Im Tirtzu alters memorial prayer in fresh attack on Israeli left
Group hands out 15,000 pamphlets on Memorial Day featuring altered Yizkor prayer taking aim at leftists.
By Chaim Levinson Tags: Israel newsIm Tirzu, which labels itself as a centrist party that aims to strengthen Zionism in Israel, has distributed 15,000 pamphlets in synagogues that feature an altered version of the memorial prayer (Yizkor), which takes aim at leftists and conscientious objectors.
"Let the people of Israel remember those from within it, flesh from their flesh, who participated in claims against its officers and soldiers. Those who during the time of the battle to defend Israel stood at protests and called their soldiers war criminals. Remember those in deep darkness befriended the worst enemies of Israel in order to harm the holy ones delivered their souls for the sake of the nation," the altered passage read.
Several Israelis who saw the additional passage expressed outrage on Sunday, the start of Israel's Memorial Day.
One woman who read it said the pamphlet was meant to incite and exploit Memorial Day to promote Im Tirtzu.
The group said in response that, "Unfortunately, those who are actually harming the memorial prayer are those harming Israel Defense Forces soldiers, and not those protecting them."
Im Tirtzu also said, "The aim of the pamphlets is for this years' memorial prayer not just to remember the fallen, but also to shine light on those from the New Israel Fund who call for the trial of IDF commanders, those who protest against them while they risk their lives. We are working in order to remember them as well, and we await the day we can return to the prayer's original form."
Im Tirtzu earlier this year claimed in a feature published in the Hebrew daily Maariv that it found that 92 percent of negative references to the Israel Defense Forces in the Goldstone report originating with Israeli sources came from organizations sponsored by New Israel Fund.
The fund's grantees include Adalah, Breaking the Silence, B'Tselem, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, Yesh Din and the Israeli branch of Physicians for Human Rights.
Following the feature, Im Tirtzu launched an explicit campaign against the fund, whose president, Naomi Chazan, was subsequently fired from the Jerusalem Post, where she served as a columnist.
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why do they have to change it?? can.t they be doing good elsewhere in israel/world..i mean a prayer..what next?they.ll want to change hatikva!!!
Living in your comfortable Upper West Side splendor? Your philosophy is clear-if I deny the Jewish historical truth, my fellow gentiles will love me. You are a sad case.
Im Tirzu, let me remind you of the story about a Last Supper. When a dozen or so Hebrews and the 'Holiest One' was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver. The Holiest of Holies, watched a friend in deep darkness befriend the worst enemies in Jerusalem, Israel, in order to harm the "Holy One",in Jerusalem, whose Covenant with the Chosen Ones could be fulfilled, especially from the ashes and bones, that ultimately became the impetus for the Israel that stands today. Your speech and politics is a grave sin to the One Life that will sit on the Seat of Justice separating the wares from the tares. REPENT!! Im Tirzu. For the day and the hour is coming upon all men, as promised as well. Shalom!
...but let us never forget what Republican presidential candidate Sen. Barry Goldwater famously said in 1964: "Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice!" (Which could have led to three terms in office, his head on Mount Rushmore, his face on the $4 bill, and a best-selling crock pot named for him--but didn't.)
How many religions have you tried, abondoning each in it's turn You must be having marital problems, you haven't mentioned your romance with your husband The best I can for you is that you're an abomination, both to god and to man
There was more to the firing... including certain legal threats and demands made by the NIF. This article makes it sound as if Chazan and her fund were victims--a major distortion of reality. Im Tirtzu, keep up the good work.
Im Tirtzu claiming they are a centrist party is like the Tea Party claiming they are progressive liberals. If you are going to use hate and fear to insight your constituency at least be honest about where you stand. Or just cloak your extremist ideology in religious prayers you yourselves write to attack the left. Either way...
I too oppose much of what NIF does. But they - and many other leftists - live here, they go to the army, and they get killed too. I used to have sympaty for Im Tirzu but they are becoming a bunch of fascist thugs no better than the left-wing extremists they love to criticize. Memorial Day is the one day that the country comes together as best it can. And they want to use it to beat up on anyone who disagrees with them. What's Zionist about that???
And it's high time we all hear it. Good job, Im Tirzu.
IM TIRZU love you so much! you are giving hunted jewish souls a sens of hope! THANK YOU-NEVER SURRENDER al tishkechu et ha mosrim
Im Tirtzu have taken something sacred to make a mockery of it to suit their own twisted goals. They use every opportunity to try to further their questionable politics. Do they have no shame!
Its fruit has produced hatred and contempt not only of Palestinians, but those Jews who have a conscience and stand up against the mob. Thank God we have them, but it is not zionism that has cultivated that moral sense. It has culminated in a tribal sensibility that thrives on victimhood and a world outlook that needs to perpetrate the myth that the world is against them and that oif they give an inch it will culmiknate in another holocaust. This is not something that is sustainable.