Hundreds Of Holocaust Survivors And Their Children Protest Israel’s Mistreatment Of African Refugees

“Last winter I saw on television dozens of African migrants huddled together in Levinsky Park. The sight was horrible and I decided to help them by giving the migrants food and blankets. During the Holocaust, I had to learn to live with being ostracized and hungry, and when I look at the migrants in Israel, I can see what I fought for at age 11. We can't turn a blind eye while these people are in distress…[but the hundreds who came to protest today] are just a drop in the bucket. Where are all the Israelis?. Don’t they care that these people have no hope? That if they're shipped back to their countries they could die?"

African refugees in a Tel Aviv park

Hundreds Of Holocaust Survivors And Their Children Protest Israel’s Mistreatment Of African Refugees
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com   

Hundreds of Holocaust survivors and their families marched Saturday night to protest Israel's policy of deporting African refugees, Ynet reported.

The Tel Aviv protest was the idea of Atta Buchman, a 65-year-old daughter of Holocaust survivors, and Oren Rimon, a 15-year-old who volunteers at a kindergarten for the children of African refugees. The two met when, as a part of a school project, Rimon visited the retirement home where Buchman has lived since suffering a stroke.

"I wasn't thinking about holding a protest before I met Atta, but having read about the current situation with the refugees I got angry and together we realized that a protest was in place as it was not done in this capacity before," Rimon told Ynet.

Buchman, who immigrated to 20 years ago from Lithuania, is cared for by Eritrean refugees."They are the best caregivers we have. They have patience and a constant smile on their faces,” she said.

“[A]s a daughter of Holocaust survivors she is ashamed of the way refugees are being treated in Israel," Rimon told Ynet. “We’re not comparing Israel's treatment of migrants to the Holocaust, but we're simply saying that a State which was founded by migrants should not treat other migrants this way."

Another Holocaust survivor who attended the protest is Shimon Segali. The 80-year-old survivor from Hungary told Ynet that “last winter I saw on television dozens of African migrants huddled together in Levinsky Park. The sight was horrible and I decided to help them by giving the migrants food and blankets. During the Holocaust, I had to learn to live with being ostracized and hungry, and when I look at the migrants in Israel, I can see what I fought for at age 11. We can't turn a blind eye while these people are in distress…[but the hundreds who came to protest today] are just a drop in the bucket. Where are all the Israelis?. Don’t they care that these people have no hope? That if they're shipped back to their countries they could die?"

Rimon and Buchman publicized the march by making a video of Buchman telling her story and inviting survivors and their families to join the march.

Rimon posted the video on Facebook, and hundreds of survivors and their children joined the march.

The government does nothing to help the vast majority of African refugees who reach Israel, and many sleep in parks and on beaches, even in the worst weather. They are frequently exploited, working primarily as day laborers who are paid substandard wages, if they are paid at all.

Orthodox rabbis, haredi rabbis and right wing politicians have joined right wing activists in holding demonstrations calling for the refugees to be deported, even though deportation violates international law. They have also used racist and xenophobic language that helped incite a wave of violence against the African refugees, including a riot in South Tel Aviv just after Passover, and wave of arsons that have injured and almost killed African refugees.

Some Israelis, who are primarily secular, try to help the African refugees with food, temporary shelter, day care, and other services, including applying for official refugee status with the government.

But Israel’s right wing coalition government processes those applications a a snail’s pace, and approving only a handful of applications despite the fact that most of the African refugees in Israel legally qualify for refugee status.

Comments

[ruthie]

i know what it means to let these african people into our country.
i get it.
but i stand behind these survivor's in their thinking.
we jews have been treated like this for generations and after the holocaust we have no right to expel all these people.

can't go in through the door, go in through the window.
something can be done.
these are human beings.
israel is a country. this is what happens to certain countries. not alway for the good. have to wait and see.
but we cannot treat them as the jews were treated during the war.
i applaud these survivors....bless them all.

[uncle sam]

Right, unlike every other country in the world, Israel has no right to decide who to let into her country. Love BDS and their supporters.

[Ruth]

I think Israel should open their borders to all refugees of the world, not just the Africans. B"H Israel is a wealthy country and they should share their wealth with all people in need.

[Dovit]

If israel won't let in refugees, Jews will lose the right to ask to be let into other nations. Jews have certainly been persecuted, but they have also been welcomed in many nations for thousands of years.

[Jill]

I only hope that Israel has the funds to care for their poor as well as the poor of the world. Tall order for such a small country no matter how rich it is.

[jancsibacsi]

Ruthie-Isral has the obligation of taking care of its own first,they came illigally they should be sent back no firstyou take care of the needy who wereborn there it doestbothe rme a bit ig they are sent back.

[Eli, what me messiah?]

jancs, ruthie is right.
And maybe if the public budget wasn't being drained by the freeloaders in the yeshivas, there would be less pressure to ignore the basic human rights of those who are truly in need.

[Harold F]

Israel has the right to deport people who are there illegally. Btw, we shouldn't forget the United States has the same right. That's why all the blather about "immigration rights" annoys me. What right does anyone have to come here illegally?

But the manner in which the deportations are carried out seems to be conducted in the most inhumane way possible. And the xenophobic and racist language used is shameful.

[seymour]

Right, unlike every other country in the world, Israel has no right to decide who to let into her country. Love BDS and their supporters.

Posted by: uncle sam | July 29, 2012 at 06:48 AM

so no complaints to all the countries that did not let in or help Jews during WWII

[hl]

holocaust survivors can protest all they want . they don't have to live with african refugees in their neighborhood .

i'm gonna let african refugees live in the holocaust survivors neighborhoods and buildings . then, i like to see how they feel .

i'd like to see if they will protest again .

[Jill]

i'm gonna let african refugees live in the holocaust survivors neighborhoods and buildings . then, i like to see how they feel .

i'd like to see if they will protest again .

Posted by: hl | July 29, 2012 at 10:19 AM

Maybe each of the "hundreds" of protesters should sponsor and take one African family under their wings. They should employ their chosen family if they are unemployed. Cloth and feed them if they are hungry or homeless. This is what many of the righteous gentiles did to save many Jews during the holocaust, these "righteous" Jews should now do the same.

[John]

Ship them negros back!

[jancsibacsi]

seymour-Theese refugees have their own country
no comparison to thejew of ww2 let them fight for their rights in their own country what kind of bs bleeding heart is this to let them stay there ,then israel will have much muchmore on their hand if they let them stay there thats not a solution .

[PrettyBoyFloyd]

Liberalism is a mental disorder.

[Bassy the Haredi]

In order to get into Israel the migrants (all the media domestic and international refer to them as such accept Shmarya who refer to them as refugees) had to travel across at least country than means that they already found a place before coming into Israel.

Eritrea and South Sudan are not a fun place to live (and so is South Central) but this does not make them refugees that Israel is obligated to take in.

[Jeff]

Where are all the Israelis?. Don’t they care that these people have no hope? That if they're shipped back to their countries they could die?

No, because at the end of the day, Jews are no better than other human beings - and that's nothing to be proud of.

All I care to know is that a man is a human being - that is enough for me; he can't be any worse. - Mark Twain

[hl]

the only refugees are jews .

those africans are not refugees and have no business settling in israel .

african refugees are nothing to do with israel and the jewish ppl . they are not jewish .

they are muslims . ship them back to muslim countries .throw them over the fence in the palestinian areas or jordan.

or simply ship them back to dubai, arab emirates,saudi arabia, bahrain . they are plenty of work , money and opportunities there .

but those rich muslim countries do not want black , poor muslims in their countries .

they will ship them back to sudan ASAP.

[Jill]

If they are Muslims then either ship them back to their original country or or deposit them into Palestinian territory.

[TSTS]

amazing to watch some american jews behaving as total rednecks for the benefit of israel.
truly however, it's becoming amply evident that the right wing of the jewish community in america is no different in substance than gentile southern rednecks.
my feeling towards the protesters in israel though is that their their protests in favour of the eritreans and the southerbn sudan refugees are totally meaningless and hollow if they fail to address before hand the wrongs inflicted on the palestinian refugees of '48 and '67.

[jancsibacsi]

TSTS -You are truly a fool,those palestinians are in a situation they are in is because of the stubbornes of their leaders and not the fault of israel get that trough youre bleeding
liberal stupid heart.

[John]

Shmyra loves big nigger cocks and that is why he is always looking out for negros. He loves that big fat cock in his mouth or ass. Notice how he says he is Jewish but makes fun on Judaism and puts it down all the time. On the other hand he will protect all niggers and scumbags whenever he can. You are a total piece of shit.

[mark levinson]

Shmarya, do you hate Israel too, do you want her to become another crown heights. Foul you imagine Israel getting swamped by millions of African refugees. Once in a while you gotta make sense...

[John]

Jancs I hope a Palestinian that u love pulls out ir Heart with thier hands.

[jancsibacsi]

john- you make no sense youre hate is so intense that you would be better of going for help before you do youreself in, worry about youre own wellbeing youre loosing it big time.

[OneWhoKnows]

Shmyra loves big nigger cocks and that is why he is always looking out for negros.

I always figured that Shmarya a long time ago had a "girl friend" of Ethiopian heritage. He promised to deliver her people by his belief that he had the Rebbe's ear. When he did not deliver she dumped him and thus began Shmarya's unholy quest.

[haredi do not know how to write english , the language of the country they live in . sad]

john,

you don't know how to write english !
how sad !

in america, everyone knows how to write english , even the spanish immigrants who barely stepped into the country .

but not you , cuz you went to a yeshiva where they only teach yiddish . how sad .

[Jill]

I think all the refugees should come here to America where they will be welcomed with open arms. I can see the smiles on their faces as they enter the New York harbor being greeted by Ms Liberty herself.

[Abu Jihad Schneerson]

John,you're getting confused and mistaking people:your description of your mom's profession is vivid and interesting but has nothing to do with Shmarya.....

[dh]

John, you go to your room immediately young man, and wait for Shmarya to get home because you are in big, big trouble!

[ah-pee-chorus]

take it easy on john, and show some respect. hes a big rebbe.

[dh]

aaah, he's been photoshopped.

[SMR]

I think all the refugees should come here to America where they will be welcomed with open arms. I can see the smiles on their faces as they enter the New York harbor being greeted by Ms Liberty herself.

Posted by: Jill | July 29, 2012 at 05:46 PM

You know this actually makes sense. I think Crown Heights would be the perfect neighborhood. If there is any Jewishness in their soul then Chabad is there. If they are Muslim then again this neighborhood would be a good fit.

[SNR]

I think all the refugees should come here to America where they will be welcomed with open arms. I can see the smiles on their faces as they enter the New York harbor being greeted by Ms Liberty herself.

Posted by: Jill | July 29, 2012 at 05:46 PM

You know this actually makes sense. I think Crown Heights would be the perfect neighborhood. If there is any Jewishness in their soul then Chabad is there. If they are Muslim then again this neighborhood would be a good fit.

[zionist goy]

Ruthie, i presume that you haven't lived in Israel, nor have i. If Israel is to absorb these people alien to its culture and many more after it, they need to count the cost. I see a citizenry bitterly divided over the issue which can't be good for Jews. If the current state of illegal and legal immigrants in the U.S. is any harbinger for that situation, Israel is going to be forced to adapt to the new vistors (and waves more) customs and way of life, rather than the other way around. Look at that wonderful experiment that was Britain, tiny like Israel. Mazel tov!

[zionist goy]

Indeed i see you are currently living in the state, so your comment holds all the more weight. I still see it as a tough situation. Perhaps the eligible ones could serve in the miliary and earn thier citizenship.

[uncle sam]

If the Jews who post here aren't for the most part the stupidest people in the world, they are in competition for that title.

[dh]

uncle sam I can't imagine what you are talking about. btw, do u know how i can post this comment here?

[jancsibacsi]

uncle sam-It takes one stupid person to know another get the drift.

[spacedout BT]

The African home countries are much worse than " bad place to live" as one poster fatuously commented. Returning some of these Africans to their home countries can get them imprisoned, tortured, and killed.

[anchell]

. . . john . . . take your fingers out of your bum, your are blocking much needed oxygen to your brain. . . if there is one thing your post has demonstrated it is that you have an apparent envy for large black penises. . . listen i know what i'm talking about, it is not true that all people of african descent are well hung. In fact some are as miniscule as you. Well maybe not that miniscule. but small enough that you won't feel such envy. So take a deep breath an remove that pinky. Now don't you feel better?

[anchell]

one who knows . . .quite smug of you to share your, oh so, knowing tidbits of information as to why some one who has been given the right of passage is somehow direlict in their views. Get this. History has we know it repeats itself. Think of if as a learinig curve of sorts. Cycles upon cycles of persecution set upon Jews. Shmarya does not provide excuses for those who would spew hatred upon Jews unlike yourself.
Consider him a messenger informing Jewish hearts and souls, sans veil, of all the ills and ineptitude of the Zionist people. He is One who is not afraid to say "it is true we as Jews are not behaving as is prescribed by the Creator or delineated by the Torah". And if I may add, you are not incarnated as mere human beings. You have a responsibility and a duty to the creator. As peoples of Jewish law you must do better. . . it is that simple.

[jancsibacsi]

anchell-The creator is nature there is no such thing as someone controlling or watching our every move if there would be we wouldnt see so much evil or rebbe molestations get that through youre thick head.

[anchell]

jancsibacsi . . . your comment is smile worthy. . . you do realize that the onus of proof/disproof rest on the non believer. And if you know of what I am speaking then you will realize that to disprove the existence of the creator is an absolute impossibility.

You see, to disavow ones belief in the Creator requires a specific type of language and its supportive facts. And the argument that one does not have to disprove something that does not exist is at the very least evasive.
Consequently belief alone does not speak to the matter at hand. In truth it is more an intrinsic knowing and the answer to all sentient life's query to the existential why? i.e., why am i here?

That is to say, merely being athiestic does not in and of itself disproves the existence of an all encompassing Creator. In fact it only places one on some other level or rung of the hierichical ladder.
The evil we see about us serves to awaken our sleeping conscience and suffice as a necessary tool on the path to our authentic self. The message repeats until it is learnt. The rebbe molestations is a product of an immature or undeveloped emotional state. An obvious need derieved from an unrequited holistic connection to the creator. We are all important.

[jancsibacsi]

anchell-You think i am thatstupid as to buy youre nonsense about the prrof rests on the non beleiver i dont have to disprove or prove anything to you the whole religion is the fabrication of the imagination and the rest is history only fools beleive in someone all powerfull well nature doesn all those things without any deity its all baloney we live in a make beleive worlds youres as well as mine

[anchell]

jancsibacsi. . .you are right and you are wrong. As for your being stupid? As it is with myself and virtually all others, stupidity is a matter of degree. I say the proof rest on the non believer because you as an atheist (if in fact that is what you are) must invent a whole new language of your own to disprove the existence of a creator.
And oh, by the way, i am not claiming our creator is a mere person, or 'someone' with some minor ability. that is your first error in thinking. Though you are correct in being frustratrd by this religion in particular and, perhaps all "religions" in general terms.
Nature and or the Earth is said to be an alive organic entity. It lives, it breathes, it is ever evolving and it serves as a host to tens of thousands of differing life forms. But there is more, way more just think about it.

[Jeff]

I say the proof rest on the non believer because you as an atheist (if in fact that is what you are) must invent a whole new language of your own to disprove the existence of a creator.

I'm sorry, but you're simply wrong. As someone making a supernatural claim, it is your responsibility to provide evidence. That is how the process works. You don't get to make up your own rules - not if you want to be taken seriously, at any rate.

[jancsibacsi]

Lately i hear in science the discory of new planets aroung stars like our own so far more then 1600 and some of them are in the habitable znoe meaning water canbe liwuid and where there is liquad water life can survive,so there you go things happen naturally when certain rules dominatae life springs up no supernatural creater just natural science of course to beleive is conforting but not everyone can beleive strongly,things i see everyday with our rebbes and in the world general makes me really wonder you know what i mean.

[anchell]

jeff . . . supernatural? do you mean spirits, apparitions ... ghosts? metaphysical possibly, but not entirely. . . think big. Think eternal spacially. . . now think mass beyond these ends. Now think pure consciousness. . . and so we have a beginning.
Now then, on to this working "process" you referred to. . . tell me what the rules are, in full. State the rules i am bounded by and, equally, the ones you must abide by. Let me know the small print as well, the bit that allows you to change or flip flop everything the minute your reasoning fails and you feel like scrapping this conversation.
And, if you are able, lets us try to keep this discussion within the parameters of "The existence or non existence of a Creator."

Also if you can, remember the purpose of this exchange is not for me to save you of the perils of your disbelief. And secondly, I contend that organized religion and any discussion of a Creator are two entirely different topics altogether. Now since we are using this forum, as if it were an arena, lets be certain to establish that you may benefit from what you know and are able to articulate as much as i am able to do the same.

Consequently, we are both deserving of equal benefit of the rules you wish to state. And, similarly we (you and i) must adhere equally to the same rules. Any problems? If so state it and your beginning ground rules.

[anchell]

jancsibacsi . . .i am told that one of the purpose of religions is to discipline the mindl. Religion as such is to serve as a program of desclipine and refinement for the mind. It is a means by which the creator chooses to purify the soul. What has gone awry is that pain has entered so deeply into our learnings that we become emotionally deficient.

And that inturn leads us to a quest of self suffering. This of course involves the pain and suffering we inflict on others as well. Hence the disassocation with the Rebbe and the it's consequent disassociative actions.

Conditions are not ideal for Judaism to flourish. It may not be able to continue when you consider the pressures placed upon it both internally and externally. It becomes increasingly difficult to know what is truth and what is deception. I believe it all. . . it is all truth and all deception at the same time: it is all temporary.

Some have claimed that we are existing in a Mirror Universe. That there is a "real" other universe and life on earth, this earth is some form of mechanical reproduction. As a consequence, we are able to have small glimses of the future when we are aligned.

Since i dont' know the Torah very well, but for it's differences with the old testament i won't be able to speak of it with much conviction. But i do wonder whether nature or the earth as we know it is infact the image of man that the creator is really referring. . . 'mankind was made in HIS image'? And the troubles herein are all a part of our disengagement with the Creator.

I believe as a conscionable persont it is important to know or, at the very least, begin to know oneself before we can in this context come to know the Creator. And to do so My mind will remain open to any and all eventualities. For example, I for one would not illiminate Adam Neira's mumblings because it does not fit into my world view. He too is on a path of learning and i can only be grateful for what he brings to the table.

[Jeff]

Any problems? If so state it and your beginning ground rules.

Posted by: anchell | July 31, 2012 at 02:46 PM

I'm not going to address you again, because you're clearly unbalanced, but for the record, they are not MY rules. They are universally recognized rules of debate. It is incumbent upon someone making an extraordinary claim to provide roof. One is NOT required to prove a negative.

[Jeff]

*proof*

[anchell]

Jeff . . . apparently I have offended your sensibilities. Rules of debate that are universally recognized but not by two thirds of the world is not in my mind universal in it's scope. Now as to being balanced, is it me or am i mistaken in believing that all who profess to know that there is no Creator as we speak are prevaricators of sorts. It is intriguing that you would not allow or agree to a set or rules that we must both abide by in your assertion that life and existence as we know it is somehow a chance occurence.
To not allow an inquiring light to illuminate your defense of such an hypothesis suggest you want to skew the discussion before it even begins. In my opinion we are reasoning and the only rule of engagement is to be present and "honest". Then we can discuss balance or imbalance. . . Finlly, I am sorry to have offended you, but do understand that i did you a favour.

[Joan Carney]

We should still understand these victims. They came from a very tragic moment. What they have in mind now are all the pains they saw during the incident. They are saying these things because they felt in them that they are mistreated and not taken cared of.

[Maxie Curtsinger]

Some Israelis, who are primarily secular, try to help the African refugees with food, temporary shelter, day care, and other services, including applying for official refugee status with the government.