Posted by Marvin, a resident of the Charleston Gardens neighborhood, on Jul 25, 2007 at 6:49 am
Ms Marshall sums up the problem that some of us have with PPJC quite nicely with one sentence in her letter above:
"The target of criticism in every case has been Israeli government policy,however, not the Jewish people."
At least she admits that all the criticism is focused on Israel, while no blame or criticism is ever directed against hamas, fatah or hezbollah--organizations that have refused to accept a real peace with Israel and continue to call for Israel's destruction.
as I have stated in another thread i believe that this constant stream of one-sided criticism directed at israel comes from both an undercurrent of anti-semetism at PPJC and a subtle admiration for the above mentioned organizations.
However PPJC can pontificate all they want about about Israel. this is america. I am sure that PPJC is not even on the Israeli government's radar.
Posted by Relativitiy, a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on Jul 25, 2007 at 7:14 am
Trish: Your assertion and conflation of illegal dogfights with torture and killings in Afghanistan and Iraq is absurd.
I doubt you are talking about the much applauded and condoned suicide/murder bombings of innocents and the physical torture followed by executions and beheadings done by Al Qaeda?, Or the preceding tortures and killings of at least 300,000 Iraqis by Saddam??....NO, I suspect in your mind you are trying to conflate the humiliation and embarrassment of prisoners (caught with the remote control or bomb in their hands and therefore housed in Abu Graihb) by a few renegade low level soldiers who have been tried and convicted by our own American military law courts, with real torture and murder, and conflate it further with dog-fights.
We are a kind and gentle nation, the most generous per capita, the highest rate of volunteerism and giving both at home and abroad of any nation. We show the best of humanity.
We also have humans who are truly horrible and do horrible things who show the worst of humanity, like in every country. The difference is that the news about them is public, and we try and convict them, and most of the rest of the world doesn't.
Posted by Stan Weitzman, a resident of another community, on Jul 25, 2007 at 9:42 am
Rachel Marshall's assertion that she and her friends are against Israel, but not anti-Semitic is preposterous. But she seems to be very pro-PLO to me.
I am reading Brigitte Gabriel's book about living through the Lebanon Civil War in the 1970's. The book is entitled "Because They Hate." The real story of that "Civil War" was that the Muslim PLO and the Muslim members of the Lebanese Army joined forces to wipe out one Christian town after another. They would stop cars and as for their ID's and if it was family of Christians, they would execute them on the spot. This is the moderate PLO that you champion at every turn. Yet this was never reported because the press was in Beirut which was controlled by the PLO. Israel helped save many of the Christians in Southern Lebanon and helped arm them. Choose your bedfellows carefully. Israel also gave free medical care to any Christians in South Lebanon who needed it.
Posted by Walter_E_Wallis, a resident of the Leland Manor/Garland Drive neighborhood, on Jul 25, 2007 at 3:25 pm
Ms. Marshall has a long record of denying the right of Israel and the United States to self protection. The Peace and Justice Center has been in the forefront of every condemnation of the United States since Hector was a Pup. They obviously delude themselves that they are above the struggle, better than the rest, but they are the personification of "The idiot who praises with enthusiastic tone, all centuries but this and every country but his own." They are redolent with "Better Red than Dead".
I am sure that a Catholic priest will not marry a catholic and a non-catholic and i am also sure that the marriage of an arab to a jew would be seriously frowned upon in any of the Israel's neighboring countries (to say the least)
Posted by Just Sayin', a resident of the Southgate neighborhood, on Jul 26, 2007 at 6:58 am
Marvin,
YOU ARE 100% WRONG.
Israeli law has always forbidden a Jew to wed a Gentile, and this PROPOSED LEGISLATION will not change that.
Read the article more carefully.
There is no such thing as civil marriage for Jews in Israel. There never has been, and this PROPOSED LEGISLATION will not change that. All Jews, religiously observant or not, must be wed in an orthodox ceremony that follows all Torah dictates. That means all Jews, no exceptions.
And to reiterate, a Jew is absolutely forbidden to wed a Gentile in Israel and this PROPOSED LEGISLATION will not change that fact.
"The suggested law is only meant to apply when both partners are not considered Jewish according to the Halacha (Jewish law), although they may be considered Jewish in the eyes of the secular public (for example, the son of a Jewish father and non-Jewish mother)."
To be clear, if an Israeli is not consider Jewish according to the Halacha (Jewish law), then he or she is not considered to be a Jew. So yeah, if you're a Gentile citizen of Israel you are free to marry a Gentile.
Posted by Marvin, a resident of the Charleston Gardens neighborhood, on Jul 26, 2007 at 7:22 am
Just sayin'
Reread the headline:
"Justice Minister Friedmann, Sephardi Chief Rabbi Amar reach agreement on civil marriage for couples ineligible to undergo a religious marriage. "
You state:
"To be clear, if an Israeli is not consider Jewish according to the Halacha (Jewish law), then he or she is not considered to be a Jew. So yeah, if you're a Gentile citizen of Israel you are free to marry a Gentile."
That is according to you and i assume that you follow Halachic law, otherwise why make a point of it. However the Reform and Concervative branches of Judaism have different definitions of what is a jew. This law will allow these jews to marry other jews and/or gentiles/muslims etc.
The rabbinic courts in Israel may not recognize these people as jews but other jewish religious groups do recognize them as jews and this will allow them to undergo civil marriage.
The article further states:
"The Rabbinate said that an agreement had been reached with the Justice Ministry regarding the 270,000 citizens living in Israel who are not Jewish and do not belong to any other religion (most of whom immigrated to Israel from the Commonwealth of Independent States). Some 150,000 of them are not married."
So this law will also allow non-jews to have a civil marriage
But really, just sayin' what is your point? What does this have to do with PPJC and the fact that Palestine is now 100% Arab. If you are unhappy with the laws regarding marriage in Israel, I suggest you go there an dlobby for change. (I actually know what your point is from other postings in other threads--you might want to let me know if non-muslim marriages are allowed in any of the neighboring countries, like Saudi arabia, for example)
Posted by Marvin, a resident of the Charleston Gardens neighborhood, on Jul 26, 2007 at 9:18 am
Just sayin--and what does this have to do with PPJC?
Not sure why you are harping on this marriage issue--it really gets a big "so what" from most people. Not sure why you posted it as a "daily reminder" (well, to be honest, I do know why you posted it--anything to try to portray Israel in a bad light)
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