Well, if that title didn’t getyour interest, I don’t know what will.The reason I say that SlutWalkNYC is being hijacked by terrorists is because, frankly, it is. I know thatthis post is gonna get a lot of negative feedback, and everyone’s gonna think I’msome elitist uber-conservative heartless Jew, but to be honest, I’m reallysick and tired of having to be politically correct all the time.
I am pro-Israel. If you don’tlike it, then don’t read my blog. No one’s forcing you. To take a leaf out of Aliza Hausman’s book, if you have any hate mail for me, direct it to your localtherapist; if you don’t have one, get one.
Anyone reading this blog can tellthat I’m also an Orthodox Jew and a feminist. (As I like to say, a FemidoxJew.) It can be difficult to juggle the two, but I will never, ever separatethe two parts of my identity. It would be like trying to cut my body in halfand trying to figure out which side is more important.
Because I’m a feminist, I wasreally happy when I heard that SlutWalk was coming to New York, where I live. I signed up for thelistserve and everything, since I like being involved in feminist events,especially ones as big as this. You can imagine how disappointed I was when Ifound out that SlutWalk would be taking place on a Saturday, since that’s Shabbat(Sabbath), making it near impossible for me to attend. Despite this, I stillremained on the listserve (which is through Google Groups) and got a dailydigest of conversations that had occurred between members of the group, sometimesvolunteering my own opinions.
Because I love SlutWalk, it really, really, bothered mewhen I saw the title “Students for Justice in Palestine” on one topic in the Google Group.
I know it’s not politicallycorrect to say that I support Israel and am anti-Palestinian, but as I said before, I'm tired of walking on eggshells. MostPalestinians and Arabs want me and my people to be dead, so I’m not gonna try to defend them. Mahmoud Abbas, chairperson of the PLO, hassaid that he wants to push Israelinto the Mediterranean Sea. This is far froman unpopular concept among Arab leaders. They have killed countless of innocentIsraelis; a recent, prominent example of this is the murders of the Fogelfamily zikhronam l’vrakha (may their memories be blessed), five of whom,including both parents and a three-month-old baby, were slaughtered in theirbeds by two Palestinian men.
So here I am. Call me what youwant, but I just want my sisters and brothers in my homeland, Israel, to besafe. Palestinians are people too, and they deserve to be treated as such, but I'm a Jew, and my heart belongs in Israel.
In short, the thread about theStudents for Justice in Palestine (SJP) was really vomit-inducing. One membersaid that she joined the SJP, an anti-Israel hate group, and wanted to know ifthey could endorse SlutWalk. There were varying opinions for varying reasons onthe topic, but most of the people felt that it’s totally cool to accept anendorsement from the SJP; few stood up for Israel. Heck, the woman who firstmentioned the possibility later identified as a Jew.
I don’t know if SJP will end upwalking at SlutWalk with a banner; I won’t be there, so I won’t be aneyewitness. But the fact that it was ever mentioned, and that very few peoplefelt it was inappropriate that a group that has nothing to do with sexualharassment should march, just made me feel ill. Would so many people have beenfor it if the group was pro-Israel?
I get really irritated with the feminist communitysometimes. Oy vey.
God Who blessed our foreparents Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob, Rachel,and Leah, may God bless the fighters of the Israel Defense Forces, who standguard over our land and the cities of our God, from the border of the Lebanonto the desert of Egypt, and from the Great Sea unto the approach of the Arabia,on the land, in the air, and on the sea.
Maythe Almighty cause the enemies who rise up against us to be struck down beforethem. May the Blessed Holy One preserve and rescue our fighters from everytrouble and distress and from every plague and illness, and may God sendblessing and success in their every endeavor.
MayGod lead our enemies under our soldiers’ sway and may God grant them salvationand crown them with victory. And may there be fulfilled for them the verse: Forit is the Lord your God, Who goes with you to battle your enemies for you tosave you.
Nowlet us respond: Amen.
Am Yisrael Hai (the nation of Israel lives).
