Res Ipsa Loquitur (Or so one would think)
Largely autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan is a Sharia-based society, per its own Constitution, (Articles 6 & 7):
This Constitution confirms and respects the Islamic identity of the majority of the people of Iraqi Kurdistan. It considers the principles of Islamic Sharia as one of the main sources of legislation… It is not allowed to enact a law inconsistent with the provisions of the fundamentals of Islam. (Articles 6 & 7)
Not surprisingly, given historical Sharia mores, the attendant legacy of Islamic attitudes towards non-Muslims, overall, including Jews, and Islam’s own intrinsic theological Jew-hatred, here are the current prevailing conditions for the tiny vestigial remnant population of mixed “Jews” of Kurdistan, forced to “practice” their faith surreptitiously, as reported less than a year ago (11/30/2018):
“They call us ‘Ben Jews’ or ‘Sons of Jews’ because we are mixed Jews, Kurds, or other ethnicities.” They keep their Jewish identity hidden for fear of persecution. They meet for Shabbat – the holy day – at a different home every week. Religious celebrations like Hanukkah and Passover are often celebrated privately inside the home of someone within the community. The event on Friday was organized by many people from the community, but “they didn’t want to give their name or picture because of the dangerous situation”
Past as prologue, here are the past conditions for Jewish communities under Kurdish dominion not only in Iraqi Kurdistan–where Jewish families existed as chattel–but also Turkish Anatolia during the mid-19th through early 20th centuries which led to their liquidation by massacre, pillage, and flight.
MID-NINETEENTH-CENTURY KURDISTAN [Jews as “property”, i.e., slaves of the Muslim Kurds]
The Jews scattered here and there [in Kurdistan], and forced to remain at the places assigned to them, are in the true sense of the word, surrounded by tribes of savages. One often finds five, ten, or even twenty Jewish families the property of one Kurd, by whom they are burdened with imposts, and subject to ill treatment. Heavy taxes are imposed upon them, which for the poorest, amount annually to 500 piastres. Finally, they are compelled at different periods of the year to perform serf-service, to cultivate their master’s field, without receiving or being entitled to demand the smallest compensation for their labor. This is really an awful state of affairs and with heart and soul do we sympathize with our distressed coreligionists and we felt deeply grieved that it was not in our power to help them. . . . The [Kurdish] master has absolute power of life and death over his [Jewish] slaves; at his will he can sell them to another master, either in whole families or individually. [p. 658, The Legacy of Islamic Antisemitism]
Late 19th/early 20th century Kurdish depredations against Jews rendering Kurdish areas of Turkey effectively Judenrein
(From p. 108, The Legacy of Islamic Antisemitism) [A]ccording to the American Jewish Yearbook, almost eight thousand Jews emigrated from Turkey to the United States between 1899 and 1912. The Alliance reports further indicate that Jews living in rural eastern Anatolia suffered severely throughout this period due primarily to Muslim Kurdish depredations:
In Diyarbarkir, Urfa, Siverek, Mardin, and several other cities of this region, Kurds continuously attacked Jewish communities, forcing them to pay taxes and contributions in addition to those already exacted by the Turkish authorities. The slightest tendency to resist was immediately suppressed with blood. Jews were crushed with scorn and had to accept all sorts of humiliations. Thus, for instance, when rains were delayed in spring or late in autumn, Kurds went to Jewish graveyards, dug up newly buried corpses, cut off the heads and threw them in the river to appease Heaven’s wrath and bring on rain. In spite of the complaints of Jews to Turkish authorities, the perpetrators of such misdeeds remained, as was to be expected, undiscovered. Toward the end of the nineteenth century, the insecurity of the Kurd[ish] country was so great that Jewish peddlers could no longer venture outside the cities. The communities of the vilayet [province] of Diyarbarkir fell into misery and diminished year after year. Thus, whilst in 1874 the town of Siverek situated on the Urfa road counted about fifty Jewish families, three decades later Joseph Niego, entrusted with a mission in Asia Minor by the Jewish Colonization Association, found only twenty-six household, totaling about 100 persons. Similarly, the 500 Jews who, according to Vital Cuinet, constituted the community of Mardin toward the end of the nineteenth century, were all gone by 1906. At that time, there remained in this town only one Jew, who had the task of guarding the synagogue.
Frank Anderson says
Try telling this to any US Jew today.
DHazard says
Why do Jews so consistently vote for Democrats? Your comment made me look at this question again, briefly, and I found an answer that makes sense. Early on the most important value in American Society for Jewish immigrants was secularism. The combination of religion and government was what they were escaping. Since the Democrats have been more consistent in their support of the separation of church and State Jews will vote accordingly.
James says
Well, yes, except that the Democrats also support anti-Semitic people like Louis Farrakhan and Al Sharpton, who stir up hatred of blacks for Jews. And the Dems tend not simply to separate state from religion, they try to suppress Christianity and Judaism in favor of Islam or secularism. Often Dems are atheistic. Conservatives support the non-establishment of a national religion, not the dominance of a particular church over the state. You never hear of Republicans urging the establishment of a state religion. Conservative Christians tend to be the biggest supporters of Israel, not the Democrats. So I would guess that this answer cannot be true overall, perhaps in details. Obama said that the opposition was attached to guns, Bibles and religion. He was the least friendly president toward Israel and favored Islam over Christianity in America too. So it does not seem that the Dems would be the party for Jews to vote for. Or Christians either. There must be some other explanation. But I do not know what.
Bob says
James, here’s another explanation for why some Jews are blind in seeing their own best interests: historically, Jews have been a persecuted minority. As a result, the belief is that to protect themselves they must defend other minorities, even though some may, in fact, be their enemy.
Frank Anderson says
DH, I wrote and conducted my adopted mother’s funeral in 1989 because I would not allow someone who had never known her to speak about an unknown person. One of the major points of my more or less 3 minute sermon was there are some questions in this life for which we are not given answers. After spending over 20 years in the company of many Jewish people, many of whom were treasured and honored friends, the predominance of self-destructive willful blindness showed me it was time to move on. My Rabbi of most of my time there EXPLODED when asked about the anti-Jewish teaching of islam. If I had an answer, or even a defensible hypothesis, there might be some way to help. But I have none. The answer is known only to God, in Whose Hands is the Best Care in this world. Peace be with you, and them.
Westman says
Will someone explain why it is the liberal, quasi-secular Jews of Israel that pay most of the taxes, do most of the economic commerce, and serve in the military instead of the orthodox folks with the black hats? I don’t understand this contrast with US liberal Jews; too many of the US Jews wanting policies that would ultimately destroy Israel.
Frank Anderson says
Westman, I THINK (and may not know all there is to know) that the large number of parties in the parliamentary system is working in Israel the same way it was working in pre-Nazi Germany when about 30 parties competed for votes. In Israel, as I understand, the ultra-orthodox party decides who will be in control by shifting to the larger party that will give it the best deal. Please check on this. There have been a few changes regarding exemptions from military service. At one time Reform Jews in Israel paid taxes used to support Orthodox, Conservative and Ultra Jewish congregations, Christian churches and Muslim mosques, but not their congregations, which they had to fund on their own AFTER paying taxes to support the others. When a small group can be the “king maker” it will use that power to its selfish benefit without regard to fairness or reason. If we in the US think we have problems with essentially two parties, we should look with fear at what happens when far more parties split the vote and turn the legislative process into a corrupt exercise of selfish interest instead of national stewardship. Then there is the California “jungle primary” where only one party (Democrat) has any chance of being elected in most elections.
mortimer says
DH writes: Why do Jews so consistently vote for Democrats? (I think it is really ‘secular’ Jews.) The answer DH’s question is no doubt varied, but it’s chiefly post-modernism at work. The vaguely religious, non-religious and fiercely irreligious secular Jews have adopted the secular religion of post-modern, Leftist, globalist socialism in league with mega-oligarchs of industry, finance and technology. It is an international Utopian movement that gives virtue-signallers the impression of themselves that they are righteous and that everyone who disagrees with them is ‘pure evil’. Globalist Leftism is a godless religion that pretends to be scientific or progressive, but it is actually all guesswork, rather than science, because it is in the future, and whatever is in the future cannot be predicted with certainty. Global Lefties are guessing and rewarding themselves IN ADVANCE with the smug, comforting feeling of how righteous and compassionate they truly are about actions that they have not yet performed in a future world that is not yet here.
We normally say that we HAVE DONE WELL and we expect praise when a JOB HAS BEEN WELL DONE … but not before it is done. But the Globalist Leftists want that feeling about something that may never ever even be done IN THE FUTURE. They want praise for merely THINKING the right, politically correct thoughts. (There are many in this group of smug Global Leftists besides secular Jews and secular Jews are not numerically many and a tiny percentage of Leftism as a whole.)
The Globalist Leftist wants PRAISE merely for his IDEAS or for what HE MIGHT DO if things work out a certain way. But those Leftist ideas may turn out to be wrong or may never be put into effect … in the meantime, feel good about being an idealist with the ‘correct’ ideas.
Virtue-signalling means that you don’t have to do anything but mouth the party line to get praise. Getting that praise is the only important thing to Leftards … that’s why they’re always blowing their own horns. That’s the way I see it.
Frank Anderson says
Mortimer, a second try because the first may have been lost. My reading of Jewish religious publications indicates 75 percent of all Jews vote Democrat. I think your focus on secular Jews is in error. My experience with local Reform, Conservative and Orthodox congregations suggests this 75 percent generalization is in the ballpark. When I asked my Reform Rabbi of 20 years about the teaching and history of islam concerning Jews, he relied on his indoctrination on the “religion of peace” from rabbinical school. I backed away. I was invited to visit the Conservative congregation, only to be called a Nazi during Torah study for asking about Islam’s hatred and killing of Jews. The Orthodox community is noted for its open borders campaign, that if applied to Israel would mean the end of the Jewish state in minutes. Two quotes appear appropriate to me: “There are none so blind as those who refuse to see.” “Those who cannot remember the lessons of the past are condemned to repeat them.” Jorge Santayana, The Life of Reason (1905). I may be a community-less individual; but at least I can read. So could half of Nazi Germany’s Jews who tried to escape.
vlparker says
The US should never, ever involve ourselves in muslim civil wars. The only thing dumber is siding with muslims against non-muslims (Kosovo).
Frank Anderson says
+1
gravenimage says
Frank, great to see you posting again! I hope you have been well.
Frank Anderson says
Honored GI, I have not. Major health problems. Someone may have some ideas that I do not to help willfully blind people to see. Peace be with you.
gravenimage says
Frank, so sorry to hear that you have been ill. I hope you are feeling better–if it is OK with you, I will say a prayer for you.
Frank Anderson says
I pray for all of us. “It couldn’t hurt.” Not sure of the outcome.
E T says
Frank, I have missed you and have prayed that you are well. Take care of yourself dear man.
Frank Anderson says
ET Thank you.
Angemon says
Imagine my surprise…
gravenimage says
+1
pennant8 says
Hey, what the heck, we’ve been in Afghanistan going on 18 years defending a sharia compliant state, what’s a few more years and a few more flag draped coffins defending another sharia compliant state. This is what the US Armed Forces have been reorganized to do. The scary part is that many senior/high ranking people both in the military and politics don’t understand what’s happening here. It all goes back to early on when the policy was implemented that Islam is an irrelevant aspect in these conflicts. We are seeing the fruits of the great purge from Obama’s years when people knowledgeable about Islam got the boot all across the national security infrastructure.
gravenimage says
Sadly true.
gravenimage says
Actual Conditions for Jews Circa Late 2018 in the Iraqi Kurdistan Paradise: Past as Prologue
………………..
Grimly, none of this surprises.
Battle says
Slave Jews of Islam Moslem slaveowners and not on the front page of Huffington Post, Washington Post and New York Times.
If Nathan Sarensky made the above papers, why not these Jews?
Frank Anderson says
Battle, having seen up close and personally the rage of two Rabbis confronted with Islamic teaching about Jews I can only suggest avoiding repeating my experience. “There are none so blind as those who refuse to see” is incredibly true. Even more amazing to me is that all Rabbis spend FIVE YEARS AFTER a Bachelor’s degree to become ordained. They seem to be as completely brainwashed as the Pope and his minions, and therefore outraged that anyone would dare question their Weltanshauung. Facing their self-destructive Viktor Frankl “delusion of reprieve” is a maddening encounter. But they are leading others into a path which will only end in misery and death, as happened in the Holocaust. Holocaust Remembrance services are hollow when the lesson is lost. Half of Germany’s Jews did nothing to escape Hitler, knowing full well what he had written, spoken and directed. Most paid with not only their lives, but the lives of their families and friends. It happened then and it can happen again.
Battle says
Sorry Natan Sharansky
mortimer says
Many thanks to Andrew Bostom for another sad exposé of the reality of the delusional Islamic INSANITY of searching again and again for a version of Sharia law that is better than the normal Sharia law that creates a DYSFUNCTIONAL SOCIETY.
Kurds started years back by saying they want a separation of the mosque from the state … but I guess that hasn’t lasted long.
Now they are right back to 11th century Sharia discrimination. No hope of reforming that mess. They’ve just gone to Islam’s DEFAULT POSITION.
If in doubt, if all else fails … impose merciless Sharia and if that doesn’t work keep trying it ad nauseum.
SAFI says
The constitution of Rojava does explicitly declare the separation of religion and state (something which many european constitutions to this day do not.)
Islam (or sharia) is nowhere mentioned in it. The only religion which is mentioned are Yezidis. (specifically Article 32,c) The Yazidi religion is a recognized religion and its adherents’ rights to freedom of association and expression is explicitly protected. The protection of Yazidi religious, social and cultural life may be guaranteed through the passage of laws by the Legislative Assembly.
Other paragraphs provide for democratic rights such as freedom of assembly and protest, right of everyone to run for office, equality before the law and so on. Also Syriac(language of christian minority) is recognized as one of its official languages (alongside Kurdish and Arabic) and also declares that “All communities have the right to teach and be taught in their native language.”
Now why does Mr. Bostom seem to ignore this and istead keeps bringing up the constitution of northern Iraq even though I’m sure he knows that Iraqi Kurdistan is not ran by the “marxist terrorist” pkk/pyd Kurds who are in charge in Syria(of whom he warned us in a previous article yesterday), I leave that to your judgement…
SAFI says
sorry, didn’t mean to turn the entire text into bold . I must have mistyped something.
Ernie says
Nice contribution SAFI , thank you !
SAFI says
Normally I wouldn’t object to such an artictle if it wasn’t that its timing makes it rather obvious that its only intention is to defend Trump’s recent controversial decision against those who criticized him of “betraying” the Kurds (by arguing that Kurds are islamists… on top of being marxist extremists, according to another recent article by Mr. Bostom).
My question is why does Mr. Bostom keeps bringing up the constitution of northern Iraq (even though the PKK and the Iraqi Kurdish parties are not just separate but have historically fought each other) but not the constitution of the autonomous regions of “Rojava” which makes no mention of Islam at all but openly declares the separation of religion and state (Aticle 92) and freedom of religion and protection of religion for all faiths. (special mention is made to Yezidis)
https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Constitution_of_the_Rojava_Cantons
Plus don’t you know Mr. Bostom that Europeans were also pretty mean towards Jews in the 19th century and even in the 20th dare I say.(not to mention that most of these rascals were not even there to help in the Normandy landings!!!) I’m sure this information may come in handy if the US is looking for a justification to abandon some European ally that gets attacked by Russia in the future.
Frank Anderson says
SAFI when a constitution contradicts Islamic requirements it is “man-made law” therefore meaningless as an attempt to reform or modify the “final, perfect, complete and unchangeable” terms of islam. Unless it is accepted as deliberate deception (taqqiyah/kitman) the document and its authors risk accusations of apostasy and the death penalty. John Vernon’s line in Outlaw Josey Wales is priceless, “We gotta sayin in Missouri Sentator: Don’t piss down my back and tell me it’s raining.” When a moslem says something that is contrary to islam, it should be assumed to be a lie.
Ernie says
The Syrian Democratic Forces are a MULTI ETHNIC , MULTI RELIGIOUS battle force .( See : kurdishprogress.org/building_a_progressive_democracy_in_the_middle_east_the_future_of_the_autonomous_administration_of_north_and_east_syria ) . Please read the article ! The articles delivered by Dr. Andrew Bostom are just SPIN . I agree completely with SAFI here . Jihad Watch is used as a platform here to whitewash Trumps betrayal of the north Syrian Kurds………..
Frank Anderson says
Ernie, I grew up with the benefit of multiple fathers-by-choice who taught me many valuable lessons. One of those lessons is, “There are at least 3 sides to most stories, Yours, Mine and Right.” In 1400 years of history involving the “final, perfect, complete and unchangeable” teachings, any move to reform islam is a sham. As long as one remains muslim, one who submits, any alliance or friendship with non-muslims is purely for convenience to be discarded at the first opportunity in the name of muslim supremacy. It is shown time and again in muslim history.
I think a worthy parallel in history is the temporary alliance of the US and UK with Stalin’s murderous Soviet Union, which killed many times the number of people as Hitler’s Germany. I know I do not have Churchill’s exact quote; but paraphrased, “If Hitler attacked Hell, I would at least have a favorable comment about Satan before Parliament.” Looking at the mass murders conducted by Stalin before, during and after WWII, and his planned extermination of Soviet Jews at the time of his death, would any alliance with him be more than temporary if decent, law-abiding counterparts were involved?
I suggest any “multi-religious” alliance with muslims is unstable and false as far as long term prospects are concerned. As a person who values a Presbyterian teaching that all children are the responsibility of all adults (Parents have the rights; but the rest of us have duties) I do not want my children at risk on a questionable alliance. If the Kurds leave islam and defy its teachings of supremacy and conquest to join the civilized world, then an alliance would be a more valuable and reliable arrangement. I respect that we differ.
Ernie says
Still no ground for Trumps betrayal Mister Frank Anderson . I really appreciate your reaction here , you’re a wise man , so must have been your multiple fathers-by-choice . Thank you !
Frank Anderson says
I have great teachers and much painful experience. God knows the answer.