The World’s Oldest Hate Finds New Life in Venezuela
Nothing physical has followed yet. But, Brener said, President Chavez’s government has issued a fiat that Venezuelans can no longer obtain travel visas to Israel. This was a measure obviously aimed at Jewish hearts, one the government had to have known would wound as summer hiatuses approached. Brener said the Canadian government was moving to alleviate the visa void at its Caracas embassy.
Today, a fresh sense of insecurity and dread stalks the Jews of Caracas, much like it did the Jews of Venice in the 1200s, Spain in the 1400s, British Palestine in the 1930s, or the Soviet Union in the 1970s. With an immediate past of government raids, presidential denunciations, synagogue desecration, and media rants, Brener says the community especially fears it will take a beating if Israel attacks Iran’s nuclear sites. The new Israeli government under Benjamin Netanyahu is talking about the Iranian sites like it means business — and soon.
Iran and the Chavez regime have cozied up so closely that two direct flights a week now connect Caracas and Tehran and most passengers and cargo are allowed to bypass normal entry and exit inspections. Venezuela’s Jews are quite mindful of the 1992 and 1994 bombings of a Jewish center in Buenos Aires and Israel’s embassy in Argentina. Hundreds were killed and wounded. In 2007, Argentina indicted senior Iranian officials for orchestrating the blasts under cover of diplomatic privileges afforded by the former Iranian embassy in Buenos Aires.
“If anything ever happened between Israel and Iran, well I don’t know what might happen to us,” Brener told me. “Nobody knows what those planes take, who travels or what is coming in. It’s all shrouded in mystery.”
I asked Brener what, if anything, the community has done to protect itself from any state-sponsored onslaught provoked by confrontation between Israel and Iran, or anyone else.
“One doesn’t really know what to do” against the concentrated power of a whole government, he replied. This is something that hasn’t been seen since the old Soviet Union and its crackdown on Jewish “refuseniks.” The rabbi said local Venezuelan security guards have been hired to protect buildings. But he noted that these hired guns don’t much inspire his confidence because “you can buy off people with very little in Venezuela.”
After some prodding, the rabbi acknowledged that some local Jews had organized a kind of civilian self-protection group. Brener himself travels with a bodyguard these days. But these efforts don’t inspire a sense of security either. For one thing, interest in the self-defense group is tepid. Other Jews in the community won’t support it for fear of further stoking local enmities.
“The community is divided among those who say ‘you’ll only make it worse’ and people like me who believe we should make noise, not keep quiet. I don’t go for that,” Brener said. “History has shown us when you keep quiet, you’re abetting the enemy.”
Brener told me that even the self-protection measures that have been organized might provide a psychological comfort for some but probably won’t help much if the time does arrive when they are needed.
“We can’t withstand any kind of organized aggression; let’s put it that way,” he said. “We can’t withstand that.”
Finally, as we wrapped up our talk, the rabbi fell back on an age-old practice born of last resort for Jews across the span of history who have found themselves in eerily similar straits. He issued an alert, a plea to the outside world for intervention of a sort that he knows has never exactly time-tested well.
“The world should be aware that there is a possibility of something happening in Venezuela,” he said. “And if something did start to happen, the world should cry out.”
So you’re saying the jews _didn’t_ conspire against the host society?…
I will admit/assert that the low jews still there will be scape goated.
Anti-semitism bad. Check. Socalist thugs replay same, to divert anger from selves. Check. Here’s a totaly off topic question; why is it that all para-military SWAT type groups from ALL governments, the US included, wear masks? Is that piece of cloth some sort of protective armor? Is it to hide the identity of the government thug when he violates civil, human rights? Is it to imtimadate? Isn’t the ski mask thing the prefered fashion statement used by murderers and rapists throughout the world. Why would “law enforcement” thugs wear such a gitup if they are on the side of right? Just curious…
Antisemitism has been growing in Venezuela for many years paralleling it’s steady rise in Europe, perpetually getting worse over the last decade.
IF Jews in Venezuela are able to leave and flee to Israel rest assured many here would help them, even take them in personally until they settled themselves via gov’t assistance.
IF I saw a shout out for such assistance I too would offer to help.
Castro gins up the machine, so that his followers demonstrate in front of the Czech embassy when the Czechs shine the light of scrutiny upon that brutalized land.
Plus, wasn’t there at least dissident from Venezuela at the Oslo conference referred to by George Jonas in his column, “Hitler’s dream come true”.
Face it Hugo, you are going down like Idi Amin.
why is it that all para-military SWAT type groups from ALL governments, the US included, wear masks? Is that piece of cloth some sort of protective armor? Is it to hide the identity of the government thug when he violates civil, human rights?
To hide his identity from terrorist and gansgter retaliation, perhaps?. Now why is that every loonie doesn’t include his e-mail and physical adresses in his posts for everyone to see?
The World’s Oldest Hate
Neanderthal vs. Cro-Magnon?
Stewart:
They wear masks for two reasons. It makes you look more intimidating but more importantly special operations forces be they SWAT or Delta Force protect their member identities. Such exposure puts personnel at risk.
Takes a lefty troll like blarty to trivialize anti-Semitism.
Thanks for the insight. I was seriously curious and your answers were very helpful. Thanks.
9. jerryofva:
Takes a lefty troll like blarty to trivialize anti-Semitism.
Hey, nobody loves Semitism more than I. I am very pro-Semitism. The more Semitism the better, I always say.
I echo Adina’s comments here, that if Venezuelans flee their country to come HOME to Israel, they would be welcomed with open arms all over our land.
Here’s hoping and praying that Jews in Venezuela have the sense to flee to Canada – and then HOME!
#9: “Takes a lefty troll like blarty to trivialize anti-Semitism.”
YOU trivialize anti-Semitism by shoot-from-the-hip name calling. Cro-Magnon man is modern man.
biblio44:
My you are so much smarter then a Neadrethal like me to point out that cro-magnon man is modern man. I thought Adam was the first modern man and now I am so glad that you have corrected my false impression.
Testing 1,2,3
It is vital people understand the difference between anti-Semitism in Venezuela and what is going on in Europe.
Europe’s rising anti-Semitism, documented in the UK in a biparlimentary report in 2007, is fueled by players on the left; Asian Muslim communities taught anti-Israel biases, hate spewing imams in mosques and unionists boycotting Israeli academics. The former Lord Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, also engaged in Israel bashing. A similar phenomenon is happening in France, and Sweden and Belgium. However, the governments of Britain and France ROUNDLY condemn anti-Semitic violence and continue to prosecute perpetrators.
This is NOT the case in Venezuela where the government is isolating and condemning the Jewish community and using physical intimdation. Chavez is a totalitarian thug in the mold of Castro, Mussolini, Hitler, take your pick; he uses anti-Semitic rhetoric to whip up hatred in the masses to deflect from his failing regime.
That Obama has not shut this man down is an utter DISGRACE and any self respecting Jewish person or lover of liberty should be outraged!
Venezuela will continue to lose educated Jewish professions and, as was the case with Europe and the Arab world, will be poorer for it.
HOWEVER, the situation is not the same as it is in Europe today.
Speaking of…#7
How old is anti-semitism? French researchers have just unearthed a neanderthal cave synagogue. Inside was a crude star of David. Painted on the outside was a crude swastika. The torah inside weighed 10,000 lbs. It was made entirely of stone. Wall paintings depict an ancient bar-mitzvah of a seeming 6 year old. Researchers surmise that the ancient neanderthals bar-mitzvahed at 6 because nobody lived till 13.
SfI
PS…I hope the Venezuelan “Hoos” escape.
Since the thugs running Venezuela seem intent on running out the Jews, I think we should make them an offer to come here. I’ll take another 14 thousand doctors, scientists, writers, musicians, artists, legal scholars, and mechanical engineers. Sure beats illegals who can barely spell their own name. I’ve got a big place with extra room, I’ll take all the jazz musicians at my place.
It is hard to emigrate from your own land. People have a life. It happens en masse only under hardship conditions.
Yet 1 out of 5 Venezualan Jews have done so since Chavez took power.
Neither the Israeli, nor the remaining diaspora community should or would forsake them. You just have to ask the American Jewish community where I live to get some kind of support.
This should be a wake up call. There is no longer a need for a community in such distress. There is still at least one place on the planet where they will be accepted without question. Israel still stands.
This is terrible that people who have lived in their whole lives as decent productive citizens need to worry about their security now. Yet it is an old and familiar tune.
Best wishes to the Jews of Caracas. I was campmates with one of you once. We took a spill from our canoe together in a river in midwest USA and I lost my glasses while he was attacked by ‘sea monsters’. He told me about firecrackers and dances in the streets. It sounded wonderful and exotic to me.
L’Chaim
Spindok
While the plight of the Jews left remaining is horrific you cannot help but wonder why it is that SO MANY JEWS HAVE BEEN BEHIND LEFT WING TERROR MOVES FOR OVER A CENTURY. The Russian and French Revolutions for a very large example. In America those on the loud mouthed left are disproportionately jewish. Look at the Obama administration and all those pushing for fascism/marxism/total annihilation of our freedoms etc. Look at the ACLU, the Russian Jewish Mob, the wall street swindlers etc. Yes there are others of non-jewish backgrounds but you cannot help but notice the larger percentages. Look at Hollywood, the pornography industry, the Gay Lobby, the Feminist Movement, all front groups for Marxism. So it is very ironic that here is a groupd of people who are being attacked by those with the same political bent of many of their bretheren. It is breathtaking. And when FACTS are pointed out the unfortunate consequence is the one who speaks truth to power is invariably labelled an anti-semite.
@20. digitalis:
In normal condition your very cogent, astute observation used to be deleted so don’t be surprised if it happens to you; there are bloody truth that must not be spoken about. I just conveyed my personal experiences.
Interesting observations above. Very educational.
Karl Marx was by background Jewish as was his intellectual antithesis, Ayn Rand, as were many of the of the hardcore capitalist free market economists. The same could be said of many fields of human endeavor in science, medicine, religion, philosophy, literature, performing arts…
Always the small minority speaking too loudly.
Always refusing to accept that history need be dictated by the accepted thought of the day. Always questioning and probing, pushing limits. Pushing history itself beyond their numbers or any real power.
Digitalis – (I suppose, perhaps, you have read and treasured William Witherings wonderful account of his discovery and treasured it as I have. You just dont get real basic science like that anymore.)
In our times I have seen Jews attacked from both sides. Neocon. Remember that word at what it meant for Jews. Now we get it from the other side. Perhaps you think that this line is going somewhere. It is not. We Jews have a long historical memory and I can see right through this stuff.
Look, dont vex your mind trying to understand Jews or Judaism as if some quick internet post will explain it to you.
You have already said enough.
Shabbat Shalom,
(translation – just have a nice Friday night, we have worked hard this week)
Spindok
I am glad to see Irael stand up for democracy in Honduras.
you cannot tiptoe around a bully and hope he will leave you allow. or to be gratefull that the bully isn’t trageting you but some one else. It is this kind of thinking that has reduced the world to dictators and tyrants.
as for the trolls …see below. don’t engage them, don’t reply to them. they for the most part are already lost.
watch this clip and you will understand why they continue to make the same arguments over and over no matter what they are shown or told.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTmbcyeZ9ic&feature=related
this clip gives great insight into the lefts blind following of an ideology that will bury them at the same time it buries us.
I am surprised to see the trolls here, since this isn’t an Obama piece. But that does indicate they too are targeting Israel and jews.
I hope the people seeing those troll comments understand the significance of them being here. You have been warned.
watch this clip and you will understand why they continue to make the same arguments over and over no matter what they are shown or told.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTmbcyeZ9ic&feature=related
this clip gives great insight into the lefts blind following of an ideology that will bury them at the same time it buries us.
“dont vex your mind”
Not a problem for digitalis, Thomas too assuming they are actually different people.
@25. Gary Rosen:
Did I tread on your toes? The truth hurts and the absolute truth hurts absolutely.
“The truth hurts”
How would you know, Tommy?
@27. “How would you know, Tommy?” He sees truth HURTING YOU, Gary.
@28. digitalis:
Make a test: bring up an allusion to certain unassailable facts about them that everybody knows because those things are historical facts and watch as they will turn apoplectic at once. They hate to be reminded to unpleasant truth. It hurts.