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December 12, 2008
“Now We Are All Lubavitch”
The other day, Seraphic Secret received a note from Chabad Headquarters in Crown Heights, N.Y. expressing appreciation for our coverage of the pogrom on the Jews of India. Chabad also thanked us for our “unabashed love for Klal Yisroel [World Jewry] and your clearheaded insight into matters of Israel’s well being and security.”
Chabad informed us that they have been working round the clock on a memorial tribute to Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, 29 and his pregnant wife Rivka Holtzberg, 28, along with 38-year-old Leibish Teitelbaum, 50-year-old Norma Shvarzblat Rabinovich, Yocheved Orpaz, 60, and Bentzion Chroman, 28, all martyred in the Mumbai pogrom, May Their Blood be Avenged.
The tribute is deeply moving and for those who have never heard the message of the Lubavitcher Rebbe ZT'L, this video will be a revelation. The Rebbe speaks eloquently and articulately of the Jewish imperative for sh'lichut, outreach and charity, in every corner of the world, no matter the personal sacrifice.
Part I
Part II
The mainstream media is determined to spin a false Mumbai narrative: that the Muslim terrorists killed without regard to ethnicity or religion. This is true—up to a point. But the chilling fact is that the Islamo Nazis diverted a full 20% of their manpower to select, torture and murder the Jews of Mumbai.
The mainstream media are unwilling to admit that Islamic terrorists, in fact, the entire islamic world is a sewer of Jew-hatred. The media, including Hollywood, prefer a false narrative of national liberation movements whose grievances and roots we must understand, i.e. poverty, lack of education, lack of jobs, yadda, yadda. It's a tediously pat narrative that feeds left-wing delusions of romantic third world revolutionaries. But it's a bit like claiming that the Crips and the Bloods are selfless neighborhood Robin Hoods.
The liberal media do not comprehend that in the Islamic world Jew-hatred masquerades under the guise of so-called national-religious liberation movements. Divisions of land, international treaties, billions in foreign aid, and noble speeches from gullible western politicians cannot and will not solve the genocidal Jew-hatred that is the bedrock of Islamic terrorism. More precisely, Westerners cannot solve this fundamental and ancient bigotry. Only the Muslim world can fix what is so terribly broken in their religion, their tribes, and their societies.
The world must choose between Jew-haters and Jews.
And the world should be acutely aware that once Jews become politically acceptable targets of hatred and murder, well then everyone becomes fair game, for Jews are the canary in the coal mine of civilization.
Neither Karen nor I are Lubavitch Hasidim, but as Seraphic Secret has been saying since the Mumbai pogrom: “Now, we are all Lubavitch.” This goes for Jew and non-Jew alike, those who recognize that fighting the evil of transnational Islamic terrorism is the civilized world's highest priority.
Ma'ayan Ariel say: “Gee willikers, I'm only eight-months old and they already have me editing and contributing to Seraphic Secret. I can't wait to start yeshiva, which has to be easier than this. Anyhoo, my Saba and Savta, grandfather and grandmother, along with Offspring #2, my Ima, mommy, and the wonderful son-in-law, that's Abba, my daddy, and Offspring #3, my doting aunt, wish all our friends and relatives a lovely and meaningful Shabbat.”
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at December 12, 2008 05:49 AM
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.
Yes. Absolutely, yes.
Posted by: Dr.Carol at December 12, 2008 07:00 AM
Indeed! You have a wonderful blog and do a marvelous service worthy of the recognition. From a consumer - thank you. Gut Shabbes.
Posted by: Kae Gregory at December 12, 2008 11:21 AM
Robert,
You and Karen got out of town in time to escape the cold front that is coming in. I understand that this weekend may actually require wearing a jacket. ;)
Have a good Shabbos.
Posted by: Jack at December 12, 2008 12:04 PM
I discovered your excellent website only recently. When I checked it this evening, I was surprised when you used the canary in the mine analogy. You see, when we were youngsters, I distinctly remember my father telling me two things about Judaism - one, that Judaism is like the spiritual grandfather to our Catholic faith (which was meaningful to us because we never met our grandparents), and two, that growing eveil in a society can be discovered in the manner in which it treats its Jewish community. In his words, like the canary in the mine! So, your words today brought back an echo of a long-since departed father, may he rest in peace.
I had to grow up and gain entry (briefly) to a white-shoe law firm in Manhattan (this was 1980) before I heard my first display of anti-Semmitism. And to think for a time I was ashamed of my parents because they were uneducated immigrants from Ireland. Shame on me for not recognizing true value.
Thank you for your wonderful work. The world is turning scarier by the year and that old beast is back in another mutation. Keep sounding the alarm.
Posted by: M.P. Ryan at December 12, 2008 06:49 PM
p.s. sorry for the typos
Posted by: M.P. Ryan at December 12, 2008 06:52 PM
I can't even express how personally indebted I am to the Rebbe and the schluchim he sent to Long Beach. Without them, I would be living a largely secular life, I would know very little about Judaism and Torah, and I would have missed out on the opportunity to do mitzvot that are now a normal part of my everyday life. Knowing how much I appreciate what has been done for me here in Southern California, I can only imagine how deeply and sorely missed Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg are.
Posted by: Fern at December 13, 2008 09:27 PM
Dr. Carol:
Always good to hear from you.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.seraphicpress.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at December 14, 2008 05:23 AM
Kae:
We are always glad to hear that Seraphic Secret is doing its job. Thanks so much.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at December 14, 2008 05:25 AM
Jack:
It is bone chilling, ear-numbing cold here in Teaneck. Give me LA cold any day.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at December 14, 2008 05:27 AM
MP Ryan:
Thanks so much for yout powerful and articulate comment. Your grandfather was a wise man. If you look at history and jusge how Jews are treated in various societies, it never fails to indicate the measure of justice and righteousness that animates the host country. Every Arab country in the 20th century oppressed and then expelled its Jewish citizens. Now the Arab world is backward, and ruled by totalitarian savages.
America, who has treated the Jewish people better than any country in history, is a shining light of freedom and, in spite of the current economic troubles, the most prosperous nation on earth.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at December 14, 2008 05:36 AM
Fern:
We know many people who have expressed the same feelings as you. Chabad shiluchim, emissaries, have had an enormous impact on world Jewry.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at December 14, 2008 05:39 AM
I love this article. We are all Chabad. But most of all we are all Jews. Frum, not as Frum, Sephardi, Chasidim, Men , women, Jews who forgot they were Jewish, Ashkenazim, Persian, etc etc etc. Just one thing JEWS and we all felt it in our Jewish souls when this attack happened.
Posted by: sheva at December 14, 2008 07:57 AM
Sheva:
Thanks so much. Appreciate your enthusiasm.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at December 15, 2008 11:09 AM
"Now, we are all Lubavitch,"
Without saying it like that, the memorial tribute I attended in SF made it plain as day, embodied it.
Posted by: Jeremiah at December 15, 2008 01:42 PM
Jeremiah:
So glad that there was a memorial in SF. That's change.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at December 15, 2008 02:25 PM