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Jerusalem Youth Say No to Racism

Gather After Jewish Teens Critically Wound Arab Teen

 

Several dozen teenagers sit in a ragged circle in a small park as the winds of a Jerusalem evening pick up. Around them, they’ve taped up hand-painted signs: “Judaism Does Not Equal Racism” says one; “Youth, Say No to Racism,” exhorts another.

 

“A week and a half ago, just a few yards from here, kids our age beat up an Arab for the sole reason that he was an Arab,” 17-year old Matityah Lifshitz, wearing a blue skullcap that matched his T-shirt, told the group. “We are here to say that this does not define Israeli youth, Israeli society or Judaism.”

 

Lifshitz was referring to the recent attack on Jamal Julani, also 17 and from east Jerusalem, who was beaten senseless by a mob of teenagers in Jerusalem earlier this month. Julani was in critical condition and almost died, although he has since been released from the hospital. He does not remember what happened.

 

Lifshitz told The Media Line that he decided to do something after consulting with his father and opened a group on Facebook. He said some 200 people said they would attend, although fewer showed up. The teenagers sat in discussion circles and later sang Israeli folk songs.

 

“We don’t want a society like this,” Lifshitz, a religiously observant Jew said. “This happened in the middle of the city – it was kids our age and it really woke us up.”

 

Lifshitz attends the Himmelfarb School in Jerusalem, where, he said, the principal spoke out strongly against the attack.

 

“He told us this is not why Jews returned to the land of Israel,” Lifshitz said. “He said that if we treat people like this we are no different than the Cossacks in Poland who beat Jews only because they were Jews.”

 

Many of the teenagers at the rally said there is something about this incident that has deeply affected them and made them feel that they need to do something.

 

“The violence really scares me,” said Maya Rosenthal, a tall, attractive 16-year old. “I don’t like to think about it because it makes me sad and depressed. It’s especially bad in Jerusalem, where there’s this feeling of edginess. I’m very liberal and most of my friends are, but I feel like we’re the minority here. It’s nice to know there are other people like me.”

 

 Some of these teenagers’ parents agreed. “We are new immigrants with liberal values,” Shani Tzoref told The Media Line. “It’s important for my son to see that he’s not alone in opposing hatred and racism.”

 

Tzoref’s son, Shahar Berrin, who said he’s “almost 17,” explained that he was very distressed by the racist comments he heard from his fellow students and occasionally even from teachers when politics would come up.

 

“The school would play it down – they told me it’s not a phenomenon, but individual statements that don’t reflect anything,” he said clearly disturbed by what he had experienced.

 

The demonstration was held just a few hours after indictments were filed against nine teenagers who were alleged to have participated in the attack. One of the suspects, a teenage girl, was accused of conspiracy to commit violence and allegedly yelled racist slogans such as “A Jew is a living soul; an Arab is a son of a bitch.” The youngest defendant is 13.

 

Back at the rally, Shahar Berrin said it’s important to him to be with like-minded teenagers.

 

“I’ve never experienced something like this that is organized by youth for youth,” he said. “I hope that this will lead to young people being encouraged to offer solutions to fight against racism.” [photo credit: Shahar Berrin]