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First hour: Henry Herskovitz of Ann Arbor, MI is the prime target of an 86-page lawsuit filed last month by Marvin Gerber. Henry, who visited Palestine two decades ago and saw the suffering of Palestinian genocide victims, has been leading anti-Zionist protests outside the Beth Israel Synagogue every Saturday for the past sixteen years.
On January 6, Henry explained to the Ann Arbor City Council why he leads the Beth Israel protests, and got pushback from a City Councilman named Ackerman. Below is Henry’s email.
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“Anti-Semitism in modern America looks exactly like Mr. Herskovitz”
Thus spoke Ann Arbor City Councilman Zachary Ackerman on January 6 in response to this writer’s Comments to Council explaining why Beth Israel Congregation is the proper venue for protest against the Jewish state. That three-minute address to council follows signature. Mr. Ackerman’s name-calling tirade can be found here.
Mr. Ackerman must have listened to former Israeli Education Minister Shulamit Aloni when she confessed to Amy Goodman about this name-calling Hasbara tactic: “Well, it’s a trick, we always use it. When from Europe somebody is criticizing Israel, then we bring up the Holocaust. When in this country [the US] people are criticizing Israel, then they are antisemitic.”
Mr. Ackerman did not factually challenge any of the points raised in my comments:
Foreign flag in synagogue
Weekly Prayer spoken to that foreign country
Churches more universal than synagogues
Jewish holidays portray Jews as victims in an alleged hostile world
He merely resorted to insult and slander. And this from an elected official sworn to uphold the Constitution of the United States, including its First Amendment protections. Perhaps Mr. Ackerman seeks a promising political career in an environment wherein truth is subordinate to image.
New Plaintiff Added to Federal Lawsuit
An amended Complaint adds “Holocaust survivor” Dr. Miriam Brysk to the Plaintiff dock, joining Marvin Gerber in his anti-First Amendment lawsuit against Witness for Peace, the longest running street protest in Ann Arbor history. Readers can view the new document here.
Henry Herskovitz
Between 4-7 vigilers on January 4, 11
Thumbs: 17, Fingers: 3 on Jan. 11
Witness for Peace
Resisting Jewish Power for 16 years
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Delivered to Council Jan. 6, 2020
Topic: Political protests at Beth Israel Synagogue
Good evening,
I would like to explain to Council why our group selected Beth Israel Congregation as the appropriate venue for protests against the Jewish state.
Sixteen years ago we wrote:
“We hold vigils outside this synagogue because Beth Israel is a political institution as well as house of worship, using its faith to promote a nationalist political agenda…”
Then in 2007 Rabbi Dobrusin confirmed that the entire congregation supported Israel’s claimed right to exist as a Jewish state. And we oppose that claim to a right to ethnically cleanse Palestine of its non-Jewish inhabitants.
We noted that Beth Israel flies a foreign flag in its sanctuary; that the congregation recites a prayer for the state of Israel every week; that many congregants wave Israeli flags as they drive into the parking lot, and that some even sport Jewish-Israeli license plates.
We then recognized the great insight into racial differences by Malcolm X. He said to white activists, “The Negroes aren’t the racists. Where the really sincere white people have got to do their ‘proving’ of themselves is not among the black victims, but out there on the battle lines of where America’s racism really is – and that’s in their own home communities.”
Let’s rephrase that. “The Palestinians aren’t the racists. Where the really sincere Jewish people have got to do their ‘proving’ of themselves is not among the Palestinian victims, but out there on the battle lines of where Israel’s racism really is – and that’s in their own Jewish communities.”
The synagogue is the core of the Jewish community; Beth Israel is no exception. The Jewish chauvinism formed there is reflected in Jewish holidays, where Jews are portrayed as victims of an alleged hostile world.
An unhealthy, toxic paradigm of “us versus them” is thus formed. It is a paradigm which is the opposite from the universalism expressed in Christianity. The Jewish community self-isolates from the others.
Consider some signs in front of local churches: Bethlehem Church says “God’s doors are open to all” First Congregational says “All are welcome”. First Baptist, “Open to all; closed to none”
But sadly, not so at Beth Israel. Its support of a self-isolated Jewish state makes it the legitimate venue for protest.
Thank you,
Henry Herskovitz
here is my proposal for the new Jewish state instead of Palestine how about the entire state of California along with Oregon and parts of Washington where Seattle is i will also include British Columbia and Alaska along with Hawaii Guam american Samoa and some other small islands formerly controlled by the united states in the pacific region.
since i Eric you did this wonderful feat can i become the Jewish messiah and rule this new country as it sole dictator and god .
upland California will become the new Jerusalem or something my house at 1669 west Andes drive will become the messiahs palace i am Korean american currently but i can convert from Christianity to Judaism if my new subjects give me a billion shekels or american dollars i also take euros bitcoin and other forms of currency including pesos and dinars.
my brother is a student at western university here in Pomona he wants to become a medical doctor making him a healer who helps people fight off illness and rescue people from death if i fail to do my job as the new Jewish messiah my brother Allen you will become the next rendition of the Jewish messiah.
i like to partly funny and partly serious depending on my mood or how much money and fame i will get for my peace plan.
Muslims all over in the West especially USA and UK are very fearful of participating. They are very scared, sacred of the racial abuse, scared of being arrested unduly and charged knowing full well that the ‘Judiciary is in fact the JEWdiciary which always goes in the favour of the Jew[ as happens 100% in Occupied Israel where Palestinians always have judgements in the Jewish favour
If I lived in Dearborn, I would have made the effort to join Henry.
Arabs and Muslims must stop cowering and giving in to this fear. Safety by numbers as the saying goes.
Of course they worry about the anti semitic ruse but tend to forget that in fact ARABS are more Semitic than the majority of western Jewish converts in the USA,UK and those squatting in my homeland!
Our prophet stated it was our duty to fight injustice, to try physically to stop it or at least speak out against it and curse in your heart at the aggressors.
But I feel American Arabs/Muslims lack the backbone needed. Plus they identify more with America these days then they do their original homeland. Whereas Jews though they have dual citizenship, their loyalty is solely for Israel- I is nit dual loyalty at all but sole loyalty to the Israeli entity and all that it stands for.
I have Arab American relatives but they don’t share my love , passion or concerns for our oppressed and occupied homeland.. Herzl’s words have sadly worked with many of them as they choose to forget their historical ancient roots in exchange for the Apple Pie of Zionist USA where contrary to what they believe, they are in FACT NOT FREE at all, but constantly monitored and racially/religiously profiled.. There indeed may come a time of the Jewish NeoCons and Israel get their way, where many Non Jews, Arabs, Muslims and other minorities may end up in concentration camps with the Orange man as their King Cyrus representing all things Israel. Camps have already been built and kept under warps for years.
Those in the UK are more willing but they too now are fearful of all the anti Semitic Laws that Pro Israel Politicians are pushing into Law and so fear imprisonment, fines or even deportations!! The Establishment won’t hesitate in arresting Arabs and Muslims [home-grown terrorists/dissidents]’ at all and in fact I suspect they will infiltrate their groups and get agents Provocateurs to engineer violence which will of course show them in a bad light- problem reaction solution.
The Laws of true democracy have been contaminated by Jewish Power and they have been severely used and then abused by this infamous minority who think the world belongs to them and that NON Jews were created solely to serve them.
Kudos to Henry- YOU are a brave man with a conscience-something that today too many people are devoid of and prefer to live in their self inflated Sheeple bubble
Henry, thank you for ‘genuinely’ supporting Palestine