tel Aviv and U.S. targets in response to any attack on its nuclear sites. "The first bullet fired by America at Iran will be followed by Iran burning down its vital interests around the globe," the Iranian news agency ISNA on Tuesday quoted Ali Shirazi, a senior aide to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as saying. "The Zionist regime is pressuring White House officials to attack Iran. If they commit such a stupidity, Tel Aviv and U.S. shipping in the Persian Gulf will be Iran's first targets and they will be burned." The remarks further ratcheted up international concern that Iran's refusal to abandon nuclear projects with bomb-building potential could bring on preemptive military strikes by Israel or the United States. There was no immediate response from Washington or Jerusalem to Shirazi's statement. Previous Next If you reached

Israel At Sixty Years

    I'd been meaning to write about this for the last month and a half, but it's been hectic in our home with our house being remodeled to be more handicap accessible for Micaiah ben Malachi.

    This year is the sixtieth anniversary of the Nation of Israel as a State.  Israel became a Nation State as of May 14, 1948.  Many Jewish communities of the Diaspora here in the United States and around the world held their celebrations, or are still holding celebrations.  On May 7, Micaiah and I had the opportunity to attend one of the celebrations, which was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  The only way Micaiah and I could attend was to have someone drive us to it since we don't drive.  Since Jews and Non-Jews were invited to attend, we invited our closest neighbor to come with us; he obliged.  Of course, when we first extended the invitation to our neighbor, he was reluctant, fearing that he would stand out like a sore thumb as a Christian in a sea of Jews.  I believe he also feared that people would make suggestions that he should convert to Judaism.  Upon assuring him that neither would be the case, he was more willing, and seemed happy to have been invited.

    At the celebration, there was music and dancing at one end of the venue, trivia games being played at one or two other tables, and many vendors selling small samples of Jewish foods, artifacts, and T-shirts that read, "Israel @ 60".  There was also a tourism booth and a Jewish organization; both of which handed out free brochures, outlining the services they provided for Jews and non-Jews alike.  Many of the items for purchase cost more than what we could afford, but Micaiah and I did buy ourselves the T-shirts mentioned above.  One of the other things for sale were shofars of different sizes.  For any non-Jews who run across this blog entry, a shofar is made of a ram's horn and is blown on Rosh Hashanah.  Since I can only see by touching the items, I got to feel the different shofars lying on the table.  Even though we couldn't afford one, I was fascinated by the fact that shofars came in different sizes and shapes.  Some were as small as large glasses in length and circumference while others were as long as my arm and as big around as the average pitcher.  I also  never knew that some shofars were spiral-shaped.  I always thought that they were only straight like a tube.  Not only was the fascination because I had never seen one before, but the shapes and sizes are not changed when the ram's horn is cut off of the ram.  Though the shofar is coated to preserve the horn, the original shape is how G*d made the horn develop and grow.  Whenever I examine something that is naturally made as opposed to manmade, I reflect on the fact that the item is how G*d made it.  How G*d creates things never ceases to fascinate me.  After looking at the shofars, we participated in some of the Jewish trivia game.  Some questions were on Jewish history as a whole or about Jews in Minnesota, philosophers, holidays, etc.  While Micaiah was able to answer many of the historical questions, one of the questions was to name the five leavened items prohibited during Pesach (Passover).  Since bread is our main staple, and bread is made of wheat or rye, we could only name two of the five.  The other three are sfelt, barley, and oats.  We don't eat or drink anything with barley or sfelt in it, and the only time we eat anything that contains oats is when we eat cereal.   

    For the most part, it was nice to be able to attend a Jewish gathering, especially the celebration of Israel's sixtieth birthday.  Most people didn't question whether or not Micaiah and I were Jews since we were wearing our kippot.  I think, too, that it was a good experience for our neighbor.  Even though one person at the tourism booth asked him if he was a Jew and our neighbor admitted that he wasn't, the lady making the inquiry made him feel welcome.  She impressed on him that he was welcome to tour Israel even though he was a Christian, and didn't make any suggestions for him to convert.  There was one lady who asked us what congregation Micaiah and I were affiliated with, though.  We told her that we didn't officially belong to a congregation but that we had connections with a rabbi who officiated our conversion.  At that, she asked us whether or not we had met or heard of Rabbi Funnye, who has a congregation in Chicago.  We told the lady that we had read various articles about him, but that we had never met him or talked to him.  We also told her that we lived here in Minnesota.  Still, she kept insisting that Micaiah and I establish connections with Rabbi Funnye and his congregation.  On the surface, she thought that she was helping us find ways to be more connected to the Jewish community.  Beneath the surface, however, her referral was no better than calling  "a spade a spade".  Rabbi Funnye is a controversial rabbi in Chicago who associates himself with the Black Hebrewites.  Micaiah and I are not Hebrewites; we are Jews!  We also felt that her referral was a form of racism.  Why couldn't she have referred us to a Jewish congregation that was integrated or was primarily White?  All of Rabbi Funnye's congregation is Black.

    There were many things to see or buy at the Israel At Sixty celebration, but I wish that there was more to the party.  The party was held during a weekday evening for only four hours.  I feel that the party should've been an all-day event held on a Sunday.  The music and dancing should've included everyone in which people were taught the dances and songs instead of groups of people dancing and singing for an audience.  A large cake decorated with a picture of the Israeli flag drawn into the frosting with sixty lit birthday candles on a table in the center of the activities would've also been very nice.  Of course, people who attended would get a piece of cake as they passed by.  All these things that weren't there at the party would've made the celebration more inclusive and festive.

Makedah bat Leah

The Sting Is Still There

Yesterday, my grandson who is 4 was helping me pile brush from our recent yard cleaning project.  I happen to notice a group of people walking down the street towards the local convenience store "Kwik Trip".  They were white which is not usual in a community 90% white.  There was a little brown haired boy probably about 10 years of age.  He was looking back and yelling "Nigger, Nigger, Nigger".  My assumption is that he was addressing a Somali. I did not see who he was yelling this slur.  Anyway, the group passed our house.  It has a complete family.

On his last "Nigger" slur, I yelled "You'd better watch out what is coming out of your mouth.

The father apologized and the mother said they did not see us until they came around the corner of the house. 

 

I was angry.  My grandson did not know what the slurs meant. But I did.  All day he had been whining about working in the yard.  I told him "Don't you dare cry in front of those white people".  It was humiliating to have to endure these comments and especially in front of my grandson.  The people did apologize for the slur, but they did not make any effort to tell the child that it was wrong and a very painful comment.  Shabbat is starting and I looked at my tattered Megan Star flag waving in the breeze.  This symbol means a lot to me.  It is not only a symbol of my identity but also where we have been.  The Blacks and Jews have suffered equally in the past.  Racial slurs,discrimination and death.  Our history has been one of isolation and segregation. 

 

For millenniums we have been the outcast of the human race.  People have been taught to hate and despise us.  Many having never met or spent time trying to know us.  They teach this same prejudice and racism to their children.  Makedah and I know most of this town does not want us.

Likewise, we are also aware the only reasons we are here is the will of G*d and the assistance of the federal government.  If the laws against discrimination, hanging and segregation of Blacks, Asians, Hispanic and other non-white were removed, Makedah and I could not live in a 90% white Christian community.  Each day we leave our homes to do business with people who do all they can to make us feel unwelcome.  The Somalis and Asians have walled themselves within their respective communities.  They do business with their own people while working for the white man.  The Somalis have converted a old building with this cities help and Christian well-doers into a Mosque.  However, there is no place for Makedah and I to worship.  Our home has become the only Temple we know.

 

I had hoped people seeing that even if we are a three race family ( I am Black American and Native American and Makedah is Asian American) and Jewish; it did not mean we were terrible people.

However, what I heard coming from that boy's mouth and others since we have been here.  I do wonder what kind of world my grandson will grow up in.  He has no role models except "black and or Hispanic thugs" in his inner city neighborhood or on television.  There are no white and accepting Jews in this community and neither are there any in his neighborhood who would embrace him and us and make us all feel welcome.  Several time we have been asked to pull up and move to a urban area to find Jews. But the urban areas of this country are dangerous.  Unemployment is high among minorities and housing is segregated by race in most cases.  Even the Jews in urban areas are not welcoming to minority Jews.  There are always questions about whether or not we are Jewish and other challenges to our Jewish identity.  Most Jews in America are white.  Many are as prejudice,bigoted and racist as their white non- Jewish counterparts.

 

I want my grandsons to grow up in a world in which they do not feel cursed because they were born with brown skin like their grandfather.  If they choose to become Jews, my hope is there will be a Jewish community waiting and willing to accept them without question.  I would like to know if they need support, there is a Jewish community willing to help them feel good about being Jewish. It hurt me deeply to hear the words "Nigger,Nigger, Nigger".  It hurts me even more that Makedah and I must deal with it alone.  

 

 

Reach Out To All Jews

The house is quiet, the grandchildren are asleep and so is Makedah.  I wonder at times how much we can depend on other Jews.  We live in a small Midwestern community that is about 90 per cent white Christians.  The other 10 percent is made up of Hispanic Christians, Arabs, Asians and Somalis.  In the seven, going on eight years, we have no contact with other Jews.  Occasionally we get letters and other mail requesting money to support one Jewish Day School or other causes.  So far none of them have ever invited us to their houses of worship.  How can we depend on them coming to our aid if we need them?  When we sought them out for conversion, none open wide their doors to welcome us.  Makedah and I have yet to be invited into their temples or synagogues.  Sometimes, I feel like screaming.  We are disabled, we are of two races, we live seventy miles away from your temples and synagogues.  We are Jews and we need the Jewish People to reach out and embrace us. 

 

Each day we leave our home, we aware, we are ambassadors of the Jewish People.  Very few people here know anything about Judaism or the Jewish People.  However, their anti-Semiticism simmers just beneath the surface.  Where are the Jews when the holidays come around? Every Shabbat we spend alone.  Even other holiday are no different.  It is the two of us trying hard to adhere to rituals.  We would never give up our faith in G*d or Judaism.  But, we both feel cut off from other Jews.  Makedah and I are like the leafs on a tree.  We grows and mature.  But, neither she nor I can survive without the tree and it roots.  Individually,each Jew make up the leaves of the tree, while Judaism is the truck of the tree and its roots is the Jewish people. Each of us need one another if the tree is to live to its fullest.  It does not matter if we are Reform, Conservative, Orthodox or Reconstuctionist Jews.  It does not matter if we are converts from another religion or born Jewish.  What matters is can we count on one another. 

 

G*d made a covenant with Abraham and his descendents to be the ones who are to carry the torch.

There are many who want to extinguish this flame.  Some are the children of Amalak and others are the descendents of Mohammed.  However, our own indifference, apathy, racism and elitism will also smother out the light that we are entrusted to carry to the world.  How can we show the way back to belief in G*d, if we are blind to the suffering of our own people?  Makedah and I know the day of systemic punishment for Jews will come in our time.  We know the importance of gathering all our people together.  Whether we live in small communities or huge urban communities, the punishment will be the same.  If we are to overcome this terrible time of tribulation, we must forget denominations and reach out to any and all Jews, not matter their location, race or other factors.

Judaism drawing more black Americans

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ajc.com > Living Judaism drawing more black Americans Blacks make up a signicant portion of people learning about Judaism in Atlanta By RACHEL POMERANCE The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 06/18/08 Pamela and Jim Harris have gotten used to the stares. It's not that people have never seen traditional Jewish garb before. They've just rarely seen it on a black couple. "For a black male to put on a kipah and go wandering around in a predominantly black community, you get the strangest looks," said Pamela Harris, referring to the traditional Jewish head covering. Soon the Harrises, former Christian evangelicals, will complete their conversion to Judaism. If their choice seems unusual, it's apparently becoming less so. At Congregation Shearith Israel, a conservative synagogue in Virginia-Highland, where Pamela Harris works as the senior nonclerical staff member, at least eight of the roughly 20 people learning about Judaism with Rabbi Hillel Norry are black. At the Marcus Jewish Community Center in Dunwoody, roughly 20 percent of the nearly two dozen people enrolled in Steven Chervin's introduction to Judaism classes are black. Although there are no sound statistics on the subject, anecdotal evidence suggests that, in the past 15 years, increasing numbers of black Americans are exploring Judaism, said Gary Tobin, president of the Institute for Jewish & Community Research in San Francisco. "Ten years ago, it was almost unheard of that a black person would come in and want to convert," said Rabbi Ilan Feldman, who is working with the Harrises and two other black people pursuing conversion. Until their conversion courses intensified last year, the Harrises led a weekly learning/support group in Decatur for about a dozen African-Americans interested in Judaism. So what's going on? Tobin cites three major trends. One, people are increasingly switching religions, he said. The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life released a survey in February that found 28 percent of American adults have left the faith they were raised in for another one or none at all. The Internet, too, has played a role, allowing people to readily access information on different faiths, he said. And racial barriers have been breaking down over the past 40 years, with intermarriage leading to multiracial families and communities, he said. American Jews now marry non-Jews at a rate of nearly 50 percent. Plus, there are more instances of interracial adoption and conversion, said Jonathan Sarna, professor of American Jewish history at Brandeis University. That's contributed to more ethnic diversity, especially within the Reform movement, Judaism's largest and most liberal branch. "It's a safe assumption that the number of black Jews in America is growing because of integration by both Jews and blacks," said Chaim Waxman, senior fellow with the Jewish People Policy Planning Institute, a think tank in Israel. Next year in Cincinnati, the first black female rabbinical student will be ordained through the Reform movement. 'I felt this is my place' Latesha Jones' introduction to the faith came through Jewish friends she met after moving to Atlanta from Richmond. Though she was born into a Baptist family, the 29-year-old said she felt more at home in a synagogue. Before long, she was studying Judaism and decided to convert, changing her name to Elisheva Naomi Chaim. "I felt welcome," she said. "I felt like this is my place." But not everyone felt comfortable with her decision. Chaim cites more than one awkward conversation with family members. They asked which God she was serving, and whether Jesus Christ was involved. When she explained that she was not worshipping Jesus, her aunt told her she'd go to hell. "They're coming around one at a time," Chaim said of her relatives. Her mother now says that as long as Chaim is "doing something spiritually," she doesn't have a problem. It's not always easy at synagogue either, said Chaim, who attends Conservative and Orthodox synagogues in Sandy Springs. "There are some that will look at me strangely because I'm black, but I try not to let that get under my skin." Once she talks to them and shows a knowledge of Judaism, she said, "their attitude changes." They'll say, "Welcome to the tribe" or "I have a lot of respect for you," given the historic persecution of Jews, she said. Under the radar Since the turn of the century, there have been black congregations around the country that identify as "Hebrew Israelite," that is to say, as descendants of the biblical patriarchs, said Lewis Gordon, founder of the Center for Afro-Jewish Studies at Temple University. But often these groups don't consider themselves Jewish, despite some of them having similar traditions. The 2000-01 National Jewish Population Survey, conducted by the United Jewish Communities, North America's central Jewish fund-raising organization, found that 1 percent of Jewish adults, or 37,000 people, identified as black or African-American. An additional 1 percent of Jewish adults called themselves biracial or multiracial. However, that was based on a total estimate of 5.2 million Jews in America, a number that Tobin and other key Jewish demographers have called too low. Tobin believes the number of black Jews in America exceeds 150,000. The notion of black Jews is hardly new. The Jewish history of worldwide migration has led to Jews of every ethnicity. But much of the black Jewish experience in this country has flown under the radar of other Americans, Gordon said. That's because many black Jews historically practiced privately or in segregated communities, he said. The population was "swept up in the tides of racism in scholarship and institutions" that saw Jews as exclusively white, even though American Jews of European descent did not consider themselves white until recent decades, Gordon said. "There have always been communities of either black people who are already Jewish or black people considering coming to Judaism. What is different is that institutional structures are changing," he said. "There is an increased effort to creating a welcoming environment for them." Gordon speculates that as many as 1 million black people in the United States have Jewish roots, among them African-Americans, African and Caribbean immigrants and Afro-Latinos. Which is why Gordon thinks that, among the rising numbers of black Americans coming to Judaism, some of them are simply returning to it. Coming home That's how Sivan Ariel sees her experience. Born to a Catholic family in the Virgin Islands, Ariel now believes her biracial grandmother practiced Jewish customs she learned from her mother. "She would always talk about the laws of God" and the Exodus story, Ariel said. Her grandmother would light white candles, which now remind Ariel of those lit on the Sabbath. "She was the only person I knew that actually did that, so I wondered if it was actually witchcraft," Ariel said with a chuckle. Ariel left Catholicism when she moved to Atlanta for college and joined a Pentecostal church for a while. But she never felt comfortable there, and she began a spiritual search that led her to convert to Judaism. "A long time ago, religion was not something that you thought about," Pamela Harris said. "You went to whatever church that Mama and Daddy went to." Ariel, referring to her experience and those of other black Jews, said, "Some of us know beyond a shadow of a doubt we're here because we're home." Rabbi Norry called this an "unprecedented time" of interest in Judaism. "Business is booming," he said. "On any given Shabbos, there's 10 non-Jews at our service, visiting or studying to be Jewish." Still, he asks every convert: "Why would you ever want to be Jewish? Don't you know how many people hate us?" The black converts respond differently, he said. They look at him as if to say: "Welcome to my world." And yet, for Pamela Harris, race was always beside the point. In fact, her Jewish identity trumps her racial one. "My community is the community of B'nai Israel," she said, using the Hebrew expression for the children of Israel. "I was on a quest for a relationship with God," she said. "That search has nothing to do with race or creed or color or even your religious preference. It has to do with fulfilling a deep need."