Rabbi who filmed Helen Thomas told to 'go back in the oven'
Rabbi David Nesenoff tells Haaretz the incident opened his eyes as to the extent of anti-Semitism in the world and how central it was in certain social groups.
By Natasha Mozgovaya Tags: Israel news Helen Thomas Barack Obama White House"Hitler was right. Time for you to go back in the oven," is one of the more subdued expressions to be found in the thousands of missives received by the rabbi whose interview with Helen Thomas included the veteran White House correspondent sending the Jews back to Poland and Germany.
"I asked everyone the same question about Israel, since I wanted to make a video supporting Israel," Rabbi David Nesenoff told Haaretz, saying his encounter with Thomas on May 27, too place as the White House celebrated Jewish Heritage Month, the first such event to organized by U.S. President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle.
"I was very surprised when Thomas told me that not only was she opposed to the two-state solution, but that she thought that the Jews should leave Israel and return to the final solution, more or less," Nesenoff said.
Nesenoff said he knew Thomas had been critical of Israel in the past, but "the most I was expecting was that she would say something about a pullout from the Golan Heights. I wasn't provoking or asking anything on purpose. I asked a very simple question, but I guess 'Israel' was the code word that burst the dam."
Nesenoff said he was invited to the White House almost by accident, citing his teenage son Adam, who runs the Jewish video-chat website Shmoozepoint.com, as the reason for the invitation, saying, "everyone needs a seventeen year-old."
"I'm less focused on her resignation," Nesenoff told Haaretz, "than on the fact that this incident opened my eyes as to how much anti-Semitism there was in the world and how central it was in certain social groups."
Nesenoff added, however, that as a rabbi he was interested in making the world better (Tikkun Olam) and repentance, saying that "Helen Thomas has the opportunity to make amends. She is still alive and could still do a lot of good."
The rabbi also said that he had received approximately 25,000 missives, many of which he said were hate mail, following news of the incident and Thomas' resignation.
They were threats, saying things such as 'death,' 'you better watch out,' and 'will do to you things that were done to other people in history.' According to Nesenoff, the letters spelled out threats not only against him and his family but also against the Jewish people as a whole.
The rabbi was reluctant to go into the security measures he had taken as a result of the threats, but said that "as people in Israel know – you can defend yourself, but the situation is still dangerous."
Nesenoff added he received advice from some very prominent individuals, saying he spoke with former White House Press Secretary for U.S. President George W. Bush, Ari Fleischer, "who gave me some useful tips. I talked to Elie Wiesel yesterday, who told me 'yasher koach' [may you have strength]. When Elie Wiesel says something like that, you know you did something right."
The rabbi also told Haaretz he believed the Helen Thomas affair was not incidental, saying he thought "it was fate."
"I've always asked myself what I as an individual could do for Eretz Israel. I'll turn 50 this year, and I ask myself what is my purpose in the world, how I could take advantage of the things that I have already learned and accomplished. I've always fought against racism and anti-Semitism – I started an anti-discrimination group in New York, I advised in largest case against restaurants that wouldn't serve African-Americans, I met Mel Gibson following his anti-Jewish comments."
Nesenoff said he had also participated in the production of films that had participated in many Jewish film festivals across the United States, using pieces he composed to convey a message of tolerance. "I will convey messages through art in this case as well," he said.
According to Nesenoff, he no longer sees a difference between anti-Semitic and anti-Israel behavior, saying that Israel was "a legitimate state and if there's any criticism it must be specific. But people keep returning to the question: Why are the Jews living there? They took over that country.' It is a re-writing of history while ignoring the centuries-long Jewish presence in Israel. Those are statements against Jews, with anti-Israel sentiment being only a part of it."
Nesenoff has uploaded some of the hate mail he had received to his website Rabbilive.com. "It may be vulgar and repulsive, but I don’t want to censor it," he said.
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U.S. President Barack Obama bringing birthday greetings to veteran White House reporter Helen Thomas, who shares a birthday with him, on August 4, 2009 |
| Photo by: AP |
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No surprise.
what the Jewish State is doing in the name of the Jewish People is stirring up a lot of animosity towards Jews. Did you expect anything different? Comply with International Law and the UN resolutions, stop inciting Genocide against the Iranians then perhaps the world will love you again.
People who are upset with her comments specially from USA or EROPE must show patriotism and retrun to ISRAEL and live there.That is thier land of centuries
I’ve never heard of this woman before now. So, I googled her. What I find surprising is how physically ugly and repulsive she is. I’ve spent a lot of time around very old people, visiting them in homes etc. (I’ve even seen a few people over 100 years in age) and I think she is physically one of the most disgusting people I’ve ever seen. She epitomizes the phrase “old hag.” In fact I’m expecting Wikopedia to use her as an entry for “ugly old hag.” Now, perhaps it seems strange to focus on the external when one should really not “judge a book by its cover” and “it’s what’s on the inside that counts,” but nevertheless, the external is said to be a “reflection” of the internal status. Therefore we can conclude that the fact that her external appearance is so vile is no surprise because her internal situation is also thoroughly repugnant. What she should do is to visit her local dry cleaners and stick her head under a press in attempt to straighten out some of those wrinkles. On second thoughts, she’s got so much surplus skin she could sell it to a more needy individual. It must be a bit of a dust trap with all those spare “pockets” of skin. Some people say she’s a muslim, but apparently she’s geek orthodox. Shame she’s not a muslim, as then she could cover up that ugly face with a tea towel.
Rabbi Nesenoff's revelation as to the extent of anti-Semitism, so he needed this old bat Helen Thomas to open his eyes - no kidding. He is a typical representative of US Jewry who vote for the anti-Semitic party and elected anti-Semitic and ant--Israeli administration. When will they see how self destructive they are, maybe even suicidal.
She doesn't agree with Jews inhabiting and taking over Israel and she is anti semite? It is only an opinion of what ocurred in 1945; not that Jews shouldn't exist or that she hates Jews.
Hellooooo Rabbi, there are 140 million Semites in this world! Equating anti-Israel "behavior" (whatever that means) would make the Satmur and the Neturei all "anti-Semites", also all of the Palestinians.
America stands for freedom where a lady cant say openly what she feels?why on earth there is no hue and cry one waht many american jews say about palestinians that they leave palestine?
If its ok for Obama to tell Israel how to conduct her investigation into the shooting of the Flotilla "peace" militants, then it must be ok for Israel to tell the US how to investigate the US shooting of a Mexican boy across their border.
I know what the US has done for Israel ever since its establishment. Besides political support, they have also given billions to Israel - without that money, things would look very different in Israel. Do you know the golden rule - he, who gives you the gold makes the rules. When Israeli taxpayers start sending their money over here, then it will be ok for you to tell the US what to do. As long as we are financing your occupation, your settlements and your wars, your government will have to co-ordinate some of its actions with the US.
When Israel starts giving my country billions of dollars in aid per year then they can tell us how to conduct our investigations.
Yes, anti-Semitism is on the rise here too (New Zealand) and the media are infecting people with it
Only a boot in the rear end will serve as wake up call for diaspora jews that learned nothing from recent history nor do they have a clue of their neighbour's anti-Semitism/Israel.
Has friend BM ever considered that many critics of Israel here in the US have never had problems with their Jewish neighbors because of their religion, and that the problem may be Israeli behavior? Does the fact we were hostile to Serbia's behavior mean we are anti-Serbian Orthodox?
Helen Thomas was out of order, her views are extremists. To eject Jews from Israel you need to commit a lot of violence on innocent people, by definition a holocaust. No one can condone that. My views are Jews have a right to live in Israel without question, but they need to give the Palestinians more rights, especially regarding freedom of movement. We have to get along, we have one world, one Middle-East. Don't we have better things to do or are we so narrow minded as humans.
It will work out when all foreigners, whether muslim or christian, stop interfering. the scandinavian 'tribes' hate each other no less, despite or because the many things in common they have, but no one interferes, so they worked it out over time, and their conflicts remained localised when they occurred. Family issues have to be handled within the family.
from me as well! My guess is that there are millions who also say Yasher Koach to you as well.
Yes, there is anti-semitism in the world. Those hate mails are evidence of this. But if the Rabbi, an educated man, certainly no stranger to logic, claims "he no longer sees a difference between anti-Semitic and anti-Israel behavior", he has left the secure ground of reason and facts and has wandered off into the wilderness of prejudices, unreflected emotions and self-righteous arrogance, too. This disqualifies him as a serious voice in discussions about Israel's actions and the reactions of the world. It's useless to argue with someone who puts all opponents into the same drawer, and is unable to see any differences anymore. Sad to see how intelligent people can sink so low.
first of all hello.I'am Selman in Turkey.I think Israeli and American government stop the occupation right now in Middle East.Otherwise international and global terrorısm is spread all around the world.We want peace and fraternity.(rak ben adam)I want to be human
It is better that we air the anti-semitism than allow it to be hidden. There are still some people who see it for what it is. The rest can join Hitler in hell.
that the lady is perhaps past her prime? She's 89 for heaven's sake!
Rabbi David Nesenoff is disingenuous, Helen Thomas had little support in the scandal of her remarks, she was attacked by Democrats, Republicans and fellow journalists. However the discovery of a racial comedy sketch with the Rabbi (a man of God) in a costume making fun of Latino's revealed his own inappropriate behavior and he came under heavy fire. One was not related to the other but his own website video highlighted the hypocrisy of a Rabbi behaving in a trashy manner and caused his hate mail.
Despite international criticism over the IDF's response to a Gaza-bound flotilla, Israeli Jews strongly support the operation, along with the Israeli blockade on Hamas-run Gaza. Polls conducted by Pechter Middle East Polls and New Wave Research found strong support also for Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi.
And from the alarm expressed by others I gather I'm not the only one. There's general agreement that it was lousily handled and actually fulfilled the prophecies of those who pointed out beforehand that it needed to be handled with care. Force won't work. It won't get Gilad Shalit back, it won't get rid of Hamas and even if it does, what grows up in its place will be something still less conciliatory.
The solution for Israel is to end the occupation, which means full acceptance of the 2002 Arab League Peace Initiative. There is no other MORAL option. There is no other practical option. And there is no more GENEROUS option that Israelis will ever see. Take it now, before it slips forever out of reach in the flood of turmoil.
Ivar...thank you so much for your absolute clarity and confidence...You really should run the country....
First you have to convince Hamas which has not accepted the Arab initiative and is calling for Israels elimination