<p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi: embed"> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;line-height:17.0pt; mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed">I just came back from a virtual trip to the wacky wonderland-like world of Israel-bashers, anti-Zionist slashers and anti-Jewish smashers. Thanks to Mr. Zuckerberg I can sit in my bedroom and 'meet' Israel-haters and anti-Semites from all over the world. Luckily – these meetings take place only virtually. That's why I can live to tell you the story. <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;line-height:17.0pt; mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;line-height:17.0pt; mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed">In these FB pages people can post the most outrageous lies and entirely ludicrous libels. The sad thing: it seems that many of these posters aren't even aware of their detachment from reality. Sometimes I answer weird accusations with a few solid facts. Often-times I ask questions. I almost never get a straight answer. Well, once a guy wrote back to me asking if I 'smell the gas' coming back from 'those' times' - but even that, technically, isn't a straight answer. <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;line-height:17.0pt; mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;line-height:17.0pt; mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed">One of the common non-responsive retorts I receive, amongst an abundance of slurs and curses, is a curious accusation that I am a paid 'hasbara' troll. Now, I do think I know what a troll is. Indeed, I live in a house under a bridge, which as I recall can be considered troll-like. But a 'hasbara' troll, with hasbara denoting something akin to the devil? Whatever: entering these sites and pages is like going through the Looking Glass and meeting the Red Queen facebook to facebook. <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;line-height:17.0pt; mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;line-height:17.0pt; mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed">What really catches my attention is: 'paid 'hasbara' troll'. PAID??? One person even asked me: 'Have you picked up your check today?' Immediately I shot back: 'No! Quick! Tell me where do go to get the money!' Then, when I really needed an answer, I got no response. <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;line-height:17.0pt; mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;line-height:17.0pt; mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed">Because that's the problem I have with all this anti-Semitism, masquerading as anti-Zionism, that floats around in the virtual atmosphere, like so much noxious, soft-coal smoke and automobile exhaust fumes. You see – these reality-challenged people are truly convinced that the Jews, the Zionist - that means me! - control not only the media, Hollywood the US government and the New York Yankees – but we also control the banks and economies of the world! (That's right, folks! At this moment there a side-locked, bearded accountant named Hershel Goldenberg working away in the bowels of the Bank of China who is actually running the whole shebang!) And I always think to myself: 'Hey! Guys! With all that money that we control in the world – can't I get a few thousand shekels to fix my roof? Where do I go to get my share??? <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;line-height:17.0pt; mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36.0pt; line-height:17.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi: embed">Somewhere, over the rainbow, <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36.0pt; line-height:17.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi: embed">Way up high, <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36.0pt; line-height:17.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi: embed">All the Jews they got so much money, <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36.0pt; line-height:17.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi: embed">Why, oh why can't I? <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;line-height:17.0pt; mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;line-height:17.0pt; mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed">We so pride ourselves on being so super-post-modern-up-to-the-times-and-beyond that we absorb this twisted message, using it for our own purposes, especially political ones. It's a sad thing that this libel doesn't stop at the borders of our land and thinking. Instead it often tends to permeate sections of society and fertilize pre-conceived prejudice. 'Of course', you say to yourself, 'I per se don't get all that money, but…' <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;line-height:17.0pt; mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36.0pt; line-height:17.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi: embed">The Chareidim (ultra-Orthodox) get a lot of money; <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36.0pt; line-height:17.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi: embed">Or everyone knows that the settlers get tons of shekels; <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36.0pt; line-height:17.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi: embed">Some think the theaters get all those checks; <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-align:justify; line-height:17.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi: embed">Others say: 'Nah, it's the tycoons! <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-align:justify; line-height:17.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi: embed">No! All the rich… <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-align:justify; line-height:17.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi: embed">No! It's the poor that get too much assistance… <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-align:justify; line-height:17.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi: embed">No the middle class… <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;line-height:17.0pt; mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;line-height:17.0pt; mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed">Well, I live in a Jewish community that some insist are calling a settlement, and if I'm getting all that cash – no one gave me my share! Growing up in Chicago, if I've learned anything from the exemplary political workings there, I've learned to say: 'Where's mine?' <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;line-height:17.0pt; mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;line-height:17.0pt; mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed">So – if the Jews have all the money, or the Zionists in particular (in the eyes of those that don't want to admit to being anti-Semites) or especially the Israelis (ibid.), or the settlers (for left-wing Israelis who want to keep up with the fashion of accusing the Jews of hoarding and hogging it all to themselves, but have to feel more righteous than others), I have one thing to say: <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;line-height:17.0pt; mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;line-height:17.0pt; mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed">My simple plea is: 'Where's the gelt??' <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;line-height:17.0pt; mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="text-align:justify;line-height:17.0pt; mso-line-height-rule:exactly;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed">