Shminitism (meaning twelth graders) are a group of 19 and 20 year old Israelis who served time in Israeli military jails because of their refusal to serve in the Israeli Defence Force. They are currently in South Africa having been brought here by Open Shuhada Street, the group that Doron Isaacs helped to establish.
Over the past two days I have seen four articles in the local press screaming that they have been barred from speaking at the Jewish Day schools in South Africa. Various speakers often make requests to adress schools and the schools often turn them down, but obviously in this scenario the decision to turn the Shminitism speakers down will be leveraged as a fat political cow ready to be milked. The group will in the end have more coverage. That is no fault of the school, just an implication of the way Jewish communal politics meshes with media coverage. At least one of the two articles in the Cape Times quotes the Herzlia principle along with David Saks.
Herzlia principle Geoff Cohen said that although the school would defend freedom of speech, it reserved the right to vet those wanting to address learners at the school. A perfectly acceptable position.
David Saks, associate director of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies also weighed in on the spurious comparison between the Shminitism campaign and conscription in apartheid South Africa, explaining that "conscription in apartheid South Africa perpetuated an unjust system whereas in Israel it is protecting the country against external threats."
Why is everyone in the Jewish community so scared of the shministim?
If the group wishes to speak at Jewish high school make it a debate between the Shministim and SA Jewish volunteers who served in the IDF. With a bit of effort, I’m sure the Board could find 1 or 2 rather articulate fellows who would have a field day challenging these shministim directly.
How about starting with a statement like:
Shministim are bunch of lazy, attention seeking, high-school drop outs who get an all expenses paid trip around the world to demonize their own friends, who right now risk their lives to defend the shministim’s right to freedom and expression.
Posted by: Shaun | October 07, 2009 at 09:44
The problem with that is the same with all public forum debates with thses people - they lie, we have no answer other than "thats not true" and then it looks like they have won the debate.
What is one supposed to answer when one of these brats says "i refused to serve because I the IDF violently oppresses the Plastinian civilian population and I refuse to be part of it".
The only answer is "non they don't". But sounds a little lame
Posted by: RF2 | October 07, 2009 at 14:35
Maybe you will see a connection here:
What's Become of the Jewish-Zionist Press?
Boston's venerable Jewish Advocate again. Who's editing this thing now? Who's writing? A second page story about the two Israeli traitors who are touring the country making a living on undermining Israeli democracy abroad: ...
Posted by: Cynic | October 07, 2009 at 14:43
They can be beaten and it must be stopped!
In the words of Lisa Simpson: “Hit them in the Judaic”
This is not a debate about Israel. Call them out on their personal stance; it is especially important with a South African crowd.
Friday night after Yom Kippur, a great many SA Jews would have been in, or at least outside of a shul. These Shministim chose to spend it with bunch of anti-Israel antagonists.
They bring up human rights, ask them how they feel about their group being funded by Hugo Chaves (see his cozy links to CODEPINK)
They try and use the racism line, hit them with the fact that Jews are barred from building new homes in Hebron, or from praying on the temple mount.
Obviously they don’t agree with Israel, they are practically Hebrew speaking gentiles!
They don’t recognize the legitimacy of A Jewish state, and if they do they seem to be going to a lot of effort to cause the state great harm.
Meaning that they have already taken the stance of the Palestinians.
And then call them what they are!
Posted by: Shaun | October 07, 2009 at 16:43
They can be beaten and it must be stopped!
In the words of Lisa Simpson: “Hit them in the Judaic”
This is not a debate about Israel. Call them out on their personal stance; it is especially important with a South African crowd.
Friday night after Yom Kippur, a great many SA Jews would have been in, or at least outside of a shul. These Shministim chose to spend it with bunch of anti-Israel antagonists.
They bring up human rights, ask them how they feel about their group being funded by Hugo Chaves (see his cozy links to CODEPINK)
They try and use the racism line, hit them with the fact that Jews are barred from building new homes in Hebron, or from praying on the temple mount.
Obviously they don’t agree with Israel, they are practically Hebrew speaking gentiles!
They don’t recognize the legitimacy of A Jewish state, and if they do they seem to be going to a lot of effort to cause the state great harm.
Meaning that they have already taken the stance of the Palestinians.
And then call them what they are!
Posted by: Shaun | October 07, 2009 at 16:44
Two points:
1. South African Jewish schools should have, without a doubt, opened the issue up to a debate. If the schools believe that their ideology of Zionism is right, then they should have no problem having it challenged and affirmed. If they are afriad, turn it into a debate, and bring in knowledgable people to speak in opposition to the Shministim. But never, never cut off dialogue.
2. I saw this group speak a few days ago in New York. They are not to be taken seriously. When told that the Israeli army is (one of) the most ethical armies in the world, the speaker replied that she did not like to campare the morality of armies. She also spoke at great length about the patriarchal nature of the Israeli military, despite the fact that women are probably more powerful in it than in any other national military. And the point: I commented that her complaints seemed not to be directed at Israel in particular, but at militaries in general. The speaker replied that, yes, she would prefer it if militaries did not exist at all. When asked about Zionism and if Israel could exist without a military, she said that she did not care much for the idea of a Jewish state. WHen asked a out a two-state solution, the speaker replied that she would prefer it if there were NO STATES! Ultimately, she was eitehr a naive pacifist or an ultra-leftist anarchist. In either case, her views could not be taken seriously, and needed to be understood in terms of her broader ideologies. Of course an anarchist would not participate in the military. Does she hav a point.
Which brings me to the first point: She gave South Africa's Jewish schools a prime opportunity to show up an anti-Israel activist, and the Jewish schools gave it up for lack of courage. Those cowards!
Posted by: Daniel | October 08, 2009 at 03:32
In response to Shaun, SAUJS Political Officer will be debating one of the Shministim on 'You be the Judge' this Sunday on etv.
Posted by: david Saks | October 08, 2009 at 14:47
i do hope said suajs political officer knows his/he stuff
Posted by: RF2 | October 08, 2009 at 16:32
I second that
Posted by: Daniel | October 08, 2009 at 17:45
They cried when confronted, apparently...
http://propagandalalaland.blogspot.com/2009/09/here-we-go-again.html
Posted by: Solomon | October 08, 2009 at 21:09
Shaun,
Who is funded by Chavez?
Posted by: Steve | October 09, 2009 at 07:14
CODEPINK are rather proud of their support for the Shministim,
See the following links to who else they support, and where they get their money:
http://www.codepink4peace.org/article.php?id=117
http://www.codepinkalert.org/article.php?id=764
You could also find a number of links to their “Peace” delegation to… wait for it...IRAN…
Funny how all these groups are related…
Like Goldstein and all the rest, apparently “Human Rights” is a matter of opinion not a real ideology…
Posted by: Shaun | October 09, 2009 at 09:12
Thanks Shaun
Posted by: Steve | October 09, 2009 at 11:46
In my last post I meant to write Goldstone, not Goldstein.
Looking forward to the Debate on Sunday.
Will it be after Yom tov, can’t find anything on the etv website?
Any word on what kind of back round the SAUJS politco has and what we can look forward to?
Seem like these poor children have been having a rough time in SA. Agh shame, they started to cry when their worldview was challenged. Perhaps the shministim should be grateful that they didn’t speak at the Schools.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1119847.html
Seriously disappointing coverage in the SA Jewish report.
Posted by: Shaun | October 09, 2009 at 12:50
I dont believe the SA Jewish Report coverage was bad. Perhaps Shaun you think it was bad because it did not slam the Shministim hard enough.
I dont agree that draft-dodging is going to end the occupation, which I believe needs to end and is in Israel's interets. Furthemore, we always love to tell of the freedom, and democracy in Israel, what better example of freedom of expression and an open society than the Shministim, who though are on the fringes are allowed to voice their opinion in Midinat Yisrael.
While I don't agree with them, I don't seriously believe they pose a threat, are dangerous and how can anyone suggest these 19 and 20 year old are evil? The IDF's military might will not be damaged because of their week long tour to SA. Surely not. Whats more they are Israeli citizens and are entitled to travel, and voice their opinions.
The problem that people may have with freedom of expression, speech and association is that you may have to listen or see other people opinions or views that you do not like.
The disgusting militant display by the fringe right wing of the Cape Town community at the Albow Centre this week was not something to be proud of. Invading people spaces, and slinging hate speech to their faces and threatening them, certainly won't change their minds.
Shabbat Shalom
Posted by: Yaakov | October 09, 2009 at 21:26