New York City Muslim Groups for Israel

 Nadene Goldfoot                                                                         

Muslims have an anti BDS campaign in response to Mamdani.  On facebook, one can see their ad about it.  

In New York City, Muslim support for Israel is actively organized by several groups. Key groups and recent initiatives include: 

• Unbreakable Bond Coalition: A coalition that includes groups such as 
• 1. the American Muslim & Multifaith Women's Empowerment Council (AMMWEC), 
• 2. Muslim Women Speakers Bureau, Global Youth Unity Project (GYUP), and 
• 3. Muslims Israel Dialogue. The coalition launched an anti-BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) investment drive to raise funds for Israeli treasury bonds and to support coexistence and peace-building nonprofits. 
  
     I'd be happier if they erased the last 2 words put on by somebody not agreeing with them; as there never has been a  Palestine but a big area named by the Romans that the Ottoman Empire finally took and lost by the end of WWI.  I repeat, there never was a country of Palestine and the Palaestinians were a mixture of Arabs AND Jews living there.  There was no need to free them as they were not imprisoned or held there against their will.  It's a ridiculous concept and too many people have blindly believed it.  
Public Parades and Rallies: Muslim interfaith activists have publicly participated in New York's annual Israel Day Parade and the March for Israel. 
Interfaith Dialogue: Organizations actively partner with Jewish civil rights and interfaith organizations—such as 
1. the Combat Antisemitism Movement and 
2. Sharaka—to host joint events and advocate for regional partnerships    
The group aims to collect at least $1 apiece from 500,000 supporters by October 9. The funds will be invested in Israel treasury bonds, and investment proceeds will be distributed to four nonprofits — 
1. the coexistence group Sharaka, saying:  The Abraham Accords opened a new window of opportunity in the region. That is why young leaders from Israel and the Arab Gulf came together in 2020, to forge warm and deep people-to-people engagement, and translate the governmental agreements into a long-lasting peace. Their mission is to : Sharaka (’Partnership’ in Arabic): is working to shape a new Middle East, built on dialogue, understanding, cooperation and friendship.

 
The Jewish-Muslim Reconciliation Project
From Rivalry to Fraternity: Embracing Our Shared Heritage: Unlocking the potential of interfaith diplomacy to build paths for stability and prosperity...bud paths for st
y.2. the Jerusalem Interfaith Center, motto is:  Making religion part of the solution
3. the Combat Antisemitism Movement, After the successful Voices for Truth Summit in Miami, CAM is proud to bring together 100+ content creators to fight antisemitism, in the ancient city of Jaffa ,  We Are the Combat Antisemitism Movement!  CAM is a global coalition engaging more than 700 partner organizations and three million people from a diverse array of religious, political, and cultural backgrounds in the common mission of fighting the world’s oldest hatred. We act collaboratively to build a better future, free of bigotry, for Jews and all humanity.
4. Debate for Peace, an Arab-Jewish student group.   
It's a start.  The Abraham Accords must have started people thinking. However, the mayor of New York City is:

        
Zohran Kwame Mamdani: (born October 18, 1991) born in Kampala to Indo-Ugandan academic Mahmood Mamdani and Indian filmmaker Mira Nair. When he was seven years old, after having spent three years in Cape Town, he and his family moved to New York City. Mamdani graduated from the Bronx High School of Science before receiving a bachelor's degree in Africana studies from Bowdoin College in 2014, having worked as a housing counselor and rapper, 
 His knowledge of NYC was the surroundings of his family and their Indian life far more than knowing the social and culture of this large city.  It is doubtful that he was aware of:  Approximately 1 million Jewish people live in New York City proper, making up roughly 12% to 18% of the city's total population. Across the broader eight-county metropolitan area, the Jewish population is estimated at nearly 1.4 million, representing the largest concentration of Jewish people in any city in the world outside of Israel. At that, Jews make up only 2% of the USA population, so you can see how different NYC is for Jews. He's evidently a strong Muslim, not like many from India today or rather, Pakistan, where most live, having problems with Hindus earlier.                          
The relationship between New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Jewish communities is highly polarized, primarily driven by his vocal anti-Zionism, pro-Palestinian activism, and revocation of Israel-related executive orders.
While mainstream Jewish leaders fiercely criticize his rhetoric and boycott his administration, he retains significant backing from progressive Jewish groups, probably like those listed above.  
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is a Twelver Shia Muslim. He is known for his highly vocal, progressive critiques of Israeli policy.  This is why he is continually  against Israel.  This is the Islam of Iran.   He belongs to the Twelver branch of Shia Islam, which represents the mainstream tradition within Shiism.   His father is an Indian-origin Muslim born in Uganda, and his mother is a Hindu.  While openly embracing his faith, his democratic socialist platform often puts him at odds with conservative religious groups due to his support for LGBTQIA+ rights, abortion access, and the legalization of marijuana. I believe that's to have a connection with certain Democrats.   Mamdani has been a prominent and vocal advocate for Palestinian rights, supporting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and characterizing Israel's actions in Gaza as a genocide.  
Resource:
https://jic.org.il/
https://www.sharakango.com/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/nyc-muslim-groups-announce-anti-bds-campaign-in-response-to-mamdani/

Looking Back, Anti-Semitism In The 20's Joining Times of Ku Klux Klan and Red-lining Real-Estate

 Nadene Goldfoot                                           

Lindy Hop and Charleston are energetic, syncopated swing dances that originated in African American communities in Harlem during the 1920s and 30s. They feature lively kicks, bouncy triple steps, and athletic partner sequences.;  From here will come the Jitterbug of the 30s, 40s, etc.  even unto today. 

In the 1920s, Portland’s illicit alcohol scene thrived behind the scenes. Thanks to Oregon’s early statewide ban in 1916, bootleggers and speakeasies were already firmly established when national Prohibition hit. The city became a major hub for rum-running via the Pacific coast and Sauvie Island, supplying illegal liquor that local police and politicians secretly protected.

Big, opulent movie palaces and "big-time" neighborhood theaters in Portland were primarily built during the 1910s and 1920s. Early venues like the Majestic Theatre debuted in 1911, followed by the iconic 1,500-seat Hollywood Theatre in 1926 and the Broadway Theatre the same year, 1926. Broadway Theatre (1926): Located downtown, it was the largest movie theater in Portland when it originally opened.

Avalon Theatre (1912) & Laurelhurst Theater (1923): Built as neighborhood single-screen venues equipped with pipe organs.

Cinema 21 (1925): Opened as the State Theatre, later serving as the Vista Theatre and 21st Avenue Theatre.

Hollywood Theatre (1926): Built at 4122 NE Sandy Blvd, it was a massive $500,000 architectural landmark designed by Bennes & Herzog. 

Anti-Semitism in Portland evolved from the exclusionary social and political climates of the 1920s Ku Klux Klan into mid-century real estate redlining, and later into contemporary battles against neo-Nazi violence. Despite these challenges, Portland’s Jewish community persistently built strong economic and cultural institutions. 

     American First Parade 1920

The 1920s: The Ku Klux Klan Era

Political Dominance: In the early 1920s, the Ku Klux Klan established a strong presence in Oregon. Klan-endorsed candidates, such as Governor Walter M. Pierce, were elected in 1922. While the Klan in Oregon primarily targeted Catholics, their overarching platform of white Protestant nationalism was inherently anti-Semitic.
Social and Economic Exclusion: Overt discrimination heavily impacted daily life. In 1919, the Portland Realty Board adopted a Code of Ethics prohibiting real estate agents and bankers from selling properties or providing loans to minorities in white neighborhoods. This effectively redlined Jewish immigrants and other marginalized groups out of developing eastside neighborhoods like Laurelhurst.
Discrimination was found in Multnomah Athletic Club, hiring in businesses, telephone co. across the nation.  
                                               

Billy Meshke, young boxer of the Neighborhood House, attended Failing Grade School and Commerce High for 3 years-baseball star but had to quit to support his family of south Portland.  He became a kosher butcher, then owned his own wholesale meats of Lincoln Market on Lincoln Street, then Silver Falls Meat Packing Co.  
AKA Morris Goldfoot,(7-1-1908)-7-23-1964) left his mother and siblings after he married to move to Ladds Addition in SE Portland. He went to school with Melvin Jerome Blanc, nicknamed "The Man of a Thousand Voices", was a prolific American voice actor and comedian whose career spanned over 60 years. 



He was also born in 1908 and was also 5'8" like my dad.  He's widely considered one of the most influential and greatest voice actors of all time. Blanc's career began in radio, where he was a regular on shows like The Jack Benny Show, Abbott and Costello, and Burns and Allen. He also hosted his own radio show in the 1940s.   In this Jewish center, there was one black fellow my dad remembered.  Also, across the street  were 2 Italian stores, so it was a mixed neighborhood.  
 So that's why  south Portland became a Jewish neighborhood where synagogues could build by the many Jewish home there including my paternal grandparents.  The Neighborhood house was also there.  It was an immigrant paradise where they learned how to survive.  
Financially, Portland in the 1920s was a tale of two halves: an early postwar boom led to rapid suburban expansion and booming utility/appliance consumption, which subsequently stalled by 1926 as timber and wheat prices declined. This slowdown culminated in a 50% drop in residential construction by late 1929.  
The 1929 Wall Street crash severely damaged Portland’s economy, accelerating an ongoing local downturn. Well before October 1929, the city's vital timber and wheat markets had already begun to plummet. The subsequent crash triggered massive sawmill closures, high unemployment, and widespread "Hoovervilles," including a major one in Sullivan's Gulch. 
While Portlanders were not directly on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, the ripple effects of the 1929 financial collapse shattered the region's localized economy. The local impacts of the crash and the subsequent Great Depression were felt in several specific ways.  Early Industry Decline: Construction activity in Portland had slowed sharply after 1925, and depressed lumber prices forced sawmills to close down even before Black Tuesday. 

Lebanese -Israel Talking To Be In Rome

 Nadene Goldfoot                                                

A sixth round of talks between Israel and Lebanon will take place in Rome today and Wednesday. 

 Leiter, (1969) in Englewood, N.J. 57 yrs old, 

Israeli Ambassador to the U.S., Michael Leiter,  said Israel is continuing to promote the “pilot zones” plan in southern Lebanon, but any further progress and IDF withdrawal will depend on dismantling Hezbollah’s presence on the ground.

The US-brokered Israel-Lebanon peace talks are taking place at the United States Embassy in Rome, Italy. 

The mediator for the talks between Lebanon and Israel is the United States, with mediation efforts led by American officials. Lebanon does not have its own mediator; instead, Lebanese and Israeli delegations are engaging directly through U.S. facilitation. 

The Lebanese delegation participating in the negotiations consists of civilian officials. The key diplomatic representatives include: 

• Nada Hamadeh Moawad, Lebanon's Ambassador to the United States.
  
  
  
• Simon Karam, a Lebanese diplomat and former ambassador to the U.S

The two-day diplomatic meetings are mediated by the United States and focus on implementing a framework agreement, particularly the proposed withdrawal of Israeli troops from two pilot zones in southern Lebanon.

                 Hezbollah terrorists threaten Trump

 Southern Lebanon: Defined under a US-brokered framework agreement, these are designated small areas in southern Lebanon where Israeli forces gradually withdraw and the Lebanese military assumes full operational control, ensuring the disarmament of militant groups like Hezbollah.

Hezbollah firmly rejects disarmament, maintaining that its weapons are essential to defend Lebanon against Israeli aggression,  and that any handover is non-negotiable. While the Lebanese government and the US have pushed for state control of all arms, Hezbollah's leadership continues to demand a permanent Israeli withdrawal and they want guarantees against future attacks before agreeing to any talks.

Because of the gaps between the sides, the current round in Rome is expected to serve as a bridge-building meeting ahead of a larger session with expanded teams next month. 

The Rome round will focus on reviewing progress in the pilot zones mechanism, expanding the Lebanese army’s deployment in the south and continuing security coordination under American mediation.

 A Lebanese diplomatic source familiar with the negotiations told Reuters on Tuesday that “the Lebanese army is ready to gradually take control of the villages from which the IDF withdraws.”

israelAM

https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-902467

It's Not Easy Peasy Creating A Country

 

                  Squatters Shacks along the Willamette River , Portland, Oregon.  People sitting on land without paying for it:  1930

To have a country, land can't just fill up with squatters.  Otherwise, it that were true, there never would be a United States, or an Oregon.  What's a squatter?  Someone in our Oregon history, and I imagine in states as well.  

In the 1840s, Oregon Country was governed by an unregulated "Squatter Democracy". As the US and Britain contested the region, the foundational land laws were largely defined by squatters—settlers who simply occupied the land without legal title before preemption acts eventually allowed them to secure their claims.

      Bedouins in Palestine, Nomads with a permanent address: Deals had been made with the new Jewish government for the Bedouins of the south. Nomads are usually always on the move whereas squatters just sat there.  Bedouin refers to historically nomadic Arab tribes inhabiting the desert regions of the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, the Levant, and Mesopotamia. Derived from the Arabic word badawī (meaning "desert-dweller"), the term represents a traditional, pastoralist way of life rather than a distinct ethnic group. 

The land of Palestine did fill up with many squatters who traveled back and forth, especially on camels.  Most were from Syria and later were called Syrian Palestinians, not being Bedouins.   Other Arabs came to the land in 1880 when they saw Jews coming in and building Tel Aviv, etc.  They were paid with money and that enticed even more Arabs to join the crews. At that time they had no inducement to have their own state.  They were all from other countries close by.   

Historical Shifts: there was  time when the Brits invited Arabs into the country and kept Jews out--and this was after the Jewish Homeland was decided upon.  

 For decades in Oregon, removing unauthorized occupants required a slow, civil lawsuit known as ejectment. The rules were tightened significantly with Oregon House Bill 3522, which allowed landlords and homeowners to use standard eviction procedures to remove unauthorized occupants quickly. Many informal, unauthorized occupations were handled privately by landowners or frontier settlers rather than through formal courts. Throughout Oregon’s history, the handling of squatters has varied: Pioneer Era: In the mid-1800s, early settlements like Portland were practically "squatter's paradises" fueled by massive land claims and the Donation Land Act. In the early days, disputes were often settled by force or informal claim associations. In coming back to Eretz Yisrael, Jews found Arab squatters, like  there were squatters in Oregon.  There were a few land-owners who had people working the land, squatters and such.  The land-owners were only too happy to be overpaid for the land they were being taxed for and could not make a living on, and so this money relieved them and they headed for Damascus and Paris for the good life.  They had money!!!

             Over 3,000 years ago of the 11th century BCE or 1050 BCE, King Saul of the tribe of Benjamin ruled Israel-his enemy were the Philistines

The history of Israel goes back almost 4,000 years.  The first organized governing power in those days were kings,, and Israel's first king was Saul.  King David was 2nd,who ruled by 1010 BCE and died in 970 BCE.  He had been Saul's armor-bearer at age 25, and was a good friend of his son, Jonathan-and after showing his military strengths during a war with the Philistines, became husband of Saul's daughter, Michal.  King Solomon, David's son, died in 920 BCE which caused a rift or division of the 12 statehoods they had created with the Northern 10 being swept away after their king Hoshea of Israel died in 721 BCE.  The 2 southern states, Judea and Benjamin lost their last King Zedekiah in 586 BCE.  They united sometime later, those who found each other again, and remained with or without permission from other ruling parties,, but had filled Jerusalem at the turn of the millennium.  By 70 CE, the Romans were ruling and burned the city down, remaking it into a Roman town.  Jews were starved to death or slaughtered, with many escaping while others were caught and used as slaves.  Romans stole all the gold and silver out of the

Temple, forcing slaves to carry all back to Rome as shown on the Arch of Titus.  Thanks, Titus for having this for proof of the history.  Jews were told that returning to Jerusalem meant death, and so they scattered to the ends of the earth, near and far, suffering mostly in the hands of strangers.  Since some wound up in Rome, as prisoners, it was a good place to remain--and some did.  Others went to what later became Germany.  Later yet, Poland and others were inviting them to their country because it was known they could help the kings with finances, trading, etc, they could add, subtract, read and write and most people couldn't.  Then the countries turned on them, jealous, whatnot....and it was 1920.

WWI had started in 1914, and Jews had been promised to have the land they were kept away from for all those years...The Jewish Homeland.  Then Britain was offered such a deal they couldn't resist and gave away 80% of it to an Arabian prince who, not being first in line in his own homeland, wanted land with people to rule over, Prince Abdullah; who then got Transjordan.  The Jews, who had spent years since 2014 speaking and signing with heads of state, got the remaining 20%. And that's how Israel's birth development began once again.  They bought land.  They crossed all the T's and dotted all the i's and made it legal.  It went through all the channels of the United Nations of that day, the League of Nations besides the United Nations. 

Chaim Weizmann (1874-1952) , Israeli statesman, biochemist, and Zionist leader who served as president of the Zionist Organization and later as the first president of Israel had helped England win the war. In 1917, he brought about the Balfour Declaration.               

                                      

 He met with Emir Feisal; who agreed with him about Jews entering the land. Emir Feisal (Feisal, ibn Hussein)1885-1933) was the son of Sharif Hussein bin Ali of Mecca, the leader of the Arab Revolt against Turkey. He was a military commander who later became the King of Syria and Iraq.  By 1920 Weizmann mobilized resources for constructive work in Palestine. By 1929 there were Arab riots in the streets scared by another Arab who wanted more power,

Hajj Mohammed Amin el-Husseini (1893-1974), appointed mufti of Jerusalem and head of he Supreme Moslem Council, kind of over-powering Feisal.  Who chose him?  A Jewish man who was the only Jew in government then:  Sir Herbert Samuel.  He knew nothing about the Arabs, about the rioting going on against Jews.  Husseini assisted Hitler and was largely responsible for the liquidation of the Jews in the Moslem areas of Bosnia.  In 1946 he escaped to Egypt.  After 1948 he set p a short-lived "Palestine Government" in Gaza and later on in Cairo.                  

Avraham (Yair) Stern of the Stern Group (1907-1942) Nationalistic Defense leader the group, Irgun Tzevai Leumi; and left it because they didn't want to attack British acts against Jews in WWII.  He then formed underground group, Lohame Herut Israel who Brits called the Stern Gang who carried out acts of sabotage, killed by British police when only 35 years old (Britain held 30 year mandate over Palestine) while being arrested.  My 3rd cousin, Stanley, had became the group's Chief of Intelligence.  

                         Stanley Goldfoot with wife, children

Jews have been on the defense ever since.  Was it worth coming over to the Middle East from Eastern Europe?  Yes, spiritually;  culturally, it was the boost they needed to survive such hatred of them in the world.  Their candle, so to speak, WAS LIT with smelling the air, flowers,, orange blossoms, and knowing that this was where their ancestors lived and breathed and developed their morality.  And so this is the way we all feel upon making Aliyah to Israel today.   

Resource:

The New Standard Jewish Encyclopedia