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For Jewish Left, a Conflict in Brooklyn Exposes Bitter Split Over Anti-Semitism
Forward ^ | September 30, 2016 | Sam Kestenbaum

Posted on 10/04/2016 10:36:17 AM PDT by nickcarraway

In Brooklyn, the progressive left is fracturing over charges of anti-Semitism.

A group of Jewish activists pamphleted an open mic event held last week at Brooklyn Commons, a progressive gathering space in Boerum Hill, condemning the venue’s leadership for partnering with “anti-Semities and white nationalists” — and the scene descended into chaos.

The crowd shouted. Cellphone cameras clicked on, cameras flashed. One man raised a chair over his head threateningly; a pile of papers, a coffee cup and music stand were wielded as weapons.

“I had never seen anything like it a progressive space,” said Michael A. Gould-Wartofsky, a protestor who was yanked off the stage. “I had seen it in neo-Nazi rallies, but never on the left at this tenor. People started … calling me a fascist and a Zionist Jew.”

Organizers at Brooklyn Commons, who protestors say forced them out of the venue amidst the uproar, declined to comment — and some Jewish activists denounced the protest.

28 Sep daniel sieradski ✔ @selfagency On Monday night, a group of progressive Jewish activists went to an open mic at @BrooklynCommons where they were called Zionists & assaulted Follow daniel sieradski ✔ @selfagency Here is video of @mgouldwartofsky being assaulted at @BrooklynCommons. 6:31 AM - 28 Sep 2016

3 3 Retweets 3 3 likes 28 Sep daniel sieradski ✔ @selfagency Here is video of @mgouldwartofsky being assaulted at @BrooklynCommons. pic.twitter.com/Lad4xROfSK Follow daniel sieradski ✔ @selfagency And another video of @mgouldwartofsky being assaulted at @BrooklynCommons. 6:32 AM - 28 Sep 2016

3 3 Retweets 2 2 likes No one was hurt, but the incident comes just weeks after Brooklyn Commons hosted anti-Semitic 9/11 conspiracy theorist Christopher Bollyn for a September talk — a move widely condemned by leftist Jewish groups. The Commons did not directly answer charges that Bollyn was anti-Semitic, but did stand by their decision to host him — saying that the rental space was never meant to be a “cozy cocoon” for leftists.

The entire fiasco also prompted wider soul-searching within parts of the Jewish left, as activist groups struggle to distinguish political criticism of Israel from what they see as more deep-seated anti-Semitism. Anti-occupation groups IfNotNow and Jewish Voice for Peace — whose members themselves are branded as anti-Semitic for their criticism of Israel — scrambled to condemn Bollyn rhetoric.

On the heels of the Bollyn event, JVP issued a “policy statement” defining anti-Semitism, seeking to distinguish “real anti-Semitism” from “problematic definitions,” like the ones leveled against them.

Follow Rebecca Vilkomerson @RVilkomerson .@jvplive released today statements on anti-semitism-what it is&what it isn't. We hope it will be useful resource! https://jewishvoiceforpeace.org/fighting-antisemitism/ … 1:49 PM - 8 Sep 2016 Photo published for Fighting Antisemitism | 2016 Fighting Antisemitism | 2016 Our own commitment to fighting all forms of oppression grounds our organizing for justice for all people. jewishvoiceforpeace.org 45 45 Retweets 35 35 likes The new policy statement was put to the test just weeks later.

JVP condemned Miko Peled, a leftist Israeli writer, for expressing what they said were anti-Semitic views on Facebook. Other leftists pushed back, one condemning Vilkomerson as a “Zionist in the closet.” A few days later, the JVP dialed back its condemnation of Peled.

Gould-Wartofsky, who is a PhD candidate at New York University and also wrote a book chronicling the early days of the Occupy Wall Street protests, said that he would not seek to report the altercation at Brooklyn Commons to police.

He suggests that what’s at stake is competing definitions of anti-Semitism and the thorny question of when anti-Zionism becomes anti-Semitism.

“I have seen anti-Semitism on the left before,” said Gould-Wartofksy. “There are corners in the left that interact with the far right and see themselves on the same page.”

Not everyone at the Brooklyn event saw things from Gould-Wartofsky’s perspective. In a public Facebook post posted after the event, Mitchel Cohen, a Brooklyn Commons supporter, called Gould-Wartofsky’s group “white fascists” who disrupted a “gathering of mostly people of color” and “ranted at the people of color and leftists there.”

The group called themselves “Jewish Antifascist Action,” Cohen noted, but charged: “the so-called ‘anti-racists’… were as racist as can be.”


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events; US: New York
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To: PapaBear3625

Generally, right wing rallies experience violence when the Left decides to crash them and beat up attendees.


Well then I wouldn’t call that a right wing rally, more like a mixed event.


21 posted on 10/04/2016 11:57:24 AM PDT by outpostinmass2
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To: nickcarraway

pardon me, but how is it by Jewish law that Marx was a Jew? his mother (the parent that usually counts for this determination) was from a Jewish family but she was a Christian. Same for his father. Neither parent was Jewish when little cute cuddly Karl baby wailed his first.

Orthodox Jews usually require the mother to be Jewish at time of her baby’s birth, for baby to be considered Jewish.
Reform/communistic/liberal/progressive/JINO Jews will permit the baby to be considered Jewish if Either parent was Jewish at the time of baby’s birth, but that was not the case for Karl. (And, the Reforms generally require the baby to be raised Jewish, or at least as Jewish as reform Judaism may or may not be considered.... for him/her to be viewed as Jewish,...... again...not the case for Karl. He was raised in a rather secularized Christian home

If I am overlooking anything, and I may be, please advise.
But it does not seem that Karl could have been considered Jewish.

ps:
Further, he was a proclaimed atheist as well as, of course, an anti-Semitic (a factor which at least is reflected in Israeli citizenship law, for what that may be worth to further determine he was not Jewish..the Israeli Supreme Court may include as a factors what the individual professes and how s/he is viewed by others). Well, that is a citizenship law and not a religious law pov. But, I just don’t see how Karl qualifies as Jewish ? thanks


22 posted on 10/04/2016 11:59:47 AM PDT by faithhopecharity ("Politicians are not born. They're excreted." Marcus Tullius Cicero.)
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To: faithhopecharity
pardon me, but how is it by Jewish law that Marx was a Jew? his mother (the parent that usually counts for this determination) was from a Jewish family but she was a Christian. Same for his father. Neither parent was Jewish when little cute cuddly Karl baby wailed his first.

Believe it or not, I am not a Rabbi, nor even Jewish. But, it is my understanding, that according to the Talmud, once you are Jewish, you are always Jewish. So, even if a woman converts from Judaism and has a child, that child is still Jewish by Jewish law.

And while I'm at it, Shanah Tovah and happy new year to all.

23 posted on 10/04/2016 12:18:22 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

yes, i stand corrected. it dates all the way back to Achan at Jerico... thanks


24 posted on 10/04/2016 12:26:44 PM PDT by faithhopecharity ("Politicians are not born. They're excreted." Marcus Tullius Cicero.)
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To: nickcarraway
And while I'm at it, Shanah Tovah and happy new year to all.

It is said that on St. Patrick's day, everyone is Irish. Can we all be Jewish during the new year? :)

Mazel tov!


25 posted on 10/04/2016 12:28:58 PM PDT by DiogenesLamp ("of parents owing allegiance to no other sovereignty.")
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To: DiogenesLamp

Works for me.


26 posted on 10/04/2016 12:32:38 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: miss marmelstein

I live in area with several synagogues and the police have been there for Rosh Hashanah for years.

The shocking thing to see was NO HILLARY BUMPER STICKERS!!! First year Bammy ran nearly every car had his.


27 posted on 10/04/2016 3:29:43 PM PDT by lizma2
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To: lizma2

That’s the first time I ever saw that in NJ (and never in NYC - although, obviously, I haven’t passed every shul). I couldn’t help but think it was related to the several terrorist events in the area. I didn’t look at the cars but have no doubt if I had, I would have seen Hillary signs.


28 posted on 10/04/2016 4:40:26 PM PDT by miss marmelstein (Richard the Third: With my own people alone I should like to drive away the Muslims)
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To: DiogenesLamp
...The great dream of this mentality, in fact, is to get enough of a coalition of outsiders together to outnumber the Goyim, the white Christians. That’s why so many Jews are so passionately committed to mass Third World immigration.

Listen to this insane woman:

What the heck is Barbara Spectre's motivation

29 posted on 10/04/2016 10:52:08 PM PDT by Fred Nerks (FAIR DINKUM!)
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To: DiogenesLamp

She's dead right, I resent her already.

30 posted on 10/04/2016 11:12:55 PM PDT by Fred Nerks (FAIR DINKUM!)
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To: Fred Nerks

Who is this doofus w/her third grade grammar and syntax?????
The Jews are an insignificant minority, across Europe, having absolutely no political weight other than in urban centers such as Paris and Rome. A fact!!!


31 posted on 10/04/2016 11:24:30 PM PDT by Arrian
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To: Arrian

picked up this site at random:

http://www.europeanknightsproject.com/smashculturalmarxism5/

“Now this may seem like a noble ancient Greek cultural custom of an age long since gone, but how many people know, that one of the biggest advocates of the genocide of the white European people, is a Jewess who has adopted the term Paideia for an institute which is now known as the European Institute for Jewish Studies in Sweden which receives funding from the Swedish government.”


32 posted on 10/05/2016 2:09:32 AM PDT by Fred Nerks (FAIR DINKUM!)
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

33 posted on 10/05/2016 5:25:54 AM PDT by SJackson (The Pilgrims—Doing the jobs Native Americans wouldn’t do !)
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To: miss marmelstein
Shocked to pass a local synagogue - that’s been in the community for at least 60 years - and saw it was guarded by three cops as it was ending its holiday service. Never, ever saw that before.

Perhaps a small one with budget issues? Most Synagogues in our area have had security for decades, usually off duty police, frequently for Shabbos as well, not just major holidays.

And of course they have the good sense not to allow armed worshippers. Go figure.

34 posted on 10/05/2016 5:29:34 AM PDT by SJackson (The Pilgrims—Doing the jobs Native Americans wouldn’t do !)
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To: SJackson

I don’t know. This is the first time I’ve ever seen armed police outside this synagogue. It looks pretty wealthy.


35 posted on 10/05/2016 6:20:02 AM PDT by miss marmelstein (Richard the Third: With my own people alone I should like to drive away the Muslims)
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To: Terry L Smith; SJackson; Yaelle; LucyT; firebrand; ml/nj; ExTexasRedhead; Hildy; Phinneous; ...
Karl Marx was a Jew...

FALSE!!! This is unfortunately a common myth. Marx had Jewish ancestry, but he was raised as a Lutheran in Germany.

So only according to the Nazi definition of Jew as promulgated in their Nuremberg Laws could you possibly call Marx a Jew. Plus, Marx was unmistakably antisemitic in his writings.

36 posted on 10/05/2016 7:14:36 AM PDT by justiceseeker93
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To: Terry L Smith

Karl Marx left thousands of pages of writings, including personal letters to family. In none of them is there any awareness of himself as Jewish.

His only writing on Jews and Jewishness are the straightforward boilerplate that any German Lutheran (such as himself) would understand from his Christian/secular education and social background.

He seems to have started his higher education intending to be Christian clergy.


37 posted on 10/05/2016 11:57:27 AM PDT by jjotto ("Ya could look it up!")
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To: Fred Nerks

She’s also an American who was imported to Sweden to silence Swedish Jews protesting Socialist-Muslim violence against Jews, and immigration policy. There is a reason why one of the parliamentarians for the Sweden Democrats is Jewish


38 posted on 10/05/2016 4:26:03 PM PDT by rmlew ("Mosques are our barracks, minarets our bayonets, domes our helmets, the believers our soldiers.")
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To: Fred Nerks

You are beclowing yourself by quoting a site taht refuses to acknowledge the existance of race traitors against Judaism. These are the most retarded of hypocrites. You are literally poisoning yourself with lies. And as i noted, Spectre is an America imported by the Swedish government to silence Swedish Jews. My maternal family are Swedish Jews. I have gotten into a public argument with Spectre. I know a lot more about this than you do, and more than the EKP is willing to admit


39 posted on 10/05/2016 4:28:34 PM PDT by rmlew ("Mosques are our barracks, minarets our bayonets, domes our helmets, the believers our soldiers.")
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To: Fred Nerks
Now post the entire Israel Broadcast Authority video and not just lying commentary on the edited government response by Spectre, to a piece on socialist-promoted antisemitism in Malmo.

Let me guess. You've never see the original and it has never occured to you that you've been lied to by the Nazi untermenschen, who are the useful idiots of the cultural marxists they claim to fight.

40 posted on 10/05/2016 4:31:02 PM PDT by rmlew ("Mosques are our barracks, minarets our bayonets, domes our helmets, the believers our soldiers.")
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