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U.S. rabbi defends N.Y. Arab school despite charges it will be anti-Israel
By The Associated Press

U.S. Rabbi Michael Feinberg defended a planned Arab school in New York on Monday, despite charges by a state legislator that the school could teach anti-Israeli extremism.

Addressing a rally in front of the New York Department of Education, Rabbi Feinberg called on elected officials to come forward in support of the Khalil Gibran International Academy, which is scheduled to open on September 4.

Rabbi Feinberg called the virulent Internet campaign against the school "the lowest of McCarthyite tactics."

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State Assemblyman Dov Hikind, however, slammed the school as a breeding ground for extremism.

"It will not, as suggested, be a hope for peace; it is a blueprint for anti-Israel and anti-U.S. extremism," Hikind said, adding that the school has been endorsed by radical groups.

Education Department officials have said religion will not be taught at the school, which will focus instead on Arabic language and Arab culture. Schools that specialize in a specific topic or culture are common in New York.

"Unless we all send a clear message that racist comments associating Arabic language and culture with terrorism will not be tolerated, we will continue to hear them again and again," the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee and other community groups said Monday in a statement.

Earlier this month the school's original principal, Debbie Almontaser, resigned due to criticism after she failed to condemn the use of the word intifada, an Arabic term for the Palestinian uprising against Israel, at the school.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently said on his radio show that Almontaser is certainly not a terrorist, but he called her resignation the right thing to do.

The schools supporters praise what they said was the school's message of inclusion.

"It's about appreciating differences. It's not about indoctrinating students for conformity," said Deborah Howard, a community member who was on the planning committee for the school.

Some supporters argued Monday that education officials' quiet persistence in opening the school is not enough.

'Welcoming' Ms. Almontaser's resignation and remaining silent on the underlying anti-Arab, anti-Muslim bigotry has the effect of legitimizing the very thing that should be condemned, the groups said in a statement.

The Education Department did not return an Associated Press telephone call seeking comment.
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  1.   New Principal, Jew Principal. 08:00  |  Seal 21/08/07
  2.   DON`T BACK DOWN, NO SIR 08:04  |  indrajaya 21/08/07
  3.   Warsaw Uprising? 09:10  |  Historian 21/08/07
  4.   Who is this Feinberg guy? What kind of "rabbi" is he? 09:13  |  Dani 21/08/07
  5.   Good for Feinberg 09:18  |  Moshe 21/08/07
  6.   Maybe... 09:20  |  Colin Wright 21/08/07
  7.   Kudos to Rabbi Feinberg 09:32  |  Khalil 21/08/07
  8.   FANATICAL ISLA GROWING IN AMERICA 09:34  |  THE FUTURE IS NOW 21/08/07
  9.   #1 is correct 09:36  |  Ari ben Yisrael 21/08/07
  10.   #3 Yiur intolerable moral equivalency 10:04  |  Dr. Simon barak 21/08/07
  11.   BRAVO FEINBERG, YOUR FUTURE IS SAVE 10:04  |  indrajaya 21/08/07
  12.   No German language schools in Israel? 10:11  |  Wael 21/08/07
  13.   Americans are shooting them selves in the foot 10:32  |  Wael 21/08/07
  14.   Where is Hillary on this? 10:34  |  Walid 21/08/07
  15.   Kudos to Feinberg 10:34  |  Wael 21/08/07
  16.   Who is not anti-Israel? 10:39  |  Hannah 21/08/07
  17.   Kill This Cancer Before It Spreads 11:16  |  Jane 21/08/07
  18.   To all the Nay sayers. 11:50  |  Steve the Pals. 21/08/07
  19.   HANNAH"Who is not antiIsrael"The majority of the USA for starters 11:55  |  PETER SM 21/08/07
  20.   indrajaya "If they want war, they will got one." 12:00  |  PETERSM 21/08/07
  21.   # 20, PETER SM 12:12  |  indrajaya 21/08/07
  22.   A previous Mufti of NY,when he got back home to the ME accused- 12:22  |  PETER SM 21/08/07
  23.   To Jane #17 12:22  |  WhiteDog 21/08/07
  24.   indrajaya.the only person talking war is you. 12:33  |  PETERSM 21/08/07
  25.   Chruch is also a vital "ground for extremism" 12:36  |  Tupac 21/08/07
  26.   Disliking jihad is anti-Muslim, but rightly so 13:35  |  david Teich 21/08/07
  27.   not all arabs are moslems, and not all moslem are arabs. 14:02  |  Jesus servant 21/08/07
  28.   # 7 Khalil 14:02  |  Lynn 21/08/07
  29.   # 26, DAVID TEICH 14:06  |  indrajaya 21/08/07
  30.   Whitedog-Either Very Naive or Stupid 14:09  |  Jane 21/08/07
  31.   Read it and Weep - The Whole Sorry Story 14:17  |  Jane 21/08/07
  32.   we should do it too 14:20  |  Taha 21/08/07
  33.   Tupac # 25 14:27  |  Lynn 21/08/07
  34.   Is he rabbi? 14:28  |  Gene 21/08/07
  35.   # 18 Steve 14:35  |  Lynn 21/08/07
  36.   Nutters 14:36  |  MeMeMe 21/08/07
  37.   # 27 jesus servant 15:00  |  Lynn 21/08/07
  38.   Watch Me World, Blow Up Over Nutting 15:47  |  Indrayagagaga 21/08/07
  39.   Taha- Jewish and Christian Schools Don`t Teach Jihad 15:51  |  Jane 21/08/07
  40.   Why Such Anti-Arabic Sentiments? 15:53  |  Tex 21/08/07
  41.   Indra inspires homegrown terrorism by his own words 15:54  |  Avram 21/08/07
  42.   "Reconstructionist" Feinberg hews anti-Jewish line 15:56  |  Alan 21/08/07
  43.   This school should not be opened 16:00  |  Kevin 21/08/07
  44.   Is he a reform "Rabbi"? 16:01  |  Aaron 21/08/07
  45.   Jane #30 16:22  |  Whitedog 21/08/07
  46.   Jane, do you remember McCartheyism? 16:27  |  Ibrahim 21/08/07
  47.   Big Difference 16:28  |  David P. 21/08/07
  48.   Arab culture 16:31  |  Eynav Benjamin 21/08/07
  49.   Looks like 9/11 wasn`t enough for the USA 16:36  |  Keith Waldman 21/08/07
  50.   arabic school 16:42  |  alan jay gerber 21/08/07
  51.   To #42 Alan 16:46  |  Gene 21/08/07
  52.   Ibrahim-This Schhol Has Known Ties to Extremists 16:49  |  Jane 21/08/07
  53.   do you remember McCartheyism? 16:56  |  eynav Benjamin 21/08/07
  54.   This is the US, please keep YOUR conflict at home 16:58  |  Man on a tree 21/08/07
  55.   Tex 16:59  |  Man on a tree 21/08/07
  56.   #34 Gene, reform your spelling 16:59  |  Boycott 21/08/07
  57.   to # 2 17:00  |  Bob C 21/08/07
  58.   Jane - this is america, religous schools are religious schools 17:01  |  Man on a tree 21/08/07
  59.   Jane - Most Chrstians in Palestine ARE arab! 17:02  |  BB 21/08/07
  60.   David P. 17:04  |  CC 21/08/07
  61.   #48 E. Benjamin 17:05  |  Boycott 21/08/07
  62.   Intifada 17:18  |  Sensible 21/08/07
  63.   Of course the school should, and will open 17:20  |  Tosefta 21/08/07
  64.   Should we believe Mr. Dov Hikind? 17:24  |  Jozef 21/08/07
  65.   "The Rabbi" - does he keep Kosher?? 17:44  |  * BEN JABO 21/08/07
  66.   BB- And Pigs With Wings Can Fly 17:48  |  Jane 21/08/07
  67.   Did you guys miss it? 17:55  |  Mark of Lewiston 21/08/07
  68.   orthodox Paranoia 17:56  |  Meir 21/08/07
  69.   #27 Jesus Servant....more people like you are necessary 17:57  |  The Equalizer 21/08/07
  70.   Arab Princiapl 17:57  |  JJ 21/08/07
  71.   What are you saying Jane? 18:00  |  BB 21/08/07
  72.   #54 MAN ON THE TREE SHOULD CLIMB DOWN TO REALITY 18:00  |  paul harris 21/08/07
  73.   no quarter in American life is quite safe 18:28  |  Pssd Off American 21/08/07
  74.   Feinberg certainly a rabbi!!! 18:33  |  H 21/08/07
  75.   BB- I`m Saying The School is Muslim 18:33  |  jane 21/08/07
  76.   Brooklyn school NOT religious 18:34  |  H 21/08/07
  77.   School Politics 18:35  |  Mark of Lewiston 21/08/07
  78.   #73 Pssd Off 18:44  |  * BEN JABO 21/08/07
  79.   #74 H 18:46  |  * BEN JABO 21/08/07
  80.   #61 Boycott 18:50  |  * BEN JABO 21/08/07
  81.   Post #16 - Hannah is Correct 18:51  |  Double Click 21/08/07
  82.   Potential Class Lessons 18:52  |  * BEN JABO 21/08/07
  83.   Jane 18:53  |  BB 21/08/07
  84.   One more potential lesson 18:54  |  * BEN JABO 21/08/07
  85.   Paul Harris - Then keep it out of your country, stay out of mine 18:57  |  Man on a tree 21/08/07
  86.   American Jewish World Support the School! 19:06  |  Kevin 21/08/07
  87.   How Feinberg could be rabbi? 19:12  |  Gene 21/08/07
  88.   #84 Ben Jabo, there must be enough hate to do this 19:24  |  Kevin 21/08/07
  89.   #87 Gene, Wikipedia and Feinberg, Help 19:35  |  Kevin 21/08/07
  90.   Historin 19:36  |  David 21/08/07
  91.   Ben Jabo - Give the New Principle Some Credit 19:40  |  Mark of Lewiston 21/08/07
  92.   ???A+CATHOLIC+SCHOOL??? 19:49  |  Seal 21/08/07
  93.   #91 Mark of Lewiston 20:01  |  * BEN JABO 21/08/07
  94.   #87 Gene - A "Rabbi" isn`t a Holy Man" 20:04  |  * BEN JABO 21/08/07
  95.   #86 Kevin 20:05  |  * BEN JABO 21/08/07
  96.   anti-whatever 20:07  |  Methusalem 21/08/07
  97.   Jane et al: you people are pathetic ! 20:20  |  David James Vickery 21/08/07
  98.   To Kevin 20:25  |  Gene 21/08/07
  99.   Vickery the poster boy 20:31  |  peter 21/08/07
  100.   #97 D.J. Vickery - you`re more pathetic than most 20:40  |  * BEN JABO 21/08/07
  101.   DJ Vickery - No But Your Ideas Do 20:52  |  Jane 21/08/07
  102.   To Ben Jabo 20:53  |  David James Vickery 21/08/07
  103.   Ibrahim 21:05  |  Danite 21/08/07
  104.   BB-brained? 21:10  |  David P. 21/08/07
  105.   vickery 21:14  |  bev 21/08/07
  106.   David James Vickery 21:20  |  David P. 21/08/07
  107.   #3 Historian - apples and oranges 21:23  |  David Israel 21/08/07
  108.   #102 Vickery 21:32  |  * BEN JABO 21/08/07
  109.   #4 Dani 21:34  |  Nathan 21/08/07
  110.   David James Vickery 21:46  |  Lynn 21/08/07
  111.   Indrajaya 21:49  |  Bill 21/08/07
  112.   No taxpayer funded Islamist schools 21:52  |  Bill 21/08/07
  113.   so One Rabbi says 21:57  |  rich 21/08/07
  114.   Ibrahim PS 22:02  |  Danite 21/08/07
  115.   Danite, no thanks... 22:52  |  Ibrahim 21/08/07
  116.   Khalil Jibran "School" or rather madrasa 23:27  |  Joseph 21/08/07
  117.   Ibtrahim - #115 00:14  |  David Israel 22/08/07
  118.   Islamic Public school may not be a bad idea 00:22  |  David Israel 22/08/07
  119.   Dov the state rep 00:35  |  Heinz 22/08/07
  120.   The Islamists are Annoyed-Plans are Thwarted 00:47  |  Jane 22/08/07
  121.   NY moslem academy 00:49  |  Mark 22/08/07
  122.   Ibrahim 01:34  |  Danite 22/08/07
  123.   #115 Ibrahim of MI 02:18  |  Lynn 22/08/07
  124.   WHAT ABOUT AMERICAN HISTORY 02:22  |  TOBIA 22/08/07
  125.   DJ Vickery - My People Put You to Shame 02:26  |  Jane 22/08/07
  126.   PRIVATE SCOOL VS PUBLIC SCHOOL 02:33  |  TOBIA 22/08/07
  127.   Ibrahim #115 02:34  |  David Israel 22/08/07
  128.   Muslim public school might be a good idea 02:36  |  David Israel 22/08/07
  129.   Saudi Arabia should fun many many Madrasas in the US 02:51  |  American 22/08/07
  130.   WILL THEY ACCERP JEWISH CHILDREN THAT WANT TO ENROLL 03:29  |  TOBIA 22/08/07
  131.   #1 04:53  |  Moshe 22/08/07
  132.   Ibrahim - #115 05:11  |  David Israel 22/08/07
  133.   Muslim public school maybe a good idea 05:12  |  David Israel 22/08/07
  134.   David#107: You know nth about Polish Warsaw Uprising`44 of course 05:20  |  remember 22/08/07
  135.   BEN JABO... 06:43  |  PADDY 22/08/07
  136.   PADDY Why " MUST" they.?? 08:26  |  PETER SM 22/08/07
  137.   tell me Dani #4... 08:27  |  I.A. 22/08/07
  138.   RELIGIOUS SCHOOL OR NOT RELIGIOUS SCHOOL 08:31  |  indrajaya 22/08/07
  139.   to Jane #39 08:40  |  I.A. 22/08/07
  140.   Rabbi defends Jihad thread-mill 08:43  |  Sheik Yer`mami 22/08/07
  141.   Hitler & his oven for the Jews was not Islamic nor Arabic acts!! 08:44  |  Dr. Julian Darwish 22/08/07
  142.   To TOBIA #130 08:53  |  I.A. 22/08/07
  143.   DR Darwish,with respect,Al Husseini ,Hitlers personal friend 08:59  |  PETER SM 22/08/07
  144.   PETER SM... 11:21  |  PADDY 22/08/07
  145.   Rabbi, you are truly a religious man 12:03  |  Tova 22/08/07
  146.   special interest schools 16:04  |  Jane Colmes 22/08/07
  147.   #145 Tova 16:42  |  * BEN JABO 22/08/07
  148.   When the "Rabbi" was 8 days old 23:39  |  * BEN JABO 22/08/07
  149.   #135 Paddy 23:41  |  * BEN JABO 22/08/07
  150.   #141 Dr. Julian Darwish 23:52  |  * BEN JABO 22/08/07
  151.   BEN JABO...WHAT!!! 02:38  |  PADDY 23/08/07
  152.   29: Indra tries the old lie yet again 13:09  |  David Teich 24/08/07
  153.   141: No, Darwish, but organizing SS troops was 14:53  |  David Teich 25/08/07
  154.   Losing the Context 19:37  |  Jimmy 25/08/07
  155.   #154 Jimmy - Phila 22:25  |  * BEN JABO 25/08/07
  156.   154: Jimmy, you`re the one losing it (3rd try) 14:03  |  David Teich 29/08/07
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