We Jews have been colonized for so long that we see ourselves through the lens of colonization. This is NOT a good thing! Please, allow me to explain with a recent few social media posts.
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Did you know that, like First Nations of the “American” continent, Jews are grouped into language tribes? Twelve plus one languages, to be specific, with their own unique minhagim (customs), cuisine, folklores, music, and halachot (community laws).
Yet, unlike First Nations, all Jews share between us a specific Levant language, Ivrit (Hebrew), from which all our Jewish languages have evolved. And, all Jews share a common ethno-religious commitment to the land of historic Israel and Zion (Jerusalem), our ANE literatures, fulfillment of yearly seasonal festivals that are based on argicultural harvests, the monthly new moon festival, and the weekly day of rest.
The thirteen Jewish languages are the following (starting with the four most spoken Jewish languages, and ending with the two not spoken or now extinct languages):
• Ivrit, spoken by Israeli-Palestinian Jews and Diaspora Jews worldwide (indigenous Israeli Hebrew)
• Yiddish, spoken by European Jews (Judeo-German)
• Ladino, spoken by Iberian Peninsula Jews (Judaeo-Spanish)
• Yahudic, spoken by Baghdad and Mosul Jews (Judeo-Iraqi-Arabic)
• Barzani, spoken by Iraqi Jews neighboring Kurds (Judaeo-Aramaic)
• Fārsi, spoken by Iranian, Afghani, and Central Asian Jews (Judeo-Persian, Judeo-Shirazi, Judeo-Hamadani, and Judeo-Kashani)
• Juhuri, spoken by Mountain Jews (Judeo-Tat)
• Bukhari, spoken by Bukharian Jews (Judeo-Tajik)
• Karaim, spoken by Karaite Jews
• Yevanic, spoken by Romaniote Jews of the Levant and Greece (Judeo-Greek)
• Italkian, spoken by Italian Jews (Judeo-Italian)
• Aravít Y’hudít, formerly spoken by the Jewish communities of the Middle East and North Africa (Classical Judeo-Arabic, not spoken)
• Tzarfatit, formerly spoken by French Jews (Judeo-French, extinct)
Many of these Jewish languages – except for Ivrit (Hebrew), Yiddish, Ladino, and Yahudic – are on the verge of going extinct in the next generation or two. Modernity has a way of making extinct the languages of surviving indigenous peoples. I will especially miss Barzani, Juhuri, Fārsi, and Yevanic as spoken Jewish languages.
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Part 2 of language tribes …
Do you know that all 13 Jewish languages were formed on the same continent – within the Levant, Middle East, North Africa, West and Central Asia, and Europe? Just like all First Nation languages were formed on one continent – within Alaska, North “America,” and South “America.”
Further, do you know that First Nations on this continent, called “America” by colonizers, are the result of at least three ice age migrations to this continent? One was by landwalking, from Siberia to Alaska. One was from the Pacific Ocean by boat. And one was from the Atlantic, again by boat.
So, my question (?) is this:
If all Jewish language tribes were created by choice and by place upon a single continent *and* all First Nation language tribes were created by choice and by place upon a single continent, please tell me, “What is the difference?”?!
I hear a lot of bullshit from Colonizers and their Colonized every day about “Jews.” But, what I notice every day is this obvious fact: Whether it’s political or religious colonization, colonization produces the same results!
For example, when Europeans colonized and Christianized the continent that they call “America,” all who assimilated became part of the Colonizers. This includes the most known indigenous Colonized, Mexicans. Once indigeneity is lost, and you worship the Colonizer’s religion, speak the Colonizer’s language, and support the Colonizer’s way of life (at the expense of the remaining indigenous!), then you are a Colonizer, full stop!
Tell me, Indigenous Peoples, am I wrong?!
For example, when Arabs followed the example of Christianity and, with their newly created religion, Islam, went about and Colonized North Africa, the Middle East, and the Levant (places where Jews were *already* living in language tribe communities), all who assimilated became part of the Colonizers. This includes the most vocal indigenous Palestinians that call themselves Arabs and Muslims and call Jews outsiders (and “Nazis,” “Colonizers,” etc.), full stop.
Once indigeneity is lost, and you worship the Colonizer’s religion, speak the Colonizer’s language, and support the Colonizer’s way of life (at the expense of the remaining indigenous!), then you are a *Colonizer*, full stop!
Tell me, Indigenous Peoples, am I wrong?!
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“Land relationships and stewardship is a critical foundation for any tribe’s indigeneity.” – Mahrinah, Tewa Pueblo tribe member
For every 2 Jews in this world, there is 1+ First Peoples in the USA, Canada, and Alaska. There are more First Nation indigenous in North “America” and Alaska, than there are Jews in Israel! Another fact, there are more First Nation peoples than there are Jews in the USA, Canada, and Alaska – 8+ million First Nations, 7.93 million Jews.
“Judaism is a land-based agricultural religion. We have had a spiritual and stewardship relationship with the land of Israel since the beginning of our collective memory.” (1)
Palestine is the fertile ground she is today *literally* because of Jews. Jews, the indigenous of the land, have unrelentingly made her so! And this is an undisputable historical fact.
(1) – Mahrinah von Schlegel, an indigenous advocate belonging to the Tewa people of the Northern Rio Grande Pueblos and a Sephardic Jew (one of my!)
#palestinelivesmatter and #PalestineWillBeFree as soon as the #Indigenous are allowed to live in peace on just a portion of our ancestral land. The West Bank and Gaza will be free, as soon as the two Colonial powers – Islam and Christianity – #BDS the corrupt and dictatorial PA and the Egyptian-born Hamas terrorist dictators!
Seriously, *ALL* Palestinian lives matter, Jew and Arab! A Confederation of two peoples on one land may be the only path to peace.
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Strange, but it seems to me that this is exactly what we did. The first of the planet’s indigenous to enforce social justice!
“Colonial relations do not stem from individual good will or actions; they exist before his arrival or his birth, and whether he accepts or rejects them matters little.” – Albert Memmi
Those engaged in apologetics for Arab colonization of the Levant (which started with the Rashidun Caliphate) would have you believe that, under Islamic rule, Jews were always treated as a special and well-treated class of less-than citizens. They would have you believe that Jews all across the (Arab colonized) Middle East and North Africa, not just in historic Palestine (Judea, Samaria, Galilee, and Transjordan areas), voluntarily of their own free will left their two-to-three thousand year old communities (leaving everything behind) just to “colonize” the Jewish ancestral lands, and take this land from Arabs.
This isn’t making sense, is it? Especially, knowing that Islam itself recognizes that Palestine belongs to the Jews, and Al-Aqsa is in fact built on a portion of the Temple Mount. But, this is the nature of the apolegetics that must be engaged in by those who possess supremacy and power over a minority people. Even today, Jews in the Levant are still not free from intimidation and persecution and the ahistorical stereotyping by *both* the Christian and Muslim colonizers of this world! Israel is the only refugee nation of its kind, and is the only nation-size open air prison of its kind.
When will the religious colonizers of this world allow Israel to open her borders to a world of peace and acceptance of Jewish right of self-sovereignty?! It is time for Islam to decolonize the Levant and Africa. (Muslims, go home!) And it is time for Christianity to decolonize everywhere that is not Rome. (Christians, go home!) The remaining indigenous around the world would like their lands and sovereignties back.
Tunisian-Jewish writer Albert Memmi (ألبير ممّي), ז”ל taught the following:
“A colonial is a European living in a colony but having no privileges, whose living conditions are not higher than those of a colonized person of equivalent economic and social status.”
“The colonial does not exist, because it is not up to the European[/Arab] in the colonies to remain a colonial, even if he had so intended. Whether he expressly wishes it or not, he is received as a privileged person by the institutions, customs and people.”
And Waziyatawin, Ph.D, teaches:
“While the chasm between powerful and wealthy colonizers (such as corporate heads and politicians) and the poor, working-classes, for example, is certainly great, this still does not alter the relationship between the colonizer and the colonized. … All colonizers, by continuing their occupation of another People’s homeland, remain colonizers, no matter their intent.”
“In the United States [and the Levant and Africa], nearly everyone has agreed to be a colonizer. From birth, they begin teaching their children myths regarding the righteousness of the existing social order. [“We are Arabs and Muslims, and this is our land! The indigenous is the outsider.” “We are Americans and Christians, and this is our land! The indigenous is the outsider.”] That message is reinforced throughout their lives. It is hard work maintaining such lies, so whenever the colonized [Kurds, ethnic Iranians, Jews, Dakota, Cheyenne, Cherokee, Hawaiians, etc.] threaten to disrupt their myth-making, they are quickly silenced, suppressed, and further subjugated.”
Kept in their corner of the world, their voices are drowned out by the social megaphones of propaganda and lies.
Hello Arab Islam (Caliphates)? Hello European Christianity (Crusaders)?
“Points to Remember for Indigenous Solidarity Activists:
1 – The movement for Indigenous liberation is a radical political struggle
2 – Being an ally does not mean signing up for Indigenous spirituality [which is why we Jews, First Nations, Polynesians do not proselytize – do not appropriate our ethno-religious rituals!]
3 – We need strong, solid individuals who are not floundering with their own spiritual struggles
4 – This is not a struggle for those people who believe it’s trendy to support Indigenous causes—we are in it for the long haul
5 – You can find Indigenous individuals who will support any position you want them to support—that is a direct result of the colonial experience
6 – Those indigenous individuals who encourage non-Indigenous participation in ceremonies are often (not always) those who are attempting to curry favor with white[/Arab] people for their own purposes
7 – Because this is a political struggle, it is essential to work in solidarity with critically minded and politically engaged Indigenous individuals
8 – Remember that decolonization is a process for both the colonizer and the colonized.”
Understanding Colonizer Status
Understanding Colonizer Status
“In the end, we must all recognize that we are full of contradictions, colonizer and colonized alike. Even those of us who have a greater critical consciousness are tormented by the contradictions and compromises with which we must live. In the end, we all have considerable work to do. As Indigenous Peoples, for thousands of years we have been the first defenders of our homelands. We must resume that role. Those who presume to be our allies, must join us.”
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As Jews, we must find sanctity and social justice in the balance! The indigenous are historically villified or indifferently ignored. It depends on where you and I fit within the colonizers’ objectives for this world that we find ourselves deciding: Are we a Colonizer supporting the present status quo? Or, are we the thorn in the Colonizers’ backs, trying to create *real* social justice for all?
Folks, for our discussions on Israel-Palestine to have any merit towards peace, you have to get educated first! Educated about Indigenous Peoples and about Colonizers! Who, what, when, where – *actual* history.
Judaism is *not* a religion, like Christianity and Islam, full stop.
Judaism is an ethno-nationalist religion created by the indigenous folk of historic Palestine (fka, Judea-Samaria). All Jews who have membership in a legitimate Jewish community, no matter where this community resides around this world, are the Indigenous People of historic Palestine. This is true for both born Jews (98 percent of Jews, regardless where grew up in the world) or Jews by adoption or ethno-religious conversion.
Christianity and Islam are compromised completely and solely of converts (100 percent, and *no* exceptions)! To be Christian or Muslim, you must accept and profess the theology. And, in Christianity’s case, you must accept as your “lord and savior” the human demiGod idol of Christianity’s god-Trinity. Further, it was the longest held belief by Christians that if their babies did not get baptized in time to grow to the age of professing allegiance to JC and then prematurely died, these babies would not make it into Christian heaven.
There is nothing like this in Judaism! Christianity and Islam are NOT an ethno-religious community preserving an indigenous way of life. Christians and Muslims usurp ethno-religious cultures in their colonizing ways, and force these ethno-religious peoples into Christian and Islamic colonizers, or estranges them to rebuked margins of society if they refuse to assimilate (like being done to Kurds, Jews, Cherokee, Hawaiians, etc.).
Perspective *seriously* matters, for the road to peace is paved in honest acceptance of historical reality!
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