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Antisemitism on campus has always been an issue. For years now, Hasbara has been a major part of Jewish Organization’s efforts to spread information about the State of Israel and it’s legitimacy, spread understanding amongst university students, and educate campuses on Zionism. But most recently, anti-Israeli activism has risen to unprecedented levels. With official speaking platforms being given to the President of Iran, and riots on campuses burning Israeli flags, it’s obvious that new strides need to be taken to counter this hateful phenomenon.

The Campaign

Crossing the Line: The Intifada Comes to Campus is a film that follows the increasing anti-Israel sentiment that arose as a result of Israel’s Operation Cast Lead in Gaza during late 2008 and early 2009. According to the film’s website, “The documentary demonstrates the blurring of anti-Israel and anti-Semitic lines, showing how the War evoked deep anti-Jewish sentiments amongst college students and professors.”

An important issue addressed in the film is the connection between the famous Muslim Brotherhood (originated in Egypt, but widespread in many Arab countries,) and the Muslim Student Association.

What constitutes a Anti-Semitism?

For many people not familiar with the Middle-East conflict, it’s easy to see the lines between Anti-Zionism, Anti-Israel, and Anti-Semitism as extremely blurred. They’re all anti-Jewish stuff. Some are against ideology, some against the State, and some against the people. So are they all one and the same? Natan Sharansky, recently appointed head of the Jewish Agency makes the rule really clear:

Sharansky’s Anti-Semitism Test (the 3 D’s)

The images and video shown here is absolutely shocking. It’s not gory. It’s not lude. It’s just people saying things. But the things they say are the equivalent of hate-speeches. A speech saying “There will be peace when Israel is gone, and we’re in control again” is just a tiny example of the rhetoric being thrown around on campuses. How can Israel not take these statements seriously?

Once you’ve done that – click on the “Get Active” button on the right hand side. This will pop a window that gives you plenty of options on how to get active.

You can click on any one of the tens of venues and opportunities for you to help bring education and understanding to your campus.

Do not miss this opportunity to speak out in Israel’s favor. It’s your obligation as a member of the student body, and as a decent human being. Don’t let the hatred win out. Act now.

Ahem, Ahmed…

Special thanks to Donna Arbietman for bringing this to my attention!

Last Saturday night, I had the distinct pleasure of attending an amazing fashion show put on by the NYU Iranian Jewish Club. All proceeds went to the Save a Child’s Heart Foundation. Save a Child’s Heart Foundation helps fly children over to Israel to receive heart treatment, and trains doctors from third-world countries so that they can cure their own nation’s heart-diseases.

The dresses were impeccable and the MCs were charismatic, but what touched me the most was when the representative of Save a Child’s Heart mentioned that not only would the money raised there tonight go to help save one child’s heart, but there will also be a doctor from Tanzania in the surgery room with them, training to perform heart surgery. When that doctor goes back to Tanzania, he will be the only heart surgeon in all of Tanzania. That was really touching.

Whas the night a success?

“Through ticket sales, advertisements, and donations, so far, our estimates show that we have come very close to reaching our goal of $10,000, the amount needed to save one child’s heart.” said Alex Babazadeh, Co-President of the IJC. In my book, that’s a success!

If you would like to discuss your thoughts regarding IJC, the fashion show, or Save a Child’s Heart on twitter – please use the hashtags below.

Attention: This seminar will not allow on-site registration, so make sure to go to the website listed below to buy tickets!

Corporate Communications expert and JICNY networking member Stephanie Grayson instructs this introductory level seminar for business owners and employees who wish to learn about Twitter and how it may be utilized for business communication and business networking.

When: Nov 17th
Time: 4pm-6pm
Where: 450 Lexington Ave at 45th st, 40th floor
Cost: $50 in advance
http://jicny.com/civicrm/event/register?reset=1&id=140

Event sponsored by:

Lisa Brandes

Vice President- Wealth Management
Investment Management Specialist/ Financial Advisor
Morgan Stanley
Smith Barney

The tweetup at 92Y Tribeca on Wednesday the 4th was buzzing. With Jewish bloggers, network creators, and community managers running the floor, there was so much to talk about and so little time. The food, of course, was delicious! We had Oh Nuts! come by and actually stay a while which was very nice. Sonny and Joes & Flaum’s hummus made great parting gifts – and I know that everybody enjoyed Grandpas Coffee Cakes (which, by the way – has absolutely no nuts in it – and still tastes out of this world!)

Some of the great honorable mentions of this party were definitely Farrah Fidler, a publicist among other things who told me about this great Muslim and Jewish Hip Hop Sulha in NY! November 11th – don’t miss it!

Of course, the great Heshy Fried was there, in all his FrumSatireness. I had the pleasure of meeting Susanne Goldstone Rosenhouse who is the community manager for the NJOP.org, and her husband Evan.

William Levin of JewishRobot was at the tweetup – great guy – with some awesome cartoon-making abilities!

Saul & Elke Reva Sudin stopped by and hung out. Elke is an extremely talented graphic designer, artist, and illustrator. Aside for being a really interesting guy, Saul is a film director among other things – definitely check out his reel here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF0RfodkUpE

Natan Edelsburg of NYU Steinhardt and GlobalQuad.com made it to the tweetup. He mentioned that the Iranian Jewish Club will be hosting an awesome fundraiser for Save a Child’s Heart. Check it out here: bit.ly/ijcfashionshow2009

Miranda Bogen is community manager for Masa Israel. We caught up on the efforts Masa is up to, the trips they’re organizing, and the work she does for them on Facebook and Twitter.

Also had the pleasure of meeting Jodi and Zeev from MetroImma as well – great team, and such a fantastic network for, well – metro Immas! Check it out!

Of course, there was JacobDaJew, who came in late – but we’ll forgive him! He’s quite the character – definitely check out his blog!

What a great event! There were so many people there I couldn’t possibly thank everybody, but feel free to comment below!

MavisMaven: @JewNews Abraham’s legacy to us is independence of thought. He did not accept the idolatry that surrounded him, but observed the work of One21 minutes ago from web in reply to JewNews

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Moishe’s Moving Systems, New York’s largest moving company and one of the jewiest of companies in the NYC area, is giving away one t-shirt a day to the winner of a daily raffle.

In an effort to increase their Facebook presence, Moishe’s has created a contest that will very simply give fans incentive to share their content!

How to Participate:

1. Go to www.facebook.com/moishesmoving
2. Click “Share” on the very bottom left hand side
3. Add a comment to the official contest post saying *shared*
4. And that’s it! At 8pm EST, Moishe’s Moving will announce the winner of the Schwag for Shares contest!

The winners can then post pictures of themselves wearing the Moishe’s Moving t-shirts! Join the fun by clicking here!

Moshe Feiglin

According to Ynet, MK Moshe Feiglin sent Ehud Barak a statement requesting that he not negotiate his release, if he were kidnapped:

“What our betrayed hero who is rotting in his cell understands, must be understood by any Israeli citizens as a free person. We must not buy one person’s freedom in exchange for risking the lives of many and encouraging additional abductions.”

He went on to claim that “this order is the product of a sound mind.” A statement that would be unnecessary unless one actually considered what they’d just said to at least sound insane. Kind of like when you say “with all due respect” and everyone knows that whatever comes next will be offensive.

Feiglin keeps digging himself deeper:

“Since then and to this day, Jonathan has been imprisoned under disgraceful conditions. Israel, which sent him and for which Jonathan sacrificed his life, has done and is doing all in its power to keep him in prison and see him die there.”

That would have been fine – had Feiglin not said just a sentence before, that Jonathan Pollard turned down release deal offers. You can’t possibly accuse a country of not trying to get a prisoner out of prison, when you’re turning down offers for your own release. Feiglin ripping a page right out of martyrism 101. Turn down offers for your release – and you can no longer complain that nobody is trying!

On Gilad Shalit, Feiglin says:

“The Israeli government has refrained from carrying out the simple and most required actions for Gilad Shalit’s release,” he accused. “Hamas, which at first avoided admitting that it was the kidnapper, understood quite quickly that Israel’s leaders would not endanger themselves with international arrest warrants and is no longer afraid to claim full responsibility for this act. Thousands of its detainees in Israel are getting the royal treatment and conditions no Israeli detainee can even dream of.”
This is true. Palestinian terrorists do get treated really well in Israeli prisons. But really, Feiglin? Are you about to argue that Shalit should not be released in return for Palestinian prisoners? What authority do you have? Who died and gave you the power to decide what Gilad Shalit’s life is worth?

“In this situation, the responsible Israeli citizen is faced with one of two choices: One – to come to terms with the described process and wait for the blow that will terminate this historic episode called ‘The State of Israel’. The other option is that, like in past wars, the simple soldiers will know how to save the state from its leaders’ failures, as today, we, the civilians and the simple soldiers order that no negotiations be held for us.”

Oh well, I guess he did go there. And when you take any argument and put the opposite arguement in the place of anti-Israeli thought – you’re hitting below the belt. Releasing prisoners for Gilad Shalit is not anti-Israeli, and is not ‘terminating the historic episode called ‘The State of Israel.’ Feiglin – stop it. You’re sounding more and more ridiculous every time you open your mouth.

And please – don’t make decisions as to what others’ lives are worth.

UPDATE: Turns out this rumor was refuted. Mosey along now … nothing to see here … (still, a funny thought – eh?)

So it turns out that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s roots are Jewish. Yup, his family converted. So he’s not Jewish the way Hitler was – what with the Jewish grandma or something. His family name was changed from  Sabourjian to Ahmadinejad when he converted to Islam from Judaism. I guess hindsight is 20/20. Only a Jew could become the Jews worst enemy.

Remember – in Judaism there’s no way out:

• You can convert to Catholicism and become the Pope and you’re still Jewish.
• You can defraud hundreds of people and companies out of billions of dollars and you’re still Jewish.
• You can join the SS and you’re still Jewish.
• You can convert to Islam and become President of Iran and condemn Israel to death and threaten it with nuclear bombs – and you’re still Jewish!

Oh well, welcome to the clan, Sabourjian.

The fact was revealed when a close-up of his papers, which he showed on various occasions, showed the name Sabourjian – which is Iranian for “cloth weaver.” The ending of the name, ‘jian,’ is commonplace for Jewish families in Iran – I guess it’s the same as ’stein’, or ‘berg’. Not only that, but apparently the name Sabourjian is a common Jewish name in Iran.

Imagine if some guy who’s last name was Cohen was screaming ‘death to Israel.’ Would you take him seriously?

Jewish Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Apropos, here’s a cute video by Birthright about it!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWjcHryH8zo]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDAsGS_gOeI]

Jerusalem – After over three years in which IDF St.-Sgt. Gilad Schalit has been held in Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip, Israel breathed a sigh of relief on Friday afternoon after it was verified…