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Monday, November 19, 2012

Jewish Federation Finally Recognizes Anti-Semitism on UC Irvine Campus



With Israel once again fighting the terrorists from Hamas, our "friends" at the Orange County Jewish Federation are using that as an excuse to ask for more donations-as if any money they get is going to help Israel. Below is an e-mail they have sent out asking for donations.

Dear Friend,

We have not yet received your Generations Fund pledge for 2012.  And we need you now more than ever. 
Why?  Here are just a few critical reasons:
• Israel is under attack and war may be imminent
• UCI is once again facing blatant anti-Jewish/anti-Israel activities
• The number of seniors and others with pressing social service needs has grown
• We're still helping with 
urgent needs on the East Coast
Your pledge to Jewish Federation & Family Services means that we can respond. Together.
Did you know that your pledge also supports every kind of Jewish educational program in our community - from congregation religious schools to Jewish day schools to weekend and after-school programs to adult Jewish education?
Did you know that your dollars provide care and social connections for over 100 Holocaust survivors in our community, enabling them to age with dignity?
Did you know that, thanks to you, Jewish individuals and families have a place to turn - for counseling, emergency assistance, career coaching, transportation, services for people with special needs, and more?
You are the answer to all of these needs, and we need you.  Now.
Our campaign closes on December 31st.  We hope we can count on you.
Sincerely,
Philip I. Waldman
Chairman of the Board
Shalom C. Elcott
President and CEO
PS:  You can also donate by phone - call us Monday through Friday at 949-435-3484.  Or donate by mail - make your check payable to JFFS and send to Jewish Federation & Family Services, 1 Federation Way, Suite 210, Irvine, CA 92603-0174.

I take particular umbrage at the reference to UC Irvine.


UCI is once again facing blatant anti-Jewish/anti-Israel activities

Really? When did they wake up to that fact? For years, they have denied that anti-Semitism exists at UCI. "Jewish life is thriving", they have always said. A few years ago, at one of those annual hate-Israel fests that come every May to UCI, Federation CEO Shalom Elcott told me (in front of witnesses) in no uncertain terms that there was (at that time) no anti-Semitism at UCI.

Here is a video produced in 2010 by the Federation and their financial arm, the Rose Project: It was made to refute the negative image at UCI-note the title.



Is there a contradiction?

Go to the OC Jewish Experience web site and stroll through their archives. You will read all about how great things are at UCI. Of course, the disruption of the Israeli ambassador's speech a couple of years ago upset that apple cart, but they told all their donors that, working with the university, they took care of the problem.

So now. they are using anti-Semitism at UCI to ask for more money? For what? To funnel into the Olive Tree Initiative?

If they are helping needy Jewish seniors or families or victims of the hurricane on the East Coast, that is fine. But to use the UCI issue to ask for money after all their inaction and obstruction  is beyond shameless. If you feel compelled to give, I suggest you insist your donation go to a specified purpose.

9 comments:

Siarlys Jenkins said...

I'm shocked! There are Jewish students at UCI who walk around openly displaying their Jewish heritage, congregating with other Jews, doing organized public activities conspicuously identified as Jewish?

Gary Fouse had me convinced that the handful of Jewish students brave enough to even apply were huddling in terror in basement bunkers, trembling that the enforcement squads from the MSU would drag them out into the square and behead them.

Gosh, sometimes you just don't know who to believe.

Gary Fouse said...

Siarlys,

That video reminds me of that Mel Brooks movie, Springtime in Germany"

Siarlys Jenkins said...

You saw Jewish youth in that video praising Adolf Hitler? Somehow I missed that part. Maybe you had to play it backward, and listen for Paul McCartney's voice pointing it out.

Anonymous said...

I remember watching this joniversity video some time ago and going damn UC Irvine is getting noticed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ie1ifjZfvA&feature=plcp

Tiny url version
http://preview.tinyurl.com/UCIvrine-msu

Anonymous said...

The MSU members probably have different beliefs when it comes to Israel but when they invite guys like Malik Ali to speak on the campus year after year they have no credibility as a group looking for a reasonable end to the the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.

In their warped minds they may not believe they are anti-Jewish. But when they continue to invite speakers who believe Israel the homeland for the Jewish people should not exist and march around campus with chants like "From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free", they may lack a certain amount of self-awareness.

The group as a whole does more to reinforce the negative stereotype that young Muslim men are angry and unreasonable better than any anti-Muslim could ever do.

It is too bad because I do believe there are Jews and moderate Muslims on campus who wish to co-exist on and work to have a better understanding of each others positions in a environment where ideas are exchanged, but they are drowned out and the environment is somewhat poisoned by the hate from the MSU.

Gary Fouse said...

"It is too bad because I do believe there are Jews and moderate Muslims on campus who wish to co-exist on and work to have a better understanding of each others positions in a environment where ideas are exchanged, but they are drowned out and the environment is somewhat poisoned by the hate from the MSU."

That is certainly the case with Jewish students, who have often extended their hand-only to have it slapped away. I think it is true of some Muslim students as well, but they are forced to remain quiet. The leadership of the MSU will never be anything but determined to destroy Israel.

Gary Fouse said...

Anonymous,


Thanks for the clip. I had not previously seen it , but will post it. Most of those clips were at UC Irvine.

Siarlys Jenkins said...

It is too bad because I do believe there are Jews and moderate Muslims on campus who wish to co-exist on and work to have a better understanding of each others positions in a environment where ideas are exchanged

Well, instead of lurking in the shadows, perhaps a handful of each should start an organization for that very purpose. It could be called the United Semitic Society, or Grandchildren of Abraham, or Jews and Muslims united. Their slogan could be "There is no god but One God."

If you are in the vicinity, you might suggest it. Here in Milwaukee, Muslim and Jewish students started talking to each other several years ago. Its kind of hard for jihadis to dominate a campus where the main library is named for Golda Meir. All the (non-student) Muslims I know are hard-working business owners, whose children are in the top ranks of scholastic chess tournaments.

(Oh, and Nazir, whom you rightly admire, for shooting the punks who tried to hold up an Aldi's where he was shopping with his pregnant wife).

Gary Fouse said...

Siarlys,

This smacks of all those interfaith activities that are going on around the country between churches, synagogues and mosques, many of which involve gullible Christians and Jews being fooled by deceiving Muslim clerics engaging in taqiyya. See my post on Charles Jacobs and the Roxbury mega-mosque. Here at UCI, Jewish students have reached out to the MSU only to be rebuffed. As soon as the topic turns to Israel, the MSU folks get too emotional to have a sensible discussion.