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?
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