Nice Jewish Girls Raped in Israel #MeToo
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
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.
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),
ReplyDeleteBUT 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