Post by pieter on May 9, 2023 9:07:06 GMT -7
Folks,
I think the climate in the Netherlands in the sense of politics, society, organised crime, hate crimes and xenophobia, racism, antisemitism and islamophobia is going into the wrong direction. I have to state and say that for years I have experienced in a peaceful way the Ramadan of the Moroccan Sunni Muslim community in my street and neighbourhood and sensed zero problems with my Muslim compatriots. I walk, cycle and drive my car in the neighbourhood and it is busy with Ramadan, but these Muslims don't want to cause problems in the hood, park orderly, are polite, friendly and behave themselves better than non believers and some christians or non-Muslim secularised people from the Muslim migrant community and non muslim native Dutch people.
Unfortunately soccer Hooligans from Alkmaar (North Holland above Amsterdam), Feijenoord (Rotterdam), Ado Den Haag (The Hague), FC Utrecht, FC Groningen, Vitesse (Arnhem), PSV (Eindhoven), Cambuur, Willem II, FC Den Bosch and other Professional soccer clubs, which are part of the Eredivisie ("Honour Division" or "Premier Division"), the highest level of professional football in the Netherlands, shout the terrible slogan; "Hamas Hamas, Jews to the Gas". This might be directed at the Amsterdam and non-Amsterdam supporters and Hooligans from the soccer Club Ajax Amsterdam, but for Dutch Jews it is personal, and brings nasty memories back to annihilated family members which were Gassed with Zyklon B in the German Nazi extermination camps (Vernichtungslager) Auschwitz Birkenau and Sobibor in Poland.
In 2019 during the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Dutch 'fans' of AZ (Alkmaar, North Holland) and Cambuur (Leeuwarden, the capital of the province of Friesland) found 'fraternization' in shouting lyrics such as 'Jews burn best' and "Hamas, Hamas, Jews to the gas".
On Dutchfar-right internet platforms, anti-Semitism is common. But pointing at Jews is no longer taboo, even in circles considered mainstream.
Kanker Jood (Cancer Jew) en Kanker homo (Cancer Gay) are the most used swear words in the Netherlands, and it seems that Dutch Jews and Dutch members of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) communities are the most targeted groups for verbal and physical attacks and assaults . Western Europeans and Americans often point to antisemitism, racism and homophobia in Poland, Hungary, Russia, Ukraine, Serbia and other Central- and Eastern European countries. But it seems that antisemitism is much stronger in Western Europe.
Contrary to what many people think, antisemitism comes much more often from the left, extreme left and Islamic corner. You also have the extreme right Neo-Nazi and conspiracy theories antisemitism. It comes from different corners and Jews feel less and less at home in countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany, France and England. Many European Jews immigrate to Israel. America (USA) is also no longer an option for many due to the increasing antisemitism there.
It cannot be that Jews no longer feel at home and no longer feel safe in the Netherlands. It can't be allowed to take its course, can it?
23% of Dutch youth do not know what the Holocaust (Shoa) is, history education is lousy.
The antisemitism that exists is multiform and diverse. On the one hand it is due to lack of knowledge, stupidity, old prejudices, jealousy (of the success of the Dutch Jews), hatred of old ideas (Islamic antisemitism, Christian antisemitism - the Jews are the murderers of Jesus Christ -, the secular atheistic pseudo-scientific antisemitism of the Nazis, and old-Russian antisemitism of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion).
The Jewish community in the Netherlands consists of various denominations, ranging from Orthodox to liberal Progressive religious Judaism to secular (Atheist) Judaism.
There are an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 Jews living in the Netherlands today. The majority of them live in Amsterdam and Amstelveen. A considerable number of them, including almost all traditional-religious Jews, live in the Amsterdam districts of Rivierenbuurt, Oud-Zuid and Buitenveldert. Many synagogues can be found in these areas, as well as all Jewish schools and kosher shops. Mediene is the name of the joint Jewish communities in the Netherlands outside Amsterdam. So of the 17,865,800 Dutch people, 40,000 people are Jewish. That is 2.23% of the Dutch population.
This gross, crass, vulgar, stupid, uncivilized, simplistic antisemitism based on hatred, loathing, envy, prejudice, primitivism and old antisemitic layers is unacceptable, quite sad and actually impossible. Civilized and normal Dutch people are deeply ashamed of that side and aspect of their country today. They dislike, reject and loathe that 'Dutch' and 'Western-European' antisemitism. I reject this 'Dutch' antisemitism myself. Antisemitism in a civilized Western country in which every human being is equal, where human rights exist and where everyone lives in peace, security and prosperity should live, work and live unworthily.
This does not belong to our country, the Netherlands, but unfortunately it is commonplace and is a daily reality for Jews and non-Jews.
As a 'non-Jew' I was also once called 'Cancer Jew' and threatened with violence (I'll beat you up if you're a Jew). Because the antisemitic Dutch chap considered my look to be Jewish. If my dark looks comes from the Dutch or Polish side I don't know?
I must say that as a Jew you are safer in the Czech Republic, Poland or Hungary than in the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden or France.
In Western Europe you run the risk of being called names, spat on, chased or become the victim of terrorism (which happened to Jews in France and Belgium).
Those who talk about Poles being fed antisemitism with their mother milk (an old anti-Polonist prejudice) should take a closer look at Western Europe.
Jews are leaving Western Europe.
Cheers,
Pieter
I think the climate in the Netherlands in the sense of politics, society, organised crime, hate crimes and xenophobia, racism, antisemitism and islamophobia is going into the wrong direction. I have to state and say that for years I have experienced in a peaceful way the Ramadan of the Moroccan Sunni Muslim community in my street and neighbourhood and sensed zero problems with my Muslim compatriots. I walk, cycle and drive my car in the neighbourhood and it is busy with Ramadan, but these Muslims don't want to cause problems in the hood, park orderly, are polite, friendly and behave themselves better than non believers and some christians or non-Muslim secularised people from the Muslim migrant community and non muslim native Dutch people.
Unfortunately soccer Hooligans from Alkmaar (North Holland above Amsterdam), Feijenoord (Rotterdam), Ado Den Haag (The Hague), FC Utrecht, FC Groningen, Vitesse (Arnhem), PSV (Eindhoven), Cambuur, Willem II, FC Den Bosch and other Professional soccer clubs, which are part of the Eredivisie ("Honour Division" or "Premier Division"), the highest level of professional football in the Netherlands, shout the terrible slogan; "Hamas Hamas, Jews to the Gas". This might be directed at the Amsterdam and non-Amsterdam supporters and Hooligans from the soccer Club Ajax Amsterdam, but for Dutch Jews it is personal, and brings nasty memories back to annihilated family members which were Gassed with Zyklon B in the German Nazi extermination camps (Vernichtungslager) Auschwitz Birkenau and Sobibor in Poland.
In 2019 during the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Dutch 'fans' of AZ (Alkmaar, North Holland) and Cambuur (Leeuwarden, the capital of the province of Friesland) found 'fraternization' in shouting lyrics such as 'Jews burn best' and "Hamas, Hamas, Jews to the gas".
On Dutchfar-right internet platforms, anti-Semitism is common. But pointing at Jews is no longer taboo, even in circles considered mainstream.
Kanker Jood (Cancer Jew) en Kanker homo (Cancer Gay) are the most used swear words in the Netherlands, and it seems that Dutch Jews and Dutch members of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) communities are the most targeted groups for verbal and physical attacks and assaults . Western Europeans and Americans often point to antisemitism, racism and homophobia in Poland, Hungary, Russia, Ukraine, Serbia and other Central- and Eastern European countries. But it seems that antisemitism is much stronger in Western Europe.
Contrary to what many people think, antisemitism comes much more often from the left, extreme left and Islamic corner. You also have the extreme right Neo-Nazi and conspiracy theories antisemitism. It comes from different corners and Jews feel less and less at home in countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany, France and England. Many European Jews immigrate to Israel. America (USA) is also no longer an option for many due to the increasing antisemitism there.
It cannot be that Jews no longer feel at home and no longer feel safe in the Netherlands. It can't be allowed to take its course, can it?
23% of Dutch youth do not know what the Holocaust (Shoa) is, history education is lousy.
The antisemitism that exists is multiform and diverse. On the one hand it is due to lack of knowledge, stupidity, old prejudices, jealousy (of the success of the Dutch Jews), hatred of old ideas (Islamic antisemitism, Christian antisemitism - the Jews are the murderers of Jesus Christ -, the secular atheistic pseudo-scientific antisemitism of the Nazis, and old-Russian antisemitism of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion).
The Jewish community in the Netherlands consists of various denominations, ranging from Orthodox to liberal Progressive religious Judaism to secular (Atheist) Judaism.
There are an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 Jews living in the Netherlands today. The majority of them live in Amsterdam and Amstelveen. A considerable number of them, including almost all traditional-religious Jews, live in the Amsterdam districts of Rivierenbuurt, Oud-Zuid and Buitenveldert. Many synagogues can be found in these areas, as well as all Jewish schools and kosher shops. Mediene is the name of the joint Jewish communities in the Netherlands outside Amsterdam. So of the 17,865,800 Dutch people, 40,000 people are Jewish. That is 2.23% of the Dutch population.
This gross, crass, vulgar, stupid, uncivilized, simplistic antisemitism based on hatred, loathing, envy, prejudice, primitivism and old antisemitic layers is unacceptable, quite sad and actually impossible. Civilized and normal Dutch people are deeply ashamed of that side and aspect of their country today. They dislike, reject and loathe that 'Dutch' and 'Western-European' antisemitism. I reject this 'Dutch' antisemitism myself. Antisemitism in a civilized Western country in which every human being is equal, where human rights exist and where everyone lives in peace, security and prosperity should live, work and live unworthily.
This does not belong to our country, the Netherlands, but unfortunately it is commonplace and is a daily reality for Jews and non-Jews.
As a 'non-Jew' I was also once called 'Cancer Jew' and threatened with violence (I'll beat you up if you're a Jew). Because the antisemitic Dutch chap considered my look to be Jewish. If my dark looks comes from the Dutch or Polish side I don't know?
I must say that as a Jew you are safer in the Czech Republic, Poland or Hungary than in the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden or France.
In Western Europe you run the risk of being called names, spat on, chased or become the victim of terrorism (which happened to Jews in France and Belgium).
Those who talk about Poles being fed antisemitism with their mother milk (an old anti-Polonist prejudice) should take a closer look at Western Europe.
Jews are leaving Western Europe.
Cheers,
Pieter
