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The Hillel paradox
Yoaz Hendel
Published: 26.06.11, 15:25
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1. american jews will sink themselves in their own drain.
george ,   AZ   (06.26.11)
2. I think it's all about money.
Jules   (06.26.11)
Their funding sources may well be the same as the "human rights groups" in Israel.
3. Sad But Ture
Thurman Pierre Reed ,   Berkeley, CA, USA   (06.26.11)
I'm an alumnus of UC Berkeley and the vitriol and aspersions cast against the State of Israel are unconscionable. The issue that may actually shock you is that the divestment bill at Cal was authored and advocated most fervently, BY A LEFTIST ISRAELI.
4. Get out of there already
Paul ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (06.26.11)
Their exist no free-will among the nations anymore, except for a small segment of descent people. Get out before it's too late. Come to Israel and get a front seat as the world self-destructs.
5. these jews should be given the sole of a shoe
JL   (06.26.11)
6. what a disgusting and vile thing to have to read about
(06.26.11)
shameful
7. Hillel Activism
ik ,   United States   (06.26.11)
I had been a supporter of Hillel for many years having received their hospitality while I was away at college. I even still sing Kiddush to the tune I learned there. However, I see little reason to support them any longer until the recent activism is quelled. Let the activists have their own organization.
8. GET OUT OF UN
eclipse1 ,   australia   (06.26.11)
Hay Israel why not take the father to court who is alowing his son to hold hate posters and insiting hatered shorley there is a law against This also ISRAEL GET OUT OF THE UN IT IS RUN BY 53 COUNTRIES THAT ARE ISLAMIC And we know what islam thinks of you In the end GOD will have his way on the arab league and the UN the sooner the better
9. Either Jews have self-honor and self-respect or they don't.
JMK ,   NYC   (06.26.11)
What motivates all this Jew hatred are the supersessional myths of Mohammed or the myths of Jesus.
10. Hillel reflects Reform Jewish Orgs.
RAYS ,   NH, USA   (06.26.11)
The wimpish behavior of Hillel on campus reflects what one sees in "Jewish Federation" activities . Anti-Israel J Street speakers appearing at "Jewish Federation" events help spawn Jewish student wimpishness on US Campuses. The anti-Israel Islamic students love it.
11. Hillel an"empty vessel for many years
TimeToCloseShop ,   china and israel   (06.26.11)
There is need for a new organization for Jews in universities close Hillel down build something new Thankfully Habad is present on many campuses.
12. Jews?
Geoff ,   London (UK)   (06.26.11)
I sometimes wonder just how Jewish these 'Jews' are. I suspect that most of them only ever proclaim their Jewishness when they are presented with an opportunity to criticise Israel. I further suspect that the vast majority of them never attend a synagogue service, couldn't care less about any Jewish ritual and are wholly indifferent as to who they marry.
13. Not One Penny for Hillel. Hit 'em where it hurts!
Diamond   (06.26.11)
14. Misleading article!
Laura J. ,   USA   (06.26.11)
There is indeed a huge problem on American campuses that needs to be addressed, but this article fudges the issues. Kesher Enoshi is not a part of Hillel, no matter what they claim, nor are the other anti-Israel organizations mentioned. A few misguided Hillel groups such as the one at Berkeley have regrettably provided KE with space for events, but this is the exception in America, not the norm. Most US Hillel foundations do actively oppose BDS activities on campus.
15. hillel varies with locality but
moron ,   galut   (06.26.11)
overall article reflects influence of assimilation and intermarriage and patrilineal descent and soon more gay marriage--but it is not new..roosevelt's jews were not zionists and kids dont have great american examples to emulate..ironicly chabad appeals to some jewsish students facing anti-semitism giving them something to be for ..it is not zionist but it is pro-jew ,does not participate in pro plo activities,knows jews live in israel
16. I too now choose not to fund Hillel
Raymond in DC ,   Washington, USA   (06.26.11)
Like ik (#7) I too benefitted from my association with Hillels back in the 1970s, both in Canada and the US. But too many of these sites have become a gathering place for "progressive" Jews with more hostility toward Israel than interest in Judaism or Jewish peoplehood. It's no wonder "real" Jews on many campuses have gravitated toward Chabad Houses.
17. American anti-Israel Jews.
Syd Chaden ,   Palermo Ca USA   (06.26.11)
Those anti-Israel American Jews want to be accepted by the anti-Semitic university society. They think that by taking anti-Israel stances, they can gain approval. They do not understand that, in the eyes of their fellow academics, they are, and will continue to be, Jews, and in the eyes of the Muslim World, infidels. It is a much simpler matter to anguish over a holocaust that has already occurred, than it is to act to prevent one that has not yet happened. American Jews, particularly those in the universities, don't seem to be up to facing reality. They need to look at what has happened to Jews in all of the world except Israel, and what is happening to Christians in Muslim countries today, to understand what can happen in the US if we permit it.
18. America back to the Natives!
daniel ,   israel   (06.26.11)
I find this absurd. There is very little hidden history in intercultural friction, conflict and war. The unfortunate fact is that Americans are brought up in a completely "us vs. them" mindset, which is also propagated in culture through the media and entertainment. Jews are seen as saints in this liberal upbringing, the pure victim. Yet they have never experienced what Jews in Israel, who have to serve in the army, and don't necessarily grow up in an environment that shows the bad side of yourself as well. Israel is not politically correct like America is. Problem there. Israelis are aware of their faults, but won't commit suicide because of it. Nobody should. And how does a bunch of Jewish immigrants who have come to an already cleansed land (America) have the gall to say anything?
19. Read "Never Again" by Kahane to understand American Jews
USA   (06.26.11)
"The worst anti semites are the Jewish kind" Meir Kahane.
20. bo'g'd'ym , trators in the midst of HILLEL
GUY DAVID ,   MARATHON,FL.U.S.A.   (06.26.11)
Those misguided "jews" ,lacking in knowledge ,common sense & backbone ,are the evidence of fools ,and traitors ,naive at "best" ,treacherous in the wordt. The terrorists ,and liars that they either believe ,or adulate , would cut them down ,as they would murder every Jew, man ,woman ,and ,children. These disconnected nisguided fools need to be "educates" as to reality ,those who are traitors ,have no chance of salvation. The very overt racism ,anti-semetism, anti-american rants on campuses throughout the U.S. ,must be dealt with by students with backbone from all religions ,ethnic groups. I have college age children ,and kbow of hundreds of students ,none who are anti-ISRAELI , they are jewish ,christian ,and ,yes ,muslims too ,who understand what are terrotists ,what is their agensa ,and have the backbone to fight the liars at all "fronts " ,be they on ,or ,off campus.
21. Not true on my campus
jerseyjew   (06.26.11)
this story is totally one-sided and wrong. i am very involved in hillel on my campus and it is a TOTALLY pro-Israel Zionist organization. we stand up for israel against all the extremists, even when it means hillel gets criticized and ostracized on campus. this article is about ONE campus, in the most liberal place in america, and about things that happened 2 years ago. why even write this article now? it is misleading. My Hillel stand with Israel - am yisroel chai!
22. Wing Nuts
Ethan Schwartz ,   Eilat, Israel   (06.26.11)
When i was on the University of Maryland campus I led the Zionist Alliance of Maryland. We were hosted and encouraged by Hillel. I made every effort to have the entire spectrum of Israeli politics and Israeli reality represented. Those on the right tried very hard to censor opinions that did not support their views. There is no bigger turnoff to Students then censorship. As long as Zionism is the property of the right wing alone more and more students will be alienated by Zionism and Israel. AIPAC failed in their mission forcing the division that led to the hopeful group JStreet
23. Not true at Pitt and CMU
Joshua ,   Pittsburgh, PA USA   (06.26.11)
From firsthand experience I can say that while things may be dicier in California, this is not happening at the Hillel associated with the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University. There is healthy support for Israel on campus and actually much scorn directed at SJP, which is involved in so many theatrics and histrionics as to render them irrelevant (except to car traffic, when they do their disgusting "die-ins" on the street at red lights). PS: If anyone can get me the real name of Jonas Moffat (not his real name, he changed it because under his real name he's barred from Israel), that would be great. I would love to have someone do an exposé on him.
24. American Jews are out of touch with reality
Avner ,   Tel Aviv Israel   (06.26.11)
25. "Breaking the silence"
FG   (06.26.11)
is by far, million miles the most dangerous to Israel among these abominable groups - they are hell bent on breaking the spirit and will to live of ordinary Israelis and eventually destroy the Jewish state terminally. We've all been here before. 65 years ago...
26. SHAMEFUL: No Hillel Support! "secular/reform come 2 mind
EZ ,   US   (06.26.11)
here! Indeed the worst kind of anti-Semites are the diaspora's secular and reform Jews: they treat their heritage with such an uninformed and non-chalant air its disgraceful. This takes the cake and is EXACTLY why my family is making Aliyah. It's sad enough watching most American Jews sit quietly by, unable to do much to support Israel (besides financially since it has become a 'curse' to support Israel here) but when American Jews lay in bed with those who support the murderers of Jews, it's time to pack up and get the hell out of here! There are so few Jews I know that feel comfortable here anymore. All of those 'blanket' statements that we Jews dislike so much concerning non-Jews is being revealed as a truth every day that passes. People, even friends here are no longer scared to openly make anti-Semitic remarks to your face, tell horrific jokes about Jews or even say things like: "you belong to the most f-ed up people on the planet" (as an actress said to me on a movie set...she was the directors wife). It's gotten TOTALLY surreal here. Time to get out. I'm ashamed to be American at this point in my life. Truly ashamed. If I'm going to be in any danger with my family, it will be in OUR country standing next to OUR people...CHAI YISRAEL!!!
27. To Joshua - a question
CC   (06.26.11)
Joshua, I don't really understand. Listen, even if "Moffat" changed his name, surely there is/was a photo on record about him already when he was thrown out of Israel and denied entry ever again. So it should technically be no big deal to identify him, no?
28. I was told to stop teaching Judaism
M ,   Canada   (06.26.11)
I was very involved in Hillel as a leader a couple of years ago and I was told that I wasn't allowed to teach Judaism by the executive director. The paradox of this organization is much greater than what the author outlined. In regards to Israel, they wern't anti-Israel but they definitely did not support student leaders in developing and implementing programs and even acted as a barrier for things that were deeemed 'too controversial' which was almost everything minus a bagel lunch.
29. Confusion
Bob ,   Ny   (06.26.11)
I would say that those who are "anti" israel on college campuses are really pro israel. They dont want to see israel oprressing people or settling in illegal settelements. These college students are recongnizing that israel cannot survive as an oprressor, especially after the holocaust. I would say the settlers and rigt wing Israelis are anti israel because those are the ones that are going to bring israel to it's dissapearence.
30. This is wonderful
Leon ,   Ottawa, Canada   (06.26.11)
It shows that there are thousands of decent, young Jews who refused brainwashed by Israeli hasbara. As a friend told me, "being a proud Jew does not have to mean being a Zionist."
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