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The most pro-Jewish speech Germans have heard in a while

[additional-authors]
June 10, 2018

I was invited to speak at the “Women’s March” (#FrauenMarsch) that took place on June 9, 2018 in Berlin, a march that is nothing like the anti-Trump “women’s march” in the US. This one speaks out forcefully against Chancellor Merkel’s immigration policies ever since attacks against women by Muslim migrants have made many German women feel vulnerable and unsafe. The March took on more urgent overtones with the recent rape and murder of a German-Jewish 14-year-old, #Susanna Feldmann (of blessed memory), at the hands of an Iraqi “refugee” with a criminal record.

Despite some warnings that “neo-Nazis” attend the march (which I discussed with the organizer, a Kurdish convert to Christianity, Leyla Bilge, who naturally rejects such people), I decided to stick to my guns. I’m too familiar with such smears, especially against healthy German nationalism (which doesn’t equate with Nazism just because it has the word “nationalism” in it). The people who I knew to be involved couldn’t despise Hitler more, and they have much sympathy for the Jewish people and Israel, especially in its struggles against Islam. Besides, I don’t believe in backing out of an accepted invitation, as too many people often do to Israel (like Natalie Portman), which then serves to play into the hands of bad people.

So I think what happened is this: I gave what may be the  most pro-Jewish speech that Germany has ever heard on its streets in recent times. I addressed all the haters whereever they may be. You can tell from the crowd’s reaction how much they appreciated my words, how far they are from the libels and smears. Many Germans were in tears by the time I was done. The speech has been published in German in Die Achse Des Guten.

Unfortunately, there are no subtitles on the speech, but you can follow with the English translation below the video.

 

I really wanted to give my speech in German. I wanted to tell you Germans: we are connected.

My friends laugh at me: the language that murdered 6 million Jews, including my grandparents’ families. Yes, that was a terrible part of your history, but I think we can get through this period. But we have to do it together. Jews and Germans. Israelis and Germans.

I was warned: there are antisemites at the Women’s March! “Neo-Nazis!” You’re using me as a Jewish Israeli woman to help you improve your image. So, let me say to every antisemite here: Stay here, listen to my speech until the end. And to the others: use me!

I was fortunate. Leyla didn’t tell me what I could or couldn’t say. She believes in freedom, especially freedom of speech and expression. It’s a pillar of a free society.

Maybe there are some people here who hate Jews, especially those in the counter-demonstration. What should we do? Build a fence? A poster that says: “No antisemites here”? That’s not a bad idea. Okay?

If it’s so important to prevent Jew-haters here, why did Chancellor Merkel accept so many anti-Semites into this country? Where was the fence at the border? Why didn’t the police check who was antisemitic and who wasn’t? Maybe it’s not so important for this government to prevent Jew-hatred. It just says so.

And now I’m here, in Berlin, in Germany, and I’m afraid because I’m Jewish. Because I’m a woman. Because I’m a critic of Islam.

Recent surveys show that most “refugees” bring with them Jew-hatred from their violent Islamic dictatorships. But when you say what I say, you’re a “Nazi”! Speaks against Islamic hatred of Israel and against the attacks on women and you are a “racist”! In what world do we live in?

If in Germany today friends of Israel and critics of Islam are called “Nazis”, then Germany has not learned anything important from its history.

I have an important message for Germany: Muslims are not Jews. Judaism is not Islam. They are opposites!

Judaism is in its essence a religion of freedom! Freedom from slavery. Judaism is the true religion of peace, not Islam. Judaism, just like women, have significantly shaped our civilized society. That is why Israel is a free country for Jews, non-Jews, and women.

Islam is a religion of submission, of religious tyranny. Therefore, there is no freedom, especially for Jews, non-Muslims, and women, in Arab Islamic countries. No wonder Hitler sympathized with Islam, and vice versa.

Today, we have the same problem. You and I. Israel and Germany. We’re very afraid of what other people say and think about us.

We are afraid to pronounce the word “Islam” and fight our enemies. We’re afraid people will call us “Nazis” and “racists.” We allowed this religion to divide us.

Our society in Israel was also once broken. The Oslo Accords and the withdrawal from Gaza in 2005 cut us in half. But too many Islamic terror victims have united us again. How many more attacks on women and victims of terrorism will it take for this country to reunite?

So, we need each other. We, the brave women and men. The women and men with no fear. The women and men who swim against the stream. The women and men who would have fought against the Nazis eighty years ago because we love freedom!

Back then, Germany destroyed itself by crossing the borders. Today, Germany is destroying itself by allowing undemocratic, antisemitic and anti-feminist people to cross over its border.

I’m here to tell you–me, a granddaughter of holocaust survivors– that you should take care of your beautiful country. It is not racist to protect your families, especially your women and girls, from harm.

Although Israel seems strong, my country and my people still have to fight for our lives. Maybe I’m a little jealous. Many don’t know how good they have it here while our suffering doesn’t end. It could be a paradise for women and Jews…

And I must ask you to help us. We need you Germans to protect us against antisemitism and Islamic violence, which today expresses itself as hatred of Israel.

I am not so religious, but I believe in this statement: Whoever blesses Israel will be blessed, whoever curses Israel will be cursed. And let me add: Whoever blesses women will be blessed, whoever curses women will be cursed.

Germany has a choice again. The blessing or the curse. Will Germany stand with Jews, women and a free Israel? Or with Islam, which oppresses Jews and women. Which one will it choose?

Please, don’t fail me. But most of all, don’t fail yourselves. Not again.

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