Orange County Jewish Life Propaganda

Orange County Jewish Life is a monthly magazine funded by the Orange County Jewish Federation. When it comes to the ever-controversial issue of anti-Semitism at UC Irvine, it has been little more than an apologia organ devoted to informing the Jewish community that the Federation and its financial arm, The Rose Project, have turned the situation around at UCI-which they have not. Just in the past couple of weeks, the student government passed a unanimous resolution urging UCI to cut ties with companies that do business with Israel.

In the December 2012 issue, there are two articles worthy of note-and derision. In the first, it is reported that thanks to the efforts of the Jewish Federation and the Rose Project, there is a "new era" at UCI.

http://www.ocjewishlife.com/site/varying-degrees-3/

"Proactive engagement and a Holy Grail..."

"There has been a remarkable shift away from political controversy on campus." 

It is true that the student resolution has been rejected by the university, which recently signed a partnership agreement with Israel, but that hardly fixes the problem of the anti-Semitism that rears its head on campus every time someone wants to demonize Israel. Here is the comment I put on the article, which may never see the light of day-and probably won't.


"This is nonsense. Just a couple of weeks ago, the ASUCI unanimously passed a resolution calling on UCI to stop business with companies doing business with Israel. As one who has been attending the annual Israel Apartheid events every year and listening to the anti-Semitic rhetoric of Amir Abdel Malik Ali and others, I can tell you nothing has changed at UCI. Why does the Rose Project continue to fund the Olive Tree Initiative that sends Jewish students to the Holy Land and brings some of them back as new members of Students for Justice in Palestine? have any Muslim students returned with such an epiphany? No.

And where is the much-vaunted Jewish Federation of OC every May when the hate fest comes to UCI? Standing in the shadows and saying nothing."

Gary Fouse
Adj teacher
UCI-Ext

Then there is this article:

http://www.ocjewishlife.com/site/debunking-boycotts-divestment-and-sanctions/

Here is my comment, which is also subject to moderation (or censure).


"Seems to me just the resolution itself shows that the claims of the Federation how they have solved the problems of anti-Semitism at UCI-which they long denied- are absurd. Just last May, the Muslim Student Union once again brought back Amir Abdel Malik Ali to campus who shrieked into the microphone that UC President Mark Yudof was a "Zionist Jew". Who from the Federation was willing to step up to the microphone and tell Ali that he was an anti-Semite? Nobody-as is the case year after year after year.

But I did, and I'm not even Jewish.

Any claim that the Federation and the Rose Project are standing up to anti-Jewish hate on campus is laughable."

Gary Fouse
Adj teacher
UCI-Ext

The talking points of the OC Jewish Federation never change. "All is well. We have everything under control at UCI. Please send your contribution."

Let me be clear; the Jewish Federation of Orange County has been one of the biggest obstacles to our efforts to expose anti-Semitism at UCI. Strange as it seems, it is logical. They are so embedded with the university that it is not in their interest to see prospective Jewish students go to college elsewhere because of UCI's unfortunate reputation in this area. The problem is that many Jewish students are, indeed, choosing to go elsewhere-not just from UC Irvine, but the entire UC system.