Friday, November 17, 2017

The American Jewish community encourages us to go to Israel and connect to our “roots” without acknowledging that we are targets. They have no resources for us, nor do they even acknowledge the problem. I for one, will not be silent anymore....


Nice Jewish Girls Raped in Israel #MeToo



Advertisement from Taglit Birthright Israel. Words say “Let’s Go #HelloIsrael.” Photo background is a group of people in swimsuits standing in water with their hands up.
 

I was raped by a Jewish Israeli man. I was 21. He was a friend that I met on an organized trip for young American Jews to volunteer their time in Israel. When I went to the Israeli police to report it, the officer accused me of lying, saying why should they believe a foreigner like me over the Israeli solider who raped me.

Rape is not uncommon for American Jewish women like me when visiting Israel. There are countless stories like this and this, and so many more cases of women that have not shared their story publicly. The American Jewish community encourages us to go to Israel and connect to our “roots” without acknowledging that we are targets. They have no resources for us, nor do they even acknowledge the problem. I for one, will not be silent anymore.

Targets for Rape

 

Foreign women in Israeli media are often portrayed as easy, especially blonde Americans like me. It is no wonder that when Israeli men meet us, they may think that we are interested in a sexual encounter.

The program I participated in used Jewish women volunteers to “raise the morale” of young Israeli men soldiers according to the madricha (or guide leader) of my trip. I was often assigned to make coffee and tea, and when I requested real work to do, that’s when she explained my role, inviting me to just hang out with the men.

When Jewish women are brought for trips to Israel by Jewish organizations, never is any training provided on sexual assault. Safety is discussed solely in terms of terrorism. We are told that the only danger comes from Palestinians and that Israelis, especially soldiers are there to protect us. Often, we are told that Israel is safer than the United States because everyone is Jewish. You can go out, you can buy alcohol legally at age 18. We aren’t even taught about cultural differences like when an Israeli man invites you for coffee, he means sex.

In these ways, Jewish women are set up to be raped by programs like Birthright Israel that bring diaspora Jews to Israel.

Take Action to Reduce Assault



Logo of the Association of Rape Crisis Centers
 

Jewish organizations that run Israel trips should talk about sexual assault. Participants should be given resources in case anything happens to them, including the Israeli rape crisis hotline number 1202 and in the United States (800) 656-HOPE.

Rape is an issue in the Jewish community, as it is in every community. To be silent, is to be complacent in the sexual assault of Jewish women. All Jewish organizations should talk about sexual assault, and not just those organizing trips to Israel. Jewish organizations in the U.S. and around the world should support the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel. I hope that my coming forward will give space for other survivors to share their stories and encourage people to believe survivors when they come forward. I hope this starts a conversation in my community about sexual assault.

https://medium.com/@debraguckenheimer/nice-jewish-girls-raped-in-israel-metoo-fbf72b28ee2

1 comment:

  1. My younger D, during college at Brandeis, (i HAVE EVEN WORSE THINGS TO SAY ABOUT BRANDEIS, READ DAVID HOROWITZ FREEDOM CNETER TO WHICH I DONATE),
    BUT IN ANY CASE, SHE WAS NEWLY BT, OR ALMOST BT, NOT USUAL TO OCCUR AT BRANDEIS, BUT ONE SUMMER SHE WENT ON ONE OF THE TRIPS, SORRY, REaLLY NOT SURE WHICH ONE, SHE WAS NOT COMMUNNICATIVE).
    PER MY YOUNGER D, NOW 27, MANY OF THE AMERICAN GIRLS WERE THERE TO :HER UH, WITH THE ISRAELI SOLDIERWS
    BE THAT AS IT MAY, ONE LOCATION, SHE COULD NO LONGER TOLERATE IT, INTERCOURSE IN EVERY BED, ME'SVIVAH). AND AT SAME TIME THERE WAS a LARGE EMPTY EMPTY TENT, SHE REQUESTED TO SLEEP THERE, NOT TO HEAR THE SEX, ON BOTH SIDES OF HER,

    REQUEST DENIED, THERE WAS A TOTALLY EMPTY TENT, AND THEY WOULD NOT ALLOW HER TO SLEEP THERE.
    SHE HATED BIRTHRIGHT, SHE WAS AL SAF BT, OR PERHAPS ALREADY ALMOST,
    ACCORDING TO MY D, MANY OF THE AMERICAN GIRLS WERE THERE TO EF THE ISRAELI SOLDIERS.

    BE THAT AS IT MAY.
    THE TOTAL DISINTEREST OF THE STAFF TO HER SITUATION IS ENOUGH TO DAMN THEM.

    THANK GOD HE HAS ISRAELI FATHER AND MOTHER WHO MADE ALIYAH TWIS AND HR FIRST TWO YEARS OF LIFE HEARD OMLY hEBREW FROM ER aMERICAN MOTHE

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