The vast majority of people( many Jews included) just want to go about their lives- normal lives - raising children, going to work every day, socializing, thinking about vacations and remodeling their kitchens. Really, it’s understandable. That’s why it takes so few bad actors to create an atmosphere that turns words into violence.
I was struck by your comment that this was going on in Romania. My grandmother and her family had to leave a town called Kishinev in a place called Moldova, which became Romania. The truly weird thing that happened was the Jews of Kishinev were attacked on Easter Monday, raped repeatedly. I’m not sure about murder but definitely a lot of destruction. It was a bunch of Christians with their priest in attendance so it was not only physical and sexual abuse. It was also religious abuse. No one did anything the police stood by watching and then two years later the first pogrom was 1903 two years later they did it again so not only is antisemitism part of society. It’s also really part of religion both Islam and Christianity.
Yes, the Kishinev pogroms were a turning point in Jewish history. In retrospect, post-Holocaust, that history is somewhat eclipsed. But the horrors and their lasting impact on Jewish civilization was explored in a book I recently read. https://www.amazon.ca/Pogrom-Kishinev-Steven-J-Zipperstein/dp/1631492691
The “useful idiots” who were indoctrinated by academic mumbo jumbo and ideology is bad enough, but the weak and immoral leaders and fully captured institutions that allowed, and often supported, this to fester, and then normalize into every society sickens me.
My own father who is 89, was attacked on a busy west coast street busy with bystanders right after Oct 7. An imported Hamas protester was shouting such awful things like “gas the Jews” while proudly wearing his hateful keffiyeh. My father disagreed with the vile comments and said this is not what Canada is about, as a teachable moment, what freedom is, what Western civilization means. The man who is big size and younger than my dad, crossed the street, moved close then suddenly head butted my dad, who fell down, his face bleeding and hurt hip. He got up, chased the Hamas loving protester, and took his photo. Someone called the police and he was arrested eventually.
When my father told me what happened I thought would I have done the same thing and stand up to such vile normalized and socially acceptable antisemitism? I’ve never been so proud of my father!
When I went to the hospital to help my late mom last year, I heard two staff, not born in Canada, spew comments so biased and unchecked it terrified me. Never seeing their own bias, non factual information of history, unapologetic hatred for others, yet were paid to do a job, never batting an eye. It was truly frightening this went unchecked and allowed.
The normalization of antisemitism that goes unchecked and the apathy and indifference of the masses leads to bad things.
I take my hat off to your father. He put himself at very serious risk by confronting the Hamas-enabler and glad he was able to help get his assailant arrested. The normalization of antisemitism following October 7/23 has been shocking and I don't shock easily. My daughter lives in a suburb of Hamilton and had to initiate action against an area resident with an utterly horrific "display" in her yard of signs, mocked up shrouds to represent dead infants and even an Islamic State flag. The municipal bylaws department is pursuing the matter, but what perturbed my daughter was that none of the neighbours had bothered to complain.
You did a good job raising your daughter! We’ve been conditioned not to say anything out of fear, even when it is the right thing to do. I think of the WW2 poem, “First They Came…” and after my father was attacked, I started to speak out to counter the propaganda and one sided narratives. I used to be so proud to be Canadian, but after seeing the violent hate filled mobs and indoctrinated youth from our woke education, marching in the streets, spewing their hate, threatening others, with authorities and weak politicians doing nothing to stop it, it made me sick. Time for good Canadians like your daughter to stand up!
It’s like we’re still busy learning the lessons of the Holocaust! I guess that’s what it is. I find it challenging to work through my fear and pain and grief and just accept it and go on teaching the lessons of negative stereotyping hatred and eventual murder. I do think we might call upon Germans, some Germans to stand by us because some of them really seem to have learned the lessons of the holocaust and they’re pretty strict in their own country when they see antisemitism cropping up. I wish we could send Germans to talk about the holocaust all throughout the Middle East and move them past their ignorance, denial, shaming and blaming the victim and justifying this extreme hatred and nervousness!
I agree about the Germans, as most have tried to learn from the past. If we are to import and live with other extremes, middle eastern, then those in power must teach them what is acceptable and force de radicalize in their thinking. I remember seeing a YouTube video, that showed UN funded Palestinian kids playing a board game with a map of Israel, teaching them different ways to slaughter Jews, and be proud of it. Our tax dollars hard at work!
Oh, my Gd!! I’m horrified by the board game and I appreciate your sense of irony and humor about the text. All is being hard at work…. I’m having to work hard today at keeping my spirits up and I hope you can do the same.
I think it’s supremely ironic that the pro Palestinian group should call Israel in an apartheid state when Israel has done it its very best to create a democracy and Muslims within Israel participate in that. It’s Islam that has set up apartheid conditions wherever it goes.
In Britain over the last few days, veteran gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, who was brave enough to go to Russia and get beaten up, but who is also a "pro-Palestine" campaigner trying to confront the British government for proscribing "Globalize the Intifada", and arguing that there's a "non-violent" meaning to the term as well, because of course he's an expert on such matters.(Sarcasm) He knows damned well that the weekly demos going on in London are organized by Hamas-enablers because he himself was accosted in May 2025 by march stewards and handed over to the cops for carrying a sign condemning Hamas's executions of Gazans.
Of course as brave as Peter was in traveling to Russia to confront homophobia in Putinland, we can be absolutely certain Tatchell will never attempt to stand up for gay rights in Gaza or other Islamist ruled territories.
I believe there was recently a group of protesters who went to Egypt to protest this or that social justice cause they had be indoctrinated with, only to be welcomed by the locals, surrounded and then beaten. I'm not sure their regurgitated woke talking points were heard that well.
Yes, he was. I included a link to Jewish News's coverage of his recent arrest and could have been clearer that he's been arrested twice and knows full well that chants of Globalize the Intifida are intended to frighten and intimidate Jews in particular.
And I think Christianity or their leaders have made speeches and pledge to change this aspect of Christianity, but when I have gone to churches is still reading the same old gospel passages that very simplistically say the Jews, who followed Jesus are good the Jews, who do not follow Jesus are bad and they don’t say anything about that very simplistic, black and white portrayal of Judaism and Christianity. They don’t talk about the dangers of seeing things in black-and-white or the dangers of overgeneralizing about a group or how Saint Paul said Christians in his day should be humble and acknowledge that they are being grafted onto an ancient cultivated olive tree. Christianity seems to be following the later doctrines of the Roman church, which was more about we replaced you we are superior and you should change or die.
Saint Augustine was a very humble person. He even published an entire book of retractions in which he listed all the mistakes he had made and repented of them so it’s quite possible that he would put this mistake into that book. He really meant well but he did set up conditions that led to something similar to apartheid in Christian Europe. And Islam seems to have learned from that or invented its own forms of a apart hide because wherever they go, they have a similar hierarchy in which Muslims are at the top and anyone who doesn’t want to convert is down at the bottom.
How can it feel so real to us and go so unseen by so many? The indifference is more shocking than the overt hate.
This is what I always say.
The vast majority of people( many Jews included) just want to go about their lives- normal lives - raising children, going to work every day, socializing, thinking about vacations and remodeling their kitchens. Really, it’s understandable. That’s why it takes so few bad actors to create an atmosphere that turns words into violence.
This is a wonderful post.
I was struck by your comment that this was going on in Romania. My grandmother and her family had to leave a town called Kishinev in a place called Moldova, which became Romania. The truly weird thing that happened was the Jews of Kishinev were attacked on Easter Monday, raped repeatedly. I’m not sure about murder but definitely a lot of destruction. It was a bunch of Christians with their priest in attendance so it was not only physical and sexual abuse. It was also religious abuse. No one did anything the police stood by watching and then two years later the first pogrom was 1903 two years later they did it again so not only is antisemitism part of society. It’s also really part of religion both Islam and Christianity.
Yes, the Kishinev pogroms were a turning point in Jewish history. In retrospect, post-Holocaust, that history is somewhat eclipsed. But the horrors and their lasting impact on Jewish civilization was explored in a book I recently read. https://www.amazon.ca/Pogrom-Kishinev-Steven-J-Zipperstein/dp/1631492691
The “useful idiots” who were indoctrinated by academic mumbo jumbo and ideology is bad enough, but the weak and immoral leaders and fully captured institutions that allowed, and often supported, this to fester, and then normalize into every society sickens me.
My own father who is 89, was attacked on a busy west coast street busy with bystanders right after Oct 7. An imported Hamas protester was shouting such awful things like “gas the Jews” while proudly wearing his hateful keffiyeh. My father disagreed with the vile comments and said this is not what Canada is about, as a teachable moment, what freedom is, what Western civilization means. The man who is big size and younger than my dad, crossed the street, moved close then suddenly head butted my dad, who fell down, his face bleeding and hurt hip. He got up, chased the Hamas loving protester, and took his photo. Someone called the police and he was arrested eventually.
When my father told me what happened I thought would I have done the same thing and stand up to such vile normalized and socially acceptable antisemitism? I’ve never been so proud of my father!
When I went to the hospital to help my late mom last year, I heard two staff, not born in Canada, spew comments so biased and unchecked it terrified me. Never seeing their own bias, non factual information of history, unapologetic hatred for others, yet were paid to do a job, never batting an eye. It was truly frightening this went unchecked and allowed.
The normalization of antisemitism that goes unchecked and the apathy and indifference of the masses leads to bad things.
I take my hat off to your father. He put himself at very serious risk by confronting the Hamas-enabler and glad he was able to help get his assailant arrested. The normalization of antisemitism following October 7/23 has been shocking and I don't shock easily. My daughter lives in a suburb of Hamilton and had to initiate action against an area resident with an utterly horrific "display" in her yard of signs, mocked up shrouds to represent dead infants and even an Islamic State flag. The municipal bylaws department is pursuing the matter, but what perturbed my daughter was that none of the neighbours had bothered to complain.
You did a good job raising your daughter! We’ve been conditioned not to say anything out of fear, even when it is the right thing to do. I think of the WW2 poem, “First They Came…” and after my father was attacked, I started to speak out to counter the propaganda and one sided narratives. I used to be so proud to be Canadian, but after seeing the violent hate filled mobs and indoctrinated youth from our woke education, marching in the streets, spewing their hate, threatening others, with authorities and weak politicians doing nothing to stop it, it made me sick. Time for good Canadians like your daughter to stand up!
Don't let the creeps ruin your pride in Canada!
It’s like we’re still busy learning the lessons of the Holocaust! I guess that’s what it is. I find it challenging to work through my fear and pain and grief and just accept it and go on teaching the lessons of negative stereotyping hatred and eventual murder. I do think we might call upon Germans, some Germans to stand by us because some of them really seem to have learned the lessons of the holocaust and they’re pretty strict in their own country when they see antisemitism cropping up. I wish we could send Germans to talk about the holocaust all throughout the Middle East and move them past their ignorance, denial, shaming and blaming the victim and justifying this extreme hatred and nervousness!
I agree about the Germans, as most have tried to learn from the past. If we are to import and live with other extremes, middle eastern, then those in power must teach them what is acceptable and force de radicalize in their thinking. I remember seeing a YouTube video, that showed UN funded Palestinian kids playing a board game with a map of Israel, teaching them different ways to slaughter Jews, and be proud of it. Our tax dollars hard at work!
Oh, my Gd!! I’m horrified by the board game and I appreciate your sense of irony and humor about the text. All is being hard at work…. I’m having to work hard today at keeping my spirits up and I hope you can do the same.
I meant your sense of humor about the tax dollars at work
Horrifying
I think it’s supremely ironic that the pro Palestinian group should call Israel in an apartheid state when Israel has done it its very best to create a democracy and Muslims within Israel participate in that. It’s Islam that has set up apartheid conditions wherever it goes.
Perfectly stated. This as been my world for many years, but especially since October 7, 2023.
In Britain over the last few days, veteran gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, who was brave enough to go to Russia and get beaten up, but who is also a "pro-Palestine" campaigner trying to confront the British government for proscribing "Globalize the Intifada", and arguing that there's a "non-violent" meaning to the term as well, because of course he's an expert on such matters.(Sarcasm) He knows damned well that the weekly demos going on in London are organized by Hamas-enablers because he himself was accosted in May 2025 by march stewards and handed over to the cops for carrying a sign condemning Hamas's executions of Gazans.
Of course as brave as Peter was in traveling to Russia to confront homophobia in Putinland, we can be absolutely certain Tatchell will never attempt to stand up for gay rights in Gaza or other Islamist ruled territories.
https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/activist-peter-tatchell-claims-arrest-over-intifada-placard-was-nonsense/
https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/activist-peter-tatchell-claims-arrest-over-intifada-placard-was-nonsense/
I believe there was recently a group of protesters who went to Egypt to protest this or that social justice cause they had be indoctrinated with, only to be welcomed by the locals, surrounded and then beaten. I'm not sure their regurgitated woke talking points were heard that well.
I think he was arrested a week or so ago for carrying a placard with “globalise the intifada” on it.
Yes, he was. I included a link to Jewish News's coverage of his recent arrest and could have been clearer that he's been arrested twice and knows full well that chants of Globalize the Intifida are intended to frighten and intimidate Jews in particular.
Thank you for your tireless work and support, Pat. Your moral clarity is a light in these dark times.
And I think Christianity or their leaders have made speeches and pledge to change this aspect of Christianity, but when I have gone to churches is still reading the same old gospel passages that very simplistically say the Jews, who followed Jesus are good the Jews, who do not follow Jesus are bad and they don’t say anything about that very simplistic, black and white portrayal of Judaism and Christianity. They don’t talk about the dangers of seeing things in black-and-white or the dangers of overgeneralizing about a group or how Saint Paul said Christians in his day should be humble and acknowledge that they are being grafted onto an ancient cultivated olive tree. Christianity seems to be following the later doctrines of the Roman church, which was more about we replaced you we are superior and you should change or die.
Or if not die, always be one down to illustrate how superior Christianity is. I think Saint Augustine decreed that that should be the case.
Saint Augustine was a very humble person. He even published an entire book of retractions in which he listed all the mistakes he had made and repented of them so it’s quite possible that he would put this mistake into that book. He really meant well but he did set up conditions that led to something similar to apartheid in Christian Europe. And Islam seems to have learned from that or invented its own forms of a apart hide because wherever they go, they have a similar hierarchy in which Muslims are at the top and anyone who doesn’t want to convert is down at the bottom.