Bollocks of the Day

I have one word to describe Amir Gissin, Israel's consul general to Toronto: delusional. How so? Since his Brand Israel campaign, the one designed to "repair Israel's image," appears to have crashed in a cul de sac, (now, there's a shockeroo), Gissin, reports the CJN, has decided that the way to go is via Obamaesque outreach. To "Africans". From Somalia:

...The Canadian Jewish community can help, he said, by building lasting relationships with new immigrant groups who can benefit from lessons learned by Jews in overcoming obstacles and thriving in a new land.

Gissin said the Jewish community should give of itself “without immediate expectations of return,” but with an eye to the long term.

“There are many things that can be done beyond pure philanthropic engagement,” he said. “I want to suggest the following perspective: the [Canadian] Jewish community today is a strong one. That wasn’t always the case. Still, it managed to build a functioning and flourishing [foundation] both culturally and financially.

“During this process, a huge experience was gained. And we now use these experiences every day in our [institutions]. But when we look at emerging, young communities, such as the African communities, we see groups who are inexperienced at building themselves up. They’re troubled with more urgent issues, such as their own family struggles. This is where we can help.”

Gissin said Jews should be deeply involved in mentoring and “engaging” with these communities.

“This is a vision currently not shared by most of the Jewish community,” he lamented, saying that he hopes Jews, their lay leaders and their grassroots organizations will soon come to understand that “becoming relevant with other communities is the best safeguard to preserve the interests and goals of the Jewish community and in helping Israel” in the long term.

Gissin cited the Jewish-Somali Mentorship Project – which began last May and is supported by UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, Canadian Jewish Congress, the Canadian Somali Congress, the Canadian International Peace Project and Canadian Heritage – as a successful example of the “cross-culturalism” the community should be practising.

The Canadian Somali community is Canada’s largest African diaspora community and one of the country’s largest Muslim communities.

“The success of this project has caused the Somali community to look for ways to give back to us,” he said...

That final line encapsulates the wackiness of it all: if we're really nice to Somalis, they'll "give back to us." Tit for tat. Two-way street. One hand washes the other. Give a little, get a lot. Kumbaya, my Lord, Kumbaya. One itsy-bitsy fly in the emollient--and it's the same one that's gumming up the works worldwide. It's Islam's timely--and timeless--theme: "jihad is the way; sharia is the goal." Jews "mentoring" a handful of Somalis amounts to but a molecule or two in the vast hateful ("Jews are monkeys and pigs" quoth the Koran) ocean. And if we have to count on Somalis of all people to "repair Israel's image," we may as well bid adieu to Zion right now.