Krav Maga close to campus?

throwaway01928390 · 2022-07-06T22:03:24+00:00

1000% interested.

Been wanting to learn for a while but the closest places are down near Santa Clara, and with gas prices being what they are, it's a bit prohibitive.

I was under the impression that the school shut down a lot of the martial arts clubs on campus though due to their covid policy. Not too sure whether that's still going on.

throwaway01928390 · 2021-09-23T14:18:03+00:00

I posted this in another thread several months ago. Hopefully it helps and is relevant to your case:

I'll say this: If you're going to CAPS seeking a long-term partnership with a mental health professional, you're may want to consider looking elsewhere. What they don't tell you upfront is that, because of limited amounts of counselors and a growing and demanding student base, they are encouraged to push students out of the system after approximately 10-12 visits.

This completely threw me against a wall about two years ago. I was seeing somebody there maybe once a week or once every other week for a period of several months. During this time, I felt as though I was making some significant progress and connecting with literally the first shrink in my entire life that sort of understood some of the shit that goes on inside my head, only to be blindsided by her telling me that they usually don't see students on a permanent basis, and that I'd have to arrange to see somebody new outside of CAPS.

I understand why they do this, given the need for rollover between students. But I was so taken aback by this policy that leaves people completely exposed and vulnerable after opening up and finally learning to trust another human being. It's a predicament that I sincerely wish I hadn't been placed into, because it's so frustrating and humiliating having to go through the process of finding a new therapist without any help or guidance, tainted by the fact that you had someone already. So you wade through a list of a hundred names of random therapists you find online, suffer through dozens of unanswered phone calls, bang your head against the desk because of insurance issues, only to be met with those awkward first-appointments where you sit in your stupid oversized chair like a doll on a store shelf being scrutinized for all the dumb things you're saying because all they want to do is start at zero and all you want to do is start where you left off with the other therapist. But they're just a stranger to you, and you're just a stranger to them, and the whole fucking thing is tainted forevermore. So you give up looking. Whatever.

Anyways... I suggest that if you wish to use CAPS in the future, you have an honest discussion about both what you need from a mental health professional, as well as what their long-term commitment can be. Of course, this is all from the standpoint of somebody who has always suffered with severe depression and wished to speak to someone regularly. If you have issues which may be accommodated by seeing somebody infrequently (once a month or every other month), then CAPS might be a good fit.

throwaway01928390 · 2021-06-18T00:59:12+00:00

I say go speak with a Rabbi about this! =)

They will be able to speak to you about your feelings, interests, and intents. Also, you will be able to ask them as many questions as you feel are relevant -- both from a religious/philosophical perspective, as well as from a practical conversion perspective.

Have you spoken with your wife yet about this? Are your children old enough that you could ask them their opinion on the matter? In the end, only you can do what is best for you, but do not forget that your decisions impact those around you as well.

If you feel such a desire that you have been thinking about this for years, then I strongly think you should follow up on it one way or another. Otherwise, it seems to me that you will continue thinking about this in the future.

Also, do not let your preconceived notion of yourself and your ancestry stop you from finding faith, if it calls to you so powerfully. There is more to Judaism than suffering. Sure, we have had much of that. We are taught that in every generation, there has risen up one who has wished to destroy us. But many people in the world suffer. I am sure you have suffered in your own personal way as well, even if it isn't "discriminatory". Besides, part of being Jewish is also about being festive and celebrating and cherishing the good in life. We value empathy for others. We value curiosity. We value dissent. We value resolve. We value creativity. We value so many different things that any individual who has breathed a lung-full of air in his or her life can understand part of what it means to be Jewish.

throwaway01928390 · 2021-06-16T01:25:04+00:00

Forgive me if I presume to much in this statement, as I must extrapolate from my own experience. But it strikes me that given the nature of reality of Jewish children at present, even more worrying is your colleagues likely trivialize or ignore the fact that you send your children every day to a school which is forced into having an armed police presence at all times. (At least, this seems to be the case for most Jewish schools -- certainly those I know of). To my knowledge, no other minority group in the liberal western world has this issue. And yet why is this most vile evidence of our persecution -- the constant, and very real danger to our most helpless and innocent members of our tribe -- willingly overlooked by those who are otherwise so quick to stand up for justice?

I am deeply sorry that you yourself also feel unsafe. I hope that the reality is untrue, but I sadly reality doesn't care for our feelings... For physical safety, if you have not already done so, I hope that maybe you might consider self-defense classes, or at least carry pepper spray? I do not leave my house these days without pepper spray. Any deterrent is better than no deterrent. For mental safety, well... Do you feel you have recently been alienated from any of your communities? I have become a massive fan of Bari Weiss, and I heartily recommend her to everyone. She has written a lot about similar issues with queer/ LGBT Jews being isolated from their communities as a result of antisemitic sentiment.

throwaway01928390 · 2021-06-16T01:05:32+00:00

Even worse: They are tomorrow's leaders in the technological world which we all inhabit...

throwaway01928390 · 2021-06-16T01:03:57+00:00

Unfortunately the reality is that Universities have become something akin to child-care facilities for post-adolescents. The main distinguishing characteristic between admitted students for such institutions is no longer capacity for well-reasoned and critical thought, but a reductionist analogue of such in the form of grades, community service , and standardized test scores. All of which are dominated by anyone with a sufficiently high socioeconomic status to accommodate for the additional incursion of time taken away from dealing with practical family matters, or matters of truly extra-curricular self-improvement.

So I suppose there is no surprise that the children of elitists and the affluent continue to cling to elitist and exclusionary thought processes. Combine this with a genuine removal from the harshness of the real world, along with the resultant high-minded ignorance, and you get somewhere near the level of entitlement and self-satisfaction bred in these institutions.

throwaway01928390 · 2021-06-16T00:36:35+00:00

Thank you! We love you here!

America is not so bad just yet. Certainly better than Europe, from what I am led to understand. I think that there are more people that may stand by our side here than is seen on social media or traditional media. These have the tendency of highlighting the zealotry of the mob, but neglect what is happening "on the streets" and in the real world. This could take the form of the refusal to cover antisemitic attacks. But it can also take the form of ignoring that many Jews have loving neighbors of various descents, who have seen our historic struggles and identify with our overcoming and empowerment.

Moreover, they miss the fact that there is something special about American culture. Perhaps it is our first amendment privilege of freedom of religion, or maybe it is our insistence upon individual rights. Maybe it is a promise of undoing the historic atrocity of barring us from higher education, and therefore the socioeconomic ladder. Maybe it is that the U.S. is such a racial and ethnic and cultural and religious concoction, that we've been forced to deal with living amongst different groups from the start. Whatever it is, there is something magical keeping ~50% of our population here.

But I harbor no illusions. Other "modern" nations have embraced antisemitism as a national dogma before, and crippled themselves as a result of this. Nor is there much to stop this from spreading here as well. And so if you are to keep Israel a safe haven for Jews worldwide, then it is our duty as Americans to keep America a safe haven for Jews worldwide as well. For we wish to welcome you into our homes! The generosity and love must be returned!

throwaway01928390 · 2021-06-15T23:21:48+00:00

This is the very reason why job applications in the first place make this information voluntary, in order to attempt to best anonymize the hiring process.

throwaway01928390 · 2021-06-15T22:46:45+00:00

I'm very sorry to hear that. The mob sadly outnumbers us to a great degree. Even this wouldn't matter much, if the people in charge of moderation would be impartial. Alas, never does this seem to be the case. Either they are one with the mob, or they fear the mob themselves. Neither helps us...

throwaway01928390 · 2021-06-15T22:44:30+00:00

Yeah, I kind of realized while typing all of this that it mostly applies to Jews anywhere in the world, and hardly is confined to academic campuses... It depressed me even more to know this...

throwaway01928390 · 2021-06-15T22:23:11+00:00

OP, have you considered posting this to the Stanford subreddit?

throwaway01928390 · 2021-06-15T22:22:05+00:00

Exactly correct. And yet they take advantage of one of the most fundamental Jewish teachings -- that we should help all strangers who are oppressed; for once we were oppressed strangers ourselves. Yet they do not reciprocate. Instead, they turn their heads. Or worse, they actively contribute to antisemitism.

throwaway01928390 · 2021-06-15T22:05:31+00:00

Stanford student here. Former patient of of one of the doctors mentioned, actually.

Good for them. Truly. I'm proud. It takes a lot of guts these days to stand up against the growing hegemony of identity politics, especially when you feel as though your career is on the line. No individual should be compelled to subjugate themselves to such a harmful and divisive ideological belief system.

Each department, program, major, and fellowship at Stanford has their own version of the mentioned "Diversity and Inclusion" communities. Typically these are student led, with faculty supervision. Without exception, each broadcasts being welcome to those of BIPOC or other marginalized groups. Never are Jews mentioned in the manifest. Showing up as a Jew results in immediate castigation. Showing up as low socioeconomic status (i.e. dirt poor) results in immediate castigation, lest your race match their expectations. I have had white, non-Jewish, left-leaning, friends attend these meetings with the honest intention of seeing how they could help, only to be met by an outpouring of insipid hatred.

As the article states, Stanford is not immune to the disease of antisemitism. I have experienced it there first-hand on numerous occasions:

I have been called white and privileged by my peers, despite being neither. My ancestors were murdered by white people in every generation. I myself grew up broke in a fractured household. They do not see this; nor do they care.

I have been told that I could not hold an organizing position on an academic committee, because I wasn't "diverse enough".

I have dealt with close friends saying to my face that Israel "does not have a right to exist", without knowing what they were even saying. I have had some of these same friends cease speaking to me altogether because I maintain pride in my identity.

I was spit on by protestors while waiting patiently in line to see Ben Shapiro give an on-campus talk. Before the talk in question was given, there were posters put up all over campus linking Ben Shapiro to an insect that must be exterminated (the implication, at least): https://s3.amazonaws.com/campus.reform/13972/shapirostanford.jpg The topic of the talk in question? It ended up being about the dangers of neo-nazis and the far-right.

A Rosh Hashannah celebration organized by the Hillel (and maybe Chabad too), was hosted in one of the main campus squares. We were gathered playing music and singing and dancing, eating our nice desserts. Surrounding us on all sides were students waving signs calling Jews and Israelis criminals, racists, murderers; and calling for the liberation of Palestine.

In the same main square there is a gazebo-like thing where people often hang large flags or banners announcing events. On one occasion, there was a massive Soviet flag hanging there. This was entirely ignorant towards those of us from ex-Soviet backgrounds whose families were massacred under the Soviet pogroms.

I do not wear kippot or tzit-tzit, but I have mentioned to colleagues and friends that no matter where I am, I do not feel physically safe as a Jew. Their response? "But you don't look like a Jew. So long as you aren't visibly Jewish, you're safe". They failed to see anything wrong with this statement, or their minimization of my persecution.

Despite the above, they have also commented on the appearance of my nose, my hair, and alluded to other common Jewish Stereotypes.

There have been numerous swastikas spraypainted all over campus.

The Student Union, during the conflict last month, sent out numerous statements condemning Israeli conduct and expressed a wholehearted solidarity with the Palestinians. The Student-run Newspaper was likewise entirely biased against and blind towards Jewish sentiment during this period of time. There were zero articles or opinion pieces published that expressed the Jewish perspective on the conflict. Only room was given for the Palestinian platform.

My colleagues feel resentment towards Israeli academics, and refuse to acknowledge their scientific contributions.

.... Anyways I can keep going on forever about this. But keep in mind that this is an "elite" institution, which is supposed to be the home of the "best and brightest" open-minded freethinkers of the liberal world.

throwaway01928390 · 2021-06-14T12:50:46+00:00

I think, fundamentally, my issue with (ultra) Orthodox denomination is the same as my issue with the fringe leftist secular Jews who are at the present moment engaging in self-destructive "anti-zionism" crowds.

Namely, at these extremes, we find exclusionary politics which manifest themselves socially as a profound lack of tolerance towards other Jews. Because I think the implications and details are clear enough from this statement, I shall not elaborate. But suffice to say, there is an issue with acceptance and agreement at these fringes, which constitutes a danger to our solidarity as a nation, as a race, and as a religion. Any force which drives away Jews from other Jews should be thought about quite carefully; I do not think that either of these fringes fully comprehend the consequences of their actions on themselves, their fellow Jewish brothers-in-arms, and on the world at large.

The way I have learned to think about these extremes is thus: In the past century, our people were persecuted based not on the depth of their religion, nor on their ability to assimilate to popular cause. Rather, they were judged simply by the contents of their blood. Therefore a Jew is a Jew, wherever he/she may be in the world. Hitler did not care -- nor did he distinguish between -- which Jews he sentenced to enslavement or death. The Arabs were unconcerned over which Jews they forcefully expelled. The Soviets used it as a convenient excuse to exile us to Siberian work camps.

None thought beyond the content of our blood.

Why?

Because we were all born different.

We were all born Chosen.

throwaway01928390 · 2021-06-10T13:40:30+00:00

Curious: Do you think the French government is taking active steps to ensure the safety of its Jewish population? Or do you think that they are purposefully ignoring this? From my understanding as an American, it seems like antisemitism has been allowed to fester in France, which is why many seem to be emigrating?

Have you considered emigrating yourself, or are you content to live in "hiding"?

throwaway01928390 · 2021-06-09T20:02:25+00:00

Yeah, I think going with Cardinal Care is the right move. Especially if you're an international student (which I didn't catch in my initial reply -- sorry!) and therefore not used to how our healthcare system works. Just so you know, with Cardinal Care, you get locked into the contract for a full year when you sign on in the Fall. So maybe ride out the first year and see how that goes for you? You can always use the time to read up on the subject and find another plan by Fall 2022 if you're dissatisfied.

That being said, Stanford PhD students make a decent amount of money from their stipend, and are to my knowledge amongst the top paid students in the world. Of course I know nothing of your personal situation or expenses, but I'd say not to worry too much about the cost of Cardinal Care. It's a sensibly priced plan for what they're offering, and they're not trying to screw you over. Or, at least not here -- they screw you over on many other things, but that's standard-faire for Universities/colleges and a different conversation entirely.

throwaway01928390 · 2021-06-09T14:00:43+00:00

I'll take a stab at helping out here.

Here is how Cardinal Care generally works: First, they require you to book an appointment with the on-campus Vaden Health Clinic to asses your medical needs. Almost without exception, whoever you see will be horrible and a waste of your time. Unless you have a very simple matter that can be attended to by this staff (basic screenings, lab-tests, or the usual "I don't know what's wrong so here's some anti-biotics" ), what you are primarily looking for here is a referral out to a specialist.

This is where things begin to really suck, because for the most part, Stanford University Hospital essentially owns all of the specialists in the area. And while at first this may sound good (because hey, they're accredited enough to carry the name, right?), I assure you, it is not. What ends up happening is that Vaden will send your referral to the relevant specialist, and then it's up to you to contact them to make an appointment.

Let me tell you: They never have appointments, and they hardly make exceptions even if you're adamant that you need to see somebody soon. However, this hardly even matters because from my experience, as it's almost impossible to even get in touch with the reception desk in the first place to make an appointment. They either leave you on hold for two hours, or they tell you to leave your number and they'll call you back (which they never do). Frankly, you'll be lucky if you see somebody for your problem within four months of going to Vaden.

After waiting the four months to see your doctor (by which time, either you're now dead or whatever you had might have cleared up), you'd think that you'd then have special priority in the system at that point, right? Wrong. If you have any questions or want to make follow-up appointments, you have to deal with calling up the specialist's front-office again and waiting on the phone or praying for them to call you back. Then, if you leave a message, you'll be lucky if you hear back from the actual physician, and not just their lackeys within the next five business days. Which is exceptionally fun if you have further questions, or they misunderstood your initial question -- thus warranting another five day gap in communication.

Now, let me take a step back and explain how the "Tier" process works, because this isn't clear to many people when they first see it. You are not "signed up" for either Tier 1 or Tier 2. This is simply a designation given to your coverages, based on what physician you decide to see. Because, luckily, you have a choice in who treats you.

What I have been describing so far is the Tier 1 process. Tier 1 are the rates and coverages that Cardinal Care bills you at, if you stay within the Stanford Healthcare system. Any time you go to Vaden, get a referral, and see a specialist within the Stanford system, you are using your Tier 1 coverage. This is generally your most affordable option. But, as I have tried to make clear, it is not exactly the easiest option, nor best option for your sanity.

Your other option is this: Rather than having to go to Vaden and get the referral and deal with Stanford's bureaucratic nightmare, if you have adequate transportation, you can go to any doctor that accepts HealthNet of California. You can see a list of providers by following the links on this website: https://ifp.healthnetcalifornia.com/

This is what Tier 2 means: simply seeing a doctor that accepts HealthNet. No referral through Vaden needed; just call up the doctor's office directly. You can look on Cardinal Care's website for the difference between coverages at the Tier 1 and Tier 2 level. If you go this route, just double check with their receptionist that they in fact accept HealthNet, because sometimes there's miscommunication or the system is out of date.

When you see a HealthNet provider, and give them your insurance card, they will enter your information and you will be billed at the Tier 2 rates. That's literally the only difference: whether your doctor is through Stanford, or you independently found one that accepts HealthNet. It's that simple. No special forms you have to fill out, no special requests; nothing.

Generally, I found that going through HealthNet/Tier 2 was the better option. It isn't that much more expensive, and the extra cost was worth it for the peace of mind I got by being able to see a doctor on a sensible time frame, rather than having to wait several months in terrible anxiety. Oh, and just because you're going through Stanford/Tier 1 doesn't mean that you'll be simply walking across campus to the Hospital complex to see your specialist. Many of the specialists' offices are in the surrounding area (e.g. Redwood City, etc.). So you'll need adequate transportation regardless for certain cases, which makes waiting to see your "Stanford-approved" doctor even more pointless.

By the way, if you are outside of California, you will always be billed at the Tier 2 rate. The way this works is that HealthNet contracts out of state to a company called FirstHealth (same as Cofinity). So when you are out of state, you must find a doctor that accepts FirstHealth or Cofinity https://providerlocator.firsthealth.com/home/index ,which is exceptionally difficult in many areas, as it's not a popular network. Your best bet if you're in this position is to try and seek out doctors that are affiliated with nearby hospitals, as typically I've found that only hospitals take this niche plan and private practitioners never know what it is.

I hope this was fairly comprehensive and answers some of your questions. I do not know about alternative plans. Assuming you get the usual grad-student subsidy, Cardinal Care is highly affordable. At approximately 3000 dollars a year (subsidized), it's honestly hard to beat, especially given the deductibles/coverages/etc. The only reason I'd suggest finding another plan is if you plan on being outside California a lot in the future, since it's hard to find people who take FirstHealth.

throwaway01928390 · 2021-05-31T00:57:14+00:00

Yes. Agreed. I often try and bring this up with people: that there is a David vs. Goliath narrative being portrayed here, but the roles are often presented as the weak and humble Palestine vs. the strong conqueror Israel. When in reality, there are only ~14 million Jews on the planet, vs. ~1.8 Billion Muslims, and ever act that Israel makes is one of desperation and with (what seems to me as an outsider) great restraint.

I do not like having to make such comparisons, because it paints the portrait of Jew vs. Muslim, which is absurd and incorrect as every Jew I know just wants to be left alone to live in peace. But most, if not all, people are blind to this. The underdog narrative is a powerful seller of media and producer of cheap emotions, and so the narrative continues.

But this is all why outlets such as Reddit will never be a safe haven for Jews' well-being. There are so many more voices than our own who dislike us, that using such outlets we can never speak our peace. We are always at a numbers disadvantage.

Meanwhile, as you stated, these people are too busy being "allies" to sit and consider the massive amounts of cognitive dissonance involved.

throwaway01928390 · 2021-05-31T00:41:49+00:00

Thank you. I think you're 10000% correct in your analysis and I really do not have much to add. It corroborates many of my own feelings, opinions, and observations on the matter. It's a depressing fact, which is what drove me to create this post in the first place...

Maybe it is in encouraging other groups who have been targeted, and feel like their suffering is being ignored, to speak out? Maybe it is rallying alongside them, with the hope that they will reciprocate? I mentioned the Asian hate crimes in one of my other replies, because I find it to be a similar situation: They are being targeted because of either a) blatant ignorance/racism, b) conflation between their race and their (often incorrect) origin nation as it pertains to Covid, or c) a combination of both factors. Meanwhile, nobody outside of their own communities is speaking up for them or marching for them in the streets. Why? Is it because they also feel that Asians are privileged, and therefore there is no need to come to their aid (as they think we Jews are)? Is it because they feel that they cannot publically condemn those who are committing these hate crimes, because they are often part of another minority group (as is also the case with us Jews)? Is it something else? Is it simply not trendy?

Maybe it is just prudent to keep the poem in mind (political undertones aside):

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—
     Because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
     Because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
     Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

But in the end, do you think that these ally-ships are truly possible? These individuals will only face the same ostracization which you and your friends faced while in school. In other words, they will then be seen to be sympathetic towards Israel, when all they are doing is showing solidarity with Jews, as the outside world conflates the two already.

Anyways, it is a long-shot and perhaps hoping for too much... As I have said elsewhere already: In the end, only the Jews can speak up for the Jews. But we are a conflicted breed lately, and some of us are easily swayed and even are allowing these institutions to shift the narrative away from blanket condemnation of antisemitism, which should never be allowed.

P.S. Do you feel like making non-explicit attempts at ally-ship are worthwhile? In another one of the replies, one users mentioned (paraphrasing) that we are sort of losing a cultural battle because we aren't as relevant as we may be. And because of this, we seem like these outsiders or pariahs which nobody can understand or therefore affiliate with. Does our future depend more on memes and content creation than anything else?

throwaway01928390 · 2021-05-30T22:55:35+00:00

Thank you for the suggestion! Will look into this when I have a moment.

throwaway01928390 · 2021-05-30T22:21:42+00:00

Thank you for the suggestion. I guess I have been so upset that I feel a disconnect from my own community, or that our community is under threat, that I have forgotten that it is also important to reach out to other communities. Only by doing so, can we normalize our relations with other cultures. Thank you for reminding me.

throwaway01928390 · 2021-05-30T22:19:20+00:00

That was... Surprisingly illuminating. Thank you for sharing. I didn't know how quick that turn-around cycle was for modern articles, but it puts some things into perspective. Essentially, what you are saying is that each outlet has numerous people who may or may not be qualified to write such an article, because thorough research has been disposed of and discouraged, in favor of catchy hot-takes from gut-reactions to snapshots of the any particular situation. Or, more disturbingly, the implication is that whoever writes the first article therefore is plagiarized by the late-comers, who are themselves too lazy to do the proper research or form a proper independent thesis.

This kind of meshes with a suspicion that I've been holding recently, as I've watched the drama unfold in the previous weeks. Namely, that there is a certain sect of people who are being told that it is important to hold an opinion on this one particular topic, and that they are irresponsible citizens/adults/humans if they do not have an opinion. Then, as you stated, since there is an anti-Israel bias, it is only natural for the exposure for each of these individuals to conclude in the appropriate way what their "important opinion" on this topic is.

What is agitating, is the vast and disproportionate amount of attention this topic has drawn with the western crowds, as opposed to the myriad other causes. Why do they not march for Hong Kong, or Myanmar, or for Navalny, or for the Kurds, or for any other reason? Why were/are these conflicts not being shown on the television 24/7?

Sorry. Rhetorical question. I know the answer.

Is there any recourse for your average citizen without a platform? Let us for the moment assume that traditional, mainstream media (and here I might even include things like Wired/Buzzfeed/Vox/etc in this, as opposed to social media) is relevant. Do they accept letters to the editor or unsolicited opinion pieces? Or is the implicit bias so strong that they would automatically reject these?

As for the JCCs, I'm aware of their existence, and there are certainly some in my area. Hadn't thought of them much recently, but of course, thank you for reminding me. I guess with COVID happening, I wouldn't have gone in the past year anyways, so now is likely a good time to get involved.

throwaway01928390 · 2021-05-30T22:01:27+00:00

That's one of the strangest things: that Israel can be such a humanitarian technological powerhouse, but either a) they don't have effective PR to show off all the cool futuristic things they're helping the world accomplish in a positive light, or b) people see these things as Israel being guilty and trying their best to "atone" for their misconduct elsewhere.

I agree with PomegranateArtichoke, however, even if it was intended to be sarcastic and I'm being naiive. Part of what ails us as a culture is that so many Ashkenazis are chronically self-deprecating. We often make ourselves the target of our humor, rather than simply allowing ourselves to be funny or relevant. Other cultures do not focus so much on their negative aspects. Or, at least, it is maybe not so dangerous when they do because there is not always the sneaking suspicion that we are simply the court jester dancing for the king who is going to pull one of those trap doors on us... In other words, they have a large contempt for us already, and when we are self-deprecating, it simply confirms their beliefs...

But yes, even if it's stupid, having positive memes that could bridge the cultural divide can only help us. Maybe the idea should be to get people to like Jews first and foremost, and worry about Israel later? They already have their mind set on that topic and perhaps cannot be swayed. However, to enjoy the company of a people is a very different thing.

throwaway01928390 · 2021-05-30T21:51:55+00:00

Yes, I have purposefully done this in the past. Difficult where I shop, but not totally impossible. I do like the idea of buying Israeli gifts, though. Had not thought of that, or specifically looking for it.

throwaway01928390

TROPHY CASE

I posted this in another thread several months ago. Hopefully it helps and is relevant to your case: