#0202_Points_Of_View_From_Jerusalem
News Digest: Tel Aviv Pride Parade
#0202_A_View_From_East_Jerusalem
"Why we think that the "alternative" or "counter" Pride Parade in Tel Aviv is futile and harmful?
In addition to the big official parade which takes place, the "alternative" parade was walked down the so-called "alternative path" and, as part of the alternative event, conducted alternative activities. All this was still in the larger framework of the official Pride Parade. In previous years, the "alternative" parade walked a different course than the official parade in the form of a "counter-march."
The "Alternative" movement is organized by a group of leftist and anti-occupation Israelis, who raise claims about pinkwashing [1], occupation (often the talk is about the territories occupied in 1967 and not in 1948) and other radical issues related to transgender issues and gender identity.
For some Palestinians this is an opportunity to raise their voice, show it more and talk about the occupation. They are unaware that this march is exactly where the Occupation appears as pluralistic and democratic, as containing any voice opposed to itself, thereby turning the parade in their favor. This is evidenced by the violent repression of other Palestinian marches that the Occupation does not accept, such as the recent Haifa rallies. This proves that [the Occupation] provides security and roads for an alternative path because it serves the Occupation and does not threaten it.
Our rejection of the pride parade and all that concerns the Occupation's institutions, is a rejection of its entire existence. It is not an attempt to reform it or make it more liberal, a task that could be an internal Israeli affair without our own connection to it as Palestinians, where, as Palestinians we are on the margins of it's [the Occupation] institutions and existence. Our rejection of the pride parade is a refusal to give legitimacy to the expansion of the Occupation and the exercise of its influence and "freedom" in our cities and villages. Any attempt to make it more tolerant and acceptable serves only its Israeli citizens and not the Palestinians with their nationality and gender identities."
-Al-Qaws for Sexual and Gender Diversity in Palestinian Society
[Selected comments:]
– "Can you organize a parade like this in a Palestinian city!!? If the answer was no, then you have no right to object"
– [Part of a reply to the previous comment] "Your comment is a perfect example of the effects of these parades. Sexual freedom becomes the ability to hold a parade, that becomes a measure of progress. This means, that we, the Palestinian society, will be considered "barbaric" until there is a Palestinian Pride Parade."
-"With this logic no protest in Israel is ever legit because it only serves the oppressors. Israel invests a lot in its pro-LGBT PR and we feel our work is at least quite effective in revoking this discourse."
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0202 Editor's Note:
[1] Pinkwashing is a term based off of the words pink and whitewashing. Originally, it was used to point toward institutions that show their support for Breast Cancer while still profiting from the illness. In this context, it points toward a political strategy of promoting gay-friendliness in order to appear as progressive, modern and tolerant. This term implies that the Pinkwashing institution is not progressive, modern and tolerant as it claims and appears to be.
#Occupation #Pink_Washing #East_Jerusalem #Pride_Parade #Palestinian_Identity
**
#0202_A_View_From_Haredi_Jerusalem
Rabbi Avi Zarki: "I am not a 'pet Haredi', I have principles."
Rabbi Avi Zarki, who was reportedly due to speak at the pride parade in Tel Aviv, announced on Friday that his speech had been canceled.
According to him, his speech was canceled because of what he said on the Avri Gilad morning program on Channel Two: "The things I said did not please any of the organizers … I am not a 'pet Haredi' I have principles and I won't say anything against the halacha nor will I distort the torah.
Rabbi Zarki, a famous rabbi and mohel in northern Tel Aviv, was reportedly supposed to speak at the Pride Parade for which he was widely criticized.
Now, as stated, Rabbi Zarki writes that his speech was canceled, adding that he knew in advance that things would go down like this.
–
Channel 10
–
#Gay_Pride #Halacha
**
#0202_A_View_From_West_Jerusalem
"I find it hard to ignore the excitement surrounding the Pride Parade. There are a lot of Facebook posts on the topic, the media is praising the high number of participants. Well, happy Gay Holiday.
Don’t get me wrong, if we were only proud of the right things, we could feel true happiness in our hearts. But the distance between the current state of things, and the ideal, painful.
Let me explain something about a different type of pride, and about the only thing we should actually be proud of – ‘Gaon Yaakov’.
I’m guessing that pride isn’t unknown to any of us, I mean, who doesn’t feel some measure of pride every day.
It’s true that in Judaism, pride is considered to be a negative thing.
[…]
But actually, Judaism demands that we feel proud of one thing only – the fact that we are Jewish, descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
What is pride? Feeling that something has value and connecting it to our self.
And that is exactly what we should do, we should feel a deep appreciation for the fact that we are Jewish, our privilege at being a part of the chosen people.
What does that actually mean? How do you do that? The same way you celebrate pride; publicize our belonging to the Jewish people on every stage.
Imagine for a second, a parade that is all about Jewish pride […] Sounds amazing, doesn’t it?
We are definitely there. It happens every year on ‘Lag BaOmer’ parades around the world, held at the instruction of the Lubavitcher Rabbi, that foresaw, so much in advance, when and where it is suitable to feel pride.
And you know what?
Today, when I’m far from the Land of Israel, on ‘Shlihut’ [1] at the end of the world, in which we fight daily against the spiritual holocaust that is occurring here [in Israel], where we see dozens of lowered eyes, thirsty for truth, in which we strive daily to awaken a sense of Jewish pride – ‘Gaon Yaakov’ that hides in each of us; [Here] I wonder, if we were only smart enough to emphasize our sense of pride of the right things, I don’t doubt that we would live in a beautiful and light-filled world, with much less spiritual apostasy, that would as a matter of course become more humane.
So, friends – be proud of your essence and celebrate it daily.
Some food for thought.
In the photo: thousands of young Jews proudly celebrating their Jewishness at New York’s Time Square, in an event arranged by Cteen."
– Jerusalemites FB Group
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0202 Editor's Note:
[1] Some members of the Hassidic Lubavitch community choose to go on missions as emissaries, sometimes to the far corners of the world, where they are to create a center for Jewish life for local Jewish communities and for Jewish travelers.
**
"I’ve understood that there’s a Pride Parade (I don’t know which pride is referenced), but I’ve got suggestions for other parades: An IDF parade, a divorcees’ parade and so on…"
– Jerusalemites FB Group
[Selected Comments:]
– "When the groups that you mentioned suffer from discrimination similar to that which the LGBT community suffers from, we’ll talk."
– "Has anyone told you not to organize them? Go for it."
#Chabad #Lubavitch #Pride_Parade #Jewish #Pride
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