Gil Troy is an American academic. He received his undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees from Harvard University and is a professor of History at McGill University.
The author of eleven books, nine of which concern American presidential history, and one of which concerns his own and others' "Jewish identity," he contributes regularly to a variety of publications and appears frequently in the media as a commentator and analyst on subjects relating to history and politics. Twitter: @GilTroy. Website: www.giltroy.com.
Do you ever watch the news and wonder if you are watching a farce instead? With so many students relying on Jon Stewart’s Daily Show for news, and with CBS actually contemplating working Stewart into its news show, the line between reality and satire often blurs. Unfortunately, while Stewart is a comedian, all too often the farce we see these days is tragic.
In Montreal, after years of not receiving equitable funding for its private schools, the Jewish community gets a break and has a shot at fairness. What happens? A media and political firestorm ensues – bristling with anti-Semitic overtones. The premier caves, and the Jews, having been pummeled up and down the St. Lawrence Seaway, are now blamed for fomenting ethnic tension – and being hypersensitive!
In Toronto, the University of Toronto’s Institute for Women’s Studies and Gender Studies promotes a campus-wide “Israeli Apartheid Week” on its listserve. Not only are there no sessions dealing with the Palestinians’ oppression of women, there are no sessions dealing with women at all. One wonders how this event is related to women’s studies or gender – beyond the implicit acknowledgment that Israel-bashing has become such a tenet of the academic left that the connection is obvious to the politically correct crowd.
Meanwhile, across the pond in England, Prince Harry masquerades as a Nazi. In most news outlets worldwide, Jewish spokespeople are the ones condemning his bad taste. When did Hitler become a Jewish issue? Didn’t the Luftwaffe bomb Harry’s own London? Can’t British war veterans teach the prince some history – and sensitivity to their sacrifice?
The news from the Middle East is even wackier. While the world continues to bless newly elected Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas as a peacemaker – because he’s not Yasser Arafat – bombs continue to burst in Israeli faces and Qassams from Gaza rain down on the innocents of Sderot in the Negev.
In a world obsessed with the travails of Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt and a culture that confuses the athletic exploits of pituitary mutants with heroics, there seems to be no room amid the media clutter to learn about real heroes.
Consider the tale of Ella Abukasis. One Shabbat in January, as she and her siblings returned from a Bnei Akiva youth group meeting in Sderot, a Palestinian Qassam rocketed toward her and her 11-year-old brother Tamir. Hearing the warning siren – which gives just precious seconds to respond – Ella dove on top of her brother. As a result, Tamir sustained shrapnel wounds but survived, while Ella absorbed most of the blow and died six days later.
Ella will attend no masquerades, so she will never have to weigh the propriety of one costume or another. She will not make it to universities, so she will never have to consider intellectuals’ foolishness and faddishness. A religious Israeli, she probably would not have understood the talmudic distinctions in the patchwork quilt of Quebec schools between privately funded private schools and partially publicly funded private schools. Ella was 17 years old, but she already knew the value of human life, the meaning of sacrifice and the depth of familial love.
The older generation liked to say “Schwer zoll sein a yid” – it’s tough to be a Jew. And in a January of broken moral compasses – let alone Manichean university campuses – in Montreal, Toronto, London and Gaza, it’s easy to echo that complaint.
But I am so proud to be part of Ella’s extended family, as a fellow Jew who shares in her family’s sorrow. I am – and we are – ennobled by Ella, enchanted by Ella, and challenged by Ella.
What are we doing to reach out to Ella’s family – and the hundreds of other families encased in grief, continuing victims of Arafat’s unholy war? And what are we doing to make sure that there will be no more Ellas – on either side of the border – forced to choose between life and death, between her and her brother.
Unlike others, we don’t look at Ella and hope for more glorious deaths like hers. We look at Ella and yearn for more beautiful lives like hers. That, too, makes me proud to be a Jew, no matter what my neighbours, colleagues or enemies may say.
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Tho' saddened by what happened in Sderot and even understanding the heroism displayed by Ella it is unfortunately a story that has been played out several times. eg the guard at the mall; the yeshiva boy who locked a door in time tho mortally wounded.
Gil is correct in his feelings because it is these very feelings here in Israel which have prevented the Israel populace buckling under to the barbaric onslaught by cowards mentally deranged by their religion.
Her memory will serve as an example of our will to survive and remember,never forgotten.
This is a very well written piece. Thank you. Exactly,what is the source of all of this Canadian anti-Semitism ? Is it similar to that in Europe, the Muslim influx mixing with the old habits of hate? I ,also, do not understand why the government isn't doing something about this hate speech. I believe, there are laws to combat this. Why aren't BnaiBrith, or the ADL, objecting? This has been going on for at least four years at the universities and colleges. Would Canada prefer a faster brain drain than what has been occurring over the last twelve to fifteen years ? The US will take the Jewish population.
Dena
Fri Feb 04, 2005 9:39 am Anti-Semitism all over the world
I am deeply chagrined about the Anti-Semitism throughout the world. One reason that is being bypassed and behind the cause of all this Anti-Semitism is THE RICH ARAB COUNTRIES AS SAUDI ARABIA, KUWAIT, THE ARAB EMERITES, YEMIN, ETC. HAVE BEEN CONTRIBUTING GREAT AMOUNTS OF MONEY TO ALL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN THE US, CANADA AND EUROPE. THESE GREAT CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE LED TO CORRUPTION OF THE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. AMERICAN UNIVERSITY, GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, GEORGETOWN ARE A FEW OF THE UNIVERSITIES THAT ACCEPT THESE GREAT CONTRIBUTIONS BY THE RICH ARAB COUNTRIES IN THE GULF. THESE COUNTRIES ARE INSTRUMENTAL IN PLACING TEACHERS AND PROFESSORS IN POSITIONS WHERE ANTI-SEMITISM IS PREACHED. THESE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ALSO ALLOW ANTI-SEMITIC SPEAKERS, WHO PREACH HATRED AND DESTRUCTION OF ISRAEL AND THE JEWISH PEOPLE, TO SPEAK ON THE CAMPUSES. THIS IS WHERE THE ROOT ELEMENT OF ANTI-SEMITISM IS FORMENTED. This recently happened at DUKE UNIVERSITY where a pro-Palestinian speaker was allowed to preach hatred of Israel and the Jewish people. Is DUKE UNIVERSITY also getting great contributions of money from the rich Gulf states? This issue has to be delved into by ADL, BNAI BRITH, AIPAC, and all the other great Jewish organizations. The Jewish people have to speak loudly and clearly about the issue of colleges and universities accepting these enormous contributions from the Gulf states. We have to do everything to expose these institutions that accept this bribery, which leads to corruption and Anti-Semitism which leads to allowance of Anti-Semitic speakers on all college and university campuses. We must speak up now or face another Holocaust where our students are murdered on campuses and where other non-Jewish students are brain-washed about the Jewish people. We must take out ads in newspapers, television, radio and tell the whole world exactly why this is happening: the influence of enormous contributions by the rich Arab countries which has led to corruption and bribery on the college and university campuses. A good example of this is Sami-Alarian, who was a professor at Florida Atlantic University. He is under indictment for formenting Anti-Semitism on the campus and collecting money to send to Islamic Jihad and Hammas. The university allowed this to go on for years until he was finally nabbed on television by Bill O'Reilly, which led to a federal investigation which led to his arrest. This evil must be stopped in its tracks or Jewish people, all over the world, will face Kristol Nacht again.
I. Schwartz
_________________ The Trojan Horse was allowed to enter Israel with Shimon Peres' agreement with Yasser Arafat. Both received Nobel Peace Prizes which should immediately be removed by the Nobel Committee.
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