People Hate Jews Even More Than They Hate Cancer

Cancer is an equal opportunity disease. Cancer can attack anyone, at any age, in any place. Cancer attacks us all, every race, religion and ethnicity.

In today’s global community, doctors and researchers are working together, sharing information, to advance treatment and, hopefully, discover a cure.

Or are they?

Apparently, there is something even more important than fighting cancer: fighting Israel.

Israeli doctors and scientists are at the forefront of cancer research and development, particularly in the field of Breast Cancer research.

Doctors and patients, all over the world, benefit from the medical contributions of Israeli physicians and scientists.

Yet, Israeli participants were unceremoniously uninvited to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Middle East Conference on Breast Cancer, held in Egypt, by order of Egyptian Health Minister Hatem el-Gabali. There were no protests, outside of the Jewish world.

Nancy Brinker, founder and head of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the world's largest breast cancer advocacy organization, denied that Israelis were barred from the Cairo conference. This directly contradicts reports from the Israeli Foreign Ministry and the Hadassah Women's Zionist Organization that confirm that Israelis were, indeed, barred from the conference. Rather than criticizing the Egyptian boycott, Susan G. Komen for the Cure lied to the public.

In stark contrast, during the same week, after the Turkish government barred Israel from participating, the US cancelled a major NATO joint military exercise with Israel, the US, Turkey and Italy. Though cancelling the exercise cost the US millions of dollars, both the US and NATO refused to hold the exercises without the participation of the Israel contingent.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure chose not to cancel their conference or move it to a location where everyone would be welcome. They also did not remove their sponsorship. In so doing, they actively supported anti-Semitism, as did all the participants.

They condoned a policy in which fighting Israel takes precedence over fighting cancer, or finding a cure.

The symbolism here is too dramatic to ignore.

Anti-Semitism is like cancer. It spreads destruction, under the surface, while the host seems perfectly healthy. When the disease has spread so much that it can no longer be ignored, there is often no longer any way to stop it.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure, by acquiescing to the ban against Israeli participants, has contributed to an attitude that is contrary to its stated goal – finding a cure.

Apparently, fighting Israel is more important than finding a cure to cancer.

It is too bad that the Susan G. Komen for the Cure has chosen to affiliate itself with people who hate Israel more than they hate cancer.

To my utter disappointment, I can no longer support any activities sponsored by Susan G. Komen for the Cure.



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For more info:
Jerusalem Post: Stop boycotts of Israelis at international medical conferences, IMA demands, and Army drill canceled due to US outcry
Israel National News: US Org. Hosts Cancer Meet, Israelis not Welcome
KUNA (Kuwait News Agency): Turkey opts out of military maneuvers with Israel
Ha'Aretz: Israel Hits Back at Turkey

(hat tip: Lurker, Carl)


Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

"HaKesh BaDelet"

Every year, children from schools throughout Israel participate in a campain known as Mivtza HaKesh BaDelet ("Operation Knock on the Door").

Trust me, it sounds a lot better in Hebrew!

Mivtza HaKesh BaDelet is a national fundraiser for The Israel Cancer Association.

Kids from religious, and secular schools, go in pairs (or more), and knock on doors, collecting money. There are advertisements on radios, TV, buses, etc, promoting the campaign, and it is quite effective. Thousands of children are involved in collecting money and raising cancer awareness.

Though Israel is a very "reward" oriented society, there are no "rewards" for collecting the money. Yet the children are enthusiastic, and polite. And, when I great them at the door, I am proud to be Israeli.

The first year that I had a child participate (way before I was ever diagnosed), I wondered about our kids wandering alone, going to strangers' homes. A parent, whose child was not her oldest, reassured me, and encouraged me to join the cadre of parents with blind faith. ("just close your eyes, and pray for the best!")

My child came home way past dark. Needless to say, I was hysterical. The other mother was not. She calmly reassured me that our kids would come home... eventually. It turned out that our kids were eager to collect as much money as they could, and nobody had bothered to tell them that they should go home by a certain time, whether or not they were finished "their" (assigned) area.

Two years later, when my son was supposed to participate, we had a conflict. I suggested to my son that he go with a friend the next day, but he was adamant about participating with the rest of the school. I consulted with the school staff, and they encouraged me to alter our plans and allow him to participate with the rest of the school. We did, and I could see that it was the right decision. It was important to him.

This year, many of the parents from my youngest daughter's class, did not permit their children to participate. Some had their children collect from their own neighborhoods, in areas designated for other schools. Some children simply did not participate. Some parents were worried about their kids going out alone. Some parents felt there were better ways for their kids to be volunteering, and/or more valuable organizations that the Cancer Association.

I was disappointed that her class would not be experiencing the same group experience as my other kids' classes. I tried to encourage the parents, as I had been encouraged, but there were too many of them. And the anxiety had grown to an irreversible measure.

I wondered if it would have been as important to me had I not had cancer. During our email discussion, I refrained from mentioning to the parents that I have cancer. Some know, but not everyone. Since it is important to my daugher to be normal, I did not want to make any more of a big deal about it than I already had.

When my daughter came home, the first thing she said to me was "no one came!" Afterwards, I learned that about a third of the class participated. So, "no one" would be a bit of an exageration. But I was saddened that that was her impression.

This year, all three of my kids participated in the campaign. They were all excited to share their experiences. (OK, my son was more interested in reading his book, but he did put the book down to answer my questions...)

Interestingly, my eldest insisted that she and her partner finish before dark, whereas my younger two kids both came home after dark (they called in advance, to let us know of their intention to collect until early evening).

I was proud of my kids, for taking the task so seriously, and working so hard.

I hope that next year, my daughter's class will participate more.

One in three people will have cancer at some point in their lives.

This is not some "fringe" issue.



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C)

Thanks to Moshe, I was able to watch Stand Up to Cancer online.

You can watch it too: SU2C


In the lower left corner, press "select episode."
(as of this writing, there is only one episode to choose)

The phone line is working until September 12th (I think).

100% of all donations goes directly to cancer research.



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA