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What I Saw at a Terrorist Rally Outside a Synagogue

By Daniel Greenfield, Sultan Knish, June 27, 2024

The retire-to-Israel exhibition pretense that Muslims used to riot through an orthodox Jewish neighborhood 

 

Thirty minutes after Hamas supporters first set up their operation outside a Los Angeles synagogue, they maced their first Jew. And the Los Angeles police did nothing.

Not until an hour into the terrorist rally outside a synagogue, did the LAPD finally step in, pushing back masked Jihad supporters in keffiyeh terror scarves from the entrance of Congregation Adas Torah (Congregation of the Bible) which they had occupied.

And then the mob, chanting calls for “intifada” and the destruction of Israel, moved outward to target two smaller synagogues attended by Persian Jewish refugees from Islamic terror in Iran.

“Billions of us will come and kill you,” a heavily accented Middle Eastern man in a keffiyeh unprompted rasped at me as I walked up. Only dozens had actually shown up, but they made up for it with bullhorns, robotic chants, and assaults in the middle of a Jewish neighborhood.

The Jewish counter-protesters had come waving American and Israeli flags while the other side was a sea of terrorist flags. A man wore an Antifa cap, another had come in ski goggles during 90-degree heat, while others toted bear spray, metal bottles, and other implements of violence.
 
 The Jewish community members included older men and women, as well as families, while the Hamas contingent was mostly young and many were masked. A pair of rabbis led a melodic song that could hardly be heard over the harsh clatter of the hateful terror chants.

Despite knowing that a terrorist rally was planned outside a synagogue, the LAPD had allowed the terrorist supporters to take over the entire sidewalk leaving only a thin lane for attendees to walk through to get inside. The LAPD did little to interfere with the terrorist supporters, but did block Jewish counter-protesters from reaching their own synagogue. The police also did nothing as clumps of masked Hamas supporters broke away from the synagogue and began confronting, threatening, and attacking Jewish community members on the street. 

LAPD officers did not stir as confrontations escalated into assaults, shoving into mace and bear spray. Jewish community members rushed to provide water bottles to the affected. Only after several such incidents did the LAPD finally bring in reinforcements and push the Hamas supporters away from the synagogue entrance (dispersing them to harass and threaten two other synagogues) while also clearing Jewish families away from the other side of the street who had been peacefully waving flags near a children’s school.  

The terrorist hate rally spread outside three synagogues, Congregation Adas Torah, Chabad Persian Youth, and Congregation Ateret Israel (Glory of Israel), and the confrontations in the center of the street continued. There were running battles along the large commercial street with violent assaults outside a Kosher luncheonette and running battles down a residential street in the Jewish neighborhood. 

The terrorist hate rally was not an aberration, It’s become the new normal. SoCal officials set-up fear tactics- enabling Islamo-Leftists to antagonize Jewish residential area

  

Beginning with the assault on the Museum of Tolerance when it was screening a documentary on the Oct 7 massacre to the violence at UCLA, it has played out this way for 8 months. 

The LAPD has consistently failed to secure protest zones, to separate different groups of protesters and to prevent violence, and only steps in when it escalates past a set point. That point usually comes when the Jewish counter-protesters start fighting back. And then the LAPD begins arresting both sides while politicians, including Mayor Bass, deplore the violence. 

Media accounts, especially from the Los Angeles Times, CNN and the JTA, falsely characterize the violence as coming from the Jewish counter-protesters rather than the terrorist supporters. 

I had previously heard first person accounts from people who were assaulted while the police and security at UCLA did nothing, but now I saw it for myself. And after 8 months of the same thing, it’s hard to believe that it’s simple incompetence or that a major urban police force has no idea how to handle the same kind of protests and is incapable of figuring out how to do so. 

Especially when it’s been standard procedure by other urban police forces.

The LAPD is clearly aware of the potential for violence because it sends out offices in riot gear. But rather than engaging in proactive policing to prevent violence, they stand passively and wait for orders from higher up before taking any action. This is not normal policing during protests and counter-protests when the standard doctrine is for police to set up barriers and stand between groups of protesters before they bring out the riot gear. But the LAPD brings out the riot gear, allows the radicals free rein and waits as long as possible before taking any action. 

Why is this happening? I previously reported that Mayor Karen Bass is a close political ally of BLM LA boss Melina Abdullah, who has backed the pro-terrorist campaign against Jews. When Jews were attacked at UCLA, Democrat members of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors passed a motion to fund legal support for the terrorist supporters. The resolution to use taxpayer money to fund legal defenses for antisemites was put forward by Supervisor Lindsey Horvath who ‘represents’ CD3 where the synagogue hate riot was taking place. After all the antisemitic violence at UCLA, the only one facing serious charges is a Jewish student.

The Democrat leadership of Los Angeles does not stand with the Jewish communities being targeted by hate, but with the antisemitic mobs surrounding synagogues. Behind the masks, keffiyehs and the terrorist flags is the new Democratic Party.

What's being screened at this year's Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival? Tickets available through this article

Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival

Wednesday through Monday, June 19-24, 2024



FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

Join us Saturday night for an off the wall COMEDY! 
 

"YANIV"
Saturday night, June 22, 8 PM
Lumiere Music Hall, Beverly Hills


Q&A in person with director, Amnon Carmi,
and stars Annabel Steven and Eli Boskey

 

The blackjack of the Jewish people! 
Curious about the game of Yaniv on which the movie is based? Join us before the film to learn and play the game with the filmmakers themselves!
 

 


A high school teacher in the Bronx loses funding for the school musical and convinces his fellow statistics teacher—secretly a recovering gambling addict—to help him cheat at an underground card game run by the Hasidic Jewish community. Read the full description and tickets at button below.

Watch the trailer here




AUCTION
Sunday, June 23, 4 PM
Laemmle Royal, LA


Q&A in person with Michael Berenbaum,
renowned Holocaust scholar!


In partnership with Holocaust Museum LA

What happens when a hotshot opportunist Parisian auction house wheeler-dealer finds the painting that could boost his career only to find out it may be a Nazi looted artwork....
 

Watch the trailer below




 

SPOTLIGHT
CENTERPIECE PROGRAM!


COLLEYVILLE
Sunday, June 23, 7:30 PM
Museum of Tolerance, LA


Q&A with Dani Menkin, Rabbi Charlie and hostages from film, 
Introduction by Jeffrey Abrams, Anti-Defamation League Regional Director



Four hostages were held by a gunman at a congregation in Colleyville, Texas for 11 hours in an antisemitic terror attack. They live-streamed the services via Facebook, and the streaming continued throughout the harrowing hostage situation, viewed by more than 4,000 people.

Watch the trailer



In partnership with Museum of Tolerance, the Consulate General of Israel, ADL and AJC

 

 

CLOSING NIGHT WITH MATISYAHU!

SONG OF ASCENT
Monday, June 24, 7:30 PM
Saban Theatre, Beverly Hills

WORLD PREMIERE!


Matisyahu in person for Q&A!

Introduction by entertainer Elon Gold


Song of Ascent depicts Matisyahu's most recent US tour with two trips to Israel, and follows his experience at several Kibbutzim, the Nova Festival site, hospitals, and other locations essential to bearing witness to the Oct 7th massacres.




In partnership with Temple of the Arts, Saban Theatre and the Consulate General of Israel, If You Heard What I Heard, Creative Community for Peace, Happy Minyan, Pico Shul



FULL LINE UP!
TO BUY TICKETS TO ALL FILMS





For additional information go to 
www.LAJFilmFest.org

 

The UCLA Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecturer, Prof. Steven Pinker proposes "Rationality" to understand how protesters turn bystanders against Israel & Zionists

Jewish Faculty Resistance Group challenges the hostility
of the Islamo-Marxists towards Jews & Israelis at UCLA

Some IslamoMarxists kicked Jewess, Eleanor, unconscious
How are the beliefs of the anti-Israel IslamoMarxists influenced and affecting others towards/against Jews - and vice versa?

At UCLA's first Jewish counter-protest on 28 April, a Jewish student was kicked in the head and knocked unconscious by "peaceful" anti-Zionist protesters permitted permanent encampment at UCLA (unless the campers got violent). Eleanor was among others injured that Sunday morning, but the campus administrators did not remove the encampment until it drew Jewish avengers four nights later. 

Two of the Jewish avengers were arrested during the past 10-days and yesterday, the L.A. City Council voted to allocate funds for the Islamists to prosecute the charged Jews in court.

On several University of California campuses, as well as on the private University of Southern California this spring, Islamo/Marxist protesters demonized Israel's routing out Hamas terrorist attackers - and even the legitimacy of Israel's 76-years of sovereignty. 

JihadWatch editor Robert Spencer reacted to UCLA administrators kowing to Islamist campus protesters threats if they wouldn't cancel his scheduled lecture to Young Americans for Freedom, UCLA chapter in May.

   

Mr. Spencer writes: "UCLA has proven once again that our universities are not centers of higher learning, but radioactive wastelands of far-left-indoctrination - that are run by fascists - and that train fascists - who cannot stand the light of truth to be shone on their activities."

Hamas is a kleptocratic regime in Gaza, that follows Yasser Arafat's playbook of provoking Israeli retaliatory damage and casualties in Gaza, to elicit international aid funds, which the party leaders steal - amassing fortunes. 

The campus protests falsely accuse Israelis of "apartheid" and "genocide" towards Gazans, whose Hamas-ruled Ministry of Health grossly exaggerated statistics of civilian casualties. These marches and encampments were not sufficiently confronted on the spot by pro-Zionist advocates with countervaling information for mass-media reportage. 

Islamo-Marxist encampers' Passover Shabbat service overlooks that God parted the Red Sea to restore Jews to their Promised Land

The hostile atmosphere created by agitprop displays, encampments, and megaphoned crowd-chants convinced many people on the campus of the justness of the pro-Hamas / anti-Israel charges- regardless of its validity. Simultaneously, it created a hostile climate for Jews, Zionists, and Israelis.

UCLA administration's weak response to Islamo-Marxist antisemitism spurs Jewish Faculty and students to appeal to Univ of Cal Regents Meeting (March 28th)

The esteemed, computer-logic Professor Emeritus Judea Pearl, raised in Jewish-Palestine, became alarmed by the UofCalif demonstrators slanders against Israel which plagued current Jewish (undergrad and graduate level) faculty and students. 

Prof. Pearl experienced his liberal colleagues' accepting the validity of the Islamist, Jew-demonizing invective at the root of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

But what may distress him more - having established himself as a respected American scientist who removed his family from the Islamist-besieged Israel, is witnessing his liberal American colleagues accepting the Islamist imperialist, "Zionophobia" (coined by Prof. Pearl himself) which took the life of (Ruth's and) his son, Daniel, during his journalistic quest to Pakistan to expose truths.

Islamo-Marxists marched beyond their (illegal, but the UCLA college administration's tolerated) encampment in front of UCLA's iconic Royce Hall to confront the last 1/8 of pro-Zionist rallyers. (Sun., Apr 28, '24)

 

 
Alluding to UCLA's having facilitated an irrational, Zionist-vilifying climate on campus since October 7th, Israeli-American Prof. Judea Pearl (Emeritus) presents this school-year's Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture titled "Rationality" - presented by Prof. Steven Pinker of Harvard University. "Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters."
 
   
 
Prof. Pearl acknowledges the fitting tribute to commemorate journalist Daniel Pearl by inviting his colleagues to reflect on the importance of their profession, which shares the same dedication to truth as scientists. Pearl emphasizes the elusive pursuit of truth as the driving force behind both journalism and science, with the belief that it enables society to make more rational decisions. He introduces the speaker for the day, Professor Steven Pinker, a scientist known for his contributions to clarifying the methodology of truth discovery and communication.

Prof. Pearl also highlights the relevance of the discussion on rationality to the current era of fake news and conspiracy theories, and mentions the disruptive antagonists on the UCLA campus as a pertinent reminder of the importance of rationality. The lecture is a bittersweet honor to commemorate Daniel Pearl, a martyr for free speech and intellectual freedom.

Prof. Pinker highlights our species' remarkable achievements in science and technology, yet expresses concern over the widespread irrationality observed in society. Pearl questions why, despite our capacity for rational thought, humanity seems to be losing its mind. He references the normative models of rationality from cognitive psychology and behavioral economics, which define rationality through benchmarks for how we ought to reason. These models include logic, probability, decision theory, game theory, and the analysis of correlation and causation.

Pinker discussed the role of politics in shaping people's beliefs about scientific issues. He explains that people's political orientations are a stronger predictor of their beliefs than their scientific literacy. For instance, conservative political beliefs are associated with climate change denial, and religious beliefs are associated with denial of human evolution. He refers to this phenomenon as "expressive rationality," where opinions serve as signals of loyalty to a social group or coalition. 

"We are Not Okay" - Five for Fighting joins Israel's Memorial Day / Independence Day Ceremony at Los Angeles' Temple Valley Beth Shalom

Video-screen collage shows David ben Gurion declaring Israeli Independence on May 14, '48
Approximately 1600 people, including over 700 children, gathered at the (Los Angeles, San Fernando) Valley Beth Shalom to commemorate the sequential holidays, Memorial Day for Israel's Fallen Soldiers / Victims of Terror, and then Israel's 76th Independence Day. The event, led by Rabbis Nolan Lebovitz and Ed Feinstein, was predominantly Jewish-American with a complement of Israeli-American ex-pats. Said Rabbi Lebovitz in his opening remarks, "We need to support one another in our time of grief and pain during Yom ha Zikaron (Memorial Day). And hold one another in our appreciation and joy during Yom ha Atzmaut (Independence Day)!"

With a speech from Israeli Consul General Yisrael Bachar, the program demonstrated a strong sense of solidarity and responsibility within the community to defend Zionism during these challenging times. Songwriter John ("Five for Fighting") Ondrasik performed two of his numbers and recounted highlights of his April trip to Israel where he performed in Hostage Square.
UCLA Emeritus Professor Judea Pearl expressed his feelings of belonging to the community and the importance of the relationship between Israeli and American Jews. He also discussed the support Israeli academics have received from their colleagues in American universities during times of crisis, specifically in response to calls for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS). Jewish professors in American universities have made an internal decision to provide special support and "affirmative action" to their Israeli colleagues, helping them defy these calls for BDS.

 

 

 



 

  

 


 

 

Rabbi Feinstein and Professor Pearl discuss the turnout and significance of a community event celebrating Israel's Independence Day in the Valley. Approximately 1600 people attended, including over 700 children, making it an impressive gathering for the community. The event was predominantly American Jews and Israelis, with a shift towards more Israeli attendees. Rabbi Feinstein emphasized the sense of solidarity and responsibility among the community to support Israel during challenging times. This was demonstrated through various celebrations, political actions, and open expressions of support. Professor Judea Pearl expressed his feelings of belonging to the community and the importance of the symbiotic relationship between Israeli and American Jews. Despite the changing climate in the United States, he believed that both communities should continue to support each other and protect their shared interests. 

 

Professor Pearl discusses the support Israeli academics have received from their colleagues in American universities during times of crisis, specifically in response to calls for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS). He mentions that Jewish professors in American universities have made an internal decision to provide special support and "affirmative action" to their Israeli colleagues, as some universities have succumbed to pressure and made agreements with protesters. The professors aim to help their Israeli colleagues defy these calls for BDS.


Holocaust Remembrance Ceremony strives for normalcy amidst maelstrom of anti-Zionist protests

Rabbi Steve Leder addresses ceremony for
Holocaust Memorial Day at Los Angeles
Holocaust Museum, Pan-Pacific Park
For Holocaust Memorial Day '24 (Hebrew: "Yom ha Shoah') the senior Rabbi of L.A.'s Wilshire Boulevard Temple, Rabbi Steve Leder and Beth Kean, CEO of the Holocaust Museum L.A, come together in a solemn atmosphere to reflect on the importance of faith, hope, and resilience in the face of adversity. This year marks 80-years since the Nazi invasion of Hungary.
 
Rabbi Leder shares his personal connection to the Holocaust, describing how it affected him and his family despite their having been American long before the Holocaust. He emphasizes the ongoing relevance of the Holocaust and the importance of taking a clear moral stance in the face of current threats against the Jewish community. Rabbi Leder also speaks about the power of faith, life, and goodness, drawing parallels from Jewish traditions and historical events. He encourages the Jewish community to come out of their suffering not empty-handed but to use the experience to build a more united and effective community. The event emphasizes the importance of peace and unity.

05:00 In this section, Rabbi Steve Leder of the Los Angeles Wilshire Blvd Temple reflects on the Holocaust and the current threats against the Jewish community. He recalls how Jews were suddenly and brutally murdered during the Holocaust, with 6 million unique lives lost. Leder also mentions recent attacks against Israel and expresses feelings of abandonment and frustration, questioning where allies are in times of need. He acknowledges the moral complexity of the situation and the importance of taking a clear moral stance, distinguishing between murder and necessary defense.

Riot-police guard remnant of pro-Israel families leaving rally at UCLA from IslamoMarxist mob's hostile taunting 28 April '24.



10:00 Rabbi Leder speaks about the pain and heartbreak caused by the ongoing conflict between Israel and terrorist groups. He emphasizes that innocent people are not victims of Israeli aggression but rather of the terrorists' disregard for life. Leder explains that there is power in a broken heart and uses a verse from Jeremiah to illustrate this concept. According to the rabbis, God places words upon our hearts because it is only when our hearts are broken that the words can enter. Leder reflects on the importance of unity and the need for each other during difficult times. He also shares a metaphor about the Torah commanding the eternal light in the temple to be fueled by the purest olive oil, which only gives forth its purest light when crushed. Leder encourages the Jewish community to come out of their suffering not empty-handed and to use the experience to build a more united and effective Jewish community.

15:00 Rabbi Leder speaks about the importance of faith, life, and goodness in the face of adversity. He emphasizes the need to embrace one's faith more fully during difficult times and highlights the Jewish belief in the power of goodness to overcome evil. Rabbi Leder also discusses the significance of celebrating life and the numerous Jewish holidays that commemorate joy and goodness. He shares a joke about Jewish pessimism and optimism and the belief in the power of goodness to prevail. The rabbi also mentions an obscure law in Jewish law that requires a blind person to bless the new moon, emphasizing the importance of affirming what is hidden and difficult to see.

20:00 Rabbi Steve Leder speaks about the importance of hope and peace in the face of adversity, drawing parallels from the 23rd Psalm and historical events such as the Jewish Nation rising after the Holocaust and potential peace with various Middle Eastern countries. He emphasizes that even in the darkest of times, there is always a source of light and that hate is not the end of hope but the beginning of a battle for deeper faith, clarity, and courage. The Rabbi encourages the audience to never allow their dreams and hope to be murdered and to emerge again into the light, emphasizing the importance of being morally clear, strong, and brave. 

25:00 In this final section, he leads the audience in the singing of Ose Shalom, the Hebrew prayer which means May He who brings peace in the heavens also bring it upon us and all the people of Israel. The atmosphere is one of solemnity and unity as they come together.

At N.R.B., center-right news editors react to Big-Tech's suppression, censorship of established publishers

For centuries, scribes and journalists have been tasked with the responsibility of seeking and sharing the truth. Today, however, finding solid journalism accurately reported by the news media is difficult. Considering this dilemma, who can the faith community turn to and trust to report the news?  Matthew Faraci, president of Inspire Buzz, moderated a lively panel discussion titled “Truth-Driven Journalism in an Era of Censorship.” 

Panel participants included Christopher Ruddy, CEO of Newsmax Media, Christopher Dolan, president and executive editor of the Washington Times, Joshua Philipp, senior investigative reporter for The Epoch Times and Phil Boyce, senior vice president for spoken word format at Salem Media Group. The well-attended forum addressed several current issues impacting media producers and consumers, tying them to historical events. Philipp, for example, referenced the 1967 riots in China which began as a minor labor dispute in the backdrop of the Cultural Revolution in the People’s Republic of China. The riots then escalated into a large-scale protest against British colonial rule involving Chinese Communist Party sympathizers against the British Hong Kong government. In Philipp’s analysis, this event is an example of government enforcement of political correctness and crackdown on those who fail to comply. 

Salem Media's Phil Boyce and The Washington Times' Chris Dolan remark on Google, Twitter, and other Big Tech suppression and censorship of legitimate journalism from mainstream, right-of-center perspectives.


Censorship has been around for ages. During the Diocletian Period—the last and most severe persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire–Bibles were targeted as part of a larger program intended to wipe out Christianity. Today, the rise in media censorship has industry leaders expressing concerns. “There is a war going on and journalists are being brutally attacked,” Ruddy said. He noted that social media is playing a big role in censorship: “We are being deranked, delisted and depressed on Google and on YouTube.” 

Recorded at National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Nashville




Ruddy went on to explain how rankings and listings attract viewers, and viewership determines the impact of a journalist’s efforts to get the news out. Others on the panel agreed that social media censorship is hindering the conservative voice in America and is driving journalists to find new ways to get their stories out to the public.

“It’s like a new religion,” Philipp said. “It’s socialism in the guise of political correctness.” “What people want is an accurate account,” Boyce added. Referring to a Daniel Webster quote, Boyce said: “It used to be all about truth. When we present truth, it has the ability to dispel lies.” Ruddy referred to a comment made by U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) as an example of the type of censorship journalists now face. “When we reported that Rand Paul said masks don’t work, Newsmax could not post videos on some social media sites for a week,” Ruddy noted.

 Dolan said his media outlet has traditionally been focused on freedom, faith, and family. “We provide information so our audience can make decisions based on what is going on in the world,” Dolan said, noting that his publication was initially created as a “conservative voice” in Washington, D.C. According to Dolan, “fact checkers” play a big role in what gets into publication and that can be detrimental. “Fact checkers want to tell us what to put in and if they don’t like what we put in, they censor it. That is happening more and more.” On a more positive note, Dolan added, “The truth always wins out.”

After a lengthy and lively discussion on censorship, social media, the challenges reporters face in getting and delivering the truth, Faraci asked each commentator to give the audience a takeaway based on what they hope to see in the future. Philipp responded by saying “If we fearlessly tell the truth people will remember that.” Boyce said journalists should continue seeking ways “to make this a better world.” Dolan pointed out that “common sense policies, organizations committed to truth and the evolution of conservative groups with more access to social media” give him hope—and Ruddy wrapped it up by saying “this conversation is what gives me hope.” Faraci concluded the session by calling the panelists his heroes and pointing to the “legacy and impact” they are leaving for future generations.

Educators who downplayed lessons of the antisemitism-rise of Nat'l Socialists get a taste of their own medicine

Nazi invaders' systematic round of Jewish Hungarians, 1944
Islamo-Marxists at UCLA replicate National Socialists' asenscion, vilifying Jewish faculty and student.

Mensch International Foundation executive, Stephen Geiger, led a commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the German Nazis' landing in Hungary, on March 19, 1944. The event also acknowledged Rabbi Marvin Hier for his significant impact on the Jewish community as Dean of YULA High Schools and the Simon Wiesenthal Center.
Hier's Mensch Award brought junior and senior high-school students to learn the lessons of history and today.

Mr. Geiger and the speakers shared personal stories about the Holocaust and expresses concerns over the rising anti-Semitism on college campuses, specifically at Univ. of California at Los Angeles (U.C.L.A.). 

Prof. Michael Berenbaum shared his experiences of receiving awards and introduced Rabbi Hier as the recipient of the Mensch Award.  The speakers addressed the anniversary of the start of the Holocaust in Hungary. Rabbinic leaders and Holocaust survivors share their experiences of tackling anti-Semitism at UCLA and the challenges faced by Jewish faculty and students on campuses.  The speakers express concern over the erasure of symbols related to Israel and the lack of security and apologies from universities in response to disruptions. The importance of community support in fighting against anti-Semitism is emphasized, using the story of Esther from the Purim tale as an analogy. Rabbi Hier is honored for his efforts in fighting against anti-Semitism, and the deputy consul general of Hungary in Los Angeles, Dr. Imola Szabo addressed the event with a mea culpa for her country's apathy (and complicity) in 1944, neglecting to protect her citizens from Nazi deportation and genocide.


On 80th anniversary of Nazi invasion that holocausted Hungary's Jews, educators honored L.A. Rabbi Marvin Hier with teach-in at Yeshiva Univ. High School near Simon Wiesenthal Center's Museum of Tolerance, all which he founded.

  • 00:00:00 Mr. Geiger pays tribute to the 80th anniversary of the German Nazis' landing in Hungary and shares a recording from a synagogue in Gyor, the town where his father was born and where his grandparents and two sisters were deported to. He expresses gratitude to the musicians, Raymond Domby and Thomas Mochari, for making the recording.

    Rabbi Arye Sufrin, YULA's Head of School, acknowledges Rabbi Marvin Hier for his significant impact on the Los Angeles Jewish community and beyond, and presents him with the Mensch Award. The speaker praises Rabbi Hier's influence on countless students and alumni and wishes him and his wife Malka, good health as they remember the 600,000 Hungarian Jews who were killed during the Holocaust.
  • Rebbitzen Malka and Rabbi Marvin Hier, Steven Geiger, and Dr. Imola Szabo, Hungarian Consulate's Deputy Consul General (Photo: Orly Halevy)

  • 00:05:00 Mr. Geiger screens a film produced by Jewish Hungarian film producer Andrew Solomon about actual incidents that occurred in Budapest during the winter of 1944. His wife's grandmother survived the war by hiding after having an inkling of the impending danger. He notes that the extermination of Jews in Hungary, as well as in Poland and France, was not advertised as part of the planned German invasion in 1944, but rather a surprise and sheer luck for all the few who survived. Mr. Geiger mentions that Hungary was not initially a part of the plan for the systematic extermination of Jews throughout Europe.

  • 00:10:00 Geiger plays a History Hustle documentary video discussing Hungary's involvement in with the Axis powers and the German invasion of Hungary in 1944.

    Holocaust historian, Rabbi Michael Berenbaum shares his experience of receiving a Silver Angel Award and introduces Rabbi Marvin Hier, who is being honored with the Mensch Award. Rabbi
    Berenbaum then shifts the focus to Jewish history and that menschlichkeit represents decency, integrity, authenticity, passion, and compassion. Rabbi Hier is praised for his leadership and impactful work, and his wife, Malka, is also acknowledged for her support.

  • 00:15:00 Holocaust survivor Marvin Hier shares a personal story about his brother-in-law, Merlin, during the Nazi period in Hungary. Merlin's mother was taken away, pleading for him to save her young children. Merlin, believing a doctor would never harm the children, approached one named Joseph Mengele, who immediately gassed them. Hier reflects on the idea that destiny sometimes calls upon the unexpected to do the right thing. He shares his own experience of taking his son to Israel as his moment to make a difference. Hier expresses shock over Jonathan Glazer's acceptance speech for his Holocaust film at the Academy Awards, where he failed to acknowledge the atrocities committed by the honored film's subject, Mengele.

  • 00:20:00  Marvin Hier, the recipient of the Mensch Award, expresses his strong disapproval of filmmaker Jonathan Glazer's statements accepting an Academy Award for directing "Zone of Interest" (which dramatizes the lives of Auschwitz Death Camp operators) selected as Best Foreign Language Film. Rabbi Hier condemns Mr. Glazer for exploiting his Holocaust familiarity to infer Israel's, instead of Hamas' inhumanity for the Gaza War.

    Rabbi Hier is dismayed by the lack of reaction from the audience and believes that Glazer missed an opportunity to use his platform to stand in solidarity with the Jews and condemn Hamas. Hier also recalls the devastating consequences of the world's failure to respond to the Holocaust and warns of the dangers of not taking action against peoples, like Islamists, who seek domination and destruction of Western civilizations. The Mensch Award ceremony concludes with Hier expressing gratitude to those in attendance and acknowledging the importance of fighting for freedom every day.


  • 00:25:00 UCLA Professor Emeritus Judea Pearl shares his experiences and concerns regarding the rising anti-Semitism on college campuses, specifically at UCLA where he has spent 55 years. He recounts an incident where a music instructor switched the analysis of Wonder Woman's music score due to the Israeli actor's nationality, making students uncomfortable. He describes this as part of a larger campaign to erase the presence of Israel and Zionism from academia, treating it as toxic and nuclear waste material. He calls it a concerted effort and a crusade, and expresses his concern for future college students who may face similar situations

Muslim-whistleblower, Nonie Darwish, reveals the actual cause of 'the new antisemitism' (which is NOT Zionism)

Ms. Nonie Darwish, a
Nonie Darwish exposes the Islamic aspect
of the bigotry from the Islamo-Black Axis
among the Democratic Party's Left-Wing

 

n Egyptian Gaza-raised ex-Muslim author and speaker,
attending the American Freedom Alliance's "The War on Men" in Los Angeles, discusses the deep-rooted anti-Semitism in Arab and Islamic culture.  She believes that that is the basis of the Arab-Israeli conflict. She asserts that this hatred is not just towards Jews of a particular skin color but is rooted in the religion itself.

Ms. Darwish also criticizes the censorship of criticism of Islam on platforms like YouTube due to the influence and power of wealthy Muslim countries. She shares her perspective on the region's focus on destroying Israel rather than improving its own society and expresses concern about the impact of lies on young people.

Nonie's father, an Egyptian Army General
was killed in their country's war with Israel.
She has since crusaded against Islamist
supremacist enmity towards minorities

Ms. Darwish argues that Hamas initiated the Arab-Israeli conflict and that the Western media propagates a false narrative vilifying Israel. She also criticizes President Obama for representing outdated Arab thinking and being influenced by his Muslim upbringing and potential communist connections.

Ms. Darwish urges Christians and Jews to speak out against their oppression and show support for their persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. She defends Israel's right to defend itself against its enemies and criticizes those who believe Israel should apologize for collateral damage caused during military conflicts.

Ms. Darwish also discusses the importance of faith and culture in the Middle East and the potential consequences of abandoning religious institutions. She distinguishes between Islam and Islamism and expresses concern about the ongoing conflict between good and evil and the need to fight against radical elements within Islam.

  

(The video can be enjoyed more quickly if selected at 1.25 speed under the cog icon)

00:00-05:00 Ms. Nonie Darwish, discusses the deep-rooted anti-Semitism in Arab and Islamic culture, which she believes is the basis of the Arab-Israeli conflict. She explains that this hatred is not just towards Jews of a particular skin color but is rooted in the religion itself. She asserts that Islam teaches bigotry and that Muhammad's wars against Jewish tribes in Medina are still being followed today. She emphasizes that this is not just a fringe belief but a mainstream one in Islam, which focuses more on its enemies than on its own teachings.

00:05:00 Ms. Darwish discusses the taboo surrounding criticism of Islam and the resulting censorship on platforms like YouTube. She explains that while religious debates between Christians and Jews were once allowed, any criticism of Islam is now forbidden due to the influence and power of wealthy Muslim countries.

She asserts that the Quran and Hadith contain anti-Jewish and anti-Christian verses promoting violence against non-Muslims.

She argues that Islam's focus on its enemies, rather than its followers, is unhealthy and hinders self-analysis and self-critique within the religion. Ms. Darwish, who grew up in Gaza, shares her perspective on the region's focus on destroying Israel rather than improving its own society.

Survivors of Palestinian massacre of Jews address Hanukah event - relocated amidst antisemitic demonstrations in L.A.


On the day after Thanksgiving, Los Angeles' The Grove mall was mobbed by rabid, anti-Zionist protesters calling to "Shut It Down." Chabad relocated its annual menorah lighting ceremony (with concert) to the field in front of the L.A. Holocaust Museum (which ironically has been used by anti-Semitic B.L.M. and anti-Israel IslamoMarxists for rallies which lead to marches, such as the one which shut down the streets surrounding the Farmers Market and The Grove). 

This year's concert included performances by Israeli singer/songwriter Idan Raichel and Zusha Music with rapper Kosha Dillz, as shown in the video playlist. But the casualties and hostages of the Islamist war against Israel changed the tone of the typical commemoration of Hanukah. The organizer, Chabad of The Village, was able to include remarks of a survivor of the Palestinian Massacre at the SuperNova Festival, Daniella Kahane and her husband. You can see them in video #8 on the playlist here. 

The event was held in front of the L.A. Holocaust Museum at Pan-Pacific Park on Monday evening 11 December '23.

Playlist:

  1. Idan Raichel performs for public Hanukah gathering in L.A. Monday 11 Dec.

  2. Idan curses at international officials' discriminating against Jewish hostages in Gaza

  3. Idan performing song for Hanukah / Hostages event (057)

  4. Guitarist's perspective of Idan Raichel's finale

  5. Jews vibe for freeing hostages on the field that Marxists launched anti-Jewish protests on.

  6. Councilwoman Kay Yaroslavsky delivers address to audience.

  7. Actor, Ben Savage ("Boy Meets World," (Girl Meets World") speech.

  8. SuperNova Festival survivor, Daniella Kahane and her husband. Hamas murdered her father and cousins

  9. Chabad rabbi speaks:

  10. Menorah Lighting, brachot recital, and Ma'oz Tsur sung by Shlomo of chassidic, folk-band, Zusha.

  11. Zusha plays with rap-artist Kosha Dillz "This World is a Narrow Bridge" "Whomever Believes is Not Afraid"

  12. Zusha guitarist, Zach Goldschmiedt, interviewed on the playing field of L.A. Holocaust Museum

  13. Zusha's front-man Shlomo Gaisin interviewed on shows of Jewish identity in an antisemitic climate;

  14. Teens celebrate love of Zion - sing "Am Yisrael Chai!"

The annual, Mensch Awards ceremony at Temple of the Arts strives to restore normalcy to Jewish-Americans in turmoil

Shabbat prayers by Rabbi David Baron, Cantors Ilysia Pierce,
and Nathan Lam at Temple of the Arts

Amidst the apprehensiveness cast by Hamas' abductions in Israel during its 6th week, Steven Geiger's Mensch Foundation Awards kept-up its annual Mensch Awards ceremony November 17th at the Temple of the Arts in Beverly Hills.

The dinner and ceremony following the erev-Shabbat service at the temple provided a needed lift to a community horrified at the casualties and abductions from the Palestinian invasion of Israel. 

Les Miserables' "Bring Him Home" - sung as an ode to Israeli liberators of Palestinian-abducted Jewish and Christian hostages- performed by members of the Temple of the Arts Choir.

 

The event attendees are (as are most Jews in the diaspora) also stunned by the hostile nature of the Leftist, Muslim, and people-of-Color anti-Israel protests in cities around the globe with Muslim or considerable Jewish populations.

The mostly Muslim & left-wing atheist, Jewish Voice for Peace block Hollywood Blvd to incite public frustration against Israel's mission to free its families abducted by jihadists

The dinner and ceremony following the erev-Shabbat service at the temple also provided a needed lift to Jewish people also stunned by the revelation of (what liberal people expected to be anti-Israel protests in cities around the globe) being in many cases Islamo-Leftist mobs incited to violence by Marxist-propagandized blood libels against Jewish people and places in general!

L.A. Jewish counter-demonstrator Paul Kessler, 69 and
Muslim anti-Israelist, Loay alNaji, 50, accused in his killing

Los Angeles area Jews were especially disconcerted by the death of a local, Israel-rally'er Paul Kessler, 69, at the hand of a Muslim anti-Zionist teacher, Loay al-Naji just 11-days prior. Mr. Kessler, an ardent Democrat, relocated to Los Angeles from Scranton, Pennsylvania, also the home state of former Temple president, James Blatt, being honored at this ceremony.

Mensch Int'l Foundation director Steven Geiger also honored Temple Cantors Ilysia Pierce and Nathan Lam and musical director Sharon Farber.


Video playlist below (advance via arrows on lower-left of raster) includes: 

Mensch Int'l Foundation director Steven Geiger acknowledges ceremony attendee, Shoah survivor Reneé Firestone, 99; Presents award to Temple's female Cantor Ilysia Pierce;

Award presentation to Sharon Farber, Temple's musical director, composer and arranger for Jewish and Israeli community events; Esteemed L.A. Cantor Nathan Lam.

Rabbi David Baron and friend, Richard Stellar, praise and introduce recipient, James Blatt, Esq., longtime Temple Board member and president; 

 
Video playlist below (advance via arrows on lower-left of raster) includes:

Ode to Israeli liberators of Palestinian-held hostages "Bring Him Home" from Les Miserables;

Interviews with honorees
about receiving Mensch Awards:
 
Cantor Ilysia Pierce about the satisfaction of performing liturgical, compared to secular, music;
 
Sharon Farber, musical director, on her efforts for the Temple and community; 

James Blatt, Esq, Jewish War Veteran & 10-year president of the Temple on how he has seen its congregation and facility improve.

 
Rabbi David Baron chided Jewish communal agency (and rabbinical) leaders with a responsibility to reduce antisemitism - who diverted from addressing Muslim antisemitism in order to signal their virtue (and perhaps increase business) opposing Islamophobia and pariah-fying dissenting from the Leftist agenda.
 
 

Holocaust survivor Reneé Firestone, 99, on coping with Jew-hatred yesterday, today, and tomorrow 

 

Ceremony luminaries: Former Temple Pres. James Blatt, Rabbi David Baron, Cantor Ilysia Pierce,
Musical Director Sharon Farber, Cantor Nathan Lam, Mensch Fndn chief Steven Geiger.
(Photo courtesy: Orly Halevy)