Jewish Scene
Europe: Anti-Semitism up, Islamophobia down
Sarah Stricker
Published: 06.12.09, 15:32
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35 Talkbacks for this article
1. lol so many universities for one research???
ghostq   (12.06.09)
something is wrong in this article one university exemined the hatred level in her local area but they didn't compare notes with other countries, mmm this article make no sense.
2. Word - Islamophobia
Christy ,   Boston, US   (12.06.09)
The word used in headline - Islamophobia - is generally used by people who equate dislike of radical Islamists with dislike of Islam in general. Whenever I see Islamophobia used in an article, or in a university's research study, I conclude that anything other than an undying love for and devotion to all things Islamic is viewed as a negative.
3. Those posters from Sobibor Article yesterday-read this
Alan ,   SA   (12.06.09)
Overall, the level of anti-Semitic attitudes varies quite a lot across Europe with comparably lower levels of anti-Semitic attitudes in Britain and the Netherlands and significantly higher levels in Portugal, and especially Poland and Hungary.
4. 72% Poles believe Jews milking holocaust caw
star observer   (12.06.09)
Six million Polish citizens were killed during the Holocaust - only half were Jewish. The greatest number of Gentile rescuers of Jews were Poles, despite the fact that only in Poland were people (and their loved ones) immediately executed if caught trying to save Jews.
5. :: Forms of racism
Matty Groves ,   Fairport   (12.06.09)
All forms of racism, bigotry and ethnic hatred are morally wrong and should rightly be condemned. It is also true to say that *all* countries suffer from some form of racial hatred/discrimination/etc. It is equally true to say that Israel is no exception to this truth. Likewise the level of racial and religious hatred displayed (primarily directed towards Palestinians/Arabs/Muslims and ‘self-hating’ Jews) on these TalkBacks is clear to see, can easily be identified and pointed out. More troubling is the lack of condemnation of this racism from the ‘silent majority’ who read these posts.
6. #5
(12.06.09)
tell me, have you ever listened to muslim tv stations? mosque sermons both in europe and the gaza strip and west bank and in all arab countries? have you seen the arab newspapers, the imams, the clerics HOW THEY TALK ABOUT JEWS? THEY REFER TO THEM AS PIGS, DIRTY LIARS, UNCLEAN. THEY SHOULD ALL BE SLAUGHTERED. have you read the kuran? the slaughter odf jews is all there in all the surahs and hadiths. have you listened to arab tv, news articles? antisemitism and hatred of jews is rampant, intoxicating. the arabs and muslims are the number one homophomes and number one haters of anyone, expecially jews around the wqorld. why don;t you go to youtube.com and see for yourself the filth that is peddled in arab press, govenrments and lands. go to MEMRI.ORG and see for yourself what the muslim say about jews, their interbiews, their papers. you would be shocked! no other nation is so rampantly hateful as the muslims and arabs. no one is as homophobic and antisemetic as muslims. hameed aboughaze, iranian you need to educate yourself my friend. you are either very naive or very very uninformed.
7. Why swastikas?
confused   (12.07.09)
Just wondering...extreme right wing in Europe with hatred towards Jews and homosexuals is using signs that equal Israel to nazis (in a derogatory way, I suppose). Aren't they supposed to like Nazis? They have a similar ideology, but from some reason regard Nazis as evil. They are really hard to please!
8. WHY did Jews CHOOSE to live in Poland?
Jacob ,   New York City   (12.07.09)
For ONE THOUSAND YEARS Jews have CHOSE to live in Poland. Why would Jews do this if Poland was as anti-semtic as alleged? Accusations of Poland being "anti-semitic" are partly based on Polish anger of Jews referring to Nazi German death camps in Poland as "Polish death camps" and for Jews taking for granted that Poland ALLOWED Jews to live in Poland for 1000 years when other countries were rejecting Jews. The great rabbi Moses Isserles said "If it weren't for Poland, the existence of the tribe of Israel would have been unbearable". The fact that Poles are fustrated that most Jews are unaware of Rabbi Moses Isserles' appreciation of Poland, and that Jews take for granted being ALLOWED to live in Poland for ONE THOSAND YEARS, does not make Poles anti-semitic.
9. "Tak[ing] advantage of… victims [of] Nazi era"
Paqid Yirmeyahu ,   Ra'anana, Israel   (12.07.09)
This is the most serious flaw in the modern Israel experience; on two fronts. 1. Torah-rejecting Jews relying on Holocaust displaces Torah, negates ANY historical claim to Israel = Displacement Theology!!! 2. Holocaust no basis for "taking" (sic; NOT "retaking") Arab occupied lands. There is no indigenous Jewish homeland intrinsic to any claim based in the Holocaust. Arguing the Holocaust as basis for "taking Israel" from Arabs is no more relevant to ancient Jews than taking a region of central Africa, South America, Australian outback or the North Pole. Faux "born-Jews" who reject Torah have ONLY the Holocaust argument (and their personal claim of "traditions") for living here and no more claim to live here than central Africa, South America, the Australian outback or the North Pole. It can be no surprise to anyone of even average intelligence that the great preponderance of the world, THEREFORE, cannot take "secular Jews'" claims to Israel as anything more than a "nakba"! "Messianic Jews" and Christian missionaries have no serious influence on Orthodox Jews and constitute no more than a straw man to occupy the attention of Ultra-Orthodox thug "anti-missionaries." It is born-Jews rejecting Torah who are the greatest threat to legitimate Torah-keeping born-Jews and the greatest threat to legitimate Israel. Time was that Jewish families would sit shivah for children who rejected Torah to become atheists or Buddhists, etc. There is no justification for singling out Christianity as the only Torah-incompatible rival meriting kareit. ALL rejecters of Torah are incompatible with Torah. The rabbis need to restore that standard, the touchstone of the berit Torah. Paqid Yirmeyahu Paqid 16, The Netzarim, Ra'anana, Israel Israeli Torah-reverer (& Orthodox Jew) Advocate for Logic as Halakhic Authority Welcoming All Torah-reverers (Jews & non-Jews) www.netzarim.co.il
10. Jacob-If Gallup polls existed in Poland over the 1000 yrs we
Alan ,   SA   (12.07.09)
would have a clearer answer to "Were Poles Antisemitic?" . Unfortunately we can only go on what polls tell us TODAY about peoples' attitude to us is TODAY! . For me, its sad that the Jewish population built up in EASTERN EUROPE as a whole, over the millenium to the stage where they were nicely coralled for extermination Thats also why today with around 6 million of our people in small Israel today ,we have to be extra careful of countries like Iran and the usual other M E States that want us wiped out!
11. What rubbish # 4 - Read Jan Gross´book "Fear"
Mongo ,   Paris   (12.07.09)
Obviously you do not know your history. Poles massacred Holocaust survivors returning to their stolen homes, a crime commonly commited by their former "neighbors" - Similar to what happened to innocent Jews living in Arab lands. Germans behaved better than this. Read Jan Gross´ book on this matter "Fear" and you will learn about the despicable actions commited by certain Poles during and after WW2.
12. No. 7 Confused
NYC Girl   (12.07.09)
Actually, you're right to be confused. The equating of Israelis with Nazis is an accusation made by the left-wing lunatic fringe, not the neo-Nazis. Of course, that overlooks the fact that the Muslim countries that the far left seems to be so enamored of, are the ones who are racist, homophobic and mysoginistic in the extreme. But, somehow, in the demented world of the loony left, that doesn't seem to pose a problem for them.
13. Maybe if we blew things up in Dresden
William ,   Israel   (12.07.09)
the Europeans will come to accept us and invite us to impose a Rabbinical court in their countries. Alas, we are just loyal citizens and businessmen, so we're easy targets for the disenchanted and racist among them, while Muslims, though full of outward hatred and calls for the Islamization of Europe, are middle-class to poor, so they are like brothers. I see the reversal of any progressiveness in Europe into intolerance and conspiracies. Maybe its Arab propaganda, maybe its genetics, but it certainly explains why Islam is doing well there.
14. #8 - So the Pograms in Poland were...imagined?
William ,   Israel   (12.07.09)
Granted, Poland was a better place to live than Spain in the Middle Ages. However, it wasn't a totally peaceful place. Immediately after WWII, Poland continued with its pograms killing many Jews who just survived Nazi extermination. That's a pretty tough one to ignore. While Jews were beaten by the Czar next door, the Jews in Ukraine, Poland, and the Caucuses faired a bit better but not much. I have never heard of death camps being called "Polish death camps" either in Holocaust literature or presentations. Provide a link if you can. Wasn't it local Poles who fought hard to cover up a pogram by their own fathers, then tried to deny THEY were the ones who perpetrated it??
15. No. 12
no longer confused   (12.07.09)
Thank you NYC Girl, that makes sense. It's just a wrong idea to include photos with graffitis of Israel being equated to the Nazis when writing an article about the extreme right ideology in Europe - a completelly different sentiment.
16. Star observer
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (12.07.09)
Yes , the greatest number of Righteous are Poles , but they had also the greatest Jewish population they could hepl . In the Netherlands , who there were only around 150,000 , where hiding Jews was also , less than in Poland , very risky , there are not far from 5000 Righteous . Remember how the nazis reacted after the Februari 1941 general strike against the anti Jewish laws .
17. There are "people" [ FAKE ] who don't know
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (12.07.09)
the difference between History and tales . They need the tales to "live" as fakes who try to deceive TRUE Jews with their "orthodox" or other "ministry of absorption" headings . Sane people see OUR , not HIS , History in the Torah . That's why we , not he , have the right to live here
18. 8 , Jews choose to live in Poland ?
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (12.07.09)
They tried to live and survive there , no more no less . There were already anti Jewish measures taken by the Polish governement before the nazi invasion . When we talk about "Polish death camps" , it's in the GEOGRAPHICAL meaning of this . But yes , we can also understand that Poles don't like when we say it .
19. to an ignorant goy from Raanana at # 9
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (12.07.09)
The beginning of the creation of todays Israel happened around a 50 years before the Shoa . But this a goyische kop don't want to know and he talks as the worse antisemites , they also say that Israel was created "thanks" to the Holocaust
20. #4, star observer -- 72% Poles believe
AK   (12.07.09)
You said: 'Six million Polish citizens were killed during the Holocaust -- only half were Jewish.' You should have put it another way. Six million Polish citizens were killed during WW2 -- 3 million Poles and 3 million Polish Jews, which means 10% of Polish Christians and 90+ % of Polish Jews were killed. Somehow the loss of 10% of the population in a war doesn't amount to the Holocaust, does it; 90+ % is an entirely different story. Only deliberately obtuse person fails to note this obvious difference. The problem with Europe is that their citizens have never made true amends for the Holocaust -- they return Jewish property only when forced; all Holocaust Museums have been funded by Jews; the obligatory regrets for the Holocaust are largely an insincere lip service for political reasons. Nothing was done voluntarily by Europeans -- and that includes Germans. That's why there is still such a high degree of antisemitism. You Europeans, and that includes Poles, have never truly searched your souls and truly found yourself responsible. It is amazing how often antisemites excuse their own sins by hiding behind those few righteous gentiles who truly saved Jews because of their moral and religious beliefs.
21. #6 Matti Grove knows what Arab TV shows and he agrees
AK   (12.07.09)
He is exactly the kind of person this article is about -- an antisemite, Jew- hater who likes to cover his antisemitism behind fabricated- out- of thin- air 'Israeli atrocities' against 'peaceful Palestinian nation' which is subjected to the 'new Holocaust.' You cannot really persuade antisemites since facts don't really matter to them. To Jew haters Jews can capitalists and communists at the same time; cowards who never fight back and the brutal Israeli militarists; they can view tiny Israel in the midst of 300 million Arabs with over 20 countries and huge territories as Goliah and view 6 million Israeli Jews as a oppressive majority in a world of 300 millions Arabs, of which the so called (and rather lately) 'Palestinians' are an integral part. Antisemites cannot be persuaded by facts -- they have be confronted and unmasked since they seldom like the moniker of an antisemites.
22. #9, are you one of them Jews for Ahmedinejad?
AK   (12.07.09)
You sure sound like one. Or you are working for the PLO, Hamas, Haaretz, perhaps?
23. To Charles
conformer_with_cause ,   Melbourne Australia   (12.07.09)
There were around 6,000 Poles recognised as righteous gentiles but that was about 2 to 3% of those that deserved the honor. Try reading Secret City by Gunnar Paulsson about the hidden Jews of Warsaw. In it he estimates that in warsaw there were 70 to 90,000 Polish helpers as against 3 to 4,000 blackmailers. Yet people like you continue to regard the worst elements as tpical.... By the way you can try googling for challenges to Paulsson's estimates but I doubt you'll have any luck
24. A bit strange
Konrad ,   Warsaw   (12.07.09)
"The highest degree of affirmation was in Poland - 72%, " Should I believe that cca 72% of my compatriots does in some way show any concern for Israel, Jewish things and Jews? Am surprised. People here have definitely other concerns. And I do not see (and do not read about) any acts of violence against Jews. But - yes. Someone tries to inform me that the sample of respondents selected for this particular project represents Poland as such, with its 38+ million of inhabitants. Quite recently a similar project showed that Scottish children believed Hitler was a German national football selectioner, and some such. Value of such findings? Close to zero. But some people get money for devising similar scientific projects and for analysing the results. And, let me add, they get their money scientifically.
25. 72% Poles believe & statistics
Konrad ,   Warsaw   (12.07.09)
This is repeated already twice in these Talkbacks. But, notwithstanding, it's a sheer nonsense. Poland has 38+ million inhabitants. 72% equals roughly 27+ million Poles. Could one really believe that millions of Polish children (one has to take them into account if 72% of Poles are to believe, etc.) are convinced that “Jews try to take advantage of having been victims during the Nazi era”? BS, greatly respected Talkbackers, BS.
26. To 23 , conformer
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (12.07.09)
It was the same everywhere . Only a small part of those Braves who helped Jews were recognised as Righteous , and not only in Poland . You have to know that for every hidden Jew , there were many who helped , who deserve the Honor too . In many cases the survivors did'nt even know the names of those Braves .
27. Jew-haters are obsessed with the state of Israel.
Ron B. ,   Lod   (12.08.09)
The hatred of Jews has always been protean, readily revising itself to reflect the idiom of its age. At times, it targeted Jews for their religion, demonizing them as Christ-killers or enemies of the true faith. In our day, Jew-hatred expresses itself overwhelmingly in national terms: It is the Jewish state that the haters are obsessed with. “What anti-Semitism once did to Jews as people, it now does to Israel as a state,” the British commentator Melanie Phillips has written. “First it wanted the Jewish religion, and then the Jews themselves, to disappear; now it wants the Jewish state to disappear.” As to Islam and anti-Semitism : http://xrl.us/bjrdf
28. Konrad 25
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (12.08.09)
Polls are conducted amongst ADULTS and reflect their feelings . Did'nt you know this ? Or did'nt you WANT to know it . So it are 72 % of adult Poles who think so [ with a error margin of 4-5 % ] So , your 25 is BS
29. to Charles
April ,   Melbourne   (12.08.09)
Charles, it is hard to discuss this topic without knowing all the questions asked. Based on the examples mentioned in this publication one cannot define any one as anti-jewish regardless the answer. Why do we have in Poland the highest number of people believing that Jews try to take advantage of having been victims during the Nazi era”? It is simple: the action of the World Jewish Restitution Organisation demanding from the Polish state billions of $$$ has got a good media coverage. Holland does not have this issue. There is no place here to discuss the right of this organization to do this and its purpose (check out Norman Finkelstein's "Holocaust Industry"). You should also be aware that Germany paid already billions of $$$ to the state of Israel for those very losses of Polish Jews. Obviously victims did not get much if enything as that money was spent on infrastracture projects in Israel (fair enough - Israel needed to do this, funny though as a good chunk of that money went back to German companies). Since when critisising a state is something not acceptable? I may not like the mess created by US in Iraq, but it does not mean that I hate all Americans. One can however agree that thanks to US policies Americans are not as liked in the world as they used to be. Finally, some Polish politicians of Jewish origins had indeed a big influence on the Polish political scene in the early 90's. One may say that Poland still suffers because of that. On the other hand anniversaries of Warsaw Ghetto Uprising gather every year hundreds of people. The Jewish Festival in Kazimierz attracts thousands of people. The same goes for smaller events. Poland is one of few countries in EU that support Israel on the international stage. If all the voters were so anti-semitic wouldn't the government fear the next election results? That only a few examples.
30. April , melbourne
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (12.08.09)
It's easy to say that the Poles have this feeling because of the WJRO . Remember the anti Jewish measures before WWII . We could NOT recover our Grandfather's property , only if we paid a "maintenance" sum , higher than the value of this house . But the Polish State received rent and we nothing [ i know , it was the communist state ] What influence had Politicians of Jewish origin in the early 90's ? Regarding those festivals , folk festivals attract much people anywhere , and in Poland , as the Klezmer Music has this East European tune , they can love it . The Warsaw Ghetto uprising commemoration sees hundreds of people attending ? In my birth country the deportation of the Jews commemoration is also attended by many , Jews and Gentiles alike . You forgot to add that Poland has issued many postasge stamps commemorating the Warsaw Ghetto uprising and that this year was the Poland year in Israel .
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