Scene Around

"Hate on the rise"...

This is something I usually don't write about, but I am so bothered that I can't help it.

It's about Blacks, Hispanics, Latinos, Asians and Jews. I am a white Jew ... I can hide my Judaism. But why should any of us have to?

Once again, I will mention my experience as a young child about 4 or 5 years old. I learned to say the "Hail Mary" and "Our Father," and I pretended to be Christian because I didn't want to keep being beaten up by Jew-hating kids. Sure, my skin color is white and my eyes are round. Lucky me! Actually, now that I'm a grown (fat) woman, I would never deny my Judaism. But what about my Black, Latino, Hispanic and Asian brothers and sisters? They can't deny! Something in this country has to change!

Back to my column ...

Here are some more talented people that I am soooo proud of!

One is MICHAEL KRAMER, a fabulous professional pianist, singer, songwriter and newspaper man ..."J Life", Orlando's Jewish Lifestyle Magazine. Michael is the managing editor.

I've had the pleasure of performing with Michael in New York and locally. He is the best! Also, "J Life" is the best! (It's surely the most entertaining magazine around, thanks to beautiful SAMANTHA TAYLOR, Michael's daughter, who is the publisher and also the beautiful, SHEILA KRAMER, his wife, who is executive publisher.)

And speaking of news ... television's CHUCK TODD, moderator of "Meet The Press" is Jewish and also on MSNBC, ARI MELBER is Jewish. (Two of my favorite television newsmen!

(Although the news lately is alarming ... not to mention the coronavirus and all the wrinkles on my face. Getting old is NOT for sissies.)

Getting back to the news ...

I read this in the World Jewish Congress Digest and pass it along:

The WJC issued the following statement in reaction to a decision by the Court of Justice of the European Union allowing Belgium to ban religious ritual slaughter.

"With its ruling that allows European states to discriminate against their Jewish and Muslim citizens by prohibiting religious ritual slaughter, the Court of Justice of the European Union has placed a potentially terminal obstacle to continued Jewish communal life in Europe. Make no mistake, this ruling is not about animal welfare. It is about the EU's highest court casting aside the necessary protection of religious minorities and the freedom to manifest religion guaranteed in Article 10(1) of the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights.

This truly unfortunate decision is yet another signal that Jewish life in Europe is under attack. Beyond concerns about physical security and rising levels of anti-Semitism, EU Member States are now given discretion to also dictate whether Jews can live their religion unencumbered or not. If that is the law in the European Union today, the law needs to change. We will spare no efforts to right this wrong."

In a statement, YOHAN BENIZRI, president of the Comite de Coordination des Communautes Juives de Belgique (Coordinating Committee of Belgian Jewish Organizations) and a vice president of the WJC, called the Court's decision "not only disappointing, but undemocratic. No democracy can exist when its citizens are denied basic human and civil rights. We plan to pursue all available options to remedy this injustice."

(With the world as it seems to be becoming more cruel and hateful, maybe growing old and dying is no longer for sissies.)

And still on the subject of hate ...

I read this recently in a Simon Wiesenthal Center letter I received from Rabbi ABRAHAM COOPER, associate dean:

"Far-right extremists blame Jews for the coronavirus epidemic.

Violent Jew-haters and racists weaponize their filth on "Telegram," a leading social media platform.

Louis Farrakhan foments anti-Semitism among a new generation of African-American influencers.

Extremists target U.S. Jewish houses of worship.

Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei invokes the Nazis' "Final Solution" in reference to Israel."

(Oy vay! All I can say is Oy Vay!)

The Jewish Pavilion ...

Their Annual Fashion Show will be on Thursday, April 29, at Dillard's Department Store in the Altamonte Mall.

It will be held in honor of great Mother/Daughter team, GLORIA NEWBERGER and NANCY LUDIN.

For further information, phone 407-975-3335 or email http://www.jewishpavilion.org

One for the road...

80-year-old Bessie Feingold bursts into the rec room of the men's retirement home. She holds her clenched fist in the air and announces, "Anyone who can guess what's in my hand can have sex with me tonight."

An elderly gentleman in the rear shouts out "An elephant?"

Bessie thinks a minute and declares, "Close enough!"

(This doesn't count as off-color ... just old age.)