Did Arabs and Jews live in peace in 19th century Palestine?

 

from the Elders of Zion Blog

I saw once again today the assertion, in an academic paper, that Arabs and Jews lived quite well together in the late 19th century in Palestine. 

I looked at the footnote and it refers to a 2014 paper by Menachem Klein, which brings an impressive amount of evidence for cooperation between the Jews of Palestine and the Arabs, including Arabic words that became part of Palestinian Yiddish and Yiddish words that became part of Arabic, as well as evidence of the groups working together, even politically, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Whenever I read this sort of thing, I wonder how this jives with anecdotal evidence of derision and insults from Arabs to Jews in the 19th century. For example, John MacGregor published in 1870 that "Men in Palestine call their fellows 'Jew' as the very lowest of all possible words of abuse."  

In an 1824 letter from Rev. W. B. Lewis to the London Society, he writes, "Jerusalem is truly miserable, groaning under the tyranny of the oppressor. Jews...are subject to daily insults, and are shamefully and inhumanly oppressed." He then gives page after page of examples of Muslims treating Jews like garbage, stealing from them, the Ottoman authorities falsely accusing Jews and their Rabbinic leaders of petty crimes and torturing them and extorting obscene sums of money as fines. (See below)

James Finn, the British consul to Jerusalem from 1846-1863, says that Jerusalem Jews were forced to bury their dead at night: - "the usual practice is to pay the gate-keeper to let them out of the town in the middle of the night, and this from fear of having the dead disinterred by Moslems or Christians."

There were pogroms against Jews in 1834 in Hebron and Safed, in 1837 in Safed again, and in 1847 a Jewish boy was accused of a blood libel in Jerusalem.

How can we reconcile the stories of Arab abuse of and attacks on Jews in Palestine with the academics who claim that Jews and Arabs lived so cooperatively?

It appears that before the 1840s, the Jews were indeed treated like dirt. Then things started changing. 

The reason is that the increasing number of European Jews could appeal to their own governments for protection, starting in that decade. Different European powers even competed for influence in the Ottoman Empire and protecting Jews gave them more power. 

Oddly, in 1848 the Russians told their Jewish subjects that they would no longer be protected, and the British consul stepped in to be their protector. This protection made it much harder for Jews to be routinely harassed by the Arabs - being backed by European powers suddenly gave the Jews powers they hadn't had beforehand.

Only after the Jews came under the protection of European states did the Arabs start to treat the Jews with more respect. The Ottoman leaders were no longer able to mistreat most of their Jewish subjects out of fear of creating an international incident.

It is an old story:

 Arabs respect power. When Jews were powerless, Arabs treated them like garbage. Only when they had some protection did the Arabs start to "live with them together in peace." Did the Arabs suddenly become philosemitic? Of course not. But they were practical: The Jews couldn't be attacked with impunity anymore.

And that is the story of Israel in a nutshell. When Israel acts weak, it invites Arab (now, Palestinian) derision and attacks. Acting strong is the only formula for peace. It isn't a peace based on love or friendship, but a peace based on respect. 

It is no different now than in was 200 years ago.

(Some information here comes from Arabs and Jews in Ottoman Palestine: Two Worlds Collide, by Alan Dowty.) 

___________________________________

Here are excerpts of the 1924 letter from W. B. Lewis with many examples of Arab oppression of Jews, most first-hand:

New York Slimes Walks Back False Report on Gaza Fishing Industry

 

New York Times Anti-semitic Cartoon

The New York Times has published an editor’s note correcting its false report that Gaza’s fishing industry is on the verge of collapse due to an Israeli blockade of the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave.

Using official Palestinian statistics, the media watchdog group Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA) proved to the Times that the claim is false. CAMERA provided information indicating that the fishermen have more than doubled their annual catch in the last 15 years. In addition, the number of registered fishing boats has also more than doubled, according to Tamar Sternthal, director of CAMERA’s Israel’s office.

In a Nov. 27 article, “Amid Israeli Blockade on Gaza a Fishing Fleet Limps Along,” Times correspondent Raja Abdulrahim claimed the Israeli blockade has been “devastating for the Gaza Strip’s fishing industry.”

But CAMERA refuted the claim and provided the Times with research data from the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics disproving the false statement.

On Dec. 3, the Times printed the editor’s note acknowledging the article omitted important context, leaving the impression that the industry has been devastated. “The current catch is higher than that in the early years of the blockade,” the note reads.

“CAMERA staff are doing the basic research that Times staff should be doing themselves,” stated Andrea Levin, executive director and president of CAMERA. “Abdulrahim’s story claiming Gaza’s fishing industry is collapsing falls completely apart when you look at the facts. But the Times’ impulse to run with any storyline blaming Israel subverts ethical reporting norms and leads again and again to these blunders.”

Dems Secure Senate Majority as Anti-Israel Warnock Wins Georgia

 

Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock on Tuesday beat Republican Herschel Walker by a margin of 51.3% to 48.7% in a runoff election, becoming the first full-term first Black senator from Georgia. Warnock, a Methodist pastor, and Medicaid activist, initially won his seat in a 2020 special election, defeating incumbent Republican Kelly Loeffler. His win gave the Democrats 50 of the Senate seats, and they ruled the chamber with the help of Vice President Kamala Harris who is the president of the Senate.

Chaidie Leaders of Meron now Attempting to Shift Blame on Police

 

  The senior officers said it will take time because of the huge crowd to get through! 

Why not focus on the actual issue of how FRUM leaders allowed this to happen to begin with?!?! They were warned of the potential disaster but, as usual, they knew better! They have blood on their hands!

In newly released recordings of police discussions which occurred during the hour prior to the Meron disaster in 2021, police can be heard warning their superiors of an impending catastrophe.

Israel’s Kan news revealed the jarring recordings from the half hour preceding the tragic disaster in which 45 people were trampled to death. Reporter Moshe Steinmetz says that the recording demonstrates that the Meron tragedy was not only the result of poor infrastructure and overcrowding, but was also a huge tactical failure on the part of police senior officials, who were warned by their subordinates that the situation was dangerous and they needed more backup forces but did not provide the necessary reinforcements to close the deadly bottleneck at the Dov bridge.

At 12:14 police officers at the bridge said that “its getting very crowded here, there are huge gatherings, people are jostling, come here now.” A similar warning was issued at 12:22, more than 20 minutes before the catastrophe. The warnings became more urgent as the catastrophe grew closer, and the local police headquarters queried what was going on. The police answered that they needed urgent backup, asking: Where are the sleeping officers?” Police further up at the Kohanim porch also noticed the unusual crush and asked for backup to close the porch and stop the masses from exiting the area.

One of the senior officers attempted to calm the juniors, stating “its because of the Hadlakah [Toldos Aharon] it will take at least another half an hour.” The police at the Kohanim porch succeeded belatedly in stopping people from descending but it was too late for the masses near the Dov bridge, who were already being crushed as they attempted to descend. The senior officers were still asking why reinforcements were needed while the juniors said that the entrances needed to be closed because “people are trampling one another.”

Naftali Bennett Sues Rabbi Who Claimed His Parents Are Not Jewish

 

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett has filed a 1 million shekel lawsuit against a rabbi who falsely claimed that Bennett’s parents, Myrna and Jim, were not Jewish.

The defamation lawsuit alleges that the false claims and “appalling epithets and curses” were seen by hundreds of thousands of people. The rabbi has more than 150,000 followers on social media.

In “sermons” posted online, he falsely claimed that Bennett’s mother underwent a Reform conversion in the US, and that he is “worse than a dog,” who is at least loyal.

To illustrate how widespread the claim was, Bennett pointed out that Google users search for his mother are suggested by algorithm to add the words “Christian” or “convert .

Bennett said that his mother, Myrna — whose parents come from generations of Jews, some of whom “were murdered in the Holocaust for being Jewish” — received “many inquiries over the past year in regard to doubts about her Judaism,” which “brought her great pain and sadness.”

Bennett said that damages he receives from the lawsuit will be donated to organizations that assist the families of fallen IDF soldiers.

One million shekel is equal to over $292,000.

UTJ said to request full authority at Meron, site of disaster So they can Cover-up the Faults of the Chareidie Leaders

 

Years before this tragedy, police were warning the Chareidie Askanim and leaders that this Meron was a "tragedy waiting to happen" but the Rebbes refused to listen and in fact fought tooth and nail not to have any police supervision of Meron. They called it "Zionist Intervention." 

All public places where the police are in control, places like the Kotel, Kever Rachel, Mearas Ha'Machpeilah etc are basically places that crowds can safely enter and exit.

We don't really know what happened at Meron, but now we will never find out. The families of the victims must sue every one of these Chassidishe Rebbes in court so that maybe just maybe we would get some of the truth out. 

Chareidim blamed the police and it could be that police did have a hand in this tragedy but now we will never know,

United Torah Judaism MK Meir Porush has requested full responsibility over Mount Meron, a significant religious site in the Upper Galilee, including implementing recommendations made by a committee investigating the deadly disaster during Lag B’Omer festivities there last year, according to a Sunday report.

The Haredi party lawmaker made the request during coalition talks with the Likud party, the Walla news site reported.

Citing sources involved in the talks, the report said the ultra-Orthodox lawmaker wants responsibility over any changes to be made as a result of the findings of the government committee probing the tragic crush at the site in 2021 — which left 45 people dead and more than 150 injured.

Rabbi Dr. Ahron Twersky Predicts Agudah Will Become ‘Irrelevant’ Due to Not Representing Chassidim

Interesting! 

So Chassidim are not happy with their own organizations and now want to take control of the Aguda as well. 

Have you ever seen a Litvisher Gadol in the Eida Hachreidis? 

And how come when the good Dr. Twersky mentioned all the Chassidic groups, he leaves out Chabad? I guess Chabad is only good when they need a hot lunch when they travel.

 Dr Twersky is correct when he says that the Aguda will become irrelevant in two or three years but not because they don't have any Chassidim on the Moetzes Torah Hagdolah, they are irrelevant because they are out of touch with the "hamoin am" 

If the Chassidim would join, you would no longer recognize the Aguda. 

Dr Twersky is not being genuine, he knows that Bobov was never part of Agudah, Satmar hates any organization that they cannot control, same with Chabad. Satmar is also opposed to the Daf HaYoimie, a big Aguda program. 

 Dr. Twersky also knows it not practical to appoint Chassidishe Rebbes on the Moetzes. If you appointed Bobover 48, Bobov 45 would scream. Let's for argument's sake say that Satmar would join, so who would you appoint? R' Zalman Leib or R' Aron? His whole speech was a waste of time, and the listeners will never get those 20 minutes back. 

Jaw-dropper: At @AgudahNews convention panel on antisemitism, Rabbi prof. Aaron Twersky reprimanded umbrella group for excluding Hasidic members & causing division, calling it “shameful.”

Twersky predicted “Agudath Israel will become irrelevant to Klal Yisroel” in a few years 💥 pic.twitter.com/SmA5VBMOIt

— Jacob Kornbluh (@jacobkornbluh) December 2, 2022

 

While appearing at a panel about antisemitism at the Agudah Convention Friday, Rabbi Dr. Ahron Twerski spoke out against the lack of Chassidic representation within the Agudah in recent years.

He said, “I used to come to Agudah conventions and feel comfortable…because there was a Chassidishe olam…for the last ten years we have been uninvited, not formally, but uninvited. The problem starts because Chassidim are not represented on the Moetzes Gedolei Torah.”

He called it “shameful” and said “there’s no excuse for it.”

Dr. Twersky predicted that “Agudath Israel will become irrelevant to Klal Yisroel” in a few years

The always gracious and even-tempered Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zweibel responded. He first joked about how this proves that the Agudah carefully censors each speaker’s speech in advance. He then thanked Dr/ Twersky for raising the issue, and assured the audience that it is being addressed.

Turtle that lived during the times of R' Akiva Eiger & Chasam Sofer Celebrates its 190th Birthday

 

Jonathan the tortoise celebrated his 190th birthday as he extends his run as the longest-living land animal in the world. 

Jonathan first arrived in his current home on the island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic in 1882 as a gift to the governor of the island, which is a British territory. At that time, he was thought to already be 50 years old.

Now notching 190 years on Earth, Jonathan is 48 inches long, the same size as when he arrived on the island. His species of tortoise reaches full maturity by 50, providing the best estimate for his age, even though some naturalists believe he could be even older. 

Despite his long life, he only gained international attention in 2008 when The Independent reported on his then-remarkable age of 176.

Locals speculated as to why Jonathan has lived so long, exceeding the expected life of his breed, the Seychelles Giant tortoise, which is 150 years old. 

Jonathan was five years old when Queen Victoria – Britain’s second-longest reigning monarch – took the throne, and he outlived both World Wars. He is older than the first photograph and has lived through the administrations of 39 US presidents. 

Locals organized a number of events to celebrate Jonathan’s birthday, culminating in a three-day celebration. 

Estimated to have been born in 1832, Jonathan has lived most of his life at the governor’s plantation house, according to the island’s website, which adds that Jonathan could arguably serve as a national symbol for the island. Jonathan’s image even adorns the backside of a St. Helena 5 pence coin.

Scientists have even studied Jonathan to determine what health benefits they might glean from his diet and his cells. Because his cells do not mutate the same way the cells of humans do, scientists hope he could reveal some secret to fighting cancer in humans. 

Jonathan shares his home with three other tortoises: Emma, a 54-year-old female; David, a 54-year-old male; and Frederika, formerly Fredrik, a 31-year-old tortoise originally thought to be male but now thought to be female. The first two arrived in 1969, and Frederika arrived in 1991. 

Jonathan last year surpassed the previous record-holder for oldest living land animal, a Madagascar tortoise named Tu’I Malila, who was gifted to the Tonga royal family in 1777 and died in 1965 at the age of 188 years old, according to Smithsonian magazine.

BAT OUT OF HELL

 

Alarming video shows a belligerent attacker pulling a baseball bat from his pants and hitting an unsuspecting man in the back of the head on a Manhattan sidewalk.

The 47-year-old victim is knocked to the ground and the unknown attacker is seen angrily yelling over him as he lies on the sidewalk in front of 1770 Amsterdam Ave. in Hamilton Heights Tuesday at 8:06 a.m., according to the video released Saturday by the NYPD.

It’s not clear if the two had any interaction before the attack but the assailant appears to be targeting the man and glances at his face before pulling out the weapon. Police are now asking for the public’s help identifying the assailant.

The video clip released by authorities shows the attacker fiddling with the bat in his pants with the handle covered by a hooded sweatshirt. He walks behind his intended target and nearly passes him, glancing over at his face.

At that moment, a third man walks in the opposite direction between the two and the attacker turns toward the street and stops, seeming to wait for the bystander to pass before he takes out the bat. He takes a hard swing at the victim, who tumbles to the ground and rolls around in pain.

The attacker turns and walks away, visibly furious, and appears to yell back at the victim. The bat-wielding man then returns and yells at the victim, appearing to stomp him at one point before leaving again.

The attacker was last seen in a hooded sweatshirt with “Nike” on the front, gray sweatpants and black sneakers. The victim suffered a laceration and bruising and was taken by ambulance to NYC Health and Hospitals/Harlem in stable condition, the NYPD said. 

Cops are asking anyone with information to call the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/.

"Twitter Was Acting on Orders from the government to suppress free speech' ....Musk releases Hunter Biden laptop files

 

Elon Musk said that  Twitter was acting on the orders of the federal government when it allegedly censored stories surrounding the contents of Hunter Biden's laptop in the buildup to the 2020 election.

Musk made the declaration Friday online in a barrage of tweets he tauntingly titled the 'Twitter Files,' which saw the CEO take aim at his new company for supposed collusion with the Biden campaign by leaking old company emails.

The leaked correspondence contained damning insider communications that predate Musk’s ownership, which provided insight to the dissent and confusion seen within the company as it responded to reporting on the scandal in October 2020.

The emails provided new detail on Twitter’s shady censorship decision, which Musk said was made behind the scenes 'at the highest levels of the company' at the behest of Biden officials, and 'based upon thousands of internal documents obtained by sources at Twitter.'

Musk, however, outsourced those findings to journalist Matt Taibbi, giving him access to the explosive documents, which the reporter published in excerpts on the social media site Friday evening.

Was missing teen Moshe Kleinerman with extremist cult Lev Tahor?

 

A suspicion arose during investigations into the whereabouts of Moishe Kleinerman, a missing 17-year-old, that he may be with members of the Lev Tahor cult, Kikar Hashabbat reported.

According to the report, the news first broke on Thursday, when Israel Police for the first time did not request that the gag order on the details of the search be maintained.

The investigation into whether Kleinerman was with Lev Tahor was just one of dozens of possibilities investigated thoroughly by Israel Police, the site noted.

Kikar Hashabbat added that the possibility that Kleinerman had disappeared due to nationalistic actions had also been investigated, drawing Shabak (Israel Security Agency) into the investigation. This possibility was later dismissed.

Suspicions wee also raised that Kleinerman may be abroad, and to this end, police contacted their counterparts in other countries, requesting aid in their search for the teen.

Meanwhile, the police commander in charge of the investigation has been in constant contact with the Kleinerman family, and maintains contact with them even today.

Zera Shimshon Parshas Va'Yeitzia

 

“Jail Is Hard For Them:” Judge Releases Arabs Who Tried Lynching Chareidi Family

 

Earlier this week, Supreme Court Judge Yitzchak Amit rejected the appeal filed by the prosecutor’s office against the decision of a Jerusalem District judge to release to house arrest three Arabs who attempted to lynch a Chareidi family in Beit Chanina on Chol Hamoed Sukkos.

In the course of the attempted lynch, the mother was injured by shattered glass, the three small children were covered in glass, and the entire family suffered severe emotional trauma. As the family was on the way to their home in Neve Yaakov, dozens of Arab rioters blocking the road began throwing rocks at their car, smashed the car’s windows, and even tried to open the car’s doors. When a stone hit the window next to the mother, an Arab approached and smashed the window completely, and his friend stuck his hand in the car and tried to punch her head.

A large stone thrown at the baby’s car seat hit the seat but miraculously landed between his legs.

Video Player

Multiple Victims, One Child Critical In Horrific Monsey Accident

 

Nearly two dozen victims have been reported in a large accident that occurred Thursday morning in the Monsey area.

According to reports, a bus from a local Ribnitzer school was driving on Southgate Drive in Spring Valley, when it slammed into a nearby house. A second car was pinned under the bus.

While details surrounding the accident are still unclear, some reports suggest the bus had originally struck two parked cars, at least oneof which got dragged along and ultimately pinned under the bus.

At least 21 victims have thus far been extricated from the wreck, with at least two reported to be in serious condition.

One child is reported to be in critical condition, and is undergoing emergency brain surgery. Please say Tehilim for Yehoshua Herschel ben Sasha.

Extremist Chareidim Now take Taxis to "terrorize" New Beit Shemesh Neighborhoods

 

Beit Shemesh is growing faster than a cat on a mouse B"H! 

There is a brand-new neighborhood called Beit Shemesh Daled, and that will be the largest neighborhood in Beit Shemesh after its completion.. 

The people moving in there come from all backgrounds, Chassidish, Yeshivash,  Dati Leumi, Teaneck and Five Town types etc. 

The Chareidim Extremists want the entire neighborhood, to be like their sick bizarre community. So, they decided to bring Chassidishe hoodlums from outside the neighborhoods to terrorize the residents to force them to either move out or prevent others from moving in.

In the above clip you can see them running into cabs after terrorizing and causing bedlam in the neighborhood.

BTW this goes on every single night. 

 

*בית שמש חדשות*

*תיעוד מקומם: בסיום הפרובוקציה מוניות אוספות את הקיצונים לביתם מחוץ לשכונה*

אמש בסיום 'תהלוכת הצניעות' ופרובקצית הקיצונים שנערכה ברמת בית שמש ד', מספר מוניות אספו את הקיצונים לעבר ביתם הנמצא - מחוץ לשכונה.

העבודה כי הקיצונים שכלל לא מתגוררים בשכונה ומגיעים לעיתים תכופות בכדי להלהיט את הרחות, להאבק ולנסות להשפיע על צביון השכונה, מקוממת את כלל תושביה החרדים של השכונה המפנים אצבע מאשימה למשטרה, בעוד שחלקם יוצאים בעצמם להאבק בתופעה.

How "Chusheve" Chareidie Rabbanim in England Protect the Molester "the Avi Avas Ha'Tumah" Rabbi Chaim Halperin

 

Sorry guys, it's in Yiddish. 

Those who understand Yiddish will be impressed with his impeccable diction and knowledge in his denunciation of Chareidie Rabbanim who not only allowed this pervert to continue as Rav of a Chareidie Community but send him more "karbonos" to molest!

How many lives will Chareidim allow this fiend to destroy until they finally kick him to the curb.?

ifyoutickleus · On Chaim Halpern and UOHC

Rising Star Chazzan Nissim Saal Wows Thousands At Concert In Israel

 

Nissim Saal has just appeared on the Chazanus scene a few years ago and has taken the world by storm. 

With his incredible high notes, and perct pitch, Saal has been “wowing” audiences around the globe.

Saal performed Tuesday night at Heichal Hatarbut Tel Aviv, to thousands.

Watch this incredible piece of Chazanus [Ha’tei from famed Chazan Koussevitzky], conducted by Ofir Sobol, accompanied by symphony orchestra and choir.

Netflix hosts film depicting IDF as bloodthirsty murderers

 

Otzma Yehudit chairman MK Itamar Ben-Gvir responded to the publishing by Netflix of a Jordanian film which depicts IDF soldiers as bloodthirsty murderers.

"The Jordanian incitement film that will be broadcast on Netflix proves how much hypocrisy there is in the world towards Israel, which was attacked with murderous terrorism even before its establishment," Ben-Gvir said.

"The Foreign Ministry should deal with this brainwashing with determination, by informing and presenting the real picture of who the actual bloodthirsty murderers are. We cannot be silent in the face of this blood libel that would reverberate around the world," he said.

The Jordanian film 'Farha,' which was shown for the first time at the Toronto film festival, won critical praise and was even chosen to represent Jordan in the 'Best Foreign Film' category at the upcoming Oscars.

The film, which claims to give a glimpse from the Palestinian Arab side of the tumultuous period of Israel's War of Independence, or the 'Nakba' as the filmmaker Darin J. Sallam calls it. Sallam caused quite a stir and criticism even from those who usually support the anti-Israeli narrative.

Farha' follows a 14-year-old Palestinian Arab girl whose father hides her in the family's basement during an Israeli bombing in 1948. From there, through a small hole in the wall, she watches her village turn into ruins at the hands of Israeli soldiers.

In a following scene, the girl watches as a group of soldiers forces an Arab man to reveal where his family is hiding and proceed to mercilessly slaughter the family, including a baby.

The film will be available on Netflix starting this Thursday, December 1.

Rabbi Shimon Yitzchak Schlesinger Senior Member of the Badatz beaten this morning at his home on Tzfania Street in Jerusalem by Chareidim

 Shock to Chareide community after one of the senior rabbis and a member of the Badatz Gaon Rabbi Shimon Yitzchak Schlesinger was beaten this morning at his home on Tzfania Street in Jerusalem.

The Gaon Rabbi Shimon Yitzchak Schlesinger is one of the most prominent disciples of the Gavaad of the ultra-Orthodox community HaGrit Weiss z"l, who was appointed by him to serve as the Chief Rabbi 17 years ago, and since then he has become one of the most prominent rabbis in Jerusalem.

A Chareidie man who introduced himself as someone who wanted to ask the Dayan a halachic question was brought into his house, but a few seconds later he slapped the Dayan in the face and fled the scene.

In a conversation with Kikar HaShabbos, a source in the ultra-Orthodox community claims his family members believe that the background to this story is the Dayan's refusal to surrender to extremist elements that have been waging a stubborn struggle in recent weeks against the donation devices, devices that allow credit card users to donate  and these devices work on the internet. 

 According to the Official of Israel, Schlesinger even spoke on the issue and said that he does not understand why there are those who are opposed to this. A statement that led extremist elements in the ultra-Orthodox community to speak out against him.

It should be noted that the same extremists even started a struggle against the kashrut supervisors of the ultra-Orthodox community, claiming that there is no justification for the supervisors to use smartphones, that  the rabbis of the ultra-Orthodox community ruled that kashrut supervisors are allowed to have a protected device, but in secret.

Segregation would endanger religious women in Israel

 

Shoshanna Keats Jaskoll

I have lived in the epicenter of Jewish religious extremism for 15 years and I’ve been writing about what I witness there since 2013. And while we have won some battles against extremists, we are losing the war.

When I started writing, I was told that it was “just a few crazies”, that it wouldn’t expand beyond the small neighborhood in which they live (which abuts mine), and that if we left them alone, they’d leave us alone.

Ten years later I can tell you, to my great despair, that each of these statements has been proven wrong.

In the past weeks alone, violence against soldiers, women and children has escalated to a point that if we do not act, it is likely that someone will be gravely injured or worse.

Soldiers are taunted, called “Nazis” and even chased by mobs, forced to find shelter with strangers. Girls and women are harassed to sit at the back of the bus; when I wrote about this in 2013 when my own daughters were told to go to the back of the bus, I was told I was making a big deal about nothing.

Girls, religious girls, are targeted by grown men for not being “tznius” (modest). Boys are threatened by men for having smartphones. And the reports keep coming in.

Some claim this is a religious war. But we’ve seen that this is a turf war. And we who care about true religious freedom and justice are rapidly losing ground to the extremists by not stopping them in their tracks.

Enforcing gender segregation has been the number one tactic of the extremists. By portraying their actions as “religious freedom,” they call for “cultural sensitivity” and ask that their way of life be respected. An ironic request, as they expect the respect to go only one way: in their own direction.

The current demand by the religious parties to change Israeli law to allow forced gender segregation in the public sphere at publicly funded events is similarly not a benign request for respect. Without changing a thing, crowds can already sit separately if they want to. Segregation is allowed, it just can’t be forced. A significant difference.