This coming Sunday, Father's Day, is a day that reminds us of our responsibility as men to stand up and model for our children the right path to follow.
Next week, I am taking my first trip to Israel with my partner Rabbi Marc Schneier to promote Muslim and Jewish reconciliation. Through our leadership at The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding (FFEU), we have created and implemented successful and groundbreaking initiatives that have now joined together the Muslim and Jewish communities in 26 countries on four continents -- including North America, Europe and Latin America.
For the past five years, FFEU's Weekend of Twinning has joined together imams and rabbis and their congregants in synagogues and mosques around the world. "Learning about the other" and sharing commonalities andeventually working together in their respective Muslim and Jewish communities is always the ultimate objective. Now is the time for this divine work to be done on the ground in Israel. Muslims and Jews must ready themselves for when peace comes to the region. Imams and rabbis in synagogues and mosques throughout the area must open their doors to greet their neighbors. After all, we are all brothers of the same patriarch Abraham and our family must learn to trust each other and live in peace and harmony.
We will be in Israel at the invitation of President Shimon Peres and will appear in a couple of plenary sessions at the Facing Tomorrow Presidential Conference in Jerusalem to talk about our work in helping to prepare Muslims and Jews for when peace occurs. The ultimate goal of FFEU's programs is to spread the message of understanding and cooperation around the world.
Years of cross-cultural and interfaith work with Rabbi Schneier have shown me how powerful it is to reach across our fears and expectations in order to share our knowledge and our dreams. I am confident this visit will help encourage others of the value of promoting enhanced dialogue between Muslims and Jews.
Rabbi Schneier said that the trip will be an important step forward in educating the global audience of the importance of interreligious dialogue. "Russell is a passionate ambassador of hope who recognizes that global peace requires new and increasingly innovative approaches and we know that his voice of moderation will now be heard by people all over the world." Those are kind words from a long-time friend.
It's our responsibility to teach our children mutual tolerance and respect. As we are taught from Proverbs 22:6, we should "train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. "We should also remember the words of Mahatma Gandhi: "If we are to teach real peace in this world, and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with the children." How else will our children know what to do if we don't lead them down this path?
I will be on a plane on Father's Day heading to Israel. I will have sent my two beautiful daughters back to Los Angeles, after they have had spent a week with me at the beach. I was to have spent fourteen days with my children, including Father's Day, but when President Peres asked me to come to Israel with the chance to bring our programs there with his support, it was too great to pass up...so my daughters are in agreement that I had to go. I am always sad to leave my daughters, but I hope they understand that their daddy was just trying to make them proud.
Follow Russell Simmons on Twitter: www.twitter.com/unclerush
Nathan Lean: Monster Mosques and Muslim Madness
An independent
inventor of a new
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I've just received my ordered
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operations details!
Russell Simmons is a new
player to the processing,
authentication and
authorization industry
via Prepaid Visa!
My invention's first designs
were stolen by a trusted
family friend in Chicago
who is related to
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There's a huge criminal
ring in Chicago stealing
commercially valuable ideas
from the black community!
The stolen work is being
sold to organized crime
Jews and Italians!
I've completed years of
research in this area where
African Americans have
very little presence!
Russell Simmons entered
this market after his
Nation of Islam relative
stole my intellectual
property!
In the mean time............
I'm covertly stalked non-stop
for years!
I currently sleep outside
in Silicon Valley!
All of my privacy is invaded!
All of my property is stolen!
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Slander is used!
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I'm not alone!
Sophia Stewart is the
true author of the
Matrix and the
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Darryl Murphy is the
true author of the
PJs which was stolen
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by Eddie Murphy's
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They've destroyed
families!
I will seek justice!
Thank You!
Deena
Inventor Founder
Don't listen to a couple dozen deranged Israel-hating freaks on this community, Twitter and elsewhere. They have no lives, other than to promote hate and bigotry.
The Israeli Ambassador at the U.N. began, "Ladies and gentlemen before I commence with my speech, I want to relay an old Passover story.
"When Moses was leading the Jews out of Egypt toward the Promised Land, he had to go through the nearly endless Sinai desert.
"When they reached the Promised Land, the people had become very thirsty and needed water. So Moses struck the side of a mountain with his staff and a pond appeared with crystal clean, cool water. The people rejoiced and drank to their hearts' content.
"Moses put down his staff and went to a solitary corner of the pond to drink, and meditate in prayer. But once Moses returned, he found that his staff had been stolen.
"I have reason to believe ladies and gentlemen that the Palestinians stole the staff of our great Prophet Moses.'"
The Palestinian delegate to the UN, hearing this accusation, jumps from his seat and screams out, "This is a travesty. It is widely known that there were no such thing as 'Palestinians' at that time!"
"And with that in mind," said the Israeli Ambassador, "let me now begin my speech."
That is most likely on account of the fact that they aren't similar.
Mr. Simmons how bout you talk about what is cause the problem. You can't fix the problem until you know what the root cause is. What you are doing is try to bring Muslim into harmony with Israel. That just like trying to bring the ANC into harmony with the racist British controlled South African government.
How about you learn the real history, not the history they want you to know, about the colonialization of Palestinian land by European immigrants. Do you even know that Palestine was under British rule?
You and JayZ are bought and paid for. The very sad part about it is the influence you have over young Black men.
Learn the REAL history of your own people and how the lingering effects of imperialism still affects Black people in the world. Did you know there is a land grab in Africa and your presidents leaving the Monsanto Corp in charge of ending hunger in Africa? http://foodfreedomgroup.com/2012/05/29/obama-leaves-monsanto-in-charge-of-ending-hunger-in-africa/
Is returning home colonization to you?
Were the former American slaves in Liberia "colonists" ?
Ask a Russian if a Jew living in Russia is a Russian and I'm sure you'd get it when you heard the answer.
50 years ago a frequent sight found on much of the world's inner city walls was graffiti that said "Jews go back to Palestine" because everyone understood Jews and Hebrews come from Judea and Hebron and Arabs come from the Arabian Peninsula ... it ain't rocket science or new age history ie revised to fit a current agenda
Fyi The majority of Jews in Israel are Mizrahi and have their origins in communities throughout what's now the Muslim Arab world. These communities predate Islam by centuries
Why don't you go ahead and explain to the forum just how, in your opinion, Mr. Simmons ought to go about being a "Black man" (as you put it)?
I am sure the forum is quite interested to hear about that.
http://vimeo.com/35139757
And explain that if he really wants to have a breakthrough and be seen by both sides as a voice unlike all other voices that actually shows promise because he shows the courage to finally speak truth to power - he could break through all the intransigence and succeed beyond his wildest expectations.
Anyone who follows this issue already knows its this sort of incitement and the century of indoctrination that Muslims are bombarded with 24/7 that has retarded any progress. And for those who would now rationalize that the Jews have this same problem - here's the difference. When the handful of Jews step over the line and try and incite, they are shunned, shamed, condemned and have even been banned from politics. Muslims who incite are held up as heroes, have streets and sports venues named for them.
First Russell, speak to the issue and convince Muslims to admit it is happening and its far from rare. Find a way that they - leaders in the Muslim community - and condemn it in the strongest way in both English AND Arabic and promise to speak out whenever they see it and work to stop it ... and you will have begun to solve the real problem. The real problem is religion and NOT land.
Who you talking too?
News to me
Or, is it that the far-right in Israel wants a free hand to get rid of all those pesky Palestinians while everyone is busy watching Iran, Saudi Arabia and Egypt?
Somehow I doubt that most Israelis would like their country described as "not quite as bad as Iran".
Oh, and if you want to know why people expect more from Israel than they do from Iran, it's because many of us believe that while the Iranians have little say in their government, and their government is full of bigoted crazy people, we actually have some hope that Israel is better than that.
While Iran is leading the charge back to the twelfth century, we consider Israel to be a modern, civilized country, and expect them to act like one.
So, when Iran decides not to stone some poor woman for being raped, we're pleasantly surprised, and when Israel destroys an apartment building full of women and children, we're shocked and angry.
This is simple and basic math that even the most ardent pro-Palestinian should be able to reconcile.
There is no desire from the Arabs to coexist with Jews near them
If you believe otherwise you deny all the evidence that's readily available.
Here's the first spiritual leader of the Pal Arabs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSUEx1cKUlg
and where the modern problem begins.
The issue is now and has always been religion, intolerance, racism and supremacy ie Islamism
That has now metastasized into this:
"Muslim antagonism towards Jews vastly outstrips that of the general populations of their countries. According to a Pew survey from 2006, while 7% of British citizens express unfavorable views of Jews, 47% of British Muslims admit to such views. In France, 13% of the general population admits to harboring negative feelings towards Jews and 28% of French Muslims do. Likewise in Germany, 22% of the general population acknowledges anti-Semitic views and 44% of German Muslims do."
& for those who are still true believers
"In regard to the question: “Do you think that Palestinians – in exchange for having their own independent state and concluding a peace deal with Israel – should give up their insistence about the Right of Return, which Israel will never accept, or not ?”, the striking majority of (89.8%) answered:”No, they shouldn’t do that even if no peace deal would be concluded”, whilst only (6.8%) said “Yes, Palestinians should do that”, and (3.4%) said “ I don’t know”
http://vimeo.com/35139757
You don't. You first need to admit you're doing it, condemn it in both English and Arabic over and over and over and have all aspects of your society follow suit since its been going on for a century and has poisoned the minds of millions so it won't be undone over night ... but it certainly wont be undone if no one bothers to first come to grips with all the damage that's been done and for that to happen, people have to admit its happening - especially those who do the most damage when they know all about it but remain silent
Colonies only work when:
1, The Colonists have a marked technological advantage over the natives.
2, The colonized land has something really worth stealing.
That is why the colonization of the Americas succeed and the Christian Crusades in Palestine failed.
And that is why Israel as a religious colony will fail.
See: Christians, North America.
So, Did I miss the punchline somewhere?? I was hoping for something funny (Whining loudly)
How so?
Talking (typing) out the side of your neck isn't going to help you convince anyone of anything.
Yes I have also binto places that were real hellholes, but every hellhole is livable somehow because the people were gracious and friendly, Tel Aviv is a hellhole because the people are at war with themselves, their neighbors and their faith. As a tourist it is quite beautiful, to live I think not.
More better you treat Israel as a bintu my firend.