I feel a lot of anger about anti-Semitism, but it did not start this way at all…

When I was a student at the University of Washington in the mid fifties I looked for a room in the university district and answered an ad. After talking for a few moments, the landlord asked me if I was Jewish. I said yes. She answered: "I do not rent rooms to Jews."
I started to laugh heartily and told her: “Thank you, thank you. I heard about this kind of thing but I did not believe it. Now I know.” And I had a big smile on my face.
She stood there with an open mouth. But it was fun and a big joke for me. You see, I was born and raised in Israel and never felt discrimination. I am proud of my faith and consider it outstanding. It certainly was her problem, not mine.

This anti-Semitism was not limited then to just ordinary people. Even the wife of a Washington State Senator had her own way of looking at Jews. When we talked about Israel at a formal gathering with foreign students in the capital Olympia, she asked me: "Are you a Jew?" I said, yes, she said: "You do not look like a Jew."
I decided not to answer her.

Many of my Jewish friends here had considerably worse experiences, they were beaten because they were Jews. That was the experience of many Jewish kids on their way to school in different American cities even as late as the mid sixties. And my friends carried their frustration and humiliation with them to this day.

I have to say this because it has been for long on my mind: US Jews of WWII should have been ashamed about their conduct regarding the Nazi Holocaust.
American Jews kept quiet about the Nazi’s murders of Jews; may be because the long anti-Semitism in the US then. The Jews here did nothing of value to help their own relatives that they left in Europe not a long time earlier. Yes, many American Jews felt strangers in the US and were fearful for their own low status, but this does not justify their inaction.

I was a youngster in Israel then. We, half a million Israelis were under British occupation and did not have almost any options. The British were determined to stop any Jewish immigration before, during, and after WWII. But despite that the undergrounds brought in thousands of “illegal” refugees.
Separately, although related, the US under FDR was anti-Semitic; not only it did not allow Jews to come here to escape Nazism, but also pressured other countries to reject any Jews. I believe it was one of the ugliest periods in US history. I saw Eli Wiesel deep pain about FDR and Churchill lack of any action to protest the murder of Jews from its inception, and “wonder” why they did not bomb the rail lines and concentration camps to slow down the Holocaust. He told us that he asked Generals from the US and Russia- but none gave him a meaningful answer.

But I want to talk more about the recent period.

I never felt discriminated against in the US; not on the job, not in my private life. So, I ignored this issue and thought it had disappeared in the US and in much of the world. The Arabs had taken up the baton of Jew-haters with vengeance, and, again, no country called them on that. But anti- Semitism did not die in Europe. It just took a different form: hate towards Israel – the Jewish state.
Look how many times the headlines say: “the Jewish state”. How many times they call Italy “the Catholic state”?

As we all know, the millennia-old discrimination- often hatred- against Jews was subdued around the world after the Holocaust and this seemed briefly to have changed to public and official admiration to the emerging state of Israel .
After the euphoria of the six days war, the admiration for a weak Jewish state slowly changed. But after Israel won the hard struggle of the 1973 war, things changed for the worse. The world was willing to accept the weak Jews, but not a strong Israel. Now Europe, and others were open in their dislike of Israel . Some said it is not politically correct to hate Jews so the hate is disguised as hatred against Israel. Whatever is the excuse, I started to realize that the old, ingrained deep Christian anti- Semitism never died down.

We do not want to look into this but it is imbedded in the teaching of Christianity. Some fifteen years ago I watched a two hour PBS documentary about the potential for another Jewish Holocaust. Christian clerics of different denominations discussed in great details their great concerned about a repeat occurrence. They pointed to portions of the New Testament that contained the negative teachings and what their experience tells them. They were all highly concerned that the root cause of hatred was in some of these teachings, and that it was still preached to many Christians around the world. Obviously it varies across the denominations and across the ministers and priests involved. But they believed that unless efforts are made by the leaders of Christianity to erase sections in the New Testament, or advocate against the negative teaching of hatred to Jews, we are likely to experience another Holocaust.

The strange attitude against Jews continues even in the US. A few years ago I gave a seminar about Judaism in a church. Afterwards I heard two women saying: “You know, they are not so different from us.”
The burning of three synagogues ten years ago in my city, Sacramento, and the vandalism of two synagogues by Nazi markings recently are ugly reminders. However, they are more likely to be done by loners, and I hope do not represent core hatred.

The outpouring of hatred on Israel emanating from most European countries, both by institutions and governments, are clear indications of anti-Semitism at its worst- deep, inherent, unashamed. The right of existence of no other county is so contested, so much under attack. Many UN organizations exclude Israel. Boycotts against Israeli products are initiated in many European countries.

While Israel cautiously defends its citizens against pre meditated murderers who use civilians as shields, Israel is singled out as the aggressor by both European and US media. While at the same time, the murder of hundred of thousands of Africans by Arab government of Sudan, to mention just one example, is rarely in the media. Just look at any American newspaper how they represent Israel vs. how they represent the intentional murderers of Israelis. Or for that matter how Israel is almost always singled out as the villain against Arab “militants” – obviously terrorists.

I thought that after the continuous murders of Muslims by Muslims in Iraq , the West would finally understand the murderous mentality of extreme Muslims, but I did not hear any outrage against this inhumanity even from Muslim countries. While hundreds have been murdered every month in Iraq by their “brothers,” little protest is expressed in the Western media, while if a terrorist is killed by Israel, Israel is castigating on the front-page.

These are but a few of the examples we can see all around us. Many are worse. But I hope you are aware of this trend of hate against Israel .


It is difficult for me to express my anger against the anti-Israeli, anti-Semitism that is so prevalent around the world.
I am deeply angry that for thousands of years we, Jews, have been discriminated, humiliated, expelled, and murdered just because we are Jews. And with no end in sight. I am so angry, I can’t express it in acceptable words to be seen in public.
Enough is enough. We should not, as a minimum, be quiet about it and should express our individual and collective outrage to those who may be able to change.

Now, in a quiet moment I know that anti-Semitism will stay with us for a long time. That is the reality and time to accept it. By accepting that anti-Semitism is here, and will continue, we may be less outraged and more likely to plan our response to it effectively rather than being surprised and frustrated. May be when we grasp that Israel will continue to be hated and vilified, we can spend our energy finding ways to smartly act against it.

Again, we can not do anything about these negative feelings against us, but we may find ways to reduce their occurrences and impacts.

Now, after I expressed my frustration I need to remember:
BY MAKING US ANGRY AND SURPRISED, THE ANTI-SEMITES ACHIEVE THEIR GOAL OF INTIMIDATING US AND DISTURBING OUR LIVES.
WHY HELP THEM?

Here is a thoughtful response by a friend to my last blog: Judaism Lost its Compass.

Mat:
Humanity has been given sufficient time to study this inexorable catastrophe of Global Warming. Yet little action has been taken. Must we Jews once again become the people’s prophets who lead Earth’s people to safer grounds? For centuries, Jews have been the conscious of humanity, but to what end? It has been a thankless task culminating with the Holocaust.

Again and again, we have made strenuous efforts to right this planet’s course. Sometimes it worked, but alas and alack, never permanently. Good efforts fade from people’s minds and memories as each generation moves on. Just look at our relationship with the African-American community. Jews have been vilified by each succeeding generation. But has anyone ever bring up the fact that the first president of the NAACP was a white Jew? You mention the murder of a Jewish boy who went south to register Black voters. Yet that has faded with time.

As a bone given to a dog, Jews were given a homeland and then left to their own devices, only to be harassed unceasingly by its neighbors. Yet, with the impeding development and possible use of a nuclear device by Iran, how much of the world gives a damn about what might happen to the people of one of the world’s oldest religion, this “conscious” of the world’s morality. Our ally, the US, continues to spend its money buying oil from our pronounced enemies. (I still maintain that Saudi Arabia were the true instigators behind the Iraq war.) China and Russia are reluctant to impose heavier sanctions on Iran. What do these massive countries care about a little democratic nation whose size is such that you can fly over it literally in minutes?

In the UK, many Israelis have had warrants sworn out against them listing them as war criminals. Travel to England, France, Germany and the Scandinavians countries has become a dangerous venture, not only for Jews, but for any Caucasian.

I maintain that it is time for others to pick up the moral gauntlet. In every religion, a moral code exists, even in Islam. Yet no one seems to be adhering to it, much less to take the lead. Maybe it’s time to pass the baton. I know, I know, Mat, someone will say, “Don’t you worry about what will happen to your children and grandchildren?” Of course, but have we not passed the ”tipping” point? What steps do I take to protect them now?

H.

For many decades modern Judaism in the US has focused its main attention on Tikkun Olam, making this world a better place to all humanity. The idea was to make our outstanding Mitzvot relevant to today’s world by minimizing human suffering. Kashrut laws were changed, for example, to be concerned about animal welfare. Our mitzvot that focused on Jewish welfare were broadened to care for people suffering every where, such as Darfur.

We were active in the anti-discrimination movement from the beginning. Who does not remember the murder of the Jewish youngster in the South while registering African Americans.
Who does not remember Rabbi Heschel marching hand-in-hand in protest with Reverend Martin Luther King.

But for the last decade we are ignoring the key Tikkun Olam issue of our times; the unique, all encompassing danger to all humanity- Global Warming.

I have tried to interest Jewish leaders here and on a national scale in Global Warming, but with no result. The Jews, like many Americans, are mainly focused on their own private lives, or some good souls on the immediate community. May be they feel Global Warming is the problem of the Goim, not ours. It is not a Jewish issue like Soviet Jewry was. Is it?

Is the survival of modern life, the sustainability of our world, the pending suffering of hundreds of millions of people across the globe less important than any other issue?

I have seen nearly zero participation from the Jewish community in my own town- Sacramento, and the United States in this subject. Some local actions are commendable, but ineffective. We need national voice, a powerful one.
Unless we raise large outcry, create political pressure of large magnitude, it will be ignored by the President and Congress. Congressman Waxman of Los Angeles and Senator Boxer of California have put their careers on the line to advance the fight against Global Warming. I hope they have substantial private support from powerful Jews, but they do not get the support from the Jewish community nation wide on the scale they need and deserve.

Yes, some Jewish leaders went to Congress to express their concerns about GW, but that is about that. That’s nice but not influential. Congress does listen to a mass public pressure- letters and phone calls, but they did not witness any significant, consistent, Jewish public outcry about the lack of action in Congress. Even Conservative Christian groups are working hard against Global Warming, why are we so late in our grasp of the issue?

We do not see any mass Jewish movement, no mass literature, no repeated discussions in Temples, nearly nothing of substance. I read nothing in the mass media or the web either on a strong Jewish presence on Global Warming.

We have lost our desire to make this world a better place to all humanity. We have lost our focus on Tikkun Olam.

O’ Yes, it is also an issue of Jewish survival; when our world would be in the midst of global suffering due to the deterioration of the climate, Jews may be again the scapegoat.

Finally the Egyptians are taking seriously the problem of smuggling along the southern Gaza border. The large number of Palestinian tunnels are used to smuggle luxuries, people, money to support Hamas, and especially weapons. I am sure Egypt is pressured by Israel and the US to stop the free flow of missile and rocket parts that Hamas and other groups are using to assemble their rockets that attack Israel.

The main danger is not the small, inaccurate rockets that are primitive in nature, have low explosive power and also poor accuracy. The main problem is that Hamas is assembling sophisticated rockets from Iran that can hit main Israeli canters, even Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Israeli military commanders informed the Knesset recently about this increased danger.
Adding to the danger is the continues planning by Iran to attack Israel by rockets from the south – Gaza, and the north – Hezbollah, if Israel bomb Iran’s nuclear installations.
That could put most Israelis in danger and could cripple the country.

The reality is that Hezbollah already has a much larger number of rockets than it had before the 06 war and many more long range rockets than before. Those long range rockets forced most Israelis in the North part of Israel, including Haifa, to their shelters stopping most civil and commercial activities there. If Hamas would join the fight, and there is no reason they would not, much of Israel would be frozen.

Just imagine if the West Bank would be free to have clear borders with the outside world and no Israeli military there. Any instability could lead to rocket attacks from all directions from Arab terrorists imbedded inside civilian areas. And Israel will have to counter attack with powerful forces that will kill a lot of Arab civilians.

And the world, as before, will blame Israel for inhumanity towards the Palestinians.

Matania

Egyptians build steel Gaza wall
By Christian Fraser
BBC News, Cairo

Egypt has begun constructing a huge metal wall along its border with the Gaza Strip as it attempts to cut smuggling tunnels, the BBC has learned.

When it is finished the wall will be 10-11 km (6-7 miles) long and will extend 18 metres below the surface. The Egyptians are being helped by American army engineers, who the BBC understands have designed the wall.

The plan has been shrouded in secrecy, with no comment or confirmation from the Egyptian government.
The wall will take 18 months to complete.
For weeks local farmers have noticed more activity at the border where trees were being cut down, but very few of them were aware that a barrier was being built.
'Impenetrable'
That is because the barrier, made of super-strength steel, has been hidden deep underground.

The BBC has been told that it was manufactured in the US, that it fits together in similar fashion to a jigsaw, and that it has been tested to ensure it is bomb proof.
It cannot be cut or melted - in short it is impenetrable.
Intelligence sources in Egypt say the barrier is being sunk close to the perimeter wall that already exists. They claim 4km of the wall has already been completed north of the Rafah crossing, with work now beginning to the south.

The land beneath Egypt and Gaza resembles a Swiss cheese, full of holes and tunnels through which the Palestinians smuggle the everyday items they are denied by the blockade.
But the Israelis say the tunnels are also used to smuggle people, weapons, and the components of the rockets that are fired at southern Israeli towns.

The wall is not expected to stop all the smuggling, but it will force the Palestinians to go deeper and it will likely cut the hundreds of superficial tunnels closer to the surface that are used to move the bulk of the goods.
****

Friends asked me recently how to reduce their energy bills. Here are a few basic ideas.

As I write this I wonder how effective it is to know what to do vs. actually doing it. Too often I know what I should do, but for some reason, laziness, ego, or desire for immediate comfort, I don't do the things I know I should do. So, here is the information, it is up to you to overcome your own barriers and act. By the way, when I was the manager of the Solar Office at the California Energy Commission my staff suspected that I was not keen enough on solar energy. Why? Because too often when they tried to sell me a solar project I showed them that users can save five to ten time the potential energy from solar by simple conservation methods that were already available. Don't let the glamour of technology mislead you. Simple solutions are usually more cost-effective and more reliable.

You have to balance these suggestions with the amount of money you want to spent and the level of comfort you wish, but remember, THE MORE ENERGY YOU USE THE MORE YOU POLLUTE OUR LITTLE PLANET. The greenhouse effect is real and it is already impacting our globe. It is not a joke! The US is uniquely bad among advanced countries about admitting and doing anything nationally to reduce the greenhouse effects. Please do your part. Yes, to conserve you will have to reduce your accustomed level of "comfort." Take a few small steps at a time, but do them.

I. Natural gas for heating:
The cost of natural gas to consumers in California increased from 25 cents per therm (100,000 BTU) some 30 years ago to $1.00 now, a larger increase than any other energy source available. Price varies often, but conservation always worthwhile.

0. Add attic insulation if at all possible, at least to R-30 value in non-mountain areas. This is the most cost-effective investment you can make here. Use blown-in, fire-resistant, cellular material in most cases. You could do it yourself, if you are the type, it is quiet easy, but needs two people for some 3 hours typically. Or get several estimates from utility-approved vendors. Always study the requirements/details, even if you are not a technology minded person. If you can not understand the explanation and process, go to another vendor. It may be desirable, in colder climates in California, to add under-floor insulation too (R-13 minimum). Increasing R-value (insulation level) increases the cost only marginally.

1. Reduce the temperature in the house in winter. The higher the temperature the faster it leaks to the outdoor. Dress heavier to compensate for it with long johns, sweaters, etc. Reducing temperature by two degrees equals about 5% saving. Cut temp. at night to 60 degrees max Use automatic thermostat, with seven days programming.

Space heating is the largest energy user, cooking is not significant, water heating is moderate, just cut shower time moderately. Reduce water heater setting to the lowest temperature you wish your water to be. (Dishwashers need 140 degrees for sterilization). Hot water pipes should be insulated when possible. Insulation is low cost, labor needed if difficult access.

2. Shut curtains at night, but better during the day too; use CFL, compact fluorescence lights, it is more economical. Full curtains are effective insulators. They can make noticeable differences in comfort and energy waste. Narrow, multi-sections curtains are useless as insulators.

3. Keep all heat outlets in areas you do not use almost close. Shut the doors of these areas too. They could be your buffer zones. For example, adjust the outlets to reduce heat to bedrooms. You use them basically at night, under good blankets. We use light blankets when we read in our family room since we stay in the same spot for long times.

4. Check all windows for leaks, add strip foam insulation (typically 1/4 inch wide and 3/8 thick, one side is backed by light glue, so they are self-gluing, and easy to remove or redo) where needed.

5. We recently installed plastic-frames dual glazed windows, mostly to reduce noise. They are not economically justified, in mild climates, but they do provide more insulation and more stable room temperatures. The cost, after 4 estimates, was $4,000 for 6 windows and one patio door (higher now). Good quality, but not the highest possible energy saving since the increase in cost was way beyond the small increase in performance. No need for triple gazed windows in central CA.

6. Replace old gas furnaces if you use a lot of gas and your unit is older than 20 years, or start to have trouble. Older units are in the order of 50% efficient, new ones can have up to 95% efficiency! (80% units, 2 stage units are more cost-effective). Note that the air duct system is likely to leak with time. Utilities often provide nearly full rebates ($75) for checking the leaks, and list of approved shops. Do not use duct tape to seal ducts. Use special tapes for this purpose.

7. Wood stoves may provide cheaper heat, but they do pollute the environment significantly, even good units. Don’t use.

8. Ventilate the steam out of your shower and bath into the house, it will overcome the air dryness and heat the air. Leave the warm water of a bath in place until cooled, then drain. A lot of heat in bath water which can warm the vicinity.

II. Electricity:

1. The obvious things are: shut unneeded lights, and any other appliance, especially TV, bring lights down closer to the place you need them, illumination is reduced significantly with distance. You can reduce the lamp wattage by bringing the lights closer to its use.

2. Replace standard lights with compact florescent lamps in areas you leave lights longer, kitchen, garage, outdoors, and hallways.

3. Shut off computers if not used for over an hour, or put on standby.

4. Do not use "torch lights" they are dangerous and waste a lot of electricity. Get used to dimmer environment rather then bright reflective (ceiling) lights. Direct lighting is much more cost-effective.

5. When buying electrical appliances look for the highest efficiency units. Check, but often they will pay back their higher costs with energy savings during their lifetimes, but not always! (Estimate, using ten years as life expectancy.)

6. Do not buy solar systems to heat your water or home! Prices, even with rebates, are way over priced. Your actual energy use is not significant if you use low water shower heads and do not waste hot water. It takes 50 years to payback.

7. Do not buy photovoltaic systems to generate electricity. They are extremely inefficient and not cost effective. Even with many rebates they are a waste. Better spent your money to cut your energy use then encourage ineffective, high technology wasteful solutions. The hype around them is unjustified. Put your money into conservation/weatherization.

Note: Hire a reputable, recommended, energy conservation/weatherization expert if you are serious about saving energy and are willing to spend significant money for it. Good ones will save you much more money then their consultation costs. Read utility's literature and other books on energy efficiency for your home. Financial support typically available.

III. Your car:
We all know that:
1. Buying more energy efficient cars with high reliability, such as some Honda or Toyota models, will cut gas use and reduce pollution significantly. Honda is especially advanced in reducing pollution, and having high reliability. The low-energy hybrid cars by Honda and Toyota are excellent for normal driving; very small cars are less comfortable for long distances. There is a premium price of some $4,000 to 5,000 comparable to similar-size standard gasoline engines. Also, use regular gasoline, most cars do not need higher-octane and it does not improve mileage or protect your engine.

2. Don't idle a cold engine; they get warmer faster by driving for 2 to 4 minutes at moderate speed. Idling takes much longer to heat the engine since there is little energy expanded by an idle engine.

3. Change oil at intervals, and other maintenance, specified by the carmaker, NOT THE DEALER! Typically 7500 miles, or every six months. Even if you do not use the car the oil still deteriorates. It is a small cost to change oil. Note! Dealers usually recommend much unneeded maintenance that the manufacturer never asked for. Use the regular maintenance schedule, not the “special-operating conditions”. It is rarely needed. Keep records. Do not neglect longer-term maintenance required, they can be critical. such as transmission oil change and timing belts change, typically every 90,000 miles. Often for a acceptable increase in cost (less than $100) during timing belt change you can also change the water pump.

4. Keep tire pressure at 32 for most uses, measured cold after less than one mile of driving. Otherwise, fill to 35 and re-measure in the morning. Fill spare tire as needed at every six month. Keep three flares, readily accessible, and tire replacement tools. Have a set of battery-start cables: 12 feet, heavy gage, not larger than number 6 wires. (No. 4 is superior).

5. Take driving refresher course every 5 years. You will be surprised how much you forgot.
In the last 20 years car paints are covered by a layer of protective clear plastic (since paints are now soft due to pollution requirements). Without this layer the paint deteriorates fast. Repair your clear plastic scratches, or your paint will deteriorate fast and the plastic layer breaks further.

WELL MAINTAINED CARS CAN LAST OVER 200,000 MILES.

Replace car if heavy gas user. Pollute the air, sends our money to our opponents, and increase global warming.

Matania Ginosar, Dr. of Environmental Science & Electrical Engineer. Emphasis: cost-effective alternative energies.
March, 2001. Updated 11/09