Jewish community in Marseille debates whether to hide yarmulke

[webfact]

Jewish community in Marseille debates whether to hide yarmulke



MARSEILLE: -- France’s religious and political leaders are debating whether Jews in Marseille should stop wearing their yarmulkes in public, after a teacher was wounded there in an anti-Semitic stabbing.

The machete attack has left the community in fear once again.

“It’s our responsibility to guarantee the safety of our community. It’s perhaps today, facing an extraordinary situation, that we must make extraordinary decisions,” said Zvi Ammar, President of the Israelite Consistory of Marseille.

Christian Estrosi, President of the Provence Alpes Cote d`Azur Region, objected: “I understand the worries, but I think that the most terrible thing is to give the enemy the impression that we’re afraid. Let’s not be afraid. We must not show any sign of weakness.”

The Jewish community itself is divided over whether to continue wearing the yarmulke in public, as France is on high alert for extremist attacks.

“It demands courage. So if you have children, unfortunately, maybe it’s best to be more discreet,” said one man wearing his yarmulke at a cafe.

But one woman disagreed: “We’re not allowed to hide. We’re Jewish and proud to be Jewish. Why hide?”.

“I’ve always been used to wearing it and I will keep wearing it. I’m not more afraid today than ten or fifteen years ago,” another man said.

A 15-year-old Turk of Kurdish origin is suspected of Monday’s knife attack against a Jewish teacher. He has been arrested and charged with attempted murder on religious and terrorist grounds.


-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-01-14

[ezzra]

The world has done a full circle back to the dark ages where people has to hide their religion's affiliation

from fear of persecutions... or maybe there is an App for it to make all go away....

[shunter]

Why do these people keep on with their ''Nobody loves me everybody hates me campaign?

If you're afraid of your religious ethnic background whatever brands they may be then go and live in a country that is hospitable and accepts your beliefs.

No doubt there are Muslims, Sikhs, et al who all feel the same but they get on with their lives, they don't draw attention to themselves.

[TheKnave]

Why do these people keep on with their ''Nobody loves me everybody hates me campaign?

If you're afraid of your religious ethnic background whatever brands they may be then go and live in a country that is hospitable and accepts your beliefs.

No doubt there are Muslims, Sikhs, et al who all feel the same but they get on with their lives, they don't draw attention to themselves.

Don't recall anyone rounding up millions of Muslims, Sikhs, or Jehovah's Witnesses and gassing them to death, nor targeting them knife attacks, to include little kids...

So, I don't know, maybe they have a reason to be wary?

Just admit you're a Jew-hater, and quit dancing around.

See? Isn't that better?

[shunter]

The Knave.

post # 4

Don't recall anyone rounding up millions of Muslims, Sikhs, or Jehovah's Witnesses and gassing them to death, nor targeting them knife attacks, to include little kids...

So, I don't know, maybe they have a reason to be wary?

Just admit you're a Jew-hater, and quit dancing around.

see isn't that better

See? Isn't that better?

I think you'll find that many Jehovah witnesses and other assorted religious beliefs were rounded up and sent off to the camps. Strange though that Israel forgets the other victims of W.W.2. yet happily abuse the Palestinians with results then that they the occupying forces do not like.

I do not hate Jews. I merely am passing my opinion about a people that should be a trifle more tolerable. By raking up the ghosts of the past those people are actually stoking the fires of hate.

So by expressing an opinion I am in your eyes a ''Jew Hater'' As I said there are many other religious and ethnic groups and sects that try to blend in with the local community. .

You are a sad little excuse for a human being a whining whinging creature who it seems like to class anyone who dares make an adverse comment upon the topic and you you disagree with the contents of that comment you then go on to classify the poster(s) them as Jew haters.

Fine standard to carry for the Jews is is not sir,you are alienating any support or credibility you and your friends may have.

[Jingthing]

It is true Jew haters often whine that Jews complain too much about being attacked. Too bad. One funny thing is that even in the U.S. with so much attention on Islamophobia (as there should be attention to) attacks on Jews are greater even there than against Muslims.

(No I'm not suggesting that it's a great prize or that there should be a competition for being the most attacked, but it's still interesting when considering the media coverage.)

As far as Jews running to a safe country. The USA is as safe as it gets and still the Jew haters. If all the Jews went to Israel ... not too smart as Israel is surrounded by many enemies, some with explicit genocidal intentions against Jews.

Yes Jews can wear yarmulkes all they want in Israel, but they may still attacked there just for being Jews, and of course the future survival of the state of Israel is certainly not a sure thing.

Some more info about Marseille:

“Jews still wear their kippot on the streets of Marseille,” Benjamin said. “But gone are the days when we would not need guards. Now every aspect of communal life happens under protection by the military. They are in our schools, in our shuls, reminding us that we are no less threatened here than in Paris — or Israel.”

http://forward.com/news/329872/do-anti-semitic-attacks-signal-end-of-marseille-miracle/

(Note -- the reason that I use the terms Jew haters or Judeophobic on this forum in favor of the much better term anti-semitic is because often when the term anti-semitic is used, posters start bringing up absurd arguments about Arabs being semites, so that's just a waste of time to even bother with such silliness.)

Edited January 14, 2016 by Jingthing

[dexterm]

It is true Jew haters often whine that Jews complain too much about being attacked. Too bad. One funny thing is that even in the U.S. with so much attention on Islamophobia (as there should be attention to) attacks on Jews are greater even there than against Muslims.

(No I'm not suggesting that it's a great prize or that there should be a competition for being the most attacked, but it's still interesting when considering the media coverage.)

As far as Jews running to a safe country. The USA is as safe as it gets and still the Jew haters. If all the Jews went to Israel ... not too smart as Israel is surrounded by many enemies, some with explicit genocidal intentions against Jews.

Yes Jews can wear yarmulkes all they want in Israel, but they may still attacked there just for being Jews, and of course the future survival of the state of Israel is certainly not a sure thing.

Some more info about Marseille:

“Jews still wear their kippot on the streets of Marseille,” Benjamin said. “But gone are the days when we would not need guards. Now every aspect of communal life happens under protection by the military. They are in our schools, in our shuls, reminding us that we are no less threatened here than in Paris — or Israel.”

http://forward.com/news/329872/do-anti-semitic-attacks-signal-end-of-marseille-miracle/

(Note -- the reason that I use the terms Jew haters or Judeophobic on this forum in favor of the much better term anti-semitic is because often when the term anti-semitic is used, posters start bringing up absurd arguments about Arabs being semites, so that's just a waste of time to even bother with such silliness.)

I am seriously interested in the source of your claim that there are more attacks on Jews in the USA than Muslims. Is that in pure number of attacks or % in view of the fact that Jews number 5.45 million (1.73%), and Muslims 1.8m (0.9%) of the total US population. Not trying to score any points...honest. I am anti all forms of racism/religionism and condemn anti Semitic attacks as much as Islamphobic attacks.. I am surprised by those stats ..that's all.

I am an atheist and I regard all religions as the opium of the semi conscious mind. But I would defend anyone's right to believe in what they want. It is a sad day indeed when people must hide symbols of their beliefs when they are not harming others.

Edited January 14, 2016 by dexterm

[Dumbastheycome]

The Knave.

post # 4

Don't recall anyone rounding up millions of Muslims, Sikhs, or Jehovah's Witnesses and gassing them to death, nor targeting them knife attacks, to include little kids...

So, I don't know, maybe they have a reason to be wary?

Just admit you're a Jew-hater, and quit dancing around.

see isn't that better

See? Isn't that better?

I think you'll find that many Jehovah witnesses and other assorted religious beliefs were rounded up and sent off to the camps. Strange though that Israel forgets the other victims of W.W.2. yet happily abuse the Palestinians with results then that they the occupying forces do not like.

I do not hate Jews. I merely am passing my opinion about a people that should be a trifle more tolerable. By raking up the ghosts of the past those people are actually stoking the fires of hate.

So by expressing an opinion I am in your eyes a ''Jew Hater'' As I said there are many other religious and ethnic groups and sects that try to blend in with the local community. .

You are a sad little excuse for a human being a whining whinging creature who it seems like to class anyone who dares make an adverse comment upon the topic and you you disagree with the contents of that comment you then go on to classify the poster(s) them as Jew haters.

Fine standard to carry for the Jews is is not sir,you are alienating any support or credibility you and your friends may have.

And dwarves, midgets, gypsies, people affected by any disabling condition congenital or otherwise socially marginalized, etc.! I am probably never to hear of those being equally acknowledged!

There is sad stein on the world !

[Andaman Al]

Why do these people keep on with their ''Nobody loves me everybody hates me campaign?

If you're afraid of your religious ethnic background whatever brands they may be then go and live in a country that is hospitable and accepts your beliefs.

No doubt there are Muslims, Sikhs, et al who all feel the same but they get on with their lives, they don't draw attention to themselves.

Don't recall anyone rounding up millions of Muslims, Sikhs, or Jehovah's Witnesses and gassing them to death, nor targeting them knife attacks, to include little kids...

So, I don't know, maybe they have a reason to be wary?

Just admit you're a Jew-hater, and quit dancing around.

See? Isn't that better?

I think this is a disgraceful reply and the poster of the original mail did nothing at all to deserve such hate speech. Even more dreadful (but not surprising) are the members who have 'liked' your hateful post.

[Jingthing]

Back to the topic.

It would obviously be best if Jews can feel safe to be identifiable as Jews in Marseiles, all of France, all of Europe, Israel, everywhere.

But that is just not the case.

Nearly 10,000 Jews, mostly from France, made aliya in 2015 after instances of anti-Semitic attacks reached record numbers.

According to The Daily Mail, while instances of anti-Semitic attacks have occurred in Belgium, Denmark and other European countries, Jews in France feel the most vulnerable to potential threats and dangers.

http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Report-Western-European-immigration-to-Israel-hits-unprecedented-levels-in-2015-441629

Edited January 19, 2016 by Jingthing

[manarak]

I was in the past always irritated when reading or hearing about alleged antisemitism in France, thinking the claims by the Jews were exagerated. The media were/are always squarely blaming the far right for everything.

But recently I started to suspect there is far more antisemitism than that caused by the far right, as despicable as the neo-nazis are.

The PC conspiracy known as "pacte républicain" in France is responsible for hiding the truth, i.e. the many Muslims (which are not radicalized, more like petty criminal riff raff of North African origins) in France contribute a significant part to antisemitism in France - and the Jews play their part too and keep it quiet, probably to not ignite the fire between communities.

Its time for France to come to grip with its imported demons, the first step would be to stop lying to the public.

[arjunadawn]

Any person are group who must define "us" and "them" reveals themselves as the worst among us. It is these people, this formula, that is the seed of hatred on earth. The us and them formula is perfected by only one ideology on earth these days, and it is not the Jews. Marseille may seem news and seem an oddity but it is now one more place in Europe where Jews, variously present since the beginning, are being driven out. Like Jews or not, be careful what follows.

Regrettably, Europe's Jews are canaries in the coal mine.

Edited January 19, 2016 by arjunadawn

[Jingthing]

More on the French yarmulke question.

As the article points out, you can't assign an armed policeman to every single Jew in France, yarmulke wearing or not.

Expect the French food in Israel to get better.

France is very important to the Jewish people. Both the rich history of Jews in France and also the fact that France now includes the third highest population of Jews in the world, after the USA and Israel. It's sad things have gotten so BAD there ... again.

Every Single Frenchman Can Don a Kippah and It Still Won't Help French Jews

http://forward.com/opinion/330706/every-single-frenchman-can-don-a-kippah-and-it-still-wont-help-french-jews/?attribution=home-hero-item-text-5

Edited January 20, 2016 by Jingthing

[Dumbastheycome]

For as long as ethnicity and religiouty and superior oddity precludes humanity in the basic pursuit of greedity and self acclaimity................we are all doomed to endure that which we accept as.....normality !

I wanna go stay with orangutans!

[Jingthing]

...

I wanna go stay with orangutans!

Nobody is stopping you.

Edited January 21, 2016 by Jingthing

[Dumbastheycome]

...

I wanna go stay with orangutans!

Nobody is stopping you.

You have had the nod from wise Orangutans????

[Jingthing]

...

I wanna go stay with orangutans!

Nobody is stopping you.

You have had the nod from wise Orangutans????

A teacher once told me -- everyone finds their level.

[Dumbastheycome]

...

I wanna go stay with orangutans!

Nobody is stopping you.

You have had the nod from wise Orangutans????

A teacher once told me -- everyone finds their level.

And you gave credence to a trained Chimp ? Ahh!

[Jingthing]

A new report on the situation with increased antisemitism in the global Jewish diaspora (Jews outside Israel), including France.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/israels-2015-report-on-anti-semitism-paints-dismal-picture/

A surge in Islamic extremism, blurring borders between anti-Semitism and anti-Israelism, and the European far-right cited as main causes for rise in Jew-hatred

...

As far as what the future holds, she said, “I cannot tell you, I’m not a prophet. We understand that there’s fear among European Jews about being identified as Jews… We know the future is not that promising and hope the measures taken by European governments will help.”

She held up the government of France as a good example of what measures countries should aim for.

It does really sound like the French government is really trying. But the forces of Jew hatred are so strong, coming from the left, right, and Islamists as well. Also with the internet, social media, etc.. it's so easy now to foment more hatred ... we see this daily on this very forum.

Edited January 27, 2016 by Jingthing