A curious story about a supposed Dutch Jewish convert to Islam appeared in early May. For it was on May 4 that the imam at the Blue Mosque in Amsterdam claimed to have converted a Holocaust survivor to Islam. That survivor was identified by the cleric as an 87-year-old man, described as a “Jewish aristocrat,” one Sal van Coeverden. The idea of a “Jewish aristocrat” is already passing strange. Jews in Europe were not part of the aristocracy; aristocrats almost never converted to Judaism. One suspects this was the mosque’s way of enhancing what it clearly regards as a singular feat: being responsible for the conversion of an elderly Jew who, near the very end of his life, finally recognized the Truth of Islam, abandoned Judaism, recited — after the imam — the Shahada, and converted to the One True Faith.
In a video posted by the Blue Mosque on Facebook, Sal van Coeverden (if that is his real name) is seen, slumped in a wheelchair, as he repeats after the Imam Yassin Elforkani the Shahada in Arabic:
“Welcome, brother, welcome to Islam,” Elforkani told the man after the prayer, as another man dressed in a traditional Muslim gown carted away the octogenarian.
“Shahada of our 87-year-old brother! Mr. Sal van Coeverden, who was born 87 years ago to a Jewish noble family, recites today the Shahada. Takbir!” read the text, ending with an Arabic expression extolling Allah.
In the comment section of the post, a user named Saloua El Hadrati wrote proudly that her brother is the man pushing the wheelchair, explaining he was van Coeverden’s caretaker at an old age home.
But in a community whose numbers never recovered from the annihilation during the Holocaust — 75 percent of Holland’s pre-war Jewish population did not survive the war — local Jews reacted with suspicion over the veracity and legitimacy of the Blue Mosque’s jubilant announcement.
Esther Voet, an investigative journalist and editor-in-chief of the NIW Dutch Jewish weekly, said she has an uneasy feeling about the conversion case, which she is in the process of studying.
“If this person is no longer in full possession of all his faculties, or even just very lonely, there is the question of whether he was talked into converting by a caretaker who then brings him as some trophy to the mosque,” she said. “Because I think that’s what happened.”
But Voet and other journalists have so far been unable to track down the man who was filmed reciting the Arabic-language prayer. She learned that a Jewish senior citizen named Sal van Coeverden had lived in southern Amsterdam until seven years ago, but she has not yet been able to find out what happened to him.
The assertion on the Mosque’s Facebook page that he is both Jewish and descended from nobility seems unlikely, as these two populations very seldom intermarry.
In trying to track down van Coeverden, Voet this week spoke to many people carrying his relatively uncommon surname but “no one knows the man in the video,” she said.
She did learn that the Netherlands had a Jewish family named van Coeverden and a noble family of the same name, though the two families were not related.
“So far, we have no idea who’s in that video,” said Voet. Her paper, as well as the Joods news site and the De Dagelijkse Standard news site, are looking into the case and have asked anyone with information to help them identify the man.
The Blue Mosque, whose website features a contact form for prospective converts, was not reachable by telephone for questions on van Coeverden’s conversion to Islam.
It is, as Esther Voet says, most likely a case of the Muslim caregiver bringing his elderly Jewish ward to the mosque, knowing he was in no mental condition to understand what was going on, and having him recite, as he slumped in his wheelchair, the Shahada or Profession of Faith that he could hardly understand.
It was easy enough to find a family name that sounded impressive, and to endow this man with that identity: Sal van Coeverden. There have apparently been in the past both a Jewish van Coeverden family, and a non-Jewish, noble van Coeverden family, in Amsterdam. He may even have been Sal van Coeverden. His real identity is still to be determined and so far, no one has confirmed that name. The mosque was contacted through its website, but did not respond to requests for information.
The spectacle on the video is all that the Muslim clerics at the Blue Mosque could have wished for: a Jew, that is, someone from the group whose members are supposed to be the worst enemies of Muhammad and the Muslims, appears to decide at the very end of his life to choose Islam, and so he recites the Shahada, which is all that is needed for conversion. This is regarded by the mosque’s Muslims not just as a matter of one man’s individual choice, but as a symbolic triumph of Islam over Judaism. Muslim triumphalism expresses itself in various ways. “Islam is the world’s fastest growing religion” is one way. Another is to snare some trophy converts — like Tony Blair’s sister-in-law, or a sports star, or a well-known entertainer. They can be ranked as to perceived propaganda value. Lowest on the list would be prisoners, those who become Muslims in “convenience conversions.” They convert because then their lives behind bars are more secure, for they have joined the “biggest gang.” Highest on the list would be Jews, precisely because they are seen as historically the people most impervious to the message of Muhammad. And a “Jewish aristocrat”? Even better.
Like Esther Voet, I suspect that this is a matter of Facebook theater, produced and directed by the imam and other members of the Blue Mosque in Amsterdam. The fact that no one looking into this story can find any current record for a Sal van Coeverden raises one’s suspicions. But what is most suspect is that having shown on Facebook what appears to be the conversion of an elderly man whom the mosque claims is “a Jewish aristocrat,” one would have thought that the mosque would not have wanted the new convert to immediately be “carted away,” but making the most of this unusual conversion, would have made their new convert available for interviews, in which he could describe his reasons for making such a wise choice. Could it be that the Muslims at the mosque didn’t want journalists to discover that this “convert,” slumped over in his wheelchair, does not have all his faculties intact, had no idea what he was reciting in a strange language, and no doubt still has no idea that he “converted”?
Over the 1400-year history of Islam, tens of millions of people, unwilling to endure the onerous conditions of the dhimmi status, recited the Shahada and ‘“converted” to Islam. It didn’t matter that they had little or no idea of the ideology of Islam; they had become full-fledged Muslims simply by reciting a single line; their ignorance of the faith didn’t bother other Muslims; what mattered was that now these converts had been recruited to the Army of Islam, and once in, they could not get out. This 87-year-old man was wheeled into the mosque by his caregiver, and likely, in a mental daze, made to recite what for him was some incomprehensible gobbledygook in a foreign language, and then, after the briefest of welcomes, was wheeled quickly away, not to be seen or talked to or even contacted again by outsiders. For all we know, he may now be in a ward for those suffering from senile dementia. Clearly the mosque’s clerics are not eager for him to be interviewed.
Muslims may regard this putative conversion as a Triumph of Islam, another scalp — and what a scalp! — to add to the 1.6 billion they now have. Non-Muslims, however, more skeptical (having taken note of that slumped-over form, so quickly carted away), will see it as something else: a cynical example of taking advantage of an aged man who had no idea what he was doing, so as to be able to proclaim that a Jew, in the fullness of age and wisdom, had at long last seen the light of Islam, and Made The Right Choice. Takbir! Let’s exploit this story to the fullest!
I found the videotaped spectacle unconvincing and deeply unpleasant. And so, perhaps, did you.
mgoldberg says
It’s rather a sign of just how hateful the religion of pieces Is: taking an aged infirm man and putting him on display for their ends.
As if, as if this was proof of anything, except that old feeble people can be abused by Islam as easy as
all others.
J D S says
Holocaust????? Muslims don’t believe there was a holocaust…
gravenimage says
And yet, they are always threatening Jews that they are going to finish the job.
brenrod says
likely a muslim caretaker in a nursing home kidnapping and abusing an elderly jew
Mark Swan says
This poor old fellow taken from a “old age home”, who knows
what to think of such a sick exhibition.
Sk says
Sal was coersen!!
Peter Buckley says
I wouldn’t pay too much attention to this story. The world is full of so-called “conversions” to Islam, which, as time goes by, prove to be false. The list is long:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poOwQH_MHm0
Yet again, it is simply more proof of how insecure and desperate, the religion is, that it has to make up these claims.
Terry Gain says
The prospect of a perpetual erection and 72 Virgins with swelling breasts gets more enticing with old age.
Eur says
Muslims accept that anyone says the sahada, from people with their faculties intact to mental deficient passing through minors. To be a Christian you must do a catechism course and after the approval of a priest … you can be baptized. To be Jewish, I think the process is even more difficult. Judaism is not proselytizing, there are branches of Christianity that are proselytizers … but without a doubt Islam is super proselytizing and accepts anyone.
mgoldberg says
If one wanted to become an observant jew, what is called ‘orthodox’ they would be politely turned away.
That is, the rabbi would ask them why they wanted to become an orthodox jew? If they are christian, or some other faith, he would explain that they can by virtue of righteous acts go to heavenly reward, so why choose to become an observant jew? He would tell them, that they then couldn’t drive on Shabbas, eat a hamburger with cheese, etc etc etc. And if they are some other faith, they can eat a hamburder with cheese, drive on shabbas, and still go to heavenly reward. There’s more to this but if a person is turned away and returns to ask to be converted the process might take upwards of two years! No… it’s no recitation of some crappy saying, it’s an entire education and choice to take upon themselves all those responsibilities and obligtaions… that’s why people get turned away. So to brag about some old person becoming an observant jew, is not something that would be shown on a video. It would be indiscrete to flaunt something like that.
nicu says
@ mgoldberg : thank you –toda raba for this explanation – Quite interesting !
And I agree with you .
Elisha says
“To be a Christian you must do a catechism course and after the approval of a priest … you can be baptized.”
Huh? What garbage! Who cares what a Catholic priest thinks? To be a Christian means that the Holy Spirit has convicted you of sin in your heart and you accept Jesus Christ in faith being saved by His grace and then you repent. Catechisms? Does that include the one (841) that implicitly states that muslims are also children of God and therefore saved? No wonder the pope kissed a quran and Francis kisses muslim backsides!
CogitoErgoSum says
Actually, Catholics recognize as valid any baptism that is made in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Eur says
I really can not know what the evangelists, Lutherans or Anglicans do. I am from the south of Europe, here historically the religion has been Catholic. I have been baptized and I have done the catechesis to be able to make communion. No one can become a Catholic without receiving a catechism course. On the other hand … since I have use of reason I am an agnostic, religion seems to me somewhat gloomy. It is my personal opinion. My mother is still a believer and a practicing Catholic, and when I accompany her to church, I do not understand it … the church produces fear with that gloomy atmosphere. I do not really understand any religion but of course Islam is the worst.
jack cade says
Muslim caregiver!? Who, but a congenital idiot, would hire a Muslim caregiver? That’s not even an Islamic concept! Caregiver!!!!!
sog says
You can’t find a Moslem caregiver because they’re all too busy delivering Meals on Wheels to elderly shutin’s irrespective of religious affiliations.
Shmoovie says
Agreed– it’s a nightmarish thought.
This story comes off as another of the many types of elder abuse.
gravenimage says
Some care homes have hired Muslims. There have been numerous cases of Muslims abusing the vulnerable people in their care.
Carolyne says
My sister lived in an independent living senior facility. I have no instance of Muslims abusing the elderly, but I know she was upset when Muslim employees started arriving with their scarfs and Hijabs. Perhaps these Muslims will work cheap or something, but I know she did not like to be served anything by a Muslim. She left that facility and is now in one which has no religiously identifiable employees. I would not trust an idiot in a hijab serving me food, either.
Save Europe says
Muslim caregiver = an oxymoron.
Notmoron says
If that is not a Elderly abuse, then tell me what it is.
utis says
My sentiments, exactly. Where is the police investigation? Where is the outrage?
RichardL says
There are many Jewish aristocrats: the Austrians and Germans ennobled many in the late 19th century. The most prominent noble Jewish family are the Rothschilds.
Terry Gain says
I think this elderly Jewish man may have been convinced to convert by David Wood’s Islamicize Me Series. I am finding it very convincing. Especially the Mu’tah Marriage thingy.
Donovan Nuera says
If the man is found and it is discovered that he is demented, they should fire the caregiver, sue the nursing home, close the mosque, and deport the imam and the caregiver.
utis says
Definitely.
Carolyne says
They should do that anyway for general purposes.
Donovan Nuera says
I bet the imam at the blue mosque had previously told his followers that the Holocaust never occurred.
Sentinel says
Is this what will happen to the elderly people put in the hands of Muslim carers ? – forced conversion to Islam under unknown threats or coercion.
A terrifying thought and Muslims are bragging about it ?
Raja says
Islam is a system that claims its supremacism by hook or by crook. We have daily news of Islamic propaganda from Muslims- praying in parks,threatening to mass-murder, praying in streets, protesting for anything remotely connected to Islam like “blasphemy”.
Islam’s god has no morals or even standards. He is so unholy that he wants his followers to kill and lie all the time. He is so impotent that he wants his followers to do all the job for him.
Islam is a leach that must always latch on to others and do the blood-letting at the same time.
Islam is a proof of Satan’s presence and his larger agenda to destroy man’s soul.
This sick system would do ANYTHING to claim conversion.
Terry Gain says
Islam is the best argument there is for the existence of Satan.
Carolyne says
I do not believe in the concept of Satan, but if I did, I agree with you.
utis says
I recall that people in Indonesia or Malaysa a couple of years ago, were being re-tagged as muslim in spite of family outrage. The purpose was to huckster Islam by saying prominent kufr had had death-bed conversions. Taqqiya is so easy when the “convert” can’t deny a thing.
That poor old man, whether he was a Jew or not (no proof), if not in on the scam, is being horribly abused. Islam is bad enough when it comes to child abuse, but the impaired elderly are equally vulnerable. Are they going to beat him when he can’t perform the prayer exercises correctly?
Raja says
Utis, an insightful post indeed. Great… God bless…
Erik Bink says
Van Coeverden is indeed the name of a very old aristocratic Dutch family:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Coeverden
Van Coevorden is also a Jewish Dutch surname. Jewish, Dutch nobility has never existed.
Coevorden is a small town in the province of Drente, in the north-eastern part of The Netherlands. There is a castle Coevorden in the town of Coevorden:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Coeverden
Jews very often adopted the name of the town they were living in as their surname, like: Hamburger, Bremer, Berliner, Van Praag (: = Prague). That’s what happened, I presume, with Jews living in Coevorden, let’s say two centuries ago.
Accidentally, the name of my family doctor is Ruben S. van Coevorden, and he is jewish of course. In this part of (South) Amsterdam where I live there are still Jewish survivors, living in a home for the elderly, Beth Shalom (: House of Peace). Maybe Sal (: Salomon) Van Coeve(?)rden (Coevorden?) was/is living there – if he hasn’t died shortly after speaking out the poisonous shahada.
This whole charade of islamic deceit and pretence is one example out of many of the disgusting presence of islam in our country.
Benedict says
Islam is a religion invented by a parrot and puppet, named Muhammad, for other parrots and puppets to emulate, and the repulsive videotaped spectacle just proves it.
Roland Tours says
More than Islamic triumphalism may be involved. Could it be robbery? Looting an estate?
Carol says
I wonder if his relatives know what is going on? Or friends or neighbors who know him at his synagogue? I hope he isn’t medically kidnapped by his “caretakers”. I hope his family finds and rescues him before it’s too late!
Ibrahim itace muhammed says
Hugh Fitzgerald, whatever your skepticism the jewish holocaust survivor has acceptéd Islam -the only sure way to salvation -following the foot step of Abdullah bin Abdussalam (now in perfect peace in paradise). The man has overpowered the temptations of arrogance from the Satan that prevents most Jews from accepting Islam. He has to be protected for him not be assassinated by wicked fascist evil zionists.
gravenimage says
The idea that Zionists assassinate those who leave Judaism is, of course, just calumny.
It is also projection–it is *Muslims* who murder apostates, not Jews.
And Ibrahim itace muhammed has said how much he personally looks forward to taking part in the genocide of the Jews.
mgoldberg says
Your as dumb as a rock. Theone in the SE corner of the Kabaa. That black stone of ignorance.
There is no such apostasy in Judaism. There is every bit of that apostasy in Islam and millions have been killed over that vulgar, inane, insane tyranny.
You are a simple liar.
You are a muslim.
That… is your reward
Save Europe says
You’re absolutely insane Ibrahim Koranderthal. Your ramblings are truly mental. Oh dear, oh dear! A psychiatrist would enjoy encountering you ???????
Carolyne says
Would it really be “Perfect peace” in Muslim paradise if one had to service 72 virgins and young boys like scattered pearls? I should think that would get old very quickly, especially if the virgins started fighting with each other over the order of preference.
Wellington says
Ah, seems that just as Islam parasitically and unconscionably uses children for its many nefarious purposes, so will it also use the elderly when they too are past any kind of full comprehension of life.
Which leads me to this assessment: Just when you think Islam can’t stoop any lower, think again.
gravenimage says
So true.
Carlos says
I thought they said there was no holocaust.
gravenimage says
Muslims will say anything to further the cause of Islam.
Save Europe says
I know this ‘place’ very well indeed. The Kuwaitis were caught out promoting Salafism in this vile mosque several years ago.
CogitoErgoSum says
Muslims proving themselves unchanging, yesterday, today and forever in their quest to mock the Christian and the Jew. They travel in packs like wolves and they prey upon the very young , the very old and the weak of any age. But now and then they run up against the extraordinary individual with the iron will who exposes them for the despicable pieces of garbage that they are by revealing the stark contrast between them and a man with true nobility of character. Here is another man of advanced age they tried to intimidate but failed:
FYI says
That elderly Christian man speaks the truth- like a genuine prophet of God and he was speaking with the power of God’s Holy Spirit{something that the demonic, commandment-of-God violating muslims despise as we see from that demonic muslim troll who posts on these threads and calls it “satan”}
watch the demonic savages of islam ….baying,mocking,jeering, like the Godless beasts they are with their..
Commandment-of-God violating “holy” koran that preaches evil,
their false god allah,an antichristian,anti Jewish misogynistic bigot,{who ADMITS to being a deceiver k 3:54},their mass-murdering {abu dawud 4390},slavetrading{sahih muslim 3901}polygamous “prophet”
muhammed who ADMITTED to being a fraud.
1.remember this regarding the shahada;
“There is no god but allah and muhammed is his prophet”
allah is NOT the Judeo-Christian Biblical {and TRUE} GOD.
allah has no concept of the 2 chief commandments;they exist in Judaism & Christianity but NOT in islam!
allah admits to being the “best of deceivers” k 3:54
allah’s teachings are all in violation of God’s Commandments
{Compare allah vs God with regard to murder,adultery,stealing,lying:allah disagrees with God’s Laws}
muhammed ADMITTED to being a FALSE prophet..
“I have fabricated things AGAINST GOD and have imputed to him things he has not said”
al tabari 6:111
So muhammed,by his own admission,cannot be a prophet of God(since he admitted to fabricating things AGAINST GOD).His teachings must also be false because he admits .. “have imputed to him things he has not said”That’s where the koran comes from.
Since muhammed admits to being a FALSE PROPHET and since it is claimed that he is allah’s messenger then allah too cannot be accepted as God (because muhammed admitted to being AGAINST GOD!)
see if you can find one of these baying muslims to expain al tabari 6:111:muhammed’s admission to being a FALSE PROPHET.. AGAINST GOD
2 Anytime muslims say they respect Jesus..
Jesus Christ is a Jew(John 4 v 22 if there is any doubt)
but alllah CURSES the Jews in k9:30 and refers to them as “apes to be despised and hated” koran 2 v 65
But Jesus Christ is a Jew:see if the muslims can explain that away.
Moses too ,and ALL the Biblical prophets are JEWISH.
So are they all”apes,to be despised and hated”???
Remember that allah’s insult upon the Jews is ALSO upon Jesus Christ(since Jesus Christ is..a Jew).
3 If Moses or Jesus Christ spoke to these demonic,Godless muslim brutes, these falsely pious children of allah would most certainly attack God’s true prophets!see how the demonic muslims disrespect Jesus Christ and All God’s true prophets
see how they HATE the truth!
SEE if they can explain al tabari 6:111…..
Eur says
I have no doubt that there are Muslim caregivers of the elderly … but I am sure that they all practice the usual savage proselytizing.
In Spain it is very common for Moroccan girls to offer to go to schools to talk about multiculturalism … what they really do is dawah with the children. It is also typical for people who convert to Islam to write books about their personal experience or for Moroccan immigrants to write books about being an immigrant in Europe … but always with a proselytizing background. I do not know of any man or woman who comes from Morocco and writes about being Moroccan and agnostic, Moroccan and Christian, Moroccan and atheist … and positively aware that these people exist … but if they were to be known they would be automatically threatened / repudiated by the Moroccans and killed by the Salafists.
Politicianophobia says
Terribly sad, disgusting story. I HATE ISLAM.
Ibrahim itace muhammed says
Carolyne, you said you don’t believe in the life after death, how can we convince you ? “wuldanil mukhalladun (Pearl boys) “are not meant for anus sex. They serve just like domestic servants and children to make the inhabitants of paradise happier.It is 72 virgin girls that are meant for sex and the inhabitants of paradise Will be provided with special power to have sex with them even at the same time ,and wife from this world Will enjoy her husband more than 72 times and she Will be the leader of the newly created virgin girls. That is miraclous, not just natural phenomenone as It is the case in this physical world. Such miracles happened to people even in this physical world like prophet sulaiman you Call King Solomon Who had sex with 1000 wives at the same time. It also happened to our noble prophet muhammad, and that is why Allah permitted him to marry upto 9 wives and all the wives reported that he satisfied them as if he has one wife.
So, It is a matter of belief based miracles performed backing It.
gravenimage says
Ibrahim itace muhammed wrote:
Carolyne, you said you don’t believe in the life after death, how can we convince you ? “wuldanil mukhalladun (Pearl boys) “are not meant for anus sex. They serve just like domestic servants and children to make the inhabitants of paradise happier.
………………………….
One does not usually swoon over “pearly” servants with everlasting youth if they are just waiters. (Never mind that Muslims being made happy by child labor is pretty disturbing, as well).
More:
It is 72 virgin girls that are meant for sex and the inhabitants of paradise Will be provided with special power to have sex with them even at the same time ,and wife from this world Will enjoy her husband more than 72 times and she Will be the leader of the newly created virgin girls. That is miraclous, not just natural phenomenone as It is the case in this physical world. Such miracles happened to people even in this physical world like prophet sulaiman you Call King Solomon Who had sex with 1000 wives at the same time. It also happened to our noble prophet muhammad, and that is why Allah permitted him to marry upto 9 wives and all the wives reported that he satisfied them as if he has one wife.
………………………….
Believing that mass rape is “miraculous” is pretty sick–but then, one would expect nothing less from a Mohammedan…
His idea that all Muslim wives love the idea of their husbands raping 72 sex slaves is a bit iffy, as well…
More:
So, It is a matter of belief based miracles performed backing It.
………………………….
What backing? Nothing factual. Somehow, I don’t think any of this ugly fantasy is apt to convince the rational Carolyne that she should convert to Islam…
gravenimage says
I love the idea that Ibrahim itace muhammed thinks that saying that he will have an eternal hard-on constitutes “proof”…
Politicianophobia says
GI, Very happy to see you back. You and I know the thighing master, Ibrahim is a very sick individual, I do believe he is in the advanced stage of syphilis-it has been attacking his brain for quite some time now. All those women have made him ill. Too bad, so sad. LOL LOL
gravenimage says
Thanks, Politicianophobia. I agree with you about Ibrahim–an advanced case of syphilis woulod explain a lot–or maybe he is just a good Muslim…
eduardo odraude says
An old man in a wheelchair can be relatively easily terrified, as well. He can be abused and have little recourse. He may have been intimidated.
Alternatively, he may be totally dependent on his caregivers, and, become emotionally dependent on them, yielded to their faith. Somewhat like converting a small child. How coherent was this 87 year old wheel chair bound man?
gravenimage says
Also true.
Giacomo Latta says
Check his neck. If it’s still intact he must have converted.