BLOG 5 “Good for the Jews?”

My grandmother used to consider any issue and always ask, “Is it good for the Jews?” As a woman in “Protocols of Zion” answers, “If you’re a Jew they’ll come after you no matter what, you’re screwed no matter what you say so you might as well say what you believe.”

My film has provoked a wide variety of reactions from fellow Jews. The diversity of opinion within the Jewish community is a sign of health, success, and, yes, even assimilation. We’re no longer outsiders. Everyone has his own take and agenda. That’s one of the reasons Jewish conspiracy thinking is so out of touch with what’s going on. As Jon Stewart said, “If the Jews control the media, why are we getting such bad press.”

I can testify that if there is some Jewish conspiracy, I’m still waiting to be drafted. When a Rabbi I know told his congregants to go see “Protocols of Zion” most ignored him and those who went had plenty of suggestions on how to make the film better. Although I have gotten tremendous support from a majority of Jews, there are those who honestly believe it’s counterproductive to publicly discuss Jew hatred and the Protocols.

I wish they could have been at the screening in Chicago two weeks ago with 500 inner city kids from some of the city’s best public high schools. A teacher said of her students, “These kids are not hard core bigots or Jew haters. But it is amazing how many have heard these rumors about the Jews and 9/11 and how many have absorbed elements of the classic anti-Semitic stereotypes. This film absolutely blew their minds and provoked one of the most profound discussions I’ve ever witnessed.”

I wish they could have talked to the woman who came up to me after the Q&A on Sunday night at the Lincoln Plaza Theatre and said, “Mr. Levin I knew about the book the Protocols of Zion. In fact I always thought it was legit – I never even realized there was so much controversy surrounding it – I honestly believed the Jews had some secret master plan – I feel my eyes have been opened tonight. Thank you for making this film.”

And what about last Thursday on Michael Medved’s nationally syndicated radio show which I was on with the Chairman of the New Black Panther Party, Malik Zulu Shabazz, who is credited with some of the most inflammatory anti-Semitic remarks including some about 9/11. (see Blog 2) When I asked Malik on the air, “After seeing my film, don’t you agree hundreds of Jews died on 9/11?” He said, “I’m sure that there were.”

During the break I said to Michael Medved, “Did you hear what Shabazz just said? You’ve made news. This man has been characterized by you, the ADL and others as one of America’s most notorious Jew haters. If you’re going to post the poison why not post he’s reconsidered?” At the end of the show, Medved asked Shabazz, “Malik, what are you going to tell people about Marc Levin’s film “Protocols of Zion?”

To my surprise Malik responded, “I’m going to tell them they should all go see it. We obviously have major differences but I think it is very informative and it provokes much needed dialogue on these crucial issues.”

And that is the whole point. I’m trying to expand the dialogue which is why the film is made in a style that is accessible to all. I respectfully disagree with those who counsel, “Ignore the haters and don’t bother with the Protocols. You’ll only end up giving extremists more attention and power.” I am aware of the risks but I think that you give these things more power and mystique by keeping them secret and illicit. I believe light is the great disinfectant, so I say open it up, air it out and talk to everyone. Why can’t we talk about hate, and prejudice and intolerance the way we discuss sports and music and fashion. If we are only going to catalogue the crimes each group has committed against the other, we are forever stuck.

Having experienced so much persecution through the ages, we as Jews should be on the front lines in battling these latest incarnations of madness and hate. My generation of Jewish Americans has been raised in a true golden age. But that places an extra responsibility on our shoulders. The bonds of the past have been removed, we are not persecuted or oppressed outsiders living in the shtetls. It is easy to forget the past and look at a prosperous present and a promising future. But we can never forget what our ancestors endured. Every Jewish golden age – from Spain to Germany – has been followed by disaster. That alone is enough to justify a strategy of “pre-emptive engagement.”

But I want to be clear, I am not screaming “FIRE! The Gestapo is coming!” This goes beyond Jew hatred. In a way I believe we are all Jews today, meaning we Americans are all potential victims. Today fanatics of all faiths – Moslems, Jews, Christians, Hindus - believe their hate is holy, their violence is sacred and they alone have a direct line to the divine and anyone who disagrees is expendable. How do we combat that? How do we disarm and defuse it? Whatever our feelings about the war on terror, I think it’s clear that there is no simple military solution. This is a battle of ideas, of beliefs and consciousness. Culture matters. Films, music, poetry, art – these are all weapons that have to be marshaled in a creative arsenal.

I simply tried to do what I can in my own style. I am not a spokesperson for the Jewish people, or any major Jewish organizations or institutions. I am an independent filmmaker who made a personal film that asks questions. I don’t pretend to have the answers. In that sense maybe I connected with one of the most basic tenets of the Jewish tradition, to ask why.

I hope you will see it and find your own way to continue the dialogue.

Comments

[Rex Gutstein]

Mr. Levin,

This was a very irresponsible piece of propaganda. How can you do a movie
about this topic and ignore the very substantial evidence that elements of
the US government were complicit in the attacks of 9/11? There is no
evidence that I am aware of that "jews did it" and no informed, rational
person would ever make that claim. Equating "conspiracy theorists" (anyone
who questions the official story) to anti-semites is a morally
reprehensible, irresponsible thing to do. No wonder your film got
distributed--it perfectly plays into acceptable controversies that do not
threaten any structural foundations. As far as I'm concerned, it appears
that there is a conspiracy to promote the perception of widespread
anti-semitism and to smear any opponents or credible critiques with that
label.

First of all, why is there no mention of the Zim-American Israeli Shipping
Co. which is an obvious root of the various "no jews died" rumors? They
moved out a week before 9/11. Was that a little bit "too real" to include?
Hey, you could still have said that they scheduled the move six months in
advance--it doesn't sound that bad!

http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/timeline.jsp?timeline=complete_911_timeline&startpos=600#a090401zimamerican

The "conspiracy theorists" that you show at the end of the film are not
anti-semites. I know them. They would not tell you that "jews did it" if
you asked them. Your implication that they are part of the general group
who say that no jews died or that jews did it is completely deceptive.
Those two individuals are actually well informed of the facts of 9/11 and
the alternative (suppressed) research. Try reading "The New Pearl Harbor"
by David Ray Griffin, a book that the Left's beloved Howard Zinn
enthusiastically endorses--then come back and tell me to eat the official
story like you did in "Protocols".

http://www.interlinkbooks.com/BooksN/New_Pearl_Harbor.html

It's not about anti-semitism. It's about anti-fascism from whatever race or
religion it may manifest! It's about the elite, its about the few
dominating the many through deception, manipulation, violence and
intimidation. Whose side are you on?

Learn the facts before you make a movie and then PLEASE include them for
your audience. Do not deceive people--that is about as fundamental as "go do
good."

There is a massive movement called the 9/11 Truth Movement--ignoring them or equating them with "no jews died" is a disgusting exercise in deception and disinformation.

http://www.911truth.org
http://www.wtc7.net
http://www.911blogger.com

[Jack Kessler]

There has long been a convention that it is OK to express Jew-hatred as long as one claims it is anti-Zionism or criticism of Israel or that one purports to be on the left. As a result Israel has become the Jew among the nations - persecuted in the UN, supported by no nation but the US, her citizens killed with impunity. Waving a red flag while screaming hatred excuses nothing. Anti-Zionism is Jew-hatred.

[Jack Kessler]

There has long been a convention that it is OK to express Jew-hatred as long as one claims it is anti-Zionism or criticism of Israel or that one purports to be on the left. As a result Israel has become the Jew among the nations - persecuted in the UN, supported by no nation but the US, her citizens killed with impunity. Waving a red flag while screaming hatred excuses nothing. Anti-Zionism is Jew-hatred.

[JEPFEINER]

Dear Mr. Levin,

This is one Jew who believes in everything you are saying and doing. I haven't seen your documentary yet but I will and I will also take my children to see it. Keep up the good work.

[Rhabyn Epstein]

I just saw the movie and was shattered. Whether or not everyone agrees with every point of view voiced in this film, it's a vital conduit for bringing about much needed discussion about the intensity of hatred that is wrecking havoc in every corner of the world (and I'm not just speaking of anti-Semitism). I would very much like to be able to hand out flyers to the people in my neighborhood, who I know are very concerned about these issues. If there is some place where I can order flyers before the movie finishes its run, please let me know.
Thank you!

[lio]

Hi Marc,
Lio, Doug's ex student.
I didn't see your film yet but I have some relevant and less relevant comments to add.

1. I am in the process of "rewriting" a global "ten commandments" of sorts. a set of laws that can be applied to ALL humans equally. as you may suspect it is a tough assignment but not an impossible one.
one of the primary candidates for the first commandment was simply this:
"everything should be discussed".

2. having said that, we need to remember that most of the nations or cultures that propagate hate around the world aren't exactly open to conflicting ideas presented in the form of a film. the challenge is how to get past these governments and reach the people directly? moreover, how do you have a dialog with someone whos fundamental "wiring" is set to exclude such a dialog in the first place?
I will agree though that a lot remains to be accomplished in America regardless...

3. on a side note, my wife helped produce the American portion of a larger project titled "the protocols of the elders of Zion". it was supposed to be an in-depth research into the source of the writings, their travel around the world and the reasons that have kept them alive for so long. the Director, Nitzan Aviram, was a relatively well known documentarist. in his films he focused on historic and political events. interestingly, a couple of months after the end of the shooting and material gathering, he committed suicide by jumping off the roof of a known hotel in Tel Aviv. everybody thought it was very weird. there was no note and no apparent motive. how many filmmakers kill themselves in the middle of making a movie? even now much is unknown. this may sound sensational, but I never thought it was a suicide... there are no more details regarding this except for the fact that his wife is now trying to complete the film. I'll keep you posted.

all the best for now.

[Jane Cooper]

Mr. Gutstein,

do you feel the need to repost your mis-information a thousand times before it's over? You ARE MISSING the F%$#^ing POINT! The movie wasn't about the "conspiracy theorists" at the end of the film. Mr. Levin never said or implied that THEY were ant-semites in the film. You don't get it, and clearly never will. No one is gnoring or equating your movement with "no jews died." PERIOD. Stop using this blog as a means of propaganda for you sir, unless you are willing to actually have a discussion and not just post the same blather over and over again.

[Jane Cooper]

Mr. Gutstein,

do you feel the need to repost your mis-information a thousand times before it's over? You ARE MISSING the F%$#^ing POINT! The movie wasn't about the "conspiracy theorists" at the end of the film. Mr. Levin never said or implied that THEY were anti-semites in the film. You don't get it, and clearly never will. No one is ignoring or equating your movement with "no jews died." PERIOD. Stop using this blog as a means of propaganda for you sir, unless you are willing to actually have a discussion and not just post the same blather over and over again.

[Jordan Hoffman]

Marc --

Your movie was fantastic. I will PA for you for free on whatever project you are working on next. Even if you are just filming a fly buzzing around your bathroom, it will be a film with more passion and understanding than any film made in the last ten years.

JH

[zack medicoff]

Dear Mr. Levin,

Congratulations on your screening in Toronto, Canada. I was the young gentleman who approached you after the movie and commented on the thin veil between conspiracy and outright fabrication.

Perhaps the English word conspiracy needs to be redefined. Throughout the documentary, you referred to the protocol document as a Jewish conspiracy.
Webster’s defines conspiracy as :
1 : the act of conspiring together
2 a : an agreement among conspirators b : a group of conspirators

While the content, angle or objective of this book is to portray Jews as a band of global misfits with a penchant for religious, cultural and economic domination, this is of course, is false. So if the conspirators are in fact made up, there is no conspiracy at all. And so, this isn’t really a Jewish conspiracy, it’s an evil and elaborate wives tales cooked up by the malicious propaganda wizards of some 200 odd years, much like the media barons who control the information pipelines of today.

Nonetheless, modern day conspiracy theory touches on a more deeper level, one that seeps into every level of society whether it’s the town hall, state or provincial courts, military wings, police departments, judicial bodies, United Nations, Red Cross, CIA, OPEC, Unicef. The list is practicity infinite with institutions in every nook and cranny in line with the ruling elite’s objectives.

So what are those objectives? As you outlined in your movie, one common theme is separation. Whether it’s black/Latinos vs. whites in America, Palestinian vs. Israeli in the Middle East, Hutus vs. Tutsi in Rwanda, Islam vs. America, Communism vs. Capitalism, separation is an excuse to finance wars, legitimize murder and fatten pockets of the very few. Moreover, it’s the perfect excuse to dupe us (the citizens of the world) that there really is a political spectrum. The reality is there are no democrats and republicans, grits or whigs, liberal or conservative, right or left, whatever. Call it what you want, but what it really boils down to is the illuminati objective on one end and anarchy on the other. An ersatz spectrum indeed.

Don’t forget that separation, fear and greed are core elements of the illuminati. That’s why separation theory, conspiracy theory and fabrication needs to be further explained, perhaps through a second documentary on the global ruling elite and its connection to Judaism. Who were the Jews who became the world’s bankers, builders and media moguls of the last 200 years. What about the Jewish connection to Skull and Bones, if any. Explore the use of fascist symbolism in modern day democratic societies and unpack who exactly the Czar was in cahoots with when they created the protocols.

That answer dear readers is simple, the global elite, and that is no myth. And that’s exactly what young kids need to know next, how modern day media, government and global institutions are in a symbiotic relationship for one purpose.

And what exactly do Americans believe about conspiracy theory? What do people in other parts of the world believe? And just what do people think about unknown arguments like Hitler was actually Jewish with Rothschild blood, how creating Israel was just a matter of good business for the elite, and the Jews who were, and still are members of Bohemian Grove? How about the Egyptian Antiquities department and their withholding information about anthropological discoveries concerning the geographical evidence of Mt. Sinai and under the earth goodies which prove the Exodus as fact and not fable. What about the real dates to the Hebrews leaving Goshen and which pharaoh was ruling that land. It’s not who and when you think. Watch Simcha Jacobovici’s new documentary for those answers.

See now that’s conspiracy theory, but it’s also fact. But do you see this difference now, Mr. Levin? There is so much more, and if you and your readers are interested, I would love to talk more about it, perhaps even collaborate with you and my very brilliant girlfriend on your next documentary.

Also, you did not mention the fact that some Israelis were notified by Instant Messenger on the morning of 9/11. “Odigo, the instant messaging service, says that two of its workers received messages two hours before the Twin Towers attack on September 11 predicting the attack would happen, and the company has been cooperating with Israeli and American law enforcement, including the FBI, in trying to find the original sender of the message predicting the attack.

Micha Macover, CEO of the company, said the two workers received the messages and immediately after the terror attack informed the company's management, which immediately contacted the Israeli security services, which brought in the FBI.

"I have no idea why the message was sent to these two workers, who don't know the sender. It may just have been someone who was joking and turned out they accidentally got it right. And I don't know if our information was useful in any of the arrests the FBI has made," said Macover. Odigo is a U.S.-based company whose headquarters are in New York, with offices in Herzliya.”

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=77744&contrassID=/has%5C

Sincerely,

Zack Medicoff
Journalist/writer/illuminated

[Elayne Laken]

Thoughts on Marc Levin’s film, The Protocols of Zion

Attempting to uncover modern day global conspiracies for a New World Order involves a lot of effort with little tangible results. Even if a conspiracy does exist, the conspirators are doing a great job of hiding out and using the media to divert attention away from any illicit activities they partake in on their quest for power.

The terms “Protocols of Zion” and “Illuminati” are both conspiracy theories and organizations that are basically synonymous when it comes to the values expressed by their underlying philosophy and goals. Both streams of thought seek to attain world dominance and establish themselves as global elite.

Marc Levin’s film leaves the concept and term “Protocols of Zion” open to interpretation without any specific indication on how this conspiracy for a global takeover will take place, or pinpoint how it even came to be formed in the first place. If the people who are exposed to or study the concept of a Jewish conspiracy are already predisposed to hating Jews, they will automatically believe that a Jewish conspiracy exists as a threat, no matter how much evidence lacks in proof of such an organization.

At the end of Levin’s film, there is no clear indication that such an organization exists. While “Illuminati” conspirators have exposed concrete proof that it exists through various documentaries, websites, literature, photographs, and interviews, there is an absence of concrete evidence to prove that the Elders of the Protocols of Zion exist. In fact, it’s possible to assume that Illuminati preponderates and adherents may have created the concept of a Jewish conspiracy precisely to deflect peoples’ attention from their own power-seeking goals. While there is no direct proof for this, there is no proof that it didn’t happen this way either.

Marc Levin demonstrates how there is no explanation for the perpetual and historically existential existence of anti-Semitism that has been ongoing throughout human history. The “Protocols of Zion” were written in the 1840s. The Protocols alone then cannot be the only excuse for hatred that has continuously existed against the Jewish race. Without a single strong explanation, then a general hatred for Jews has always been an illusion without any real reason created by opposing forces in order to eradicate an imagined Jewish conspiracy. The “Protocols” then become a scapegoat for anti-Semites conflicting and competing desire to become more powerful than the supposed Elders of Zion. Hatred then, is basically the frustration of coming face to face with the mere threat of competition, whether real, or imagined.

Hate and the desire for power in global affairs is so deeply ingrained that no one knows whom to hate anymore. Marc Levin presents a colorful set of characters from all walks of life who demonstrate how brainwashing, socialization, and religious adherence are irreparable, and for the most part, based on alienated desires for the acquisition of power.

In every historical event that has ever taken place in world history, there is proof, and there is denial about the truth therein. Self-righteously, every race acts to defend its state of power. In the case of the Holocaust, we have testimony from survivors, tangible real buildings that were formerly used as death camps, and various other sources of evidence that prove that Jews were killed during the second World War. Yet, there is denial about the propensity and scope of how many people were killed during this time, if a Holocaust ever even existed, to Holocaust deniers. The Holocaust did exist.

People that support the Holocaust act on hatred and an idea that Jews must die because either they are vermin, or global conspirators who are hungry for power, or both at the same time. The idea of the Protocols and that Jews are global conspirators is narrowed down in our modern media outlets to become core scapegoat for hatred, yet the book itself was written in the 1840s. It can be said then, that using the Protocols as a scapegoat is just a tool and source of justification for the propaganda of anti-Semitism and hatred. The Protocols then become a concrete central focus point for hatred against the Jewish race, to prove that a Jewish conspiracy exists, when there is in fact, no real proof of such a conspiracy.

P.S. my boyfriend/fiance is Zack Medicoff who wrote to you in an above post, to give you a reference point of who I am.

[Thomas Izaguirre]

Though this may be slightly off topic, it does underscore some of the atmosphere in which a film like this is made absolutely necessary. The following is from the news digest THE WEEK for the first week of June 2005.

What do The Communist Manifesto, Mein Kampf and The Feminine Mystique have in common? asked Jonathan Chait in the Los Angeles Times. All three, it turns out, are among the "10 most harmful books of the 19th and 20th Centuries"--at least according to the influence conservative journal Human Events. By polling conservative luminaries, the journal recently produced the list of books that caused the most damage, and the results are eye-opening. Screeds by Hitler, Karl Marx, and Mao Tse-Tung are ranked alongside distinguished works by pragmatic philosopher John Dewey and sex researcher Alfred Kinsey. Kinsey's book detailing the sex practices of Americans, in fact, is ranked the fourth most horrible book of all time. Betty Friedan's seminal work on feminism is ranked seventh, just behind Karl Marx's Das Capital. Other "harmful books" earning dishonorable mention include Freud's Introduction to Psychoanalysis and Darwin's The Descent of Man. The anti-Semitic fraud The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, didn't even make the list, even though it's been used to justify countless pogroms and was a favorite of the Nazis. But Unsafe At Any Speed and Silent Spring "which led to such horrors as seat belts and the Clean Water Act, did." Liberals may find the Human Events list hard to comprehend, but then, our minds have probably been poisoned by too much dangerous reading. "If you don't see the link between arguing for individual rights, exploring scientific mysteries, and constructing a brutally repressive Bolshevik terror state, then clearly you are not thinking like a conservative."

That POEZ would not even rate an honorable mention from an ostentaciously conservative political magazine to me speaks volumes.

[Rex Gutstein]

Ms. Cooper,

i believe i posted my information 2 times not a million. i have a legitimate gripe and i have a right to post it on this open forum. and it's not mis-information just because you wish it was. go check the facts, come back and debunk everything i said. until you do that, you're just calling names and acting like a bigot yourself.

have you bothered checking any of the links i posted? why haven't you addressed any of the points i made? perhaps you've reached the limits of your own rationality?

yes, the film does lump together the "conspiracy theorists" at the end with what the entire movie has been exploring: anti-semitism and the rumor that no jews died on 9/11. the filmmaker does not bother to make the critical distinction. so you are missing the "F%$#^ing" point.

wake up, reality ain't pretty. in a couple years (maybe sooner) you're gonna be asking yourself, "how was i so naive?"

i posted concrete information and links to cogent sources. you are the one that is blathering. i'm just threatening your little worldview so all you can do is badmouth me and resort to hypocritical childish tactics.

GROW UP
9/11 WAS AN INSIDE JOB
IT'S NOT EASY TO FACE IT
BUT WE MUST
OPEN YOUR MIND
THINK FOR YOURSELF
SEEK OUT THE INFORMATION

[Rabbi Yonah Bookstein]

I work as a Spiritual advisor, ie Campus Rabbi, for Hillel in Orange County and Long Beach. I attended your film last night in Irvine with students from Universities of Chapman and Irvine. Everyone of the students was impressed and moved by the film. It was a self-selected group who decided that instead of partying on Thursday night, they would check out this movie. Many want to go into film themselves. We stood around for an hour after the film discussing it. They all thought it was a fantastic telling of things that are going on today. Not one student was negative. Many had their eyes opened wide for the entire film, and will now continue to walk around educated to some of the real and pervasive prejudice, hate, and bigotry that Jews face.

Since I have been working here in Orange County with college students, I have had the chance to see many speakers come to campus alleging the same things seen in your film. Regularly, speakers are brought that blame without hesitation the entire 9/11 tragedy squarely on the Bush-Mossad conspiracy. They speak to mostly Muslim groups, that nod and clap. There are also pseudo-academics that reach audiences with a far wider diversity, with essentially the same message.

The universities allow their facilities to be used for the most heinous of speakers, with the most vile and hateful of accusations against Jews.

We always wonder, my wife and I, what would happen if David Duke, or National Alliance, had a week long hate event against Blacks, Chicanos, Asians, and Arabs etc. I imagine that they would be shut down in a matter of hours.

But when week and month long programs are organized with one goal: to defame the Jewish people, we are told to be tolerant of free speech.

It is not the case, as it was when I was a college student, that speakers were brought who had a particular case against Israel, and there was room for open debate about the issues.

Today the speakers that circulate call for the destruction of Israel, the "purging" of Jews from government, the overthrow of the US government to be replaced by Sharia Law etc. They boldly claim that Jews planned and executed 9/11, that Al Qaeda is a creation of the Mossad and Bin Laden a figment of the CIA imagination.

Perhaps that is my only critique of your film, which I found to be captivating, informative, and brilliant. This would be the absence of the call for Israel's destruction on the college campuses around the country and the wild conspiracy theories flying around the halls of the academia.

But as with all Rabbis, I have a solution. Please consider creating a film on this ugly scourge poisoning the minds of young college students. The evident agenda of certain university departments. The bias against Jewish students and others that stand up to these forces of intolerance and anti-Semitism.

I hope that your film receives as large an audience as possible, and that you will consider bringing the film to our campuses, and speaking about the film to our students.

Shabbat Shalom

[Jane Cooper]

Mr. Gutstein,

Clearly you misunderstand me and Obviously you misunderstood the film. DO NOT write anything in this blog again until you answer the question, do you really think Malik Shabazz, The Prime Minister of Malaysia, the Head of the National Alliance, and countless other leaders of LARGE organizations whether they be hate groups or nation states, are fringe people who should not be taken seriously? That's it one question, I expect one answer, and no more links to your conspiracy sites please.

I would write to you personally but you are to chicken to post your real email address.

Jane

[roberta Kalechofsky]

The book described below was written by an Anglican theologian who wrote an early definitive work combatting antisemitism. The book we wish to send you deals with this subject and the Middle-East conflict. If you are interested, we would send you a review copy:
MICAH PUBLICATIONS
255 Humphrey St. Marblehead, MA 01945
Ph: 781-631-7601 fax: 781-639-0772 micah@micahbooks.com
www.micahbooks.com

An Anglican Theologian’s defense of Israel 50 years ago rings true today: “End Of An Exile” reissued

More than half a century ago, the esteemed clergyman and British historian James Parkes contended that Jews must have a homeland in Israel, that God did not desire their conversion to Christianity, and that there was no basis for the deicide charge.

His landmark book “End Of An Exile: Israel, the Jews and the Gentile World”, recently reissued in its third edition by Micah Publications, rings as true today as it did when it was published in 1954. An Anglican minister and Christian Zionist historian, Parkes stands firmly against those who contend that the existence of Israel lies at the root of evil in the Middle East, and those who espouse anti-Zionist rhetoric, which they fail to acknowledge as anti-Semitism.

Parkes attacks the fallacious argument that Jews reclaimed a land that had been continuously occupied solely by Arabs. The Jewish population in the Promised Land varied because of forces outside the Jews’ control, not because the Jews ever chose to leave. He documents the continuous ties of Palestinian Jewry to Israel, which has shaped Jewish history. Nevertheless, Parkes advocates for Israel’s recognition of Arab rights in the land.

In re-issuing Parkes’ landmark book, Editors Roberta Kalechofsky and Eugene B. Korn have also provided rich essays to give it a contemporary context. Since the 1982 issue of the second edition, the issues of anti-Semitism and Israel’s right to exist have intensified, making Parkes’ arguments even more relevant. Kalechofsky’s new Preface sets Parkes’ lifetime study of the relationship between the Jews and the Land of Israel, and Christianity and Christian anti-Semitism into the context of Christian Zionism.

Chapters include: The Messianic Hope, The Continuity of Jewish Life in the Land of Israel, The National Home and the Arabs, Jerusalem, The Jewish Community in a Gentile Society, The Conflict with the Church in the Middle Ages, The Religious Issue in Contemporary Jewry, and the Diaspora and Israel.

Parkes’ breakthrough 1934 book “The Conflict between the Church and Synagogue” contended that the root of anti-Semitism lay in the Gospels and the Church Fathers, and that anti-Semitism was a sin which had to be uprooted. In the early Thirties, he warned the world about Hitler and helped evacuate Jewish refugees until he was almost assassinated by the Nazis.

“End of an Exile” provides a Christian scholar’s understanding of the Middle East conflict within a historical context that makes no apologies for Israel’s existence and survival.

End of an Exile can be purchased at www.micahbooks.com. Edited and Introduced by Eugene B. Korn and Roberta Kalechofsky. Appendix Essays by Reinhold Niebuhr, A. Roy Eckhardt and Eight Others. Marblehead, MA, 2004, 378 pp. Kalechofsky can be reached micah@micahbooks.com.

[Lynda Kraar]

I saw Protocols in Toronto at a special screening with Marc. I had flown in that day from the metro NYC area and it was very interesting to see it with Canadians. I think in many ways they are more savvy about anti-Semitism, given that there is a huge survivor enclave there. I am an exile of this community and can attest to this fact. I strongly feel that this film must be shared with the public and with leaders, and should be followed by a discussion.

Secondarily -- what a great documentation about fathers and sons. Dad is no doubt schepping naches. Whilst we Jews are so busy engaging in apologia for being Jews, it is nice to see this exemplary role model reminding us that we must learn where we come from in order to know where we must go. Marc has found his way, and is bringing many people along with him.

Continued success, Marc. Do what you can to screen Protocols at the Aspen Institute!

Lynda Kraar

[Jack C. Krappe]

Right off the bat, I have not seen the movie. What I wonder though, is why so many movies about Jewish history and anti-Semitism? There are many other persecuted peoples through history. 20 million people died at the hands of Stalin. Who's exploring that?

[Jason]

If people got the hint from the first movie then there would be no need for all other Jewish history/persecution movies. But from all the anti-semitism its obvious that they DIDN'T get the hint.

But to answer your question I'd say its because for such a small group why is is that so many Jews are hated? 6 million Jews died in Germany. You can't find that number elsewhere in history for one specific group unless it is the Jewish people. There are so many movies because there is so much hate against the Jewish people for no reason whatsoever except ignorance and the desire to blame your problems on others. Stalin although he killed more people than Hitler, didn't try to kill an entire race of people. Its very different...

[bionoc]

Victory to the Intifada!!
Death to Israel!!

[steven selverston]

Mr. Levin,

Your movie was made around 2004, before the 9/11 truth movement really kicked into full swing. This is your only reasonable excuse for not knowing that 9/11 was an inside job, which is common knowledge in late 2006. The towers were in fact demolished and in fact no large plane hit the Pentagon. It is critical for the Jewish community to understand that the ultimate conspiracy did in fact occur, and some Jews such as Wolfowitz may be implicated. Do not be fools and assume nobody could pull it off. Because this film blames 9/11 on Muslim terrorists instead of US government, it interestingly makes a perfect piece of anti-jewish propganda in and of itself! Make a sequel and do more 9/11 research and make the necessary apologies for the previously made errors.

[Frankiev]

DENIAL ANYONE?,,,FORGET ABOUT THIS WORD, YOU ALL MISSED A POINT ON 911

so far,,,,no correct size holes EXISTS in any 911 pentagon pictures.

THEREFORE,,,,woops..AND SO FAR,,,,,,THERE IS NO HOLE IN THE PENTAGON ON 911, THAT SUPPORTS THE CONSPIRACY OR WHITE HOUSE TERRORIST THEORY.

HEY I WAS ORIGINALLY A 911 MISSLE CONSPIRATIST ...BUT AFTER A VERY CAREFUL AND THOROUGH EXAMINATION OF ALL THE CIVILIAN AND
GOVERNMENT PICTURES TAKEN OF THE PENTAGON ON 911.....I CAN NOT FIND ONE SINGLE PICTURE OR VIDEO THAT SHOWS A HOLE IN THE
FRONT OF THE PENTAGON THAT IS (BIG) ENOUGH TO SUPPORT A PLANE NOR A MISSLE HITTING THE FRONT OF IT.

THE VIDEOS RELEASED BY THE PENTAGON AND THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT ARE TOTALLY FAKE AND DOCTORED AND AN INSULT TO ALL OF US.

SO CAN SOMEONE PLEASE LEAD ME TO A URL THAT SHOWS THE CORRECT SIZE HOLE IN THE PENTAGON?....A HOLE THAT ALSO LINES UP CORRECTLY THE OTHER "RING" HOLES IN THE PENTAGON AS WELL.

Because otherwise, what made the damage to the front of the Pentagon, could ONLY have been an ouside bomb(while the inside damage was already faked and ready).

I AM SO ADADMENT PROVING THAT NOT ONLY DID A PLANE NOT HIT THE PENTAGON NOR DID A MISSLE.. THAT IF SOMEONE CAN PROVIDE THE
PERFECT AND NONE DOCTORED UP PICTURE OF THE FRONT OF THE PENTAGON THAT CLEARLY SHOWS A HOLE THAT FITS TO A MISSLE(911 CONSPIRATISTS) OR A PLANE(THAT SUPPORTS THE CRIME RIDDEN WHITE HOUSE VERSION OF A REAL TERRORIST ATTACK),,,THEN I WILL BE
HAPPY TO HAND OVER $1,000.00 TO THE WINNER.

WE ALSO HAVE OTHER RESOURCES FOR YOU AS WELL, YOU CAN BE ON OUR RADIO SHOW AND RECEIVE TUNGUSTA BLAST, THE MIRACLE ANTI
DIABETES VITAMIN FORMULA.

AGAIN, WE ARE AT : frankievradioshow.com

and the email is :frankradiotv@yahoo.com and or call:
718-390-6635, leave your name and number.

[recumbob]

I just viewed the film Protocols of Zion last night and had a few comments. In trying to partially understand the hatred of Jews, you need to look at the actions of Israel since its inception in 1948. It basically moved into Palestine, killing many and evicting many more from homes they had inhabited for centuries. And the government continues to say and act as if it is above international law. Because the actions by mostly Eastern European Jews in the creation of Israel are apparently financially and vocally supported by Jews the world over, there is a lot of hatred directed toward all Jews. It was incomplete for the film to not talk about this at all. I would urge you to read "the Conspiracy of Zion," written by eminent English journalist Douglas Reed in the 1950s (can be downoaded for free from the net) to get a long range perspective on hatred and conspiracy. He does talk about the Protocols and many other things. We all need to "fight" for peace, but we also need to search for the complete truth in our struggle.