One Gentile man’s failed attempt at bridging the gap between the the non-Jewish Canadian public and the Alliance of Concerned Jewish Canadians.

‘The first fifty years of ‘the Jewish century’ have had their natural effect on the Jewish soul, which once again is in violent unrest. They have made chauvinists of a mass of Jews who, a hundred and fifty years ago, seemed committed to involvement in mankind. They are once more in captivity (the recurrent ‘captivities’ of the Jews were always captivity by the elders and their creed of exclusion, not by alien taskmasters). In the Zionist captivity, and under the pressure of the elders, they have been made into the most explosive force in recorded history. The story of this century, of its wars and revolutions and the denouement yet to come, is that of Talmudic chauvinism, which has its roots in Deuteronomy.’
Douglas Reed, The Controversy of Zion, Ch. 45, The Jewish Soul

The struggle to find common ground with Jewish chauvinism in a world dominated by over a century of clandestine Zionist influence is both a daunting and challenging task.

As a Canadian-born citizen of English and Ukrainian ancestry I, like most other Canadians, grew up in a socio-cultural world that was already well advanced in its acceptance of, and submission to, Zionist propaganda; so advanced in fact that we were generally unaware of its nature or its subconscious effects upon our then young and malleable minds.

Throughout my formative school years in the 50s and 60s I had come to believe, like most Canadians, that the Jews were a downtrodden group of hapless victims of Nazi atrocities and that even to mention the name, i.e. ‘Jew’ required a conscious effort in order to avoid being misconstrued as a racist, bigot or an ‘anti-Semite’. (The term ‘neo-Nazi’ would later become another of the standard epithets employed by the Zionists). Because of this subtle manipulation via the education process and the media, average Canadians of my generation rarely, if ever, broached the subject of the Jews and political terms such as ‘Zionism’ of course were as rare as hen’s teeth in common, everyday discussions of current events.

This Zionist-induced program of mendacious mind-control, which had its beginnings in the propaganda workings of the B’nai Brith and its 1913 offshoot, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), was to continue unabated throughout the latter half of the 20th Century and it wasn’t until the onset of the personal computer and the internet that discussions surrounding this sinister, covert operation began to appear on the web.

Even after decades of engagement in political analysis of varying issues when I first began publishing the alternative monthly newspaper, The Radical, in June of 1998, I was still not aware of the magnitude of the hoax that the Zionists had orchestrated over the past century and it wasn’t until the process of publishing and researching finally awoke me to this fact that I suddenly came to the rude awakening of what had actually been going down throughout the whole of my lifetime and the lifetime of my parents’ generation as well.

And so, when on November 17th, 2006 an article titled, ‘Open Letter to the Jewish Communities of Canada’ came across my news screen regarding a newly-formed group here in Canada calling themselves the Alliance of Concerned Jewish Canadians I was both pleasantly surprised and interested.

By all appearances, after reading the Open Letter, it seemed to be just the voice that I had been waiting for years to hear; a Made-in-Canada, Jewish alternative to the one-sided, pro-Zionist perspective that the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) and their affiliate organizations the B’nai Brith and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), were incessantly presenting to the Canadian public via their monopoly media. It was obvious to people like myself that whenever it came to information related to the tragic injustices existing in Palestine and the Middle East in general that Israel could never do wrong.

Finally, I thought, a group of Jews who have risen above the lies, hypocrisy and the lock-step ideology of the political Zionists and are willing to break from the traditional, status quo mindset in order to expose the horrors and the genocide being perpetrated against the Arabs.

I immediately posted the Open Letter on my site at http://www.radicalpress.com/?p=261 and, at the same time, made the decision that I would contact this nascent alliance of liberated Jews and offer my assistance, in whatever manner, to help them in their quest for recognition and in their efforts to help the Palestinian people.

My reasons for taking such a step, I felt, weren’t too out of line. Having been a left activist for forty years or more, associated with Jews through marriage for thirty and a publisher of an alternative newspaper and website for close to a decade it seemed natural that I might be able to act in some intermediary fashion to help bridge the gap between those within the Jewish community in Canada and the rest of the population.

And so I applied to join the new yahoo group for the ACJC http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ACJC2006 and was accepted.

I decided to wait awhile and read some of the announcements and submissions to the group before, with mild trepidation, introducing myself. Then, on November 19, 2006 I sent the following email to the ACJC:

‘Dear ACJC members.

Greetings. I am a recent member from B.C. who joined the group after reading the initial letter sent by your organizers to the CJC.

Like some previous comments to the group from other Canadians I was heartened by the fact that those within the Canadian Jewish community who understand the situation in the Middle East to be more than what meets the eye of the average Canadian via his news media have taken the initiative to organize and speak out publicly against the discrepancies in reporting.

Not being Jewish myself but having family ties via my Jewish wife of close to 30 years I take an avid interest in what is transpiring in Israel, the Middle East in general and throughout the Jewish Diaspora globally.

As well, having been in the publishing industry for a number of years as a member of the alternative media I’ve had ample opportunity to study and research the ever-growing interest in the phenomenon known as Political Zionism. As I understand it that aspect of Jewish political life is what predominates throughout most current discussions involving Israel and Palestine and beyond.

My support for Palestine during these trying times might be best summed up in Gilad Atzmon’s talk which I am including in this initial submission to the group.

I welcome comment and look forward to assisting the group to become a strong voice for a just and peaceful world for all peoples.

Arthur Topham’

The article in question by Gilad Atzmon was entitled, ‘Palestinian Solidarity Discourse and Zionist Hegemony’ and was the substance of a lecture he had recently given in Scotland.

On Nov. 24, 2006 I received the following reply from the ACJC group moderator ‘Abraham (eibie) Weizfeld’ saalaha @fokus.name :

To Radical Press:

Thanking you for your interest in the ACJC I have forwarded your contribution to the discussion and news List JUNITY of the ACJC with these comments following;

As for the writings of Gilad Atzmon, he presents problems which are incompatible with the nature of the ACJC.

For example, he states ‘Zionism is a continuation of Jewishness’ and that,

‘1. If Israel, the ‘Jews Only State’ is wrong for being a racially orientated adventure, then ‘Jews for peace’, ‘Jews against Zionism’, ‘Jewish Socialists’, ‘Jews Sans Frontieres’ etc. are all wrong for the very same reason (being a racially orientated adventure).’ which means that he is opposed to the existence of the ACJC, evidently.

Atzmon is obsessed by Zionism to the extent that he cannot distinguish between that ideological current and the Jewish People per se. He is ignorant of the various other Jewish currents of thought that have and continue to exist such as the Autonomists, the Bundist and the Communists as well as other leftist currents such as the Trotskyists and Anarchists. All of these are Jewish despite the flawed definitions of Marx and Zionism.

The fact that he opposes the formation of Jewish dissident organizations is an indication that he does not serve the interests of acting in defence of the Palestinian People.

Abraham Weizfeld

Alliance of Concerned Jewish Canadian

Somewhat taken aback by Mr. Weizfeld’s cool and matter of fact response I nonetheless replied the next day with the following:

‘Dear Abraham.

Thank you for writing and sending along your comments on Gilad Atzmon’s talk.

While I may not agree with your assessment of Atzmon’s work I do appreciate the fact that you took a moment to respond.

Also, I believe I was in error in thinking that the ACJC group was a place to send such articles and comments. I gather from what you’ve said that it would be better to join the JUNITY group? Is it open to non Jews?

Regards,

Arthur Topham
Radical Press’

Abraham Weizfeld then sent the following terse reply:

Radical Press,

You are mistaken to be taking my comments as an assessment.

The quotes I provided indicate that this piece of writing is opposed to the existence of the ACJC.
Am I mistaken in that respect or not?

As for JUNITY, that is the same question again is it not?

Please provide a site address for the Radical Press or an appropriate description.

Abraham Weizfeld

I then sent another reply to Mr. Weizfeld with the following comments:

‘Dear Abraham.

Again thank you for writing.

I feel you are mistaken about Atzmon’s quote regarding the various left groups in that you have overlooked one important word in his remark i.e. ‘if’.

‘If Israel, the ‘Jews Only State’ is wrong for being a racially orientated adventure, then ‘Jews for peace’, ‘Jews against Zionism’, ‘Jewish Socialists’, ‘Jews Sans Frontieres’ etc. are all wrong for the very same reason (being a racially orientated adventure).’

As the old saying goes, ‘If wishes were horses beggars would ride’. The same holds true for what Atzmon is saying. Now whether or not this is the case is another story and one that I believe requires greater discussion. By simply dismissing him outright because you are assuming that his comment is categorical rather than a suggested possibility is not giving a fair hearing to that particular remark nor to all that he says in the piece….’

Arthur Topham

I then went on to ‘provide’ the additional information i.e. my website at http://www.radicalpress.com which Mr. Weizfeld requested of me, ignoring the obvious curt manner in which he was presenting himself and his group.

Following these initial discussions I also applied to join the JUNITY-CANADA junity -CANADA@yahoogroups.com discussion group with hope that it might prove more receptive than my first encounters with the ACJC. I was accepted into the discussion group without a problem but also found that this group was also being moderated by Mr. Weizfeld.

Then, on the 26th of November I received the following email from Mr. Weizfeld:

To: Radical Press

Thank-you for your response and explanations.

To take up the discussion that you present I would begin with the response to the last question that you

have posed wrt [with respect to?]the JUNITY news List.

There is no problem with your membership in the JUNITY List and the point I made was simply a note to the effect that JUNITY is also a Jewish organization as is the ACJC and its List. As such the objection still stands since the ‘if’ that you refer to is a common assessment of all concerned in this discussion. As such it is evident that the accusation is being made against any and all Jewish organizations as well as if we are all a ‘racially orientated adventure’. That is the logical consequence of the words of Atzmon. It is not a matter of feeling, it is only his logical consequence. He would likely confirm his argument if questioned.

I notice in your web site that you have featured Israel Shamir. At least I should thank you for not having included Ernest Zundel but you should be aware of the anti-Jewish formulations propagated by Israel Shamir. You have likely not noticed this inclination of his since you have not noticed the same in the words of Atzmon. Nonetheless this is a crucial point to address.

Abraham Weizfeld’

After reading Mr. Weizfeld’s acerbic reply, compounded by his additional negative comments about Israel Shamir and Ernst Zundel, I knew for a certainty that I was not making a favourable impression upon this person!

But not only that. Here was Abraham Weizfeld, the Acting Administrative Secretary for the Alliance of Concerned Jewish Canadians, moderator of the ACJC and JUNITY-CANADA yahoo groups and the public contact for an organization that, ostensibly, in its Open Letter to Jewish communities throughout Canada, had stated, ‘It is time for those of us [Jews] who have a different vision to come forward publicly to present our views to the Canadian Jewish community and to the people of Canada…For these reasons we have joined together to create a cross-Canada alliance of Jewish anti-occupation forces and to make our case both within the Jewish community of Canada and before the general public.’

My immediate impression was that this person was ill-fitted for such an ambassadorial position. Assuming a dogmatic and suspicious position from the start I could not imagine how such behaviour would go over with the majority of the Canadian public. It certainly did not bode well for an all-inclusive position with respect to other non-Jewish groups who might be working for peace for Palestinians.

In a further comment by Weizfeld to another group member at this time, Stephen Aberle, who had also disagreed with his harsh assessment of Gilad Atzmon, Weizfeld wrote:

‘If Atzmon wants to believe that the Zionist claim is valid, that is his problem.

If Atzmon and Israel Shamir want to declare all Jewish identified organizations as Zionist then again that is their problem not ours.

The credibility of discounting the existence of Jewish organizations on a Jewish oriented List is nil and I would refer one to the original piece to verify that this is a serious issue of denial of Jewish identity based on the excuse of dismissing Zionism. Is this not a shame!

Surely one could not consider JUNITY or the ACJC to ‘being a racially orientated adventure’.

Abraham Weizfeld’[1]

In response to Stephen Aberle’s comments I posted the following remarks on the JUNITY-CANADA list:

‘Dear Stephen.

…I must concur with your appraisal of Atzmon’s article. I have been reading and publishing his work for some time now and find his perspective to be very refreshing, relative to the sometimes deep, complex intellectual summations that tend to surface during political debates.

Too, I personally see the subject of Political Zionism as very much the key to unlocking the doors to our perception of how the present world works behind the scenes cast upon the screens of our televisions and the pages of our mainstream media.

Abraham’s comment that Atzmon is ‘obsessed with Zionism’ resonates with me but possibly not in the same context. Having studied this topic in detail for a few years I sometimes wonder how anyone who truly wants to delve to the bottom of the question of political control wouldn’t become obsessed with Zionism in some manner when they realized the extent to which it overshadows much of our present dilemma both in the Middle East and around the world generally.

As I see it Zionism was created for the purpose of not only establishing a beach head in the Middle East for corporate and ideological marauding but also as a vehicle for surreptitious lobbying and the of gaining financial and political control of foreign governments over time. Bluntly put the notion of a Homeland for victimized Jews was more of a ruse for the general public and secondary to Zionism’s main purpose.

Also, I find it very interesting that since the Lebanon war the topic of Zionism has virtually exploded upon the world like some sudden and unexpected incendiary giving rise to an unprecedented amount of publicity on the issue and presenting Jews around the globe with a collateral problem of how to justify and/or defend oneself from the multitude of negative reactions to what is being perceived as a viable threat not only to peace in the ME but to global stability as well.

It’s a very very complex issue indeed not to mention one steeped in emotional and spiritual attachments.
Thanks for your comments Stephen.

Arthur Topham‘

Returning to Mr. Weizfeld’s comments which he made regarding my website and its contents I quickly realized that he had made but a cursory check on the numerous articles posted there. The truth of the matter was that I did in fact have information posted on Ernst Zundel and other political prisoners locked up by the Zionists and so being a conscientious publisher I chose to enlighten Mr. Weizfeld on that account and therefore wrote him back on Nov. 28th, 2006 with the following comments:

Dear Abraham.

Sorry for the delay in replying to the comments below. Work, extreme cold weather, etc.

You wrote: ‘I notice in your web site that you have featured Israel Shamir. At least I should thank you for not having included Ernest Zundel but you should be aware of the anti-Jewish formulations propagated by Israel Shamir. You have likely not noticed this inclination of his since you have not noticed the same in the words of Atzmon. Nonetheless this is a crucial point to address.’

I’m afraid you didn’t look far enough into my site as I do include information on Ernst Zundel and every other political prisoner and Revisionist who is in jail for either questioning Authority in general or asking for proof on whatever issue they may feel is important. As a Bundist I’m surprised that you would hold to such an opinion.

Are we to imprison people for questioning the nature, purpose and design of the Zionists? Isn’t it bad enough that those who do are already considered to be anti-Semitic? Considering what the Bolsheviks did to those who didn’t conform to their ideology I would think that we had progressed well beyond such dangerous confines….

Arthur Topham


While these exchanges were going on I had also informed Mr. Weizfeld privately that I was an Anarchist. His response to my disclosure that I carried articles on the Revisionists and was also an Anarchist was contained in the following reply of Nov. 28, 2006:

‘To: Radical Press [ radical@radicalpress.com ]

One cannot be both a revisionist and an anarchist. You are very confused and should reconsider political activity.

…Presenting Ernest Zundel as a legitimate critique or anti-Zionist when he is a self-declared neo-Nazi or Nazi sympathizer is part of the revisionist trip of Holocaust trivialization. This is all part of propagation of hatred towards the Jewish People and not a matter of freedom of speech, a point well understood by the German People who do not tolerate pro-Nazi insanity.

Consequently you are banned from the JUNITY LIST. You have joined Israel Shamir in his ouster from the Al-Awda-unity List and the Association for One Democratic State. Now you have the message but are you able to understand it. [underline and bold are mine. A.T.]

AW‘

Well so much for crossing the great divide between supposedly pro-Palestinian Jewish Canadians and the rest of the country and helping to mediate any increase in solidarity! I had come up against the same abyss that so many others had encountered when attempting to navigate safe passage from an open-minded, inclusive perspective on global politics to the shores of an isolated and fear-ridden ideology that refused to accept any perspectives that collide with this entrenched Zionist worldview. Realizing that I had now been consigned to the same fate as Gilad Atzmon and Israel Shamir and would therefore be unable to present any counter argument to the JUNITY-CANADA group I penned one further reply to Mr. Weizfeld which I sent to him on Nov. 29, 2006.

Dear Abraham.

Thank you for your reply to my last email.

I must say in all honesty that your knee-jerk reaction to my comments, freely given, doesn’t come as a surprise. From the outset of my request to join both the ACJC and the JUNITY group your manner of communicating has been cold and mistrusting; hardly encouraging traits for a moderator who has chosen to take an active role in attempting to convey to both Jewish Canadians and non-Jewish Canadians as per the ‘Open Letter to the Jewish Communities of Canada’ an ‘alternative vision’ to that of the present leaders of Israel, the Harper government and the CJC.

I have been a free-thinking individual for 60 years now and my study of Anarchism and also my life’s experiences both confirm that a person who IS FREE to think will not condemn others to prison cells because their opinions and ideas happen to be different from one’s own. So for you to say that one cannot be a revisionist and an anarchist is both meaningless and illogical. The purpose of debate is to allow for all civil discourse and to either defeat offending or differing positions amiably via the use of reason and fact or to realize the error of one’s own position and thus revise one’s ideas. From your behavior I must assume that you have never revised your perspective on the issues which confront you.

Also, I’m not sure what gives you the right to judge me or anyone for that matter on issues of thought especially considering your reactionary response to my open and honest dealings with you. From what I’ve observed thus far you carry a glaring degree of mistrust and it’s reflected in your approach to those who don’t fit into your particular ideological cubicle. Again, hardly assets one would wish to see in a person who is basically acting as an online ambassador for the alternative Jewish community in their dealings with the rest of us Canadians.

In your previous email you expressed thanks that I wasn’t carrying any articles on Ernst Zundel on my website as if you were some sort of self-appointed censor working for the ADL or B’nai Brith. I could have left you in your blindness but instead, and correctly, I pointed out to you that I do, in fact, carry articles on political prisoners of thought and otherwise and then, you react to my honesty, by claiming that I’m trying to portray him as an anti-Zionist which I never did. I ought, though, to have emphasized the fact that it was Jews who have imprisoned him and it is Jewish-induced legislation which is powering such censorship of free expression both here in Canada and abroad and inflicting such gross and unjust sentencing upon people innocent of any real crime. These are the new realities that both alternate thinking Jews and non-Jews are facing and your erasure of me from the group for having the audacity to be open and frank (in a private email to you no less!) does not bode well for the future of your newly found group. One final thought with respect to Revisionists like Ernst Zundel. You, Abraham, are turning a blind eye to the Zionist control of the present German government when you fail to acknowledge that fact and try to suggest that it is the ‘German People’ who are perpetuating this fraud of blatant injustice.

I’m afraid Abraham that it is you who may be confused. What does banning me from the JUNITY list accomplish for either the Jews or non-Jews of Canada or the current victims of Israeli aggression i.e. the Palestinian people which you and your group purport to support? Nothing. You’re doing precisely what you ought not to be doing during times like this when, as you further state in your open letter, ‘all Jewish people are tainted by default with the fallout from such policies’ as those being committed by the Jewish state. The facts are growing daily; facts which expose both the Zionist agenda within Israel and without in most of the Western world and it behooves those of us who are cognizant of these facts to try and mitigate their ultimate effects should said policies ever reach the dreadful fruition which they are bound to if left unchecked.

I believe there are Jews within your community who realize this and are willing to adopt a more open attitude toward ideas and answers (and questions) that for many still carry a too emotive quality for them to consider rationally. Much of that mindset is but a measure of the last century of purposeful Zionist influence upon both World Jewry and the non-Jewish world. Mind control affects everyone Abraham. This is likely the greatest challenge facing all of us who want to change the world back to a more sane and harmonious balance and your abrupt and, quite frankly, short-sighted dismissal of a new member who requested admission for the sole purpose of mutual aid sets an old but familiar tone which is not helpful in the least.

My offer to collaborate and work with the group has been met with insults, judgment and an overbearing sense of know-it-all-ness from yourself. How is that sort of behavior supposed to be interpreted by someone who has spent the last forty years of his life fighting and struggling for human equality and freedom? How is that sort of reception supposed to assist me in my own dealings with those who see ALL Jews as sinister, right-wing, blood thirsty co-conspirators involved in a madcap attempt to take over the world? The growing sense of the ‘Jewish Conspiracy’ in the minds of the general public will not be quelled by Zionist-style legislation which imprisons individuals for expressing their views. That only ends up exacerbating the growing problem. What’s required Abraham is the humble acknowledgement that maybe, just maybe, the Jews will have to break out of their self-imposed cocoon-consciousness and start treating others as they themselves would prefer to be treated and to respect diversity and equality for all humans.

If you are representative of the type of Jew who wishes to convince the average Canadian that you are being open and honest and transparent in your desire to achieve peace and justice in the M.E. then I fear you are fated to fail for, by example, your initial reactions to my overture of assistance is a pathetic example of diplomacy and cannot but lead to further confusion and mistrust among a Canadian public that is waxing in its understanding of the controversy known as Zion.

It took me close to 60 years to figure out how the Zionists had been instrumental in brainwashing my generation of Canadians and for much of that time I was completely unaware of their actual existence. But once the nature of their game is realized the pieces of the puzzle fall into place with little effort. Its only then it seems that the magnitude of their ambitious scheme begins to dawn on one and thus the importance of exposing it.

So….alas, maybe Gilad Atzmon was correct in his assessment of certain ‘left’ Jewish orgs especially the ACJC and it’s exclusive JUNITY list. Just another Gatekeeper for the Zionists hidden behind the rhetoric of the day. But even that may not be correct. Maybe it’s just you Abraham who is perpetuating this notion as you fulfill your role as Gatekeeper for the ACJC and the JUNITY list. I wonder how the rest of the members would feel about your arbitrary decision to ban me based upon my openness and the fact that the Radical Press would carry contentious articles and alternative views? Would you have the courage to post this reply to them?

In closing I must say that under the present circumstances I cannot even wish you well in your endeavor to reach out to the greater Canadian community for I now realize that your modus operandi may be no different than that of the Israel government of which you incessantly cry foul. Methinks sometimes you cry too much and too loudly to be believed. All of what you personally are doing (as in my case) only accents the inevitable end that you are preparing for yourself and your group if such an attitude doesn’t change.

Now YOU have the message from a non-Jewish Canadian regarding your project. Hopefully you will understand what I am trying to convey to you. Or will this be just another case of sad but true? I hope not.

In Peace & Light,

Arthur Topham

Pub/Ed
The Radical Press

I never did receive a reply to my last email.