Yes, it is nice to be loved, to be appreciated, to be supported and to feel that in a disaffecting, alienating world, a reality in which Israel and Jews find themselves nowadays, some do care for us. Indeed, a heartening feeling. My question, though, is, should we pay any price? No, I will not.Unfortunately, in my unsatisfied hunger to seek support for Israel, especially from unlikely sources, I once, several years ago, also fell prey to a “Muslim Zionist,” a Bangladeshi by the name of Shoaib Choudhury. He is serving time in jail currently. I will be honest with the readers; it was hard to admit that I had fallen for his lies. Incidentally, I was not the only one. Mightier and more powerful people had and with greater losses. Some never admitted to it, however. For whatever reason, fear, shame or any other, they chose to bury the damage caused to them, hang on to their pride, not warn others and let them be burned. I will not!
Yes, it takes a lot of courage, self-discipline and much integrity to admit that one is wrong or made a mistake. Some eventually admit it, albeit, a little late for others. How can one, especially one who is a role model to many, live with the knowledge that their mistakes could contribute and lead to those of many others? I could not. I will not!
In recent weeks, I have been privy to some sad personal experiences by a few, mostly Jewish females who have been misled by individuals, in a similar manner as I was. As in my case, their predators claim to be “Arab and Muslim supporters of Israel.” Those individuals cloak themselves with so-called love for Zionism, for the Jewish people and the observation of the sanctity of the Holocaust. They would go as far as singing “Hatikvah,” the Jewish National anthem, visit sacred Jewish memorials where they shed a tear or two, all in order to lure Jewish women to support them financially and otherwise but mostly financially. They, the predators, get these innocent women to introduce them to key people in the Jewish world thus reducing them to mere tools or means which, in turn, allows and facilitates the deception to emanate only to eventually claim and consume more victims. Will I allow it? No, I will not!Unfortunately, or rather fortunately for those deceivers, I have not been approached by them personally. Had that been the case, I would have exposed them, shamed them and left them licking their wounds. Much to my distress, I have been sworn to secrecy by my sources. I cannot betray them and disclose the names of the charlatans who had gotten hold of them. The victims are fragile, they are embarrassed, they are ashamed but above all, some are fearful. They fear for their good reputation, for their families and of other consequences that such disclosure may bring about.Are we going to continue to let these Svengalis, these liars, these opportunists and agenda seekers take over and continue to mislead us? Are we going to let them bring our fellow Jews, at times such as these, to the brinks of the abyss? No, I will not!I turn to all those like myself, who, at one time or another, have fallen victims to similar manipulators, mind twisters and storytellers to come out, join hands and in unison proclaim, “No, we will not!”