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Dear Media, amv"sh
This is not just about the Parade. It is about the dangerous infiltration of leftist agenda into mainstream Zionist groups and media who then allow a wolf to masquerade as a sheep among us, like the NIF masquerading as a Pro Israel group. NIF is much more dangerous than Neturei Karta, though they have a lot in common. Neturei Karta is outside the Parade, protesting the Parade, siding with Iran and against the State of Israel and there we know a spade is a spade.
Are Jews allowed at the Israel Parade to march with quotes from the Torah regarding the delineated boundaries of Israel? Can we carry signs on behalf of Hebron, Migron, Ulpana and all of Judea and Samaria and against the pending demolitions of Jewish Homes? Can we have signs and banners protesting a Palestinian State with a Nazi Agenda that glorifies suicide bombers and who educate their children that all of Israel, including Haifa, Acco and Tel Aviv is not legitimate?
Or is this what the organizers considers to be "political" in nature which has no place in the Israel parade?
But NIF who grants money to NGO's who support BDS and deligitimize Israel and call us Occupiers and supports Palestinian rights to the Land of Israel is allowed to march?
Fellow Jews, will we allow Federation to buy our Silence?
Another example: How can UJA-Federation under CEO John Ruskay get away with giving over $1,000,000 of Jewish Funds for Justice (JFSJ), the George Soros-funded activist group that recently made headlines for its high-profile war against Fox News host Glenn Beck.
Beck is a true friend of Israel and quotes the Torah and speaks out for our entitlement of Israel.
Let us not throw out the baby with the bathwater. I know that there are many good programs for Jews funded by Federation. Chances are that you and I are grateful recipients.
We are only interested in weeding out the cancer, the anti Israel elements that will hurt us all.
The Israel Parade is a very special day expressing our love for the Land of Israel. Let us keep it that way. Please do your part to raise consciousness to get the NIF outside the Parade.
Asking for unity after inviting groups that disunite is like asking us to show hospitality to an intruder. Disinviting such divisive groups is the best expression of unity. The request is nothing short of oxymoronic!
Rabbi David Algaze
From: E Kowalsky
Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 10:31 AM
Cc: Richard Allen
Subject: Fw: Op-Ed: Why are Anti-Israel Groups in the Israel Day Parade?
Shalom U'vracha & Good Morning Nachum,
I do not know if you have been alerted to the fact that the New Israel Fund, which as you probably know is heavily funded by the EU and supports BDS activities (and worse) against the State of Israel, is marching (again – it already marched last year) in the Celebrate Israel Day Parade to be held I"yh on June 3rd. Richard Allen, a businessman with a strong passion and love for Medinat Yisrael, formed an ad-hoc committee. the Pro-Israel Parade Committee, to bring this issue to the forefront and to arouse parade marchers and sponsors to protest this obscene gesture on the part of the JCRC (a UJA-Federation funded organization). While many people have joined the chorus and have contacted the parade organizers to voice their dissent, it seems that the parade organizers are hell-bent on allowing the NIF (and other groups that they fund – see below) to march. Mr. Allen previously alerted the UWS (Upper West Side) and the general Jewish NYC Community of similar trends at the Jewish Community Center of the UWS when he organized the "JCCWatch" group to protest pro-Palestinian activities emanating from the JCC without proper balance. His efforts there have borne some fruit with the JCC now more carefully balancing programs to make sure that pro-Israeli voices are heard or from eliminating activities that were totally negative and an anathema to the Jewish State.
Please read through the Arutz-7 Op-Ed piece below (you might also want to follow some of the links for more in-depth coverage of the issues raised) and please allow Mr. Richard Allen (whom I know personally and talk to and see frequently) to be given a few moments ASAP to air his concerns to your radio audience, many of whom, if not all of whom, support Medinat Yisrael (and are Parade participants) who would find this to be an obscene gesture on the part of the JCRC and Parade organizers. Unfortunately, the man that stands at the helm of the UJA-Federation, John Ruskay, is a former advisor to the NIF and worked closely with Noam Chomsky years ago to form the first Leftist-Jewish anti-Israel group, called CONAME, to oppose the State of Israel on many key issues.
Please give Mr. Allen a few moments to let your listeners know who this group that is marching (unfortunately) really is and when they see them at the Parade, to give them a "Bronx Cheer" to let them know that they are really outside our Tent and rather than march along with all the other pro-Israel groups, they should be participating in the anti-Israel protests led by the Neturei Karta or by Palestinian-Arab groups.
Your cooperation in this all-important effort is greatly appreciated - "Le'ma'an Tzion Lo Echesheh, U'le'ma'an Yerushalayim Lo Eshkot". The participation of the NIF and their cohorts in the Parade, is only a small indicator, but an important barometer, of the level of infiltration that the Leftists have managed to accomplish these past few years, into mainstream Jewish-Zionist groups. Your allowing Mr. Allen to speak out against this phenomenon will be a worthy contribution to this cause of filtering out these elements from within our Jewish-Zionist organizations.
B'yedidus U'behokarah Rabbah,
Eluzer (Eli) Kowalsky
A Member of the Pro-Israel Parade Committee
Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2012 4:57 PM
Subject: Op-Ed: Why are Anti-Israel Groups in the Israel Day Parade?
Op-Ed: Why are Anti-Israel Groups in the Israel Day Parade?
Published: Tuesday, May 08, 2012 8:07 AM
Why are Jewish groups that attempt to inflict economic damage on Israelis through BDS and blacken Israel's image given a place in the Israel Day Parade? They have crossed a line, why are we letting them get away with it?
Richard Allen
The writer is a prominent New York business executive and an outspoken supporter of Israel. He is the founder of JCC Watch, an NGO established to monitor interaction between American Jewish organizations, and groups that support boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel.The Celebrate Israel Parade on June 3rd is a joyous event for the New York Jewish community, when we demonstrate our love and support of Israel. So why are organizations dedicated to destroying Israel's economy through boycotts, divestment and sanctions (BDS) being given the privilege of marching with us?
One of these groups is openly organizing a boycott against targeted Israeli companies, including Ahava Cosmetics. Others have supported the infamous Goldstone Report, and funded organizations that urged Norway to divest from Israel.
At the center of the controversy is the New Israel Fund (NIF), which was granted permission to march in last year's parade. Other extremist groups marched with NIF, displaying their individual banners, including B'Tselem, Partners for Progressive Israel and Rabbis for Human Rights. This year, New Israel Fund is slated to march again, and we expect B'Tselem and the other groups will once again join NIF, displaying their banners.
New Israel Fund has been exposed as receiving funds from the European Union, which seeks to influence internal Israeli politics through a front organization. NIF, in turn, funds numerous Israeli NGOs (non-governmental organizations), some of which promote boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel.
For instance, five grantees of the New Israel Fund (Machsom Watch, Coalition of Women for Peace, Women Against Violence, Social TV, and Mossawa) signed a letter to the Norwegian Government Pension Fund, urging it to divest from Israel.
Partners for Progressive Israel (also known as Meretz USA) prominently displays on its website, under the heading "boycott these Settlement products sold in the US, "a list of Israeli products that it wants Jews to boycott. These products include Ahava cosmetics, SodaStream products, and wine from nine Israeli vineyards.
And the chair of B'Tselem's board, Oren Yiftachel, has publicly called for "effective sanctions" against Israel. B'Tselem is a major grantee of the New Israel Fund.
As a result of public controversy, the New Israel Fund issued a statement in 2010 opposing BDS. However, despite this stated policy change, NIF continues to fund groups that have a history of working for anti-Israel global BDS campaigns.
We who count ourselves among Israel's true supporters believe that Jewish groups that organize for the economic destruction of other Jews should not be given the honor of marching with our community. Furthermore, we must be mindful of the example we set for our children. Do we teach them that it's acceptable to try to harm other Jews and weaken Israel?
In light of this unacceptable decision on the part of the parade organizers, I formed the Committee for a Pro-Israel Parade, along with several community-minded members. Our goal is to inform the parade organizers that the Jewish community rejects the participation of these groups, and to ask them to withdraw their acceptance.
As word has spread about the participation of the New Israel Fund in the parade, many prominent leaders, rabbis, and organizations have added their name to our cause. We are proud to acknowledge the support of Ron Carner, President of Maccabi USA/Sports for Israel, Rabbi Allen Schwartz of Congregation Ohab Zedek, Rabbi Lisa Malik, PhD of Temple Beth Ahm, Rabbi Jonathan Glass of Civic Center Synagogue, Rabbi David Algaze of Havurat Yisrael, Rabbi Steven Axelman of Whitestone Hebrew Centre, Rabbi Ari Jacobson, Young Israel of Monsey/Wesley Hills, Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld, Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, and many other outstanding community leaders.
When Jewish groups hear that organizations linked to the Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions movement are permitted to march in the parade, they're astounded and puzzled. Why would the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), which officially organizes the parade, permit such anti-Israel organizations to participate?
I believe the answer may lie in the political ideology of John Ruskay, CEO of the UJA-Federation of New York. Dr. Ruskay exerts significant influence on the JCRC through his organization's funding. Published reports show John Ruskay worked with Noam Chomsky in one of the first political bash Israel groups; CONAME (Committee On New Alternatives in The Middle East). John Ruskay also gave over one million dollars of UJA-Federation donations to a radical political group, funded by George Soros, Jewish Funds for Justice.
The issue is clear: Jews who actively work to economically sabotage Israel should not be included in the Celebrate Israel Parade. We ask that you join us in making your views known to the Jewish Community Relations Council and the UJA-Federation New York.
~
Sincerely,
Robin Ticker
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