Cool. Far-Left Extremist Prevented From Speaking at Kibbutz Conference

What was to be a run-of-the-mill organizational meeting for kibbutz and moshav youth movement leaders from the Jezreel Valley Tuesday ended in a shouting match when a far-left extremist Kibbutz youth leader, Yoel Marshak, began propounding his political opinions and promoting his personal political activities.

The conference was called for by youth movements of the kibbutz and moshav movements in order to discuss the traditional year of volunteer work kibbutz and moshav youth undertake before their army induction. Marshak, as youth director of the kibbutz movement, was invited to speak only about the issue at hand; however, he decided to describe his own activities "on behalf of the hungry" throughout Israel, including "the downtrodden Arabs in the olive orchards in Samaria."

Marshak was then cut off by shouts from one of the youth coordinators that he was a liar and a media hound. The verbal attack was seconded and intensified by a youth leader from the moshav movement, as well, which led to the meeting disintegrating and Marshak being unable to continue talking.

One of the disruptive youth coordinators told Arutz Sheva Radio that he was not willing "to hear from a person who sets fires and causes division between religious and secular, between right- and left-wingers. When Marshak started talking politics, we interrupted him and we were unwilling that at our meetings there will be talk of divisions and conflicts."

Me: A story. Ten years ago I went to visit my family in Cholon outside Tel Aviv. My cousin told me that I should visit the family at Kibbutz Sarid, a HaShomer HaTzair kibbutz. When I called to make the arrangement, another cousin told me flat out that if I wanted to come, I couldn't wear my kippa. Needless to say I never made the trip.

Another story. My cousin told me about Pesach on the kibbutz. He said: "At the seder we have bread and Matzah. THAT is freedom (Zeh cheirut)."

It has long been my opinion that the Left is philosophically far more stubborn and unyielding than the Right. There is no discussion or debate to be had with a liberal. They are right and everyone else is wrong. Now they are becoming more radicalized and therefore much more dangerous. They embrace terrorist organizations and murderers and espouse an illogical globalism that will surely lead to the destruction of civilization. How they can defend weakening Israel, America and Europe is beyond me. But it's happening all the time.

And I come from the Left.

I was brought up in a town that was founded as a commune.
My grandparents met each other at a HaShomer HaTzair youth convention in Vienna.
My aunt and uncle were sponsored for citizenship by Stephen S. Wise (of the famed Reform temple that bears his name).

I was born and brought up in the Left. At a young age I saw the futility and hypocrisy of liberalism and took my own path. Interestingly, within Orthodoxy and the "Right" (I consider myself a moderate and yes, still an ardent Democrat) I have yet to meet any person who dislikes or mistreats someone because of their beliefs. Yet, I have found this to be rampant on the Left.

Leftists need to wake up and ask themselves if they really want to live in a world of Hamas and Hizbullah. Do they want communist and Arab MKs in the Knesset (ironic that Meir Kahane was barred from running because his agenda was "too radical")? Do they want a world where America is defenseless against terror? Do they really want Europe to lose it's identity and be held hostage?

They need to stop, take a deep breath and really think about what they are fighting for.