We are not quite dead yet.

Well, this was disturbing.  

Ever wonder what you would have done in the 1940's in Germany?   Well, you are doing it now.    The last two years haven't been the time for radio silence, and we were absent. We are Jews.  And allies.  And we feel guilty.

Yet we acknowledge that blogs no longer have the same role in disseminating information.  Tik Tok and Instagram and other forms of social media are more highly used, more visible, and maybe even are more appropriate to the ADHD generation who don't have the time or attention to read 5 paragraphs.

We have information that ought to be parked here for future reference and easy access.   Thats why you'll be getting old news for a while. Don't know if we'll continue beyond that.   Maybe you'll find us elsewhere.  Maybe not.   But for now, rumors of our death  (Defunctitude? ) have been exaggerated.

It was just a flesh wound.   We're not dead yet.

Eva Chrysanthe "How dare the Jews Participate in Collective Action"

There is consistent condemnation that manifests whenever the Jewish people attempt to engage in the political process.  Grass roots organizing is blown off as the work of the "Israel Lobby". Even the most innocuous gesture- donating space for in person voting is loudly assumed to have nefarious motivation. The goal is to limit Jewish participation in the public area,  through intimidation, and by creating a deep societal distrust of the Jewish people.

Last year, a vile antisemitic screed appeared in the glorified blog Marin County Confidential. Written by the clearly unhinged Eva Chrysanthe, the missive could be subtitled "How dare the Jews participate in the political process". 

A month before the February 2025 California Democratic Delegate elections, the only Bay Area in person voting venues were in San Francisco and Martinez.  This was not perceived of as a problem because the vast majority of participants choose to vote online.   However, a centrally located Berkeley synagogue graciously opened its social hall to those seeking in person voting. A low turnout was expected.  However, no good deed goes unpunished.

More people showed up to vote at the Berkeley synagogue than any other venue in California. The venue ran out of ballots. People made mistakes on their ballots and new ones were issued. More people showed up to vote than were expected.  Volunteers were sent to local copy stories to print up more ballots, and took steps to ensure that all votes were recorded and honored.  

Yet Eva Chrysanthe treated this event as a  "Jewish conspiracy".    Her description of the venue as "non-secularized pro-Israel" betrays her prejudice. The elections were for Democratic party delegates,  and were not about Israel. A 2024 Gallup Poll showed the top issues among Democratic voters included democracy and the presidency, the Supreme Court, abortion, healthcare and education.   Not Israel.  

Her anger is about Jews engaging in the political process.  Her assumption that a venue that regularly provides a spiritual home for Jews is intimidating to non-Jews is wrong. The synagogue has served as a polling place in the past and as been used for such decidedly secular activities as blood drives.  In spite of Chrysanthe's assertion that people would be "intimidated" by showing up at a Jewish house of worship to vote, attendance exceeded that of all other venues in the state. Her bias becomes even more obvious in her criticism of the large empty social hall as "intimidation".   She choses her words carefully, when she describes the venue as the "only non-secular polling site in Northern California".   At least one church was used as a polling place elsewhere in California.   Can't help but wonder if they received the same level of vitriol as the synagogue.   (My money's on "no") .    A search for her name and the Full Gospel Baptist Church in Los Angeles reveals no hits.    Did Eva know this and deliberately exclude this information, or is it indictive of her basic lack of research skills?  The Hi Desert Center for Spiritual Living "G-d is Love" was also used as a polling place, and was met with only silence by Eva.  It was never about "non-secular" polling places for Eva Chrysanthe- it  is about Jewish participation in public life.

With other districts registering as few as 6 in person voters, Eva Chrysanthe still found fault with the distribution of 250 blank ballots to the Berkeley location.

Chrysanthe's missive claims that in the past, 1,800 people showed up for in-person voting,  but neglects to mention this was prior to the institution of the on-line system.   Ultimately, in District 14, 1135 votes were cast online, vs, 215 in person.   

In other districts, there was low turnout in person.

Assembly district 1: 139 ballots
85 in person

Assembly District 2: 659 ballots
95 in person

Assembly District 3: 54 ballots
6 in person

Assembly District 4: 268 ballots
145 in person

For all of her outcry on voting rights, Eva Chrysanthe freely admits her role in intimidating those attempting to vote, claiming she recorded an hour plus of video.  California for years has attempted to keep the voting process free from outside intimidation.   Chrysanthe's actions were in violation of the California Elections Code Section 18541 which states

"A person shall not photograph, video record or otherwise record a voter entering or exiting a polling place. A violation is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than 12 months or in state prison.  Any person who conspires to violate this section is guilty of a felony"

Eva Chrysanthe illegally intimidating voters

Eva Chrysanthe taking a break from illegally intimidating voters

The convener and the volunteers erred in not reporting Chysanthe's behavior to the police and having her arrested.  Her attempts at voter intimidation and her rationalization of her own role show a shocking lack of moral clarity.  Eva's irrational behavior extended to the counting of participant by her perception of their ethnicity, claiming "I only saw one Muslim or Arab", and "I witnessed only a few Asian Americans".  What does a Muslim look like, Eva?

Eva Chrysanthe claims to be a "Citizen  Journalist"  In her case, that appears to mean lacking the professionalism, the research skills and the objectivity of professionally trained ones.

Jihadi-Wannabes attack Berkeley Vigil

In the months following the October 7th attack on Israel, American Jews and their allies expressed their solidarity with talks, prayers, rallies and vigils.  

Berkeley Pedestrian Overpass Bring them Home Now Vigil

On February 16 2025, a group gathered on the Berkeley Pedestrian Overpass for a "Bring them Home Now" banner drop.   The multigenerational group gathered for the peaceful vigil, but the atmosphere deteriorated with the approach of two individuals wearing dark glasses, masks and hoodies.  One wore rubber gloves.   

The individuals harassed the gathering, using violent language and gestures, attempting to provoke a reaction. They refused to leave.  After it became apparent that one was carrying a knife, the police were called.

Nicholas Edward Hielckert, 27 and Adrian Guerrero, 34 were then arrested.   

Arrest of Nicholas Hielckert and Adrian Guerrero

Adrian Guerrero has a history of impulse control and anger management issues (mugshot from earlier Portland arrests) Read their history at the antifa watch website

Adrian Guerrero aka An­gel­ica Guer­rero

Several months after Adrian's catch and release by Berkeley, they were arrested again for assault and destruction of federal property. According to court filings, Guerrero slashed the tire of a government vehicle and threatened to stab a law enforcement officer and and yelled at agents, “I’m going to go after your family.”  The Department of Homeland security press release  DHS Condemns Rioters’ Violent Assault on ICE Law Enforcement in San Francisco provides the details.   This time, Adrian was wearing a keffiyeh to hide their identity.

At the court hearing, Adrian Guerrero announced that her identity was currently An­gel­ica Guer­rero, leaving bloggers, journalists, and others to stumble over the appropriate pronouns when writing up the various incidents.

An­gel­ica Guer­rero was last heard from whining about the conditions at Santa Rita Jail.

Learning of Adrian/Angelica Guerrero's past and future arrests, it is apparent that those on the Berkeley Pedestrian Overpass were very lucky there was no further violence, and that no one was hurt.

Anti-Israel and Antisemitic Hate speech in the Bay Area

Israel will never forget October 7.  The worldwide Jewish community will never forget the aftermath, either.  The conflux of hate from the hard left, the hard right, and from Islamists has had a sobering effect on those living in the area.

These are a representative sample of some of the public hate  and the open support of terror and violence that Jews and their allies have endured over the past two years.   These have all been reported to the ADL and to municipal authorities.

El Cerrito, CA

Open support of terror, Berkeley CA

Oakland, CA

Albany, CA

                           

Lake Merritt Oakland, CA

Laurel District, Oakland CA

Laurel District, Oakland, CA

Albany, CA

                                                                                 

El Cerrito, CA

                                                                                                                                            

Albany , CA

Ubiquitous stickers seen across the East bay

                                                 

                                                       

                                               Swastika in a Jewish star  Oakland CA

K-12 school, Oakland CA

We will continue to update this list, so there is a public record of these cowardly attacks on the local community

Eat Crow, David

In June, 2025, David Crow, a deranged Bernie bro came to Berkeley, driving down from the Pacific Northwest, and sleeping in his little van of hate.  Crow's hate cruise rattled an already tense Jewish community, still reeling from violent attacks in Boulder, Colorado and Washington DC.

David Crow, antisemite 

David Crow's messaging was so horrific, members of the Berkeley City council made a public statement, declaring

Just this past weekend, also on June 1, there was a van parked on the 1800 block of Solano Avenue displaying anti-Jewish hate messaging laced with profanity. Antisemitism must be universally denounced in the strongest terms possible, and we rightly so condemn these vile acts.

David chose some of the busiest streets in Berkeley to park, in an effort to amplify his message of hate.  There were sightings of him on Solano Ave and on Telegraph Ave.

Are you ready for your close-up, Mr. Crow?

David Crow, Unhinged antisemite

With the dramatic increase in violent hate crimes against the Jewish community locally and worldwide,  its become a moral duty to bear witness and name and shame.   The information against those that would do us harm must be public and accessible.

UPDATE:
David Crow left Berkeley without even saying good-bye.   Maybe he felt....unwelcome?

Commemorating October 7 around the Bay

 From JCRC:

On October 7, we will mark one year since the horrific attacks in Israel with a #DAYOFYELLOW. Amid the fear and shock of that terrible day, 1,200 individuals were massacred, and another 250 were taken hostage. These are not mere numbers, but lives that were ended and families forever altered. Join us in honoring the people we lost and the hostages who remain in captivity. 🎗️ Here’s how you can show your support and make a difference: Attend An Event Sunday, 10/6 4:00 p.m. @ JCCSF (San Francisco) Healing Through Art-Making: One Year Since Oct 7 4:00 p.m. @ JCC East Bay (Berkeley) 364 Remembering October 7th 6:30 p.m. @ Contra Costa JCC (Lafayette) A Service of Hope and Resilience 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. @ Walnut Park (Petaluma) Public memorial event with B'nai Israel Jewish Center, Congregation Shir Shalom and Congregation Shomrei Torah. No RSVP required. Monday, 10/7 7:00 p.m. @ Osher Marin JCC (San Rafael) An Evening of Remembrance and Hope 7:00 p.m. @ Oshman Family JCC (Palo Alto) An Evening of Remembrance and Hope  7:00 p.m. @ Peninsula JCC (Foster City) An Evening of Gathering: Reflections on October 7th 7:00 p.m. @ JCCSF (San Francisco) October 7 Yizkor Memorial Service 7:00 p.m. @ Address Provided after Registration (Berkeley) Community Commemoration with Congregation Netivot Shalom, Congregation Beth Israel, Jewish Coalition of Berkeley and others

Wear Yellow Please wear yellow on the day and to any events. This can be as small as a yellow ribbon or even by simply carrying yellow flowers, anything to commemorate the occasion and show your solidarity with the hostages. Social Media On October 7 we ask that you consider these three steps to raise awareness about the anniversary: Change your profile pic to a yellow square or a photo of you wearing yellow. Place a yellow ribbon emoji in your bio. You can copy/paste this one: 🎗️* Share a #DAYOFYELLOW post about the day. This can be as simple as a yellow image or a photograph of yellow flowers.

Hezbollah pagers go "Boom"

Its a jaw-dropping, astonishing result from a brilliant operation. Across Lebanon, the pagers of thousands of Hezbollah terrorists mysteriously exploded. The day after, walkie-talkies suffered the same fate.

An internal Hezbollah memo states that 879 terrorists were taken out of commission by the two operations. This included 131 Iranians and 79 Yeminis. Of these, 291 were senior officials.

The memo is even more specific.
602 critical condition 
509 blinded 

2186 amputees  

1735 with, er, genital "damage"  (your guess is as good as mine)

This may go down in history as the most successful preemptive strike in history. It was 15 years in the making. The Jews are a patient people. Lest you feel sorry for Hezbollah, remember that over 60 countries recognize them as a terrorist group. The EU, the Arab League, and the Gulf Cooperation Council have also designated Hizballah as a terrorist group.

Hezbollah is responsible for these terror attacks:

18 July 2012  Burgas, Bulgaria Bombed a bus carrying Israeli tourists, killing six people and injuring 33.

14 February 2005  Beirut, Lebanon   A Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device  exploded killing a former Lebanese prime minister and 21 others and injuring 226 people.

18 July 1994   Buenos Aires, Argentina   Bombed a Jewish community center, killing 95 people.

14 June 1985 Athens, Greece  Hijacked TWA flight 847, held dozens of US passengers hostage and killed one—a US Navy diver.

20 September 1984  Beirut, Lebanon   Bombed the US Embassy Annex, killing 23 people, including 2 Americans.

23 October 1983  Beirut, Lebanon  Bombed the US Marine Corps barracks, killing 241 Americans and injuring 70.

18 April 1983  Beirut, Lebanon   Bombed the US Embassy, killing 78 Americans and injuring 120.

Berkeley's Bartavelle closing. Bye, Felicia.

 If you plant ice, you're going to harvest wind.

Bartavelle in Berkeley- a local Israel hating cafe ( 1621 San Pablo Ave ) will be going out of business, effective Sept 15. The cafe first came to the attention of the local Jewish community with their parroting of Hamas propaganda, resulting in an informal boycott by Jews and their allies. The San Francisco Chronicle reported Bartavelle sales were down 40 % since the summer, and that they were struggling to make payroll.

Here's hoping the informal boycott by Jewish families hastened their demise.

Batavelle: Ever think your politics might have something to do with it?

Hate Literature Distributed in Berkeley

On Friday afternoon, an 89 year old Holocaust survivor was horrified to find a baggie in front of her home filled with repulsive antisemitic propaganda. She was not alone. Many residents in the Berkeley hills found similar zip lock baggies filled with hateful antisemitic fliers and brown pellets in their driveways and on their sidewalks in recent days. Some have speculated that the pellets contained rat poison. This is being investigated

Similar bags were distributed across the East Bay, in Walnut Creek, Concord and Pleasant Hill.

Police are invigilating this hate incident. Please check your home security systems and cameras to see if footage of the incident was captured. Anyone who has information on the distribution of these baggies should report it to their local Police department.. Berkeley residents should contact Officer Bustamante at jbustamante@berkeleyca.gov or 510-981-5900 and leave a message. The messaging and delivery of the packets indicate that the extremist hate group, The Goyim Defense League.is responsible.

First do no harm, Fadi Al-Wadiya

 

Dr. Fadi Al Wadiyah, associated with Doctors Without Borders was killed in Gaza City yesterday. Depending on the unreliable source of your choice, he was either 1. Bicycling to work 2. Already at the clinic, tending to the blameless wounded

 

Liars need good memories.

According to an IDF statement Al-Wadiya was involved in developing and advancing Islamic Jihad's missile program.  Nice to see Doctors Without Borders takes the Hippocratic oath seriously in their hiring practices.

Interestingly enough, these were not the photographs chosen by Doctors without Borders to honor their deceased colleague.

According to the IDF spokesperson:

"Fadi Al-Wadiya had worked in the Islamic Jihad’s manufacturing system for more than 15 years and was considered the organization’s subject matter expert in the fields of electronics and chemistry."

Casey Goonan arrested as suspect in Berkeley Arson Attacks

The "Palestinian Affinity group" claiming responsibility for arson attacks at UC Berkeley appears to be one man, Casey Goonan.

Casey Robert Goonan, 34, of Oakland, was arrested on Monday and is currently held in Santa Rita jail on 1 million dollars bail.  He was been accused of involvement in at least 4 arson fires on and near the Berkeley campus.

Goonan has a Ph.D. in African Studies from Northwestern University. He received his BA from UC Riverside in 2013, and his MA in African American Studies in 2019.

One can only imagine how proud his parents must be feeling now.

Casey Goonan during happier times

As reported by the Berkeley Scanner

Goonan is now facing multiple felony charges,,, including "the possession and use of destructive devices and multiple counts of arson."

Casey Goonan has a history of unhinged violence, and the hammer-wielding Goonan was implicated in the vandalism of a hotel last year.

Goonan will be arraigned Thursday morning.

Palestinian Affinity Group claims responsibility for UC Berkeley arson fire

UC Berkeley has been plagued by a number of arson fires recently. Last night a small fire broke out near Koshland Hall, on the northwest corner of campus.

Today, a pro Palestinian group took responsibility for the act of eco-terrorism.  Writing in the hard left "news" site, Indybay, they stated:

UCLA STUDENTS WERE ATTACKED LAST NIGHT SO WE RETALIATED WITH A FIREBOMB ON UCB CAMPUS
NOT SURE WHAT BUILDING IT EVEN WAS. HONESTLY DONT REALLY CARE. EVERY SINGLE BUILDING ON THE UC BERKELEY CAMPUS DESERVES TO BE INCINERATED FOLLOWING THE UC SYSTEM'S TREATMENT OF STUDENT PROTESTORS. LAST NIGHT THEY ATTACKED A YOUNG WOMAN STUDENT WHO WAS SPEAKING HER MIND ON A MEGAPHONE. SO WE UNLOADED A FIREBOMB ON THE SIDE OF A CAMPUS BUILDING. THE FLAME WAS BIG AND SPREAD ACROSS THE TREES AND BUSHES ON THE SIDE OF A BUILDING.

LONG LIVE THE STUDENT INTIFADA FOR PALESTINE LIBERATION

STOP THE GENOCIDE NOW

UC SYSTEM MUST DIVEST FROM ISRAEL OR FACE OUR WRATH OF REVENGE

BLESSED IS THE FLAME

Hezbollah anti-Israel Iranian proxies in Lebanon are responsible for setting over 2,500 acres in Northern Israel on fire.  Is this a home-grown eco-terrorist group emulating Hezbollah, or is this simply an opportunistic claim?

Earlier this month, a Berkeley police car was set on fire, "in solidarity with Palestine."

If you have any further information about either incident please contact U.C.Berkeley Police at (510) 642-6760

Denis MacEoin Nails it. Again

Read this remarkable letter written by a Scottish professor, Dennis MacEoin, Dennis MacEoin, to his students who voted to boycott Israel. Prof.MacEoin is an expert in Middle Eastern affairs and was a senior editor of the Middle East Quarterly.

TO: The Committee Edinburgh University Student Association. 

May I be permitted to say a few words to members of the EUSA? I am an Edinburgh graduate (MA 1975) who studied Persian, Arabic and Islamic History in Buccleuch Place under William Montgomery Watt and Laurence Elwell Sutton, two of Britain 's great Middle East experts in their day. I later went on to do a PhD at Cambridge and to teach Arabic and Islamic Studies at Newcastle University . Naturally, I am the author of several books and hundreds of articles in this field. I say all that to show that I am well informed in Middle Eastern affairs and that, for that reason, I am shocked and disheartened by the EUSA motion and vote.

I am shocked for a simple reason: there is not and has never been a system of apartheid in Israel .

That is not my opinion, that is fact that can be tested against reality by any Edinburgh student, should he or she choose to visit Israel to see for themselves. Let me spell this out, since I have the impression that those members of EUSA who voted for this motion are absolutely clueless in matters concerning Israel, and that they are, in all likelihood, the victims of extremely biased propaganda coming from the anti-Israel lobby.

Being anti-Israel is not in itself objectionable. But I'm not talking about ordinary criticism of Israel . I'm speaking of a hatred that permits itself no boundaries in the lies and myths it pours out. Thus, Israel is repeatedly referred to as a "Nazi" state. In what sense is this true, even as a metaphor? Where are the Israeli concentration camps? The einzatsgruppen? The SS? The Nuremberg Laws? The Final Solution? None of these things nor anything remotely resembling them exists in Israel , precisely because the Jews, more than anyone on earth, understand what Nazism stood for.

It is claimed that there has been an Israeli Holocaust in Gaza (or elsewhere). Where? When? No honest historian would treat that claim with anything but the contempt it deserves. But calling Jews Nazis and saying they have committed a Holocaust is as basic a way to subvert historical fact as anything I can think of.

Likewise apartheid. For apartheid to exist, there would have to be a situation that closely resembled how things were in South Africa under the apartheid regime. Unfortunately for those who believe this, a weekend in any part of Israel would be enough to show how ridiculous the claim is.

That a body of university students actually fell for this and voted on it is a sad comment on the state of modern education. The most obvious focus for apartheid would be the country's 20% Arab population. Under Israeli law, Arab Israelis have exactly the same rights as Jews or anyone else; Muslims have the same rights as Jews or Christians; Baha'is, severely persecuted in Iran, flourish in Israel, where they have their world center; Ahmadi Muslims, severely persecuted in Pakistan and elsewhere, are kept safe by Israel; the holy places of all religions are protected under a specific Israeli law. Arabs form 20% of the university population (an exact echo of their percentage in the general population).

In Iran , the Bahai's (the largest religious minority) are forbidden to study in any university or to run their own universities: why aren't your members boycotting Iran ? Arabs in Israel can go anywhere they want, unlike blacks in apartheid South Africa . They use public transport, they eat in restaurants, they go to swimming pools, they use libraries, they go to cinemas alongside Jews - something no blacks were able to do in South Africa .

Israeli hospitals not only treat Jews and Arabs, they also treat Palestinians from Gaza or the West Bank. On the same wards, in the same operating theatres.

In Israel, women have the same rights as men: there is no gender apartheid.

Gay men and women face no restrictions, and Palestinian gays often escape into Israel, knowing they may be killed at home.

It seems bizarre to me that LGBT groups call for a boycott of Israel and say nothing about countries like Iran , where gay men are hanged or stoned to death. That illustrates a mindset that beggars belief.

Intelligent students thinking it's better to be silent about regimes that kill gay people, but good to condemn the only country in theMiddle East that rescues and protects gay people. Is that supposed to be a sick joke?

University is supposed to be about learning to use your brain, to think rationally, to examine evidence, to reach conclusions based on solid evidence, to compare sources, to weigh up one view against one or more others. If the best Edinburgh can now produce are students who have no idea how to do any of these things, then the future is bleak.

I do not object to well-documented criticism of Israel . I do object when supposedly intelligent people single the Jewish state out above states that are horrific in their treatment of their populations. We are going through the biggest upheaval in the Middle East since the 7th and 8th centuries, and it's clear that Arabs and Iranians are rebelling against terrifying regimes that fight back by killing their own citizens.

Israeli citizens, Jews and Arabs alike, do not rebel (though they are free to protest). Yet Edinburgh students mount no demonstrations and call for no boycotts against Libya , Bahrain , Saudi Arabia , Yemen , and Iran . They prefer to make false accusations against one of the world's freest countries, the only country in the Middle East that has taken in Darfur refugees, the only country in the Middle East that gives refuge to gay men and women, the only country in the Middle East that protects the Bahai's.... Need I go on?

The imbalance is perceptible, and it sheds no credit on anyone who voted for this boycott. I ask you to show some common sense. Get information from the Israeli embassy. Ask for some speakers. Listen to more than one side.

Do not make your minds up until you have given a fair hearing to both parties. You have a duty to your students, and that is to protect them from one-sided argument.

They are not at university to be propagandized. And they are certainly not there to be tricked into anti-Semitism by punishing one country among all the countries of the world, which happens to be the only Jewish state. If there had been a single Jewish state in the 1930's (which, sadly, there was not), don't you think Adolf Hitler would have decided to boycott it?

Your generation has a duty to ensure that the perennial racism of anti-Semitism never sets down roots among you. Today, however, there are clear signs that it has done so and is putting down more. You have a chance to avert a very great evil, simply by using reason and a sense of fair play. Please tell me that this makes sense. I have given you some of the evidence.

It's up to you to find out more.

Yours sincerely,

Denis MacEoin