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Tag: Jewish

  • Natalie Portman Wears Her Jewish Pride With a Balanced View of People

    Natalie Portman is Jewish. She was born in Israel. her father is Israeli and her mother is American. They moved to the U.S. when she ws three years old.

    The beliefs and stories of her heritage help form her life even today. For example, Natalie Portman recently famously claimed that she did not know where her Oscar statuette is. When asked about that, she cited the Hebrew story of Abraham.

    “I don’t know where it is,” she says. “I think it’s in the safe or something. I don’t know. I haven’t seen it in a while. I was reading the story of Abraham to my child and talking about, like, not worshipping idols. And this is literally like gold men. This is lit­er­ally worshipping gold idols — if you worship it. That’s why it’s not displayed on the wall. It’s an idol.”

    But her heritage as a Jew does not mean that Natalie Portman follows all Israeli sentiment.

    “I’m very much against Netanyahu. Against. I am very, very upset and disappointed that he was re-elected. I find his racist comments horrific. However, I don’t — what I want to make sure is, I don’t want to use my platform [the wrong way]. I feel like there’s some people who become prominent, and then it’s out in the foreign press. You know, shit on Israel. I do not. I don’t want to do that.”

    When she was asked about how she feels about former Dior fashion designer John Galliano, who was quoted as saying, “I like Hitler” and using anti-Semitic comments toward a Jewish couple, she chooses forgiveness.

    “I don’t see why not to be forgiving to someone who is, I mean, someone who’s trying to change,” she says. “However, I don’t think those comments are ever OK. I don’t forgive the comments, but … we’ve all done things that we regret.”

    Natalie Portman lives in Paris, which has seen an upswing in anti-Semitic activity. Is she nervous living there? She takes a cosmopolitan view of the situation.

    “Yes,” she says, “but I’d feel nervous being a black man in this country. I’d feel nervous being a Muslim in many places.”

  • To Shut Down Trolls, Site Asks Readers to Pay to Post Comments

    Would you pay money for the privilege of commenting on a website? If so, how much?

    An online magazine is looking to keep conversation on its articles “civilized and constructive” and has come up with the idea to charge readers for access to comments (both to read and to post them).

    Jewish culture mag Tablet hopes this move will “help [it] create a more pleasant and cultivated environment for all of [their] readers.”

    “Tablet is committed to bringing you smart, enlightening and entertaining reporting and writing on Jewish life, all free of charge. We take pride in our community of readers, and are thrilled that you choose to engage with us in a way that is both thoughtful and thought-provoking. But the Internet, for all of its wonders, poses challenges to civilized and constructive discussion, sometimes allowing destructive – and, often, anonymous – individuals to drag it down with invective (and worse). Instead of shutting off comments altogether (as some outlets are starting to do), we are going to try something else: Ask those of you who’d like to comment on the site to pay a nominal fee—less a paywall than a gesture of your own commitment to the cause of great conversation,” says the magazine.

    That nominal fee is $2 a day, $18 a month, or $180 a year.

    “The donation rates are small because we are not looking to make money, but instead to try to create a standard of engagement likely to turn off many, if not most, of the worst offenders. All proceeds go to helping us bring you the ambitious journalism that brought you here in the first place,” says Tablet.

    Some sites have moved away from commenting altogether. In late 2013 Popular Science disabled comments, saying “a politically motivated, decades-long war on expertise has eroded the popular consensus on a wide variety of scientifically validated topics.” More recently, Bloomberg turned them off.

    It looks like Tablet wants to keep comments alive, at least in some way. It’s unclear how many readers will want to pay for the privilege.

    Tablet doesn’t operate any other paywalls – the articles are completely free. And if you don’t have the money and want to sound off, commenting is still free on their Facebook page.

    Images via Tablet Mag

  • Zara on Apology Tour over ‘Concentration Camp’ Kids Shirt

    Spanish retailer Zara is in full-on apology tour mode after pulling an item from its online store that, well, lacked a bit of cultural sensitivity.

    This shirt, seen below, was available for purchase in Zara’s kids’ collection. The long-sleeved t-shirt was pulled late Tuesday after people began making a rather sinister connection.

    A striped shirt with a big, yellow six-pointed star on the breast? What’s the problem…

    Post by ‎הלל גרשוני‎.

    Oh. Right.

    The shirt (since removed from the online store) was described as a “striped sheriff t-shirt.”

    And that’s the line Zara’s holding in the many apologies the company has been issuing via Twitter:

    It’s amazing to think about how many levels of approval this had to go through, and how it still made it through. Also, what the hell kind of sheriff has ever worn a shirt like that?

  • Peru Inmates Perform Musical ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ for Holy Week

    Holy Week-the last week before Lent leading up to Easter Sunday-has kicked off to a theatrical start.

    Peruvian inmates at the Sarita Colonia prison performed their version of the musical Jesus Christ Superstar Tuesday as part of Holy Week in Lima.

    The cast, which has been preparing for the play since February, finally made their debut presentation among fellow inmates and prison officials.

    The production crew consisting of over a dozen actors, apparently designed their own costumes, built their own set, and studied their lines for two months straight.

    One of the inmates was chosen to portray Jesus.

    The reenactment of Jesus’ crucifixion couldn’t have been more realistic. The actor was forced to carry his own cross, was then tied to it, and mounted above for everyone to see.

    Sarita Colonia guards also had the opportunity to enjoy the show as they heavily monitored the play in the back of the prison yard.

    According to the prison’s press release, officials said that the purpose behind the rock opera was to encourage and inspire the prisoners during their time of rehabilitation.

    Director and convicted robber, Freddy Battifora, 35, told reporters that the performance was a “healthier means of self-expression for blowing off steam,” especially for the cast members.

    In other related news, an additional event started on Sunday April 13 in Seville, Spain.

    The Christian Easter Holy Week also includes Semana Santa de Sevilla, which comprises of floats, holy figures, and religious processions.

    One feature in particular involves penitents (sinners) dressed up in robes and hoods to conceal their identity while they confess of their sins in public.

    The traditional festivities are usually celebrated in most Spanish towns during this time of the year.

    In the streets of Jerusalem, both Jewish and Christian people of faith have also gathered to commemorate the Passover and Holy Week by remembering miraculous stories in the Bible.

    Check out this clip of the original 1973 musical Jesus Christ Superstar:

    Image via YouTube

  • LivingSocial, Unsurprisingly, Had to Apologize for Representing ‘Greed’ with Dreidels at a Halloween Party

    In you-probably-should-have-thought-that-through-a-little-more news, daily deals company LivingSocial has issued an apology for featuring dreidels in “greed”-themed room at a Halloween party.

    The party, which took place at LivingSocial headquarters in D.C., apparently featured seven different rooms – all decorated to represent the 7 deadly sins.

    According to Washington Jewish Week, the party was billed as “treat yo self to a night of tricks – and sins – at the annual 7 Deadly Sins Halloween Party, a six-floor extravaganza.” The Greed room (positioned somewhere between the lust, pride, wrath, sloth, gluttony, and envy rooms, of course) reportedly featured a bunch of shiny gold and silver and – yes – dreidels.

    Dreidels, of course, are the four-sided spinning tops commonly associated with the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. You don’t need a history book to know that a common stereotype of Jews involves greedy or miserly behavior. Maybe LivingSocial’s party coordinators could’ve used one.

    The attendee who first blew the whistle on LivingSocial’s snafu said that she thought the room had a “clearly anti-Semitic” vibe. She got her money back (it was $59 to attend).

    LivingSocial, unsurprisingly, made a quick apology.

    “We have looked into it and determined that the inclusion of dreidels with the other games in the gaming room was not a smart choice, and we are very sorry to have upset anyone. Certainly this behavior does not reflect who we are as a company,” said LivingSocial in an apology.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Amy Winehouse Exhibit Opens at London Jewish Museum

    The Jewish Museum in London this week opened an exhibit on the life of singer Amy Winehouse, who died in 2011 from alcohol poisoning (though an eating disorder may have also contributed).

    The exhibit, called Amy Winehouse: A Family Portrait, will feature many of Winehouse’s personal belongings, including her guitar, record collection, and wardrobe. Family pictures from Winehouse’s younger days will also be on display in the exhibit. The exhibit was created with the help of Winehouse’s brother, Alex.

    “Amy was someone who was incredibly proud of her Jewish‐London roots,” said Alex Winehouse. “Whereas other families would go to the seaside on a sunny day, we’d always go down to the East End. That was who we were, and what we were. We weren’t religious, but we were traditional. I hope, in this most fitting of places, that the world gets to see this other side not just to Amy, but to our typical Jewish family.”

    Amy Winehouse: A Family Portrait will run from this week until September 15 at the Jewish Museum in London.

    (Image courtesy Jonwood2/Wikimedia Commons)

  • Twitter Loses French Appeal, Told to Give Up Anti-Semitic Users

    Twitter has lost its latest appeal in a racist tweet controversy that’s persisted for nearly 8 months. According to a French court, following French law is not optional for U.S.-based Twitter, and they will be compelled to turn over the identities of users deemed in violation of French anti-discrimination laws.

    It’s a long story, but here’s the quick version. Back in October of 2012, a hashtag emerged on Twitter that many users found gravely offensive. The hashtag, #unbonjuif, roughly translates to “a good jew” in English. The hashtag was used to make anti-Semitic jokes – like posting a photo of a dustpan alongside the hashtag. Soon, a few French anti-racism groups spearhead by the French Jewish Students Union (UEJF) demanded that Twitter remove the offending tweets. After enough pressure mounted as to become unbearable, Twitter finally caved.

    But the tweet removal didn’t satisfy the UEJF. They then demanded that Twitter disclose the identities of the anti-Semitic users so that they could ace prosecution under local anti-discrimination laws. Twitter drew the line there, and it led to a lawsuit.

    In January, a French court ordered Twitter to provide the identities of the users. Twitter said that they would review the decision, and proceeded to appeal.

    Back in March, the UEJF sued Twitter for $50 million for witholding the identities of the anti-Semitic users.

    And that brings us up to date. Now, a French court has rejected Twitter’s appeal.

    “We have made ​​significant progress with Twitter since December. Associations that fight against discrimination can intervene to stop the avalanche of hate speech that regularly pour [out] on the Internet. But illegal [messages] posted on Twitter remain no less illegal, and the application of French law is not [optional],”, said a government spokesperson. “Twitter must execute court decisions to allow identification, and thus the conviction of the perpetrators of these heinous tweets ”

    The UEJF applauded the court’s decision.

    “The French Justice confirms that Twitter is ultimately responsible for racist and anti-Semitic content posted by users, as the UEJF argued for months. That Twitter can no longer play with the French justice was extremely clear. Our goal is to put a halt to the feeling of impunity for racist and anti-Semitic authors on the Internet. Twitter must cooperate when this is the case,” said the group’s president, Jonathan Hayoun.

    “We are disappointed that the Court has decided not to hear our appeal,” said Twitter in a statement. “We are considering our options, including resubmitting the appeal.”

  • Twitter Sued for $50M in France for Withholding the Identities of Anti-Semitic Users

    Twitter is being sued in France for failing to disclose the identities of users wrapped up in an anti-Semitic hashtag controversy that has spanned five months.

    Here’s my attempt to make a long story short:

    Back in October of 2012, a hashtag emerged on Twitter that many users found exceedingly offensive. The hashtag, #unbonjuif, roughly translates to “a good jew.” Some Twitter users jumped on the hashtag, posting photos of dust-filled dustpans and other anti-Semitic jokes alongside the hashtag.

    A handful of French anti-racism groups called out Twitter, asking that the site remove all of the offending tweets. Eventually, as the pressure mounted, Twitter complied.

    But some of the groups, including the French Jewish Students Union (UEJF), decided to push Twitter a bit further. They demanded that Twitter give up the names of all of the users associated with the #unbonjuif tweets, so that they could be prosecuted under local anti-hate speech laws. Twitter wasn’t too keen on this idea, and that led the UEJF to file a summons against the company back in November.

    In January, a French court ruled that Twitter must provide the identities of the requested users, to comply with French law. Twitter said that they would review the decision.

    And that brings us up to date. The UEJF has officially taken action against Twitter, suing them for roughly $50 million for failing to carry through with the court’s order. Twitter apparently had two weeks to hand over the names, and that time has come and gone.

    “Twitter is playing the indifference card and does not respect the ruling,” said UEJF President Jonathan Hayoun. “They have resolved to protect the anonymity of the authors of these tweets and have made themselves accomplices to racists and anti-Semites.”

    Twitter reserves the right to give up any information it holds on users if requested by law enforcement or by a court order. They say so in their terms of service – this is not part of the debate. In the past, however, Twitter has gone to bat to protect user privacy when they sense some government overreach. In September of 2012, Twitter gave in to the Manhattan D.A.’s office and gave up the deleted, inaccessible tweets of an Occupy Wall Street protester – but only after they fought it tooth and nail.

    You may remember that they also blocked a neo-Nazi account in Germany last year, utilizing their self-appointed authority to censor content locally if they saw fit. Blocking or removing content is one thing, but disclosing the identities of users in order to aid in regional hate-speech laws is a different ballgame.

    [UEJF via JTA]

  • Twitter Must Give Up Anti-Semitic Users, Says French Court

    Twitter is once again going to be forced to make a decision on how far they will go to protect the privacy rights of its users, thanks to a ruling made today by a French court.

    The court ruled that Twitter must turn over the identities of users behind a specific set of tweets, after they had been deemed to be in violation of French anti-hate speech laws.

    The whole thing started back in October of 2012 when some Twitter users jumped on a trending hashtag, #unbonjuif, which roughly translates to “a good jew.” Some users posted photos of dust-filled dustpans, among other offensive jokes alongside the hashtag. French anti-racism groups made their displeasure known, and Twitter agreed to remove the offending tweets amidst mounting pressure.

    Although Twitter complied with the requests of the French Jewish Students Union (among others), they balked at the groups’ next request. the UEJF demanded that Twitter turn over the names of the users behind the aforementioned tweets, so that they could be prosecuted under local anti-hate speech laws.

    The UEJF filed a summons in a French court back in November.

    And today, the court has ruled that Twitter must provide the identities of the requested users, as accordance with French law. Twitter has only responded that they are reviewing the decision.

    Twitter definitely reserves the right to give up any information it holds on users if requested by law enforcement or by a court order. But they have, at least in the past, gone to bat to protect user privacy when they sense some government overreach. Back in September, Twitter finally gave in to the Manhattan D.A.’s office and gave up the deleted, inaccessible tweets of an Occupy Wall Street protester – but only after they fought it tooth and nail.

    Any time something like this comes up, the topic of free speech usually accompanies the dialogue. In this case, it comes down to speech vs. hate-speech laws in France.

    Twitter faced backlash from free speech advocates last year when they blocked a neo-Nazi account – but in Germany only. It was the first time that Twitter had utilized a “power” that it gave itself last year, the power to locally censor content if they saw fit.

  • #Unbonjuif: French Group Wants Twitter to Give Up Identities of Anti-Semitic Users

    A French anti-discrimination group is holding Twitter’s feet to the fire, demanding that the social media site reveal the identities of a handful of users who posted anti-Semitic tweets during the lifespan of a racial-charged trending hashtag back in October.

    The French Jewish Students Union (UEJF) has filed a summons against Twitter, hoping that the company will give up the users so that they can be prosecuted under local anti-hate speech laws.

    The tweets in question stem from a particular hashtag that trended on the site a little over a month ago. #unbonjuif, translated in English to mean “a good jew,” led some Twitter users to post inflammatory images, holocaust jokes, and other unsavory messages. For instance, one Twitter user posted a photo of a dustpan alongside the #unbonjuif hashtag – clearly offensive.

    After pressure from the UEJF, Twitter agreed to remove the tweets on their own volition, as well as to wipe tweets containing another controversial hashtag prompting similar tweets about Muslims.

    “Twitter does not mediate content. If we are alerted to content that may be in violation of our terms of service, we will investigate each report and respond according to the policies and procedures outlined in our support pages,” said Twitter in a statement. But the action was seen as a mediation of content by some, although Twitter’s terms clearly gives the company the right to remove any content it wants, really.

    “We reserve the right at all times (but will not have an obligation) to remove or refuse to distribute any Content on the Services,” says Twitter in their TOS. They also state that Twitter users “may not use our service for any unlawful purposes or in furtherance of illegal activities. International users agree to comply with all local laws regarding online conduct and acceptable content.”

    Apparently, deletion of the offending tweets wasn’t enough. The UEJF wants to hold those responsible accountable, and they want Twitter’s help.

    Twitter, who has broadcast their firm support of free speech and user privacy protection in the past, has also made some decisions as of late that have thrown that commitment into question (at least in the eyes of free speech activists). Back in September, Twitter finally gave in the Manhattan D.A.’s office and handed over old, inaccessible tweets of an Occupy Wall Street protester. To be fair to Twitter, they fought it tooth and nail, only caving when facing a hefty fine.

    Back in January, Twitter also gave themselves the ability to locally censor content. “we give ourselves the ability to reactively withhold content from users in a specific country — while keeping it available in the rest of the world. We have also built in a way to communicate transparently to users when content is withheld, and why,” they said.

    It took Twitter nearly nine months to use this ability, when at that time they blocked a neo-Nazi account in Germany only, leaving it accessible for the rest of the world. In the case of the #unbonjuif tweets, Twitter didn’t employ their local censoring tactic – they simply yanked them from the site altogether.

    [France Info via The Next Web]

  • Twitter Pulls Anti-Semitic Tweets After Pressure from French Groups

    Apparently, it’s censorship week at Twitter.

    Earlier this week, we told you that Twitter was under fire from French anti-discrimination groups over a series of unsavory tweets stemming from a particular hashtag. The groups accused Twitter of allowing a “competition of anti-semitic jokes” to exist on the site, after some users used the hashtag #unbonjuif to tweet inflammatory images and messages about the holocaust.

    #unbonjuif translates to “A Good Jew” in English. The groups threatened legal action if Twitter allowed the tweets to remain in circulation.

    Now, Twitter has complied, removing the offensive tweets associated with the hashtag. Another, anti-Muslim hashtag was also part of the wipe.

    “Twitter does not mediate content. If we are alerted to content that may be in violation of our terms of service, we will investigate each report and respond according to the policies and procedures outlined in our support pages,” said Twitter in a statement to the AP.

    Twitter’s terms do give them the right to remove any content it sees fit to remove and to comply with governmental requests.

    “We reserve the right at all times (but will not have an obligation) to remove or refuse to distribute any Content on the Services, to suspend or terminate users, and to reclaim usernames without liability to you. We also reserve the right to access, read, preserve, and disclose any information as we reasonably believe is necessary to (i) satisfy any applicable law, regulation, legal process or governmental request, (ii) enforce the Terms, including investigation of potential violations hereof, (iii) detect, prevent, or otherwise address fraud, security or technical issues, (iv) respond to user support requests, or (v) protect the rights, property or safety of Twitter, its users and the public”

    The Twitter rules also state that users “may not use our service for any unlawful purposes or in furtherance of illegal activities. International users agree to comply with all local laws regarding online conduct and acceptable content.”

    Still, it’s unlikely that free speech advocates and many Twitter users will be happy about the removal of tweets because they were “offensive.” Still, French law outlaws all types of discrimination based on race, religion, etc.

    This decision is a little bit different from another one to censor tweets made this week. Yesterday, Twitter decided to block a neo-Nazi account inside Germany – and inside Germany only. That means that the account is still available to everyone else in the world. It marked the first time that Twitter had invoked the right to locally censor content, a right they gave themselves back in January of this year. In the case of these French tweets, they’ve simply been removed from the network altogether.

  • Twitter Under Fire in France Over Anti-Semitic Hashtag

    If you know Twitter, you know that there are plenty of racist, discriminatory, and downright unsavory tweets floating around. When you give millions of people the ability to say whatever they want with a few flicks of their thumbs, it’s bound to happen. Now, anti-racism groups in France are eyeing legal action against the social media company for an anti-semitic hashtag that has spawned some particularly nasty communications.

    The Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions have been joined by groups like MRAP and SOS Racisme is outrage over the hashtag #unbonjuif, which is French translates to “a good jew.” They accuse Twitter of allowing what them deem a huge “competition of anti-semitic jokes.”

    The outrage may prompt legal actions, according to the council.

    We are taking this extremely seriously,” said SOS Racisme director Guillaume Ayne. ”There is a deep-rooted anti-Semitism in France, and there is a very small step between racist words and racist acts.”

    The hashtag #unbonjuif has reportedly produced tweets featuring images from concentration camps, and other racially-charged statements like “a good jew is a dead jew.”

    A quick search of the tag on Twitter reveals what the groups are upset about, for example this tweet:

    This isn’t the first time that groups in France have gone after an internet property based on anti-semitic content. Back in June, Google battled with anti-discrimination groups over their autocomplete suggestions. The groups (including SOS Racisme) accused Google of “creating probably the greatest Jewish history file ever” by allowing their autocomplete results to associate many French public figures with the words “jew” or “jewish.” Although Google’s autocomplete results are the work of algorithms based on term popularity and are not hand selected by Google, the search giant eventually settled with the groups.

    [Israel National News via The Daily Caller]

    [Image Courtesy eclecticlibrarian, Flickr]

  • Meet Stony, The Robot Who Mourns So You Don’t Have To

    Meet Stony, The Robot Who Mourns So You Don’t Have To

    Having a loved one die on you is pretty much the worst thing imaginable. A close second would be the mourning period that some religions dictate must take place after the loved one has been buried. I would prefer to move on with my life and forget the pain, but some people just don’t have that option. If only there was an easier way.

    Well, there is a much easier way. The only catch is that this easy way only pertains to the Jewish faith. You see, the mourning ritual in Judaism lasts for 30 days after burial. During the first seven days, the mourner must tear their clothes and wear them every day as a sign of mourning. After that, a series of events occur from preparing meals to reciting prayers.

    Unfortunately, the robot can’t do any of that. The clothes tearing and meal preparation still falls on the actual people involved. What the robot can do is take care of the grave of the recently deceased. grave care is immensely important in many cultures, with Judaism being of them. The robot will patrol the grave and clean it with water. It will also lay stones and flowers on the headstone.

    The robot itself was built using a simple Roomba, the vacuum cleaner robot. The inventors, Itamar Shimshony and Zvika Markfeld, added a number of features to the Roomba including a robotic arm, water pump and an ultrasonic proximity sensor.

    The team originally was going add a video projector to the robot. It would shine video onto the tombstone. They also wanted to make the robot gradually lose its “mind” so that it would begin to run around in circles or placing stones in random places. The ideas never panned out, but it might be up for a later reboot.

    Stony is just a simple concept at this phase. As robotics become more diverse, we can expect to see them fulfilling this kind of role more often. People generally don’t want anything to do with the dead and leave the dirty work in the hands of somebody else. Who better to take care of the dead than a robot?

    [h/t: Make]

  • Hitler Protected Jewish Vet During World War II

    Hitler protected a Jewish Vet during World War II, one historian recently discovered. In order to prevent the World War I veteran from falling prey to the genocide sweeping across the landscape, Hitler wrote a letter which effectively spared the man’s life. According to Susanne Mauss, the German dictator protected Ernst Hess, who was a judge at the time, because the two had served together in the military.

    Sadly, members of Hess’ family did not share his fate. His sister was one of the millions of individuals who were savagely murdered at the Auschwitz concentration camp during the war. Hitler’s sympathy for his former commanding officer apparently only stretched so far.

    “It was a wonderful chance find,” Mauss explained to The Associated Press in a recent interview. “There had always been rumors but this was the first written reference to a protection by Hitler.” The letter was signed and date by a member of the SS on August 19th, 1940.

    Although Hitler’s order of protection prevented Hess from succumbing to the same fate as countless others during his reign of terror, he wasn’t completely removed from harm’s way. During the war, he was sent to a forced labor camp, where he stayed from 1943 until the end of the war in 1945.

    Thomas Weber, a Nazi-era expert at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, feels that the order may have come from Hitler’s aide, Fritz Wiedemann, who was known to have been sympathetic to the plights of World War I veterans. However, he did say that Hitler himself was known to fond of these veterans, so the letter may very well have been written by his hand.

    Although Hess was offered the chance to return to his previous position as a judge following the war, he declined the offer to do so. Instead, he opted to work for the federal railways. He passed away in 1983.

  • Raelians Fly Swastika Over South New Jersey Beach

    Some people baffle me sometimes even though they have the best of intentions. This past weekend that exact thing took place off the coast of southern New Jersey. A group known as the International Raelian Movement flew a plane towing a banner with a swastika. This is part of their 3rd annual take back the swastika day. A day which they claim is to get rid of “Any negative emotions regarding the swastika by people under the age of 70 years old” and that any ill will to the symbol “are obviously linked to their education and not to their experiences.”

    “It’s about time people were re-educated to understand the original meaning of the oldest and most recurrent symbol in the world.” This part, however well intentioned they are is absolutely true. The Swastika was not invented by the Nazi party in 1930’s Germany. The Swastika is found in nearly ever culture around the world and holds different meanings from good luck to harmony. Here is a little chart I found showing the swastika being used by different cultures around the world:

    (image)

    So like I said, this is well intentioned, but is highly insensitive to the suffering that was caused to many people alive today and many people whose family was murdered and persecuted by the Nazis. “They use the swastika in the traditional Eastern context, not the Nazi context,” Etzion Neuer, acting head of the Anti-Defamation League in New Jersey, said. “But to us it’s incredibly insensitive because it’s dismissive of the pain it causes to the Jewish community. It’s an egocentric attitude, completely unconcerned about the way it’s viewed by others.”

    Some people complained to their rabbi that it practically ruined their weekend.“They may have good intentions, but the image is more powerful than good intentions at this point,” Don Pripstein, president of the Jewish Community Center of Long Beach Island, said. “The image is so horrendous that no matter what their ultimate purpose is, it’s extremely negative. We still have people in this generation who lost parents or grandparents” in the Holocaust.

    The International Raelian Movement is a group of people who believe that life on Earth was scientifically created by a species of extraterrestrials, which they call the Elohim. The group is estimated to have over 80,000 members world wide and is responsible for such things as Clonaid. The company that claimed they cloned a human back in 2002.

    Here are some real time twitter reactions from some of the beach goers:

  • Dani Gilbert’s “Jewbag” Facebook Fun Exposes Democratic Party to Further Criticism

    Mark and Nancy Gilbert are powerful sources of funding for the Democratic party. They have raised more than $500,000 for the Obama campaign and the president considers them friends. But their daughter got into a bit of trouble after she posted a photo of herself on Facebook. She is the one holding money in the pic; she called her friends and herself “Jewbags.”

    Dani Gilbert entered the post back in 2006, after she was appointed as a Jewish outreach liaison for the Democratic party and a staffer for DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

    (image)

    Gilbert apologized for her attempt at humor yesterday on Twitter:

    (image)@danigilbert
    Dani Gilbert    I apologize for any harm postings on my Facebook page made years ago may have caused anyone. I meant no offense.(image) 17 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    She has removed the post from her public Facebook and DNC spokesman Brad Woodhouse says she is valued member of the team:

    “Danni has excelled in her role handling Jewish issues for the Chair in her Congressional office and was brought on here part time to do outreach to the Jewish Community.”

    “Like many in the age of social media, she had things posted on her Facebook page that she now regrets and which she has apologized for. Her employment both in the Chair’s Congressional office and at the DNC is a testament to her knowledge and professionalism and nothing more – and no smear driven by the right wing noise machine is going to impact her status as a trusted member of this team.”

    The Democratic party is not pleased when their associates provide material that can be distorted and exploited by people. The fiasco led some people to call Democrats the party of the KKK on Facebook.

    (image)

    Do you think that people should be judged for what they put on Facebook over six years ago? After all, she was just a kid at the time trying to have a little fun with her friends.

    Shouldn’t we be happy that she promoted the love of money and availability of condoms? Isn’t that what capitalism is all about?