New in PJ Media:
Hamakom synagogue, a conservative congregation in Los Angeles, has just gotten a bracing introduction to the reality beneath the surface of efforts at “outreach” and “dialogue”: it leased its facility to a local Muslim group, only to have it host a viciously anti-Israel speaker who has refused to condemn Hamas and likened the Jewish state to National Socialist Germany. Yeah, tensions are really eased now.
The Washington Free Beacon reported Monday that Hamakom “axed its leadership and is struggling to retain members” after leasing its main facility to the Islamic Society of West Valley. The synagogue “entered into an agreement with the Islamic Society that allowed it to take over the synagogue’s main campus, pushing Jewish members onto a smaller satellite branch. ”
The synagogue leadership did this in the hopes it would build bridges with Muslims in Los Angeles: “In this time of rising anti-Semitism and Islamophobia,” synagogue leaders told the congregation, “it is incumbent upon us to reach out to strengthen the bonds between religious communities in our neighborhood, recognizing there is more that unites us than divides us.” Almost immediately, however, their starry-eyed hopes of bridging the gap of centuries of hatred and suspicion, and showing the Muslims of Los Angeles that Jews weren’t really “the most vehement of mankind in hostility to those who believe,” as the Qur’an says (5:82), were dashed.
Yet Hamakon gave its all to this effort. The synagogue leadership allowed the Muslims to use the building every night, while the Jews themselves “would only be allowed to worship in two rooms from 8 p.m. to midnight. Evening programs and Friday night Sabbath services were also relocated to a smaller site also owned by the synagogue.” Even worse, “in anticipation of the lease’s commencement, the synagogue’s leadership covered up pictures of Israeli hostages captured by Hamas during its Oct. 7 attack on Israel.”
Yes, you read that right. It wasn’t the mosque that covered up the pictures of Israeli hostages. It was the synagogue leadership, showing that they were so avid to build bridges with the Muslim group that they were willing to abandon their own principles and basic standards of human decency to do so.
The Islamic Society of West Valley, in contrast, was not so eager to abandon its own beliefs in order to make friends with the Jews. “Soon after the Islamic Society began using Hamakom’s facility, it hosted anti-Israel activist Hussam Ayloush, who said last year that Israel did not have a right to defend itself following the Oct. 7 attack and compared Israel to Nazi Germany.” Even worse, years ago I myself was on a radio show with Ayloush, the top dog of the Los Angeles chapter of the the Hamas-linked Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). I repeatedly challenged him to condemn Hamas and Hizballah. He steadfastly refused.
There is more. Read the rest here.
Hoi Polloi says
The only way to ease tensions is to keep them at least an ocean’s distance away and guard your skies. Here’s a report of their taking over Catholic spaces in an Italian town and threatening the life of the mayor who opposes them and tries to see that the law is obeyed:
https://rairfoundation.com/conquered-italy-islamic-migrants-assert-power-convert-catholic/
gravenimage says
Thanks for that grim story and link, Hoi. Polloi. It does not surprise.
Hoi Polloi says
You’re always welcome, Graven.
OM PRAKASH SHARMA says
The appeasement won’t pacify this draconian faith people
gravenimage says
True–it just emboldens them.
Homer Bedloe says
The Arabic Language does not have a word for gratitude. However, there are several synonyms for oppress, intimidate, rape, vengeance, and theft.
ElderlyZionist says
You can’t make someone love you, or even stop hating you. You can only learn to recognize narcissists and predators and protect yourself when you meet them.
somehistory says
An old Irish saying should guide the Jews who have the idea…mistaken….that they can be friends with mozlums and the mozlums will be friends in return.
“May those who love us, love us.
And those that don’t love us,
May God turn their hearts.
And if He doesn’t turn their hearts,
May he turn their ankles,
So we’ll know them by their limping. ”
https://www.irishcentral.com/culture/craic/funny-irish-saying-about-enemies-ankles
so, the Jews in LA, and elsewhere, should just look for those who aren’t limping if you want friends. and avoid the limping mozlums.
I’m really surprised that the mozlums let the Jews out of the agreement. Their takeover was much like that in Jerusalem, where the Jews are not allowed to pray on the site of their ancient Temple, nor even appear to be praying, nor to set foot in places where their ancestors walked every day.
Concernedcitizen says
Well if the sahada and prayers were said during the congregation and assembly of the muslims they basicly turned their own synagogue into a mosque and handed it over to them. It will be damn hard to get it back, and actually managed to add more fuel to the hate this way.
gravenimage says
Very true. If Muslims gain more power here they may well use this to seize the Synagog. At this point, the US is still too civilized a nation for this to work.
From The Other Side of Town says
Appeasement never works.
Ray Jarman says
So true and I defy anyone to prove your statement false. Other than the religious (religion used as an excuse) wars such as the Hundred Years War in Europe, the states which were attacked all tried to appease the enemy which invariable prevented no war. Only strength and determination will win and the Jewish State of Israel is proving your statement correct.
gravenimage says
+1
Pray Hard says
How can Jews be so stupid?
gravenimage says
It is not just Jews who are often naive about Islam, Pray Hard.
A Baptist Church in Berkeley–located right next to People’s Park–leased space to “Zaytuna College”, often cited as the first Islamic umiversity in the US. They stopped paying their rent soon after moving in, and caused all sorts of trouble. Of course, knowing how bad these things can be, they got off easy.
Zaytuna eventually moved to Berkeley’s “Holy Hill” neighborhood on the north side of the UC Berkeley campus–buying a church. I forget the denomination, but this was deeply foolish of that Church, as well.
It is not just Jews who can be deeply stupid about Islam.
Larry Estavan says
Hussam Auyloush tried to hush-up the killing of Paul Kessler after a pro-Palestin demonstrator struck and killed Kessler –
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/06/us/california-jewish-man-paul-kessler-israel-protests.html
“Hussam Ayloush, the executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations office in Los Angeles, denounced all violence and urged people to avoid “sensationalizing such a tragedy for political gains or spreading rumors that could unnecessarily escalate tensions that are already at an all-time high.”
“We urge everyone to wait for the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office to complete its investigation before drawing any conclusions,” Mr. Ayloush said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with the family and the Jewish community during this difficult time.””
Do you think Ayloush would want to down play the killing of a pro-Palestine demomstrator by a pro-Israel demonstrator?
somehistory says
He would be screaming the ‘phobia’ and wanting much blood to be shed and laws to be changed to make life easier for mozlums to take control.
gravenimage says
California Synagogue Leases Space to Mosque to ‘Ease Tensions,’ But a Lovefest Doesn’t Exactly Break Out
…………………………………………..
Suicidal naïveté…..
Donna says
I’m speechless. They willingly bowed down and offered up their alter, place of worship and center of community to the enemy!!! Pray for wisdom in the Jewish community. Muslims hate jews in California too! Naive as babies
OLD GUY says
Another try at DIVERSITY with muslims/islamics. Won’t work this time either, there is NO diversity in Islam unless you are the LEADERS and it benefits them. Diversity for islamic males is raping a different KAFIR everyday.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
President Trump’s “Snake” poem always comes to mind when I read stories like this
abu taleb says
If you give some food to a dog with your hand, the dog will eat the food and lick your hand. If you give some food to an Islamists, the Islamists will eat the food and your hand, and lick your blood.
Troybeam says
History forgotten and the Jewish people themselves are to blame if they follow thru with this lease to Islam.
Setting themselves up for slaughter and Islam is rejoicing because they will take over the entire area.