views community view letters What Was Th e Real Reason? I an interview with ANSA, an Italian n last week’s JN article, “Security Squeeze,” it was stated press agency, she said: “I met Abu Mazen [Abbas] in Ramallah. I that Adat Shalom has canceled believe that the Palestinian leader the Noa concert because of secu- really wants peace with Israel, but rity threats it had received. In that same article, a spokesman for Adat unfortunately I can’t say the same about my prime minister.” Shalom said that “there In addition, on her was nothing on the level Facebook page, Nini wrote, of a bomb threat and no “Trump is a modern-day use of the word ‘violent,’ Hitler, and who supports but the synagogue officers him? Bibi! Surprised? No!! were concerned.” Bibi is not only the self-pro- The spokesman also claimed King of the Jews, said they were concerned he is also just as racist, nar- about demonstrations Irving Ginsberg cisitic, paranoid and vulgar or protests. Apparently, as Trump.” any Federation or Adat She proceeded to cas- Shalom event will be can- tigate and condemn Jews celed if a protest or dem- who voted for Trump by onstration is threatened — who knew there was such fragil- continuing with, “Is there any Jew in America that still supports ity in a free society? Trump?? I am sure the answer is On the other hand, I believe the yes. Have you no shame?? Are not reason given was a cover-up for many of your relatives of the 6 mil- the sponsors being ignorant of lion killed under the same flag of the anti-Israel and anti-IDF activi- racism, lies, incitement and blind ties of the singer, Achinoam Nini hatred? Do you not see how eas- (known as Noa). ily these horrible monsters can Nini, contrary to her protests turn against you and devour you? about not supporting BDS, has Against us, every one of us?” been in the BDS movement for The singer has her political views many years through her involve- and certainly she has a right to ment with organizations that support BDS, like B’tselem, a mem- express them. But, what is particu- larly egregious to those of us who ber organization of Fédération heartily support Israel in its fight Internationale des Droits de against terrorists is that Achinoam l’Homme (FIDH), a Paris-based Nini took part in an “alternative” association of international NGOs Remembrance Day ceremony that promulgating BDS campaigns included honoring the Arab ter- worldwide. rorist Ziad Jilani. Jilani was shot Nini has also praised Abbas dead after he rammed into a group while condemning Netanyahu. In Contributing Writers: Joshus Lewis Berg, Ruthan Brodsky, Suzanne Chessler, Annabel Cohen, Don Cohen, Shari S. Cohen, Shelli Liebman Dorfman, Adam Finkel, Stacy Gittleman, Stacy Goldberg, Judy Greenwald, Ronelle Grier, Esther Allweiss Ingber, Allison Jacobs, Barbara Lewis, Jennifer Lovy, Rabbi Jason Miller, Alan Muskovitz, David Sachs, Karen Schwartz, Robin Schwartz, Steve Stein, Joyce Wiswell Arthur M. Horwitz Publisher / Executive Editor ahorwitz@renmedia.us F. Kevin Browett Chief Operating Officer kbrowett@renmedia.us | Editorial Managing Editor: Jackie Headapohl jheadapohl@renmedia.us Story Development Editor: Keri Guten Cohen kcohen@renmedia.us Arts & Life Editor: Lynne Konstantin lkonstantin@renmedia.us Editorial Assistant: Sy Manello smanello@renmedia.us Senior Columnist: Danny Raskin dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net Contributing Editor: Robert Sklar rsklar@renmedia.us | Advertising Sales Sales Director: Keith Farber kfarber@renmedia.us Account Executives : Wendy Flusty, Annette Kizy, Paige Lustig Sales Manager Assistants : Andrea Gusho, Karen Marzolf | Business Offices Billing Coordinator: Pamela Turner of border policemen with his car, wounding several of them. His widow was an honored speaker at that “alternative” Remembrance Day ceremony. That had to be exceedingly hurtful to the many Israeli victims of Arab terrorists. If Adat Shalom and the Federation were aware of Nini’s activities but believed in present- ing alternative views regardless of the firestorm that creates, then they should have been courageous enough to have the event and deal with the warranted criticism. If the sponsors were ignorant of the singer’s activities until it was revealed to them, then they should have been honest and admit that it was the reason for canceling the event and then deal with the resulting humiliation. Unfortunately, the sponsors did neither. Instead, the sponsors seem to have taken the cowardly way out by blaming the cancellation on grossly exaggerated or fabricated security threats, thereby falsely intimat- ing that the critics were security threats. While violent protests or threats of such violence do raise real security concerns, peaceful protests and demonstrations that don’t shut down free speech are indispensable to a free society and protected by our Constitution. • Irving Ginsberg, Ph.D., lives in Farmington Hills. EDITOR’S NOTE: The Jewish News was a sponsor of the event. | Production By FARAGO & ASSOCIATES Manager: Scott Drzewiecki Designers: Kelly Kosek, Amy Pollard, Michelle Sheridan, Susan Walker | Detroit Jewish News Chairman: Michael H. Steinhardt President/Publisher: Arthur M. Horwitz ahorwitz@renmedia.us Chief Operating Officer: F. Kevin Browett kbrowett@renmedia.us Controller: Craig R. Phipps | Fulfillment Joelle Harder jharder@renmedia.us continued from page 5 Noa’s Infamous Views Ms. Nini is a talented singer, but her hatred of Jews who live in Judea and Samaria, the Golan and eastern Jerusalem is infamous. It is an example of sinat hinam, baseless hatred. For that reason, she refuses to perform over the “Green Line” (the Armistice lines of 1949). And, for that reason, many Israelis will not attend her performances. Although she says that she does not sup- port organizations that boycott Israel, she does support boycotting products from what she calls “the occupied territories” and opposes all “settlements.” She is entitled to her disgraceful and divisive opinions, but she herself has made them an issue. That is why she is not invited to perform at national events in Israel. Moshe Dann Israel EDITOR’S NOTE: Look for more views on the concert cancellation, including those from Richard Nodel, Tzvi Raviv and Itamar Ilsar, next week. Hope Against Hate I enjoyed attending “Hope Against Hate,” exam- ining the existential challenges — and poten- tial solutions — facing Jewish communities today. It was dynamic and informative. It is imperative, however, to advocate for a two-state solution based on safety, nonviolence and forgiveness. Otherwise the dialogue of land can never be resolved. Distrust and mayhem may have a historical explanation, but only through more open com- munication between adult Muslims and Jews can Jewish college students find their voices of empathy. Bruce Tabashneck Berkley | Departments General Offi ces: 248-354-6060 Advertising: 248-351-5107 Advertising Fax: 248-304-0049 Circulation: 248-351-5120 Classifi ed Ads: 248-351-5116 Advertising Deadline: Monday, 2 p.m. Editorial Fax: 248-304-8885 Deadline: All public and social announcements must be typewritten and received by noon Tuesday, nine days prior to desired date of publication. 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