Two different articles today, in two different newspapers: The one entitled "Small, Strong French Jewish Organization Defends Community" in Haaretz newspaper is about a Jewish youth group in France that swung into action when a wave of rioting erupted across France last fall, and the other one, entitled "Rothschild: France not anti-Semitic" in the Jerusalem Post, is about French Jewish philanthropist Baron Eric de Rothschild.

The difference between these two articles? Best to read them both, but here's a hint:

In the Haaretz article, a researcher with the European Center of Research and Action on Racism and Anti-Semitism describes the youth group as a group that "epitomizes a new generation of young Jews.....that says: 'We won't bow our heads'."

In the Jerusalem Post article, Baron Eric de Rothschild, in receiving an honorary degree from The Hebrew University in Jerusalem, says: "The one thing you can't say is that France is an anti-Semitic country"; and complaints emanating from Israel about the treatment of French Jews amount to "an element of schaedenfreude (taking pleasure at another's misfortune)" on the part of those who have already made aliya: "When the cousins come over, they say, 'It's terrible in France - you have to come'" to Israel.

And the mega-gazillionaire's views on Jewish giving? "The priority for Jewish giving should be helping Israeli Arabs".

For those who were around during WWII, or at least read about it (I've "gently" and repeatedly suggested that our members read the book "Perfidy" by Ben Hecht), the above-referenced quotes will sound familiar. Then, as now, there were Fighters, who refused to bow their heads, and Deniers, who come up with lots of rationalizations and reasons to bow their heads or not rock the boat.

Today, as we watch history repeating itself in front of our very eyes, the one ray of hope for the future is the younger generation (Jews and non-Jews), i.e., those who refuse to "bow their heads."

[Posted by R.S.]