Three People
Nitsana Darshan-Leitner
Credit Shurit Hadin
This is about three people whom I’ve had the opportunity to talk to over the last two weeks and at the same time, discovered the dramatic impact that they’re having during these unusual times when Jews and Israel are front and center on an almost daily basis.
The first is Nitsana Darshan-Leitner. She’s the head and founder of Shurat HaDin—Israeli Law Center, which has accomplished many remarkable things over the two decades since it was founded, particularly in the fight against international terror.
Our plan was to feature her on our 5TJT podcast this week, but due to technical difficulties, that recording and program will be delayed until next week. But by no means does this mean that her work or the work of the Israeli Law Center stops or even slows down.
Ms. Darshan-Leitner fights terror from a very unique angle—the court room. All the terror groups we have observed over the last few years have one thing in common: they all need money to operate. Except for the cash that Israel allowed Qatar to deliver directly to Gaza prior to October 7, most of the funds come from banks and other financial institutions around the world that wire it to their customers, in this case—terror agents.
Break that down a little further and it means that if Hamas is using the Bank of China to wire them funds, then the Bank of China and all their corresponding banks and branches around the world are complicit in funding terror and murder, which is not the position any bank or financial institution wants to find themselves in.
Today, Ms. Leitner is focusing on the post 10-7 world and the dramatic changes that have occurred in its wake. This includes New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, who is threatening to arrest Prime Minister Netanyahu if he arrives in the city, which he is likely to do in the near future even though Mamdani does not have the authority to arrest him.
While Mamdani does not take office until January 1, he is sounding and looking a lot like his predecessor, ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio, who prior to Mamdani, was the greatest failed mayor in the history of New York City.
Soldiers who fought in Gaza and sacrificed so much while serving in the IDF and have completed their military service often look forward to traveling abroad as a means to clear their minds before entering university in Israel.
But now, with the International Criminal Court designating the IDF troops as “war criminals,” they have placed many of these young men and women in jeopardy, with the possibility of arrest in foreign countries that are led by Mamdani-like leaders.
This is a matter we look forward to addressing next week with Nitsana Darshan-Leitner.
Raphael Shore
Credit Woody Bananas
It says in his bio that Raphael Shore is a Canadian-Israeli film writer, producer, author, rabbi, and human rights activist. He is the founder of OpenDor Media, and he came to our attention over the last few weeks with the release of his new film, Tragic Awakening: A New Look at the Oldest Hatred. The idea behind the film and the message they are conveying is about the roots of antisemitism. The film is based on a best-selling book Rabbi Shore wrote called, Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Jew?
Tragic Awakening analyzes Jew-hatred in the aftermath of 10-7 and features a conversation between Shore and Syrian-born political activist, Rawan Osman, who explains that she was raised all her life (by her parents, her schools, the culture, and the media) to view the Jews as their mortal and eternal enemy.
Until adulthood she accepted that as a fact until 2011, when she ended up in the Jewish quarter in Strasbourg, France and had numerous positive encounters with Jews that made her question everything. And then, when Hamas launched their murderous assault on the Jews on October 7, 2023, she asked herself why her people hated the Jews so much that no amount of murder and destruction can satisfy them.
Although that war is now mostly over and people like President Trump claim that there is “peace” in the Middle East, I asked Mr. Shore whether he feels that the hatred of Arabs and other people is on the downswing or the upswing?
Despite the so-called end of that war and the return of the hostages, we both agree that it seems clear that Jew-hatred is still on the upswing. If somehow there is going to be peace sometime soon or at least a desire to end the hostilities, those plans and policies have to be independently authenticated.
Of course, educating the next generation of Arab youth in Arab countries is the key to ending hostilities. It’s a long-term project, but if it is possible, it will be in part because of the work of author and filmmaker Raphael Shore.
Raphael has his own YouTube channel where Tragic Awakening can be viewed along with 18 other films with similar themes.
As far as Rawan Osman, the key figure in Tragic Awakening, is concerned, she says she did not meet a Jew until she traveled to Europe to pursue her education. She says that at that time, she was surprised that they did not try to hurt her in some fashion.
Ms. Osman is a fascinating subject and personality. She is clearly very smart and currently lives in Israel, where, despite coming from a large family from Syria and Lebanon, she’s studying Judaism with the idea of one day converting in the not-too-distant future.
Hillel Fuld
If you’re on social media in any form, then you’ve probably read words produced by Hillel Fuld. When it comes to defending Israel and dealing with the reality of the Jewish State, no one is more outspoken or rambunctious than Mr. Fuld.
On Tuesday night, he spoke to a packed audience at the Boca Raton Synagogue where he calmly covered an array of topics that reflected his aggressive style in defending Israel as we see and read online.
As to the reason why Israel is losing the PR war since October 7, he states flatly, “It’s simple, lies travel faster and more effectively than the truth.”
Moderating the discussion was BRS Assistant Rabbi Philip Moskowitz, who suggested that Israel is in fact losing the PR war, to which Fuld interrupted by saying (as I paraphrase): “We’re not just losing the war—we’re being obliterated.”
Both Rabbi Moskowitz and Hillel Fuld agree that while critics and enemies of Israel are united in their hostility toward Israel and Jews, we of the Jewish community are more varied in our opinion and positions, a situation that reflects our diverse communities.
To that end, Hillel digressed for a moment to make the following important observation. The enemies of Israel and Jews in general garner a great deal more attention than any other personalities on social media. He cited once-respected journalists like Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens and new to the list, Piers Morgan. He explained that they understand that online clicks are the name of the game in their business, and the unfortunate truth is that when they attack Israel and Jews, they get the most attention.
He added that sometimes a person has such an open mind that their brains fall out.
Hillel Fuld is a promoter of high-tech companies and innovative start-ups that Israel is famous for. The event that moved him to become one of Israel’s greatest defenders online was the terrorist stabbing death of his brother, Ari, in 2018. When Ari was stabbed, he still managed to chase the teenage terrorist down and shoot him as he was about to stab another person nearby.
Hillel adds that Ari’s killer was recently released as part of the agreement with Hamas that brought our hostages home in exchange for thousands of imprisoned terrorists. He says that his family looks at that fact differently than most insomuch as releasing terrorists because they see it as another Jew who was free to return to his family.
It’s a unique and innovative insight, and of course he’s a great advocate for aliyah, which he and his family made years ago from Queens. He adds that as Jews, we should grab a hold of the opportunities of Israel for good reasons and not wait for something bad or damaging to occur. He says modern Israel is great and it’s there for the taking. n
Read more of Larry Gordon’s articles at 5TJT.com. Follow 5 Towns Jewish Times on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for updates and live videos. Comments, questions, and suggestions are welcome at 5TJT.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
