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March 08, 2006
Learning Patience IV
For our final look at Alistair Horne's Savage War of Peace, an encyclopediac study of The Battle of Algiers, we turn our gaze upon the Jews of Algeria for they were truly stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place.
The Jews in Algeria comprised about one fifth of the non Muslim population. Tragically, they were trapped between the European colonists and the native Muslim people.
Many Jews could trace their ancestry back to the expulsions from 16th century Spain; some even claimed to pre-date the invaders who surged out of the Arabian peninsula in the 11th Century. No matter the exact dates, the Jews of Algeria were an old and established community with deep roots and an abiding love of the land.
By the 1830's the Jews of Algeria had become an underprivileged community, fallen into poverty, and it was with the advent of the French colonists that their opportunity arose to improve their status. By the 1870's more prosperous Jews from outside Algeria began to arrive and the quality of the lives of the native Algerian Jews improved considerably.
In the Second World War, Petain's antisemitic regime repealed decrees of Jewish Rights, The Cremieux Decrees, and Jewish teachers and school children were expelled from all European schools in Algeria.
The whole community was threatened with mass deporation to Nazi death camps--which thank G-d, never took place.
By the 1950's the Algerian Jews were tugged in several directions. The poorest tended to identify with the Muslims rather than the French colonials, and many were members of the Communist Party. The wealthiest Jews identified strongly with the Parisian life style and scorned the local Muslims.
By 1954 a majority of the Jewish intellectuals and professionals sided with the Algerian insurgents. In August 1956 a group of Constantine Jews wrote a public letter declaring that:
"One of the most pernicious manoeuvers of colonialism in Algeria was, and remains, the division between Jews and Muslims... the Jew has been in Algeria foe over 2,000 years; they are thus an integral part of the Algerian people."
Frantz Fanon wrote: "The Jews were to provide invaluable services as the eyes and ears of the revolution, often acting as double agents against the French."
This was not enough for the FLN. By 1960, they tightened the screws on the Jewish population, demanding that the Jews en masse, declare itself publicly for the FLN.
By now, the Jews were "uncommitted." There was never such a thing as a united front among the Jews of Algeria. Besides, there had been too much indiscriminate terror, too much throat slitting, too much rape; the Jews were not fools, they knew that such revolutions eat their young.
The Jews of Algeria found themselves subjected to the cruel logic of terrorism. Typical was this letter to a Jewish shopkeeper:
"Sir, if on Wednesday you do not hand us a sum of two million francs, your daughter will be abducted and will serve as a mattress for the army of liberation... If you do not follow our instructions, your shop will be blown up and we shall have your skins, yours and your wife's."
In the spring of 1960, a terrorist grenade was tossed in the Jewish ghetto. In March the following year Jacob Chekroun, the Rabbi of Medea was murdered on the steps of his synagogue. The following month an FLN boycott was imposed on Jewish shops.
Whole families were riven by conflicting loyalties. The Levy family of Algiers is a particularly poignant and tragic tale. The father would be assasinated by the French as an FLN sympathiser while his son was murdered by the FLN on suspicion of being a French agent.
The end of the Algerian Jewish community finally came with France's withdrawal from Algeria and her independence in 1962. And as always, when the day of reckoning came, all the Jews were lumped together into the same boat--a boat that would sail away from Algeria, never to return.
Over 100,000 Algerian Jews, most of them poor, backward, and disease ridden, fled their homes, and poured into metropolitan France.
But in a sense they were more fortunate than the other loyal Muslims who fought for France and who were now abandoned to their fate to be massacred in the thousands by the vengeful FLN.
The Jews of Algeria were the historic canary in the mine. To judge the decency of any society, look at how the Jews are treated. The French treated the Jews wretchedly and so did the Muslims.
Now, the children and grandchildren of these Algerian Jews are once again witness to their homeland being devoured by Muslim terrorists. The French will do nothing; they know not what to defend for they believe in nothing.
In ten years, I guarantee, the last of the Algerian Jewish community will be forced to leave the shores of France -- for Israel, America and Canada.
Thus will end The Battle of Algiers--for the Jews.
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at March 8, 2006 12:40 PM
Comments
Seraphic Secret is private property, that's right, it's an extension of our home, and as such, Karen and I have instituted two Seraphic Rules and we ask commentors to act respectfully.
1. No profanity.2. No Israel bashing. We debate, we discuss, we are respectful. You know what Israel bashing is. The world is full of it. Seraphic Secret is one of the few places in the world that will not tolerate this form of anti-Semitism. That's it. Break either of these rules and you will be banned.
I fear you are right about the Algerian Jews in France; indeed, all Jews there.
I believe the torture and murder of Ilan Halimi, which shook me to the core, is a watershed event in that country. If I were a Jew living in France, I would seriously consider getting out of there. It's unfortunate that the lessons of history are often lost.
Posted by: Tamara at March 8, 2006 03:27 PM
Tamara:
Ilan Halimi's murder was indeed a watershed event--though by no means the first of its kind. The Jews of France understand that their situation is untenable. The problem: when to leave and to which country? It's not so simple for a solid middle class community to just get up and leave their homes and livelihoods. But French Jews must leave France or they will face massive pogroms by the Jihadists in the next few years. And the French, as always, will sit in their coffee shops and gobble croissant.
Posted by: Robert Avrech at March 8, 2006 03:39 PM
Completely sobering.
Posted by: Jeremiah at March 8, 2006 03:53 PM
Jeremiah:
As is all of Jewish history.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at March 8, 2006 03:55 PM
CAPT. RENAULT (of "Casablanca")
"I'm shocked! Shocked! to hear that there's antisemitism in Algeria!"
Posted by: Jeremiah at March 8, 2006 04:03 PM
Jeremiah:
Exactly.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at March 8, 2006 04:14 PM
Robert,
It is most unfortunate, but so true, that Jews are the canaries... I'm sure you, me and other posters can name event after event that signaled that it was time to run before ultimate disaster strikes.
The situation in France, as well as the whole of Europe, is building to an eventual climax. When that happens.....no one can predict, but Europe must realize that the Islamo-fascist menace will strike. As Robert has shown, they no how to wait...and wait....until the timing is right.
The question then will be ....will Europe then act....or just make the same old excuses...and continue to turn a blind eye.
Posted by: Lance at March 8, 2006 05:24 PM
Lance:
I would have thought that the "cartoon wars" would serve to wake Europe from its delusional slumber, but I fear that has not happened.
I have no hope for Europe. None. They are awash in useful idiots.
America and Israel will have to go it alone.
Posted by: Robert Avrech at March 8, 2006 05:33 PM
Robert,
Actually, the "cartoon wars" serve as an example to my point.
Here, the Islamo-fascists decided it was a good time to strike, crying religious bigotry, and instead of Europe standing up for itself....it cowered and capitulated.
I'm sure the Islamo-fascists were jumping with joy to see Europe react this way. I think these "protests" were only dry runs for what is to come....
Posted by: Lance at March 8, 2006 05:55 PM
Lance:
Considering that the cartoons were published in an Eyptian newspaper back in October and not a peep was heard from the Muslim world--I'd say you're absolutely right. This was carefully orchestrated. How else do you account for all those Danish flags popping up in Gaza all of a sudden.
These "protests" were just intimidation pure and simple. Again, a typical tactic from the terrorist playbook to see how far they can push the envelope of public discourse. And of course, the chattering classes capitulated immediately. By not printing the cartoons the American Media signaled their cowardice and inability to confront true evil.
Posted by: Robert Avrech at March 8, 2006 06:03 PM
Thank you for this series on Algeria - it has been very interesting and enlightening, and I've added the book to my list of books to read.
By the way - I've seen the "cartoon wars" referred to as the "cartoonifadah" elsewhere in the blogsphere. Actually seems appropriate...
Posted by: wanderer at March 8, 2006 09:12 PM
Wanderer:
Glad you enjoyed the series. Cartoonifadah, perfect. Thanks so much.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at March 8, 2006 10:00 PM
"Kartoonnacht"
Posted by: Jeremiah at March 8, 2006 10:33 PM
Scary, Jeremiah, just plain scary:)
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at March 8, 2006 10:38 PM
Most of Europe didn't adequately defend itself against the Nazis. Then, the U.S. did all the work defending them against the U.S.S.R. How long has it been since Europe has acted like an adult and faced its military challenges? I'd like to write it all off to their lack of any belief system, but you know, I think they're just lazy. So lazy that they don't even realize, (and this is true for our friends in Canada too), that the fact that the U.S. is paying their defense bills is precisely the reason that they have free healthcare and great drug benefits. Let's see their governments pay for that and a 500 billion dollar annual defense bill at the same time. And you know, I'm afraid we're sliding toward the same kind of laziness here in the U.S. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are not being fought by enough of a cross-section of our country, and that worries me just as much as the talk about retreating from Iraq angers and frightens many others. Liberty takes work and sacrifice. I wonder how many Americans will continue to oppose the Dubai port deal when they find out blocking it will probably raise prices at the grocery store. I hope we stand fast... because paying 50 cents more for lettuce or a dollar more for gas is a small price to pay for preserving civilization.
Posted by: Jake at March 9, 2006 05:52 AM
Jake, you have touched on the core of the problem. AMericans have become very lazy. It is too cold for them to turn off the engine while they go into the Dunkin Donuts. Gas be dammed, environment be dammed. Plastic bags throw them out, G-d forbid, use it again. G-d forbid, bring your own cloth bag.
I would love to see gas cost $5 a gallon. Then we would see some sense + normalcy come back.
Posted by: Jobber at March 9, 2006 06:53 AM
Posted by: Carol at March 9, 2006 09:48 AM
Robert & readers,
Sorry I didn't mean to post the above without a comment. Not used to doing this as I'm a lurker.
I linked to the above and thought you and your readers would find it worth while reading.
Carol
Posted by: Carol at March 9, 2006 09:51 AM
Carol:
Thanks so much for following up. Always glad to welcome delurkers.
The link above concerns arson at an organization that battles Holocaust deniers.
Posted by: Robert Avrech at March 9, 2006 10:22 AM
Thank you, Carol. People need to be made aware of this. I'm bookmarking THHP right now and tipping Michelle Malkin to it.
In my hand is a 30-page pamphlet, "Zionism's Master Plan for World Power," published by the Christian Nationalist Crusade in Los Angeles, possibly in the late 60s (undated, it mentions the 1967 war). It's got an ink stamp on it from a sympathetic organization in Grand Prairie, Texas. Found it at a used bookstore in Alameda, CA. Yep: Know thine enemy.
Posted by: Jeremiah at March 9, 2006 10:49 AM
Good series. I agree that America has grown complacent. It is easy to ignore wars that are not being fought in your backyard, especially when you don't understand the mindset of those fighting.
And that I think is one of the key problems. Too many people try and view this war through Western eyes. It is ever so important to try and understand how Osama and company think. It is a chess game and if we don't study our adversaries we will pay dearly because you know that they are studying us.
Posted by: Jack at March 9, 2006 01:47 PM
Jack:
Great points.
They are studying us ever so carefully, finding weaknesses, and attacking the soft centers at every opportunity.
And what are our chattering classes doing?
Trying to understand why they hate us? Blaming it all on a "post colonial mind-set."
These are nothing but modern day Stalinists.
Not only are they a disgrace, but they are a danger to the Republic.
Posted by: Robert Avrech at March 9, 2006 02:34 PM
To me it seems simple (and, yes, I'm a liberal, and no, I do not claim to be politically sophisticated)...these people do not work or think the same way, do not value life the same way, and therefore cannot be dealt with the same way. It doesn't matter why terrorists hate us...they do... and we better deal with that fact.
Posted by: Randi(cruisin-mom) at March 9, 2006 03:04 PM
Hi Randi (funny, these blog introductions...):
What you wrote reminds me of something.
During the last presidential campaign, as a Democratic meeting was getting underway, a very nice Jewish lady and I were chatting. "Golda Meir once said," she said, looking up from her knitting, "'When the Arabs learn to love their children more than they hate the Jews, then there'll be peace in the Middle East.'"
I don't think she missed a stitch while she was looking at me, either.
Posted by: Jeremiah at March 9, 2006 03:41 PM
Hi Jeremiah..nice to meet you. If you stay around Seraphic Secret long enough, I will bring you coffee and babka (coffee-cake).
Yes, I've heard that before, and it's a very good point. (and I love that she didn't miss a stitch!)
I enjoy your comments here.
Posted by: Randi(cruisin-mom) at March 9, 2006 03:49 PM
Sweet. Is Langer's still around in downtown LA?
Posted by: Jeremiah at March 9, 2006 04:08 PM
Jeremiah, I think so...let's get Jack in on this one...he knows all the "eats" in L.A.
Posted by: Randi(cruisin-mom) at March 9, 2006 04:16 PM
Randi: I love LA (but that may because I visit only once in a while) :)
Anybody happen to remember a kosher restaurant way down on the west side of Manhattan, below Chelsea or in the Village, called "The Cauldron"? Or a Chinese restaurant on Columbus, way up in the 70s, called Cherry Restaurant?
Posted by: Jeremiah at March 9, 2006 04:41 PM
Langers is still around.
Posted by: Jack at March 10, 2006 10:37 AM
See, I knew we could count on Jack!
Posted by: Randi(cruisin-mom) at March 10, 2006 11:27 AM