JEWISH SECURITY

Jewish people are paranoid about their security, no matter where they live. Justifiably so! Since the beginning of recorded history the Hebrews and then the Jews have been expelled from the Middle East twice, from Spain and Portugal, discriminated against throughout Europe, and in Russia suffered pogroms, where they were killed as well as being forced to live in only certain parts of the country. In Germany they were well established as citizens before suffering the evils of the holocaust. The Germans inflicted these horrors on the Jews in the European countries that they conquered. This is only a modest history of the problems of being Jewish. It is only in the 19th and 20th century that Jews have felt reasonably secure in North America

Jews came to the United States to flee the suffering in Europe. When they first arrived they faced a great deal more anti-Semitism than at present, but not to be compared to what they faced in Europe. Anti-Semitism still exists in North America in the guise of Anti-Zionism. For many years after the 2nd World War, and because of the holocaust, it became unfashionable to be blatantly anti-Semitic. Not so to-day! Israel has become the Jew of the world’s nations. What other nations can do is unacceptable for Israel

I have a problem! I am a very loyal Canadian Jew. There is no conflict with loyalty to Israel. There are Israeli Jews, Israeli Moslems, Israeli Christians, and Israeli Hindus. For me the term Israeli refers to a nationality. I feel entirely comfortable in Canada. Recently I met a former Canadian born Jew who made aliyah (an emigrant to Israel). We argued about the treatment of non-Jews in Israel. I am very unhappy about this situation. This person, whom I respect, answered security is the priority for the Israeli government. Eventually there would be blatant anti-Semitism in Canada. It was only a matter of time.

I have confidence this will never happen here. I love Canada and my family and I are comfortable as Canadian citizens. Anti-Semitism has grown in Europe. It is due in my opinion, to the influx of Moslems and the fact that Europe is comprised of Nation –States with one big endemic majority of the original peoples followed by Moslems who, it seems to me, are not willing to integrate with the majority or are not allowed to integrate. Except for the First Nations, Canada and the United States was formed completely with immigrants from all over the world.Anti-Semitism can exist in a minor way, but because the two countries are so diverse, it makes all immigrants sensitive and fearful of discrimination.