#House of Hashem

[suetravelblog]

Jordan Independence Day Amman

Jordanian Flag Independence Day – Edarabia May 25 is Jordan Independence Day, and the “most important event in the history of the country, marking its independence from the British government in 1946”. The 2023 celebration signifies 75 years since Jordan “officially gained full autonomy in 1948“. King Abdullah I bin Al-Hussein “Jordan’s independence took place during the reign of King Abdullah I…

[royal-confessions]

“I’m starting to ship Prince Hashem bin Abdullah with Sheikha Fatima bin Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan.” - Submitted by Anonymous

[animazed]

and i can’t tell if you’re laughing

between each smile there’s a tear in your eye

there’s a train leaving town in an hour

it’s not waiting for you,

and neither am I

[riding-with-the-wild-hunt]

today's vetted fundraisers. i know i there are lots of these floating around, but please keep sharing and donating if you can, even if it's a small amount. if we disengage, we dash these families' hopes for a better future

july 7th:

Eyad Sami, his wife Amal Mahmoud, and their four children (CHF6,180/CHF20,000) - @eyadeyadsblog, verified by @/90-ghost

The AlBalawi family of ten, including several children (multiple are sick) and two chronically ill members who need treatment (€8,186/€50,000) - @aboooodsblog, @albalawii, @bisanalbalawi, verified by @/90-ghost

Mohammed Hijazi and his elderly parents, one of whom is severely injured and needs surgery to restore his ability to walk (€1,728/€20,000) - @savemohammedfamily, verified by @/90-ghost

Ashraf Alanqar, his wife Widad Issa, and their little son Bakr (€3,934/€30,000) - @ashrafanqer, verified by @/90-ghost

Yousef (a toddler who needs lifesaving treatment for a blood disease) and his parents (€2,117/€25,000) - @dima96yousef, verified by @/90-ghost

Youssef Hilles's wife and five children, including his young son whom he's never gotten to meet in person (€3,446/€23,000) - @zeinyousef, #206 on @/el-shab-hussein and @/nabulsi's spreadsheet

Basel Ayyad and his family of eight, including his sick daughter who is losing her sight without treatment (CHF2,612/CHF60,000) - @basel-1995, #214 on @/nabulsi and @/el-shab-hussein's spreadsheet

Ramez Hilles and his family of ten, including several children (€853/€37,000) - @ramezderar, verified by @/90-ghost

Ghada Afifi (needs surgery for a heart condition) and her family ($1,720/$50,000) - @lifeasme24 on tiktok, verified by @/lieahsblog (reach out for more details)

Wafaa Alnhal's family of 15, including four children and a newborn (they've already lost multiple family members, including Wafaa's young niece) (€26,148/€50,000) - @wafs-posts, #171 on @/nabulsi and @/el-shab-hussein's spreadsheet

The Al Zaeem family of seven, including four children and their severely ill grandfather ($19,011 CAD/$50,000 CAD) - @yosofzaeem, @malkzaeem, verified by @/nabulsi

Widow Safaa Abubaker and her two little children (€868/€15,000) - @safaamo, verified by @/ibtisams

Ahmed Baalousha, his wife Islam, their three children (one a newborn, he suffers especially from malnutrition), and Ahmed's parents and sister (€14,769/€50,000) - @5735765, #234 on @/el-shab-hussein and @/nabulsi's spreadsheet

Muhammad Al-Habil, his wife, their three young children, and Muhammad's chronically ill parents (€8,850/€50,000) - @mohammedfamily11, verified by @/el-shab-hussein

Helping Siraj Abudayeh, his wife, and their three children to rebuild their beloved home ($4,081 CAD/$82,000 CAD) - @siraj2024, #219 on @/nabulsi and @/el-shab-hussein's spreadsheet

Evacuating Firas Muhaisen's family of six (including three children) and paying he and his sister's medical school fees (needed by next month) ($1,939 CAD/$82,000 CAD) - @firasmuhaisenn, @nisreenameen, @hashem-fromgaza, verified by @/90-ghost

Nael Khalid and family (unknown amount) - @islamgazaaccount2, verified by @/90-ghost

Fiancés Noor and Alaa (both have lost multiple family members already) (€2,823/€25,000) - @nouralaagaza, verified by @/ibtisams

Helping Mahmoud Abu Hamam and his family rebuild their house and their lives ($790/$25,000) - @ma7moudgaza2, #149 on @/el-shab-hussein and @/nabulsi's spreadsheet

not yet vetted:

Amjad Al-Shaltawi's family of 11, including several children and his wife Suha, who's lost her whole family (€658/€97,000) - @amjadshiltawu

Helping Hamed and his family to rebuild their home and livelihood (€643/€70,000) - @hamedkara

any contribution you can make is infinitely valuable, regardless of the size of your following or the amount you can give. let's keep working together to support families like these suffering violence and displacement. your help can save lives.

[hashemsamar]

please🙏

⛔Stop a minute‼️

Get to know Hashem's family

My name is Hashem from Gaza. I am 32 years old and my wife, Samar, is 27 years old. We have a child born in the eighth month of pregnancy. His mother was premature because of my wife's fear of war. My large family consists of 8 members: my father, mother, four male brothers and 2 females. My father died in the war due to a lack of medicine in hospitals as a result of the fierce war on Gaza.

My story began when we were displaced from our home in northern Gaza in mid-October 2023 after a letter threatening eviction, and then the house was targeted and destroyed. Between this Exodus and the current fifth Exodus there are many stories and sufferings.

We now live in plastic tents, which are thermal ovens, which are not suitable for living and do not provide the minimum necessities of life, in addition to the spread of epidemics and diseases, which puts our lives in danger.

Through this campaign, we are trying to collect enough money to meet our needs and get us out of the Gaza Strip safely. We ask you to stand by us and protect us from this severe danger.

Support and share🤍

best wishes:

Hashem alshawish

Note:

The campaign was documented through:

@90-ghost

@gaza-evacuation-funds ( @el-shab-hussein @nabulsi )

Palestine Pride List:

@buttercuparry @appsa @malcriada @palestinegenocide @sar-soor @akajustmerry @annoyingloudmicrowavecultist @feluka @sayruq @tortiefrancis @flower-tea-fairies @tsaricides @riding-with-the-wild-hunt @visenyasdragon @belleandsaintsebastian @ear-motif @kordeliiius @communitythings @brutaliakhoa @raelyn-dreams @troythecatfish @theropoda @4ft10tvlandfangirl @queerstudiesnatural @northgazaupdates2 @skatezophrenic @awetistic-things @baby-girl-aaron-dessner @nabulsi @el-shab-hussein @timetravellingkitty @transmutationisms

[the-catboy-minyan]

hey good faith question- do you mind elaborating on judaism’s belief of g-d not being the ‘one true g-d’ and just the ‘g-d of the hebrews?

sure, but keep in mind that I wasn't raised in a religious house, so I'm not an expert and this could be inaccurate, you could wait to see if other people would elaborate in reblogs or replies.

a lot of religions have the belief that they worship the true g-d(s) and everyone else is wrong and are worshipping (a) false g-d(s). I believe Christianity works like that.

in the Tanach, there is no claim that other religions' g-ds don't exist, in fact, there are instances were miracles from other g-ds happen, but the jewish g-d is described as unique and stronger than others.

for example, in the story of The Exodus (is that how יציאת מצרים is called in english), when Moses comes to the Pharaoh for the first time to ask to release the Hebrews, he showcases Hashem's (the Jewish g-d) strength by turning his staff into a snake, the Pharaoh's magicians(?) then proceed to also turn their staffs into snakes, but Moses's snake eats theirs. the story doesn't show their g-ds as non-existent, they gave the magicians the same powers as Hashem, but the power of Hashem was stronger and thus Moses's snake won over the other snakes.

foreign worship is banned in Judaism, not because the foreign g-ds are false, but because they're not Hashem, I don't know how to explain it but that's how it works.

[northern-passage]

I'm sorry I'm new to this app and I don't know how to make my name appear, I'm Hashem the person you posted about my old and new campaigns to. I wanted to tell you that my new campaign was banned I think it's because a lot of people reported it, so I was also afraid that they would ban both campaigns so I will continue with the main campaign

https://gofund.me/93568fb0

i'm really sorry to hear that, Hashem. it's been a tough few days for fundraisers here on tumblr, especially for newer people trying to share their gfms. i apologize for that in my initial post, and i appreciate you still reaching out to me. i will keep sharing your original gofundme here and make sure people know it is legitimate.

you can find Hashem on tumblr over at @hashemsafi125 - currently his own posts only link to the now discontinued second gfm, but i have shared his first one, which has been vetted by Humanity for Gaza on instagram, #425 on their linktree. you can also find Hashem's new instagram here, and you can also check out his contact Mehvish's page, who Hashem has been communicating with since April.

Hashem has nine people he is hoping to evacuate, meaning he needs a total of $54,000. this includes the evacuation as well estimated costs of medical care and other living expenses. it is $5,000 per adult and $2,500 per child under 16 years old. this first campaign is nearing its goal of €30,000, which will have them about half-way there.

$25,000 to evacuate Hashem, his parents, and 3 younger siblings.

$12,500 to evacuate his sister Yara, her husband, and her baby.

$8,000 to cover costs upon arrival in Egypt, including medical care, food, and housing.

$8,500 to cover transaction, withdrawal, transfer, and conversion fees and taxes.

Hashem's campaign is connected to his uncle's account in Spain, and for that reason he is fundraising in euros.

in Hashem's words:

‏Before the war, we really lived a beautiful life. We had our dreams, our goals, our home, and a wonderful life, but everything is truly over now. 

Yara studied IT and graduated university just before the war, she is a painter and loves to draw.

Ahmed was in his last year of high school  and loves video games - he used to be introverted and youthful, but this war has forced him to become a man. 

Misk is in middle school, she loves reading, reciting, cooking, and writing - we admire her for spending her time in the war still reading as much as she can. 

Abdullah, my youngest brother, is just a child - he cannot understand the horrors we are enduring and is struggling with severe depression.

And I was passionately studying medicine, so eager to achieve my dream…

The university Hashem was studying at, the Islamic University of Gaza, has now been completely destroyed by Israel, as well as the family's home. This is some of the damage IUG has sustained.

Hashem and his family have been displaced 6 times since the invasion began, and continue to live in fear of having to run yet again.

Hashem's mother and younger brothers are now sick from the contaminated water, and Hashem is having trouble breathing due to all of the smoke and debris from Israel's constant bombing. Recently, he also sustained an injury to his leg and has been unable to receive adequate care due to malnutrition and lack of appropriate medical supplies.

The family has raised €25,685 of their current €30,000 goal. again, this is only about half of what Hashem ultimately needs. Please keep donating and sharing Hashem's campaign wherever you can.

[fiercynn]

The Gaza Monologues: Audio Production in Solidarity with Palestine!

The Gaza Monologues is a collection of testimonies from Gazan youth in 2010, after the first war on Gaza, collected and adapted for stage by ASHTAR Theatre in Ramallah (@ASHTARTheatre), and performed here by 26 people from several countries for International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People on November 29, 2023. In lieu of copyright purchases, ASHTAR Theatre requests donations to their programs in the West Bank.

This is an audio-only production of The Gaza Monologues, but is posted as a video to include subtitles. Most monologues are in English, but there are two in Arabic, two in Spanish, and one in French. English subtitles are available for all monologues. Currently, subtitles in Arabic, Spanish, and French are only up for the monologues that are spoken in each respective language, though we’ll try to get subtitles up for others in the near future. The script of The Gaza Monologues is available in those languages and more.

Produced by me, audio editing and additional coordination by Hannah, and art by @pocketsizedquasar.

Thanks to all the voice actors, including @saltqueer, @to-every-house-you-enter, @hyeoni-comb, @datfearlessfangirl, @shooshopath, @cryptenby, @exsequar, and many others – see below the cut for full credits!

Alt text for art: A digital painting of a Palestine sunbird sitting perched on olive branches. it is a small black and blue songbird with a teal-turquoise shimmer on its head and upper wings. In the background is a faded scene of a beach at sunset in the colors of the Palestinian flag: red, green, black, and white. Handwritten text at the top left reads, “The Gaza Monologues,” and the artist’s signature “@pocketsizedquasar” is written over one of the branches on the bottom left.

MONOLOGUES

1. Ahmad El Ruzzi: Deepa

2. Ahmad Taha: Juniper Hanrahan

3. Ashraf A Sossi: Sam (@morelenmir on twitter)

4. Alaa Hajjaj: Deepa

5. Amanee A Shorafa: KC

6. Amjad Abu Yasin: M

7. Anas Abu Eitah: @priismacolors on twitter

8. Ehab Elayan: Andrea

9. Tamer Najem: @saltqueer

10. Taima'a Okasha: Brook

11. Rawand Ja'rour: Percival

12. Reem Afana: Clio (@to-every-house-you-enter)

13. Reema El Sadi: shambs (@tipsyloki12 on twitter)

14. Sami El Jerjawi: Juniper Hanrahan

15. Sujoud Abu Hussein: Mary

16. Suha Al Mamlouk: Anne (@exsequar)

17. Ali Al Hassany: Rose

18. Fateema Abu Hashem: N

19. Fateema Atallah: Maddy

20. Muhammed El Omrani: PK

21. Muhammed Qasem: p

22. Mahmud Abu Shaa'ban: Essie

23. Mahmud Bala'wi: @hyeoni-comb

24. Mahmud El Turk: Maaytah

25. Mahmud Afana: @datfearlessfangirl

26. Mahmud Najem: @shooshopath

27. Heba Daoud: KC

28. Wi'am El Dieri: Cameron

29. Yasmeen Ja'rour: M

30. Yasmeen Abu Amer: Maaytah

31. Yasmeen Katbeh: TK (@cryptenby)

[littlestpersimmon]

I made it to my mid March commissions yesterday. Apologies for the long wait, everyone. I'll be working overtime as much as I can. Our house suffered from termites, literally falling apart, we had to search for temporary shelter for a bit. Also, suffered from a family loss (pet), suffering from bad mental health because of all the stuff that has happened recently. The weather in the Philippines rn is reaching 51*c / 123*c fahrenheit, yes this is fr, and having palpitations due to it. Will do everything in my power to meet everyone's commissions, I'm so so sorry again for the wait, and thank you for understanding.... thats it for now. Trying not to be a burdem to my followers. If you are religious like me, please include me in your prayers for HaShem to give me better health. Tysm

[mistninja]

LIST OF PALESTINIAN ACCOUNTS THAT HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME (updated as of Sept 8, 2024, part 1)

i think this may be better than posting the asks separately, so im putting them all here:

Hashem @hashemsh12, vetted by associationg (married to @samarsh97, shared by @/90-ghost here) Their campaign is currently at 8765/45000 EUR: I am Hashem, I would like to help my family, consisting of my 6-month-old child👶 and 8 people, to meet their needs and survive.👨‍👩‍👦

Youssef @yousefjehad3, number 255 in the list by @/el-shab-hussein and @/nabulsi. His campaign is currently at 7171/15000 USD: I am 19 years old. I support a family of 5 people because my father is sick and cannot work.

Mohammed @help-mona, shared by @/90-ghost here and by @/northgazaupdates. His campaign is currently at 8035/185300 EUR: I'm Mohammed, a 30-year-old husband and proud father. My daughter, Mona, just celebrated her fifth birthday on July 15, 2024. I named her after my strong mother, who raised and educated my four siblings and me despite losing our father, our backbone, to cancer during our childhood.

Omar Al-Habil @saveomarfamily, says it's vetted by @/90-ghost but I couldn't find it, I searched the images and it seems fine but if anyone has any information please let me know. VERY LOW, his campaign is currently at 475/35000 USD: My family and I were displaced from northern Gaza after my house was bombed and destroyed. Now, my wife, my three daughters and I live in a tent made of some cloth. My daughter is sick and suffers from malnutrition. We are suffering a lot. PLEASE BOOST.

Ehab Ayyad @ehabayyad23, unvetted but seems legit. His campaign is currently at 2508/50000 EUR: I am Ehab Ayyad ❤ a palestinian youngman from Gaza🍉🇵🇸, seeking to find safety and peace ☝️for my family if twenty members. We have been ❤🇵🇸🍉passing through all forms of torture and pain for almost ten months because of the war on Gaza.

Doaa @dodoomar12345, shared by @/90-ghost here. Her campaign is currently at 189139/300000 SEK or around 16635/26385 EUR: Please help my autistic child live a normal life and help my family survive death.

Ghada @ghadanabilfamily, unvetted but seems legit. His campaign is VERY LOW, only 278/20000 EUR: I'm Ghada from the Gaza Strip. After the war intensified, my family and I fled to the southern part of the strip. We lost our home and everything we owned. We are currently living in a school for displaced people in the south. PLEASE BOOST.

Majed @majedgaza1, unvetted but seems legit. His campaign is currently at 4178/70000 USD: My family and I were displaced to the south. After 188 days of exhaustion, constant fear, and losing everything we owned, we were displaced to Egypt and paid a large sum, but some of my family and all our loved ones are still suffering in Gaza.

The blog @ayahoftheday reached out to me about Islam @islamgazaaccount3, his previous accounts have been deleted but his paypal have been shared by @/90-ghost here and by @/northgazaupdates here. His campaign is currently at 2050/30000 EUR: Islam, a physical therapist, 27-year-old, is living in Gaza without any form of shelter or safety for himself and his family of 6 including his 85 years old grandfather who lost a hand from a prior Israeli bombing, and is barely able to perform everyday tasks due to a lack of clean water to wash his hand with. Their home was demolished by a bombing from the Israeli occupation. While shelter is crucial, they also urgently need food and water. All of their necessities were taken away.

@anas--basil reached out about his brother Osama's gofundme. Shared by @/90-ghost here and vetted by association here. His campaign is currently at 2627/15000 EUR: My brother Osama and our family are facing incredibly difficult times due to the ongoing war in Gaza. Osama's livelihood and dreams have been shattered, but he's determined to rebuild his life and continue supporting us.

Noha @nohabed, vetted by association with @rhq2774. VERY LOW on funds, the campaign is only at 845/30000 GBP: Hello, my name is Noha, a mother of 4 children in Gaza. We now live in inhumane conditions, lacking all the necessities of life. We have lost our home and our loved ones. We have been forced to move more than 9 times so far and we are now subject to an evacuation order. PLEASE BOOST.

Sami @zainsami, currently unvetted but seems fine. Please let me know if there's any extra information regarding this one. VERY LOW on funds, the campaign is currently at 525/35000 EUR: I’m reaching out with a heavy heart, as my family and I have been displaced by the war in Gaza. We lost everything and are now living in a tent, struggling with the lack of basic necessities like food, medicine, and clean water. PLEASE BOOST.

[deconstructingchabad]

The Rebbe and LGBTQ Rights

Warning for: extreme homophobia, transphobia, conversion therapy, medicalizing language, etc etc

Chabad is nothing if not an expert in PR. Unlike other Chassidic factions, or, indeed, other Chareidi (what you might call "ultra-Orthodox") factions in general, Chabad has spent a lot of effort into disguising their true politically conservative views until you've already been sucked in. This had led to the very false belief, especially among younger generations who aren't so familiar with Orthodox Judaism as a whole, that Chabad is on the progressive side of Orthodoxy.

This couldn't be further from the truth.

While Chabad doesn't hold any views unique to Charedi Judaism with respect to the rights and respect of LGBTQ individuals, they have done a better job at hiding them.

You may think that perhaps this isn't such a bad thing- after all, isn't it a good thing that Chabad isn't picketing at Pride parades or outright throwing queer people out of their Chabad houses? And while of course it's good that Chabad isn't engaging in those types of homophobic and transphobic behavior, that doesn't mean that what Chabad does engage isn't just as harmful.

Chabad will be intentionally vague to outsiders about their true opinions of LGBTQ people, while in reality they fund and campaign for conservative political leaders and agendas and make life a living Hell for those unlucky enough to be born as queer into the movement.

Since Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, or 'The Rebbe' as he is better known, is the axial power within the Chabad movement (despite being dead for decades now), lets take a moment to unpack what he actually believed about LGBTQ people.

I (OP) am a transgender man. In January of this past year, I was lucky enough to be able to get a gender affirming double mastectomy, something that I had been yearning for for years and something that I, seven months later, still do not regret. But the months leading up to my surgery were fraught with emotional battles with my parents, who are deeply involved in the Chabad movement. They felt that what I was doing was wrong and went against, if not Judaism as a whole, then their values within Chabad. As part of my parents' attempts to dissaude me from continuing my medical transition, my mother sent me a letter the Rebbe had written to a seemingly trans (if not, at least, gender questioning) individual. Followers of the Chabad movement place immense value onto responsa letters by the Rebbe, even to the point of almost placing as much value on them as Torah, so it was no surprise that my parents held this letter, written in 1985, to such a high pedestal and as something to base their current beliefs upon.

Here is the scan my mother sent to me:

RABBI MENACHEM M SCHNEERSON Lubavitch 770 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn, NY 1123 493-9250 Mr. Chabad of Northern California 2340 Piedmont Ave. Berkeley, Ca. 94704 Greeting and Blessing: By the Grace of G-d 22nd of Av, 5745 Brooklyn, N.Y. This is to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 7th of Av. There is surely no need to point out to you at length that one of the basics of our Torah, Toras Chaim, is that Hashem is the Creator and Master of the Universe, whose benevolent Providence extends to each and everyone individually, and that He is the Essence of Goodness, and it is in the nature of the Good to do good, particularly in regard to our Jewish people, to whom. he has given His Torah, Toras Chaim, of which it is stated that it is "our life and the length of our days," together with its Mitzvoth whereby Jews live. As you know, and indicate also in your letter, there are Mitzvoth which apply to Jewish males, and those that apply to Jewish females, and the distinction in regard to the fulfillment of the Mitzvoth, is a far-reaching one. In light of the above, it is not clear why you should want to interfere with HaShem's blessings and contemplate a change of sex; especially as it would immediately bring in complications regarding Torah and Mitzvoth, even assuming that there would be no problems in other areas. And since this is quite plain and understandable, there is no need to elaborate on it. As for your writing that you have sometimes had the desire to have been born a female, etc. it is not surprising that a human being cannot understand the ways of HaShem, Who surely knows what is best for every individual. If it is somewhat troublesome to you, it would be advisable that you However, if this desire should talk things over with a Torah-observant psychologist. I suggest that you should have your Tefillin checked to make sure they are Kosher. With blessing,, M. Schneerson

And here is a letter from 1986 that is often shared around that is the Rebbe's response to a man "struggling with homosexuality":

RABBI MENACHEM M. SCHNEERSON Lubavitch 770 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn. N. Y. 11213 493-9250 By the Grace of G-d 25th of Shevat, 5746 Brooklyn, N. Y. Greeting and Blessing: This is to acknowledge receipt of your letter of Jan. 26th, in which you write about a serious problem. As requested, I will remember you in prayer for the fulfillment of your heart's desires for good. While all blessings come from HaShem, a Jew is expected to do what is necessary in the natural order. In the matter of the said problem, you surely know that there are doctors and psychiatrists who treat it, and have been successful in many cases. I know of a number of cases of people who had this problem but eventually overcame it, married and raised a family. While on this topic, I would like to clear up a misconception that has led some individuals into confusion and wrong conclusions. The misconception stems from the argument that since some individuals are born with this problem, it must be a "natural" thing; hence it cannot be designated as a wrong, or a sin, and there is therefore no need to do anything to change it, or at any rate, it is not a serious problem at all. That this approach is entirely without foundation can be seen from the fact that the Torah (called Toras Chaim and Toras Emes because it is our true guide in the everyday life) declares that to indulge in it, or even to dwell on it mentally, is a grave transgression of HaShem's commandment. Hence, it is also clear that the problem is controllable, for if it were beyond human control, HaShem would not have made it a sin. The fact that the problem may largely be congenital does not alter the situation. Every day children are born with particular natures and innate tendencies or drives, some of them good and some of them bad. This is why human being have to be trained and educated, so as to develop and strengthen the positive characteristics and eliminate the bad ones. The Creator endowed human beings with the capacity to improve, indeed even to change, their "natural" (i.e. inmate) traits. A case in point is kleptomania. It is generally recognized that kleptomania is a very compulsive drive. But no one will suggest that because it is probably inborn and extremely difficult to resist, the kleptomaniac should be told that it is okay for him to steal, or that there is nothing he can, or should, do about it, and so on. Similarly in the case of one who is born with a drive to destroy things, or with a quarrelsome or aggressive nature, or with a propensity to cheat or lie, or any other inmate trait that is considered reprehensible. No normal society would declare that since one was born that way, one should be allowed to go through life according to his natural desires and tendencies. Such an

attitude will help neither the individual, nor the society. On the contrary, everything should be, and is, done to help individuals to overcome their neurological problems, whatever they may be. Needless to say, the person who is afflicted with this or other neurological problems, may well ask, 'Why has HaShem created such a compulsive drive, which is in direct contradiction to His moral Code? Why has He afflicted me, who desires to comply fully with His commandments?" No human being can answer such questions, which only HaShem, the Creator, can answer. One observation that can be suggested in relation to the question, "Why me?" If an individual experiences a particularly difficult, or trying, situation, it may be assumed that HaShem has given him extraordinary powers to overcome the extraordinary difficulty. The individual concerned is probably unaware of his real inner strength; the trial may therefore be designed for the sole purpose of bringing out in the individual his hidden strength, which, after overcoming his problem, can be added henceforth to the arsenal of his revealed capacities, in order to utilize both for infinitely greater achievements for the benefit of himself, and others. Maimonides, the "Guide of the Perplexed" of his generation and of all subsequent generations, who was also acclaimed as the greatest physician of his time, declares in a well known passage in his famous Code, Mishneh Torah (Yad Hachazaka): "Every person has the option (power), if he so desires, to direct himself to do only good and be a Tzaddik, or, if he chooses, to follow the bad road and be a Rasha. Do not ever think that a person is predestined from birth to be a Tzaddik or Rasha. Nor is there any inner compulsion to make a choice, but one has the capacity to choose the right behavior, and it is entirely a matter of one's own will and determination" (Free translation from Hil. Teshuva, ch. 5. See it there at length). A final remark from the scientific viewpoint. To say that the human mind and neural system are unimaginably intricate, is to say the obvious. Only the Creator knows His handiwork. But the Creator has endowed the human mind with wonderful qualities to probe the mysteries of nature, to research and experiment and steadily gain more knowledge about himself and his physical and mental capacities. Considerable progress has been made by scientists in their studies of the brain cells and hormones. It is now clear that a wide range of human emotions and sensations can be stimulated artificially with the aid of electronic and biochemical techniques. It is now generally agreed that most, if not all, neurological disorders, including deviant sexual behavior, probably proceed from chemical(hormone) deficiencies or irregularities during the period of youth. Some neurological disorders are already being treated successfully in certain areas involving the neural system, and it is to be hoped that the range will expand and eventually include the whole spectrum of neurological disorders, both of individuals and of nations.

In the meantime, we can only put our trust in HaShem, and strengthen our adherence to the Torah and Mitzvoth, of which it is written, "They are our life and the length of our days." With blessing, M. Schneerson

With the above two letters, you can see the Rebbe recommending seeing a "Torah-observant psychologist" (this is a euphomism for conversion therapist, as you will see) to someone questioning their gender identity and comparing homosexuality to kleptomania and neurological disorders.

In 1987, the Rebbe was quoted as saying the following about homosexuality: (I had to dig a little to find this because. PR experts. But. Thank you so much to The Canadian Jewish News for reprinting his statements in 1987 and saving all their scans.)

"Any bill that proclaims that the 'rights' of these people must be protected and supported, should be seen for what it really is: It is taking away their right to be really protected (also -- from themselves); it is depriving these people of the vitally needed help! In simple physical terms it will bring even more suffering and pain to them, to their loved ones and to all society. Certainly all must be done to assure that this will not occur." "We are not dealing with the inalienable right of freedom of choice; we are not dealing with the innate and sacred, democratic right of free will; we are dealing with an issue of abnormality." ''In simple language, (homosexuality) is a sickness. And just because the patient proclaims he is normal does not make the malady any less dangerous." "there is no insult intended and no derogatory attitude suggested. . . . When a person is ill and someone volunteers to help him get well, there is no disrespect involved at all. "A special responsibility lies on the parents, educators and counselors to educate those afflicted . . . with a loving and caring attitude." When one acknowledges that homosexuality is destructive, he will realize "that it is no different from a child who is born with the tendency to tear out his hair or bang his head against the wall. But there is a very tragic difference in that this trait when practiced is much more devastating because it destroys both body and soul." "One person may stay only to lick the sugar and ' 'swear the pill is sweet." Another may come along and say: "I don't care if there is poison under the sugar, so long as I can enjoy the momentary pleasure of the sweetness .'.. . I don't care what the consequences will be." "Is it truly satisfying after the act? Or does it only provide momentary gratification . . . Are all his (or her) protestations about 'the great pleasure' and 'satisfaction' really true? Or has he Just been saying this for so long that now he is not willing, or is ashamed, to admit that he is wrong." -

Now, you may say that the Rebbe was only repeating what was the scientific and social consensus of the time, but homosexuality was officially removed from the DSM in 1973, over ten years before the Rebbe made his statements. The mid-1980s, when the Rebbe made these statements, were marked by the deaths of thousands upon thousands of Americans from the AIDS epidemic, and yet the Rebbe thought it appropriate to compare homosexuality to kleptomania or a poison pill. This isn't me singling the Rebbe out for his homophobia and transphobia- his ideas certainly weren't unique, especially among other fundementalist religious leaders- but I am holding him to a higher scrutiny because of the way in which the modern Chabad movement has attempted to whitewash his ideologies and market themselves as any less than the religious fundementalists that they are.

But what about the modern Chabad movement? Surely, even if modern adherents of Chabad didn't hold the Rebbe's words to such esteem as they do, perhaps the movement's ideologies have progresses with the times, and, dare I say it, modernized?

Well, they have. Sort of.

Any reference to homosexuality or gender divergence as being a disease has been virtually scrubbed from Chabad's public records (of course, this doesn't mean that the previously shared letters don't get passed around in private circles, such as the letter my mother sent to me in an attempt to dissuade me from persuing life-affirming medical intervention), but you can easily find what today's Chabad religious minds have to say with a quick little Google search:

"The issue is marriage. Marriage is, and always was, a religious idea: the idea that a relationship between a man and woman can be sanctioned as a holy union, as a partnership in which G‑d takes part. Does the California Supreme Court believe that their ruling will obligate G‑d to enter a relationship He does not condone? Marriage is not a civil institution; it is a religious one. The Court's intervention in this matter is, in my opinion, a dangerous precedent. This is a decision that should be left to the clergy." -Naftali Silberberg, 2008

"How do you navigate that journey? Thank G‑d, we have a Torah that provides a map, given to us by the One who gave us life. It tells us which desires we can embrace and elevate, which longings we can subdue and tame, and which we must reject or re-channel entirely. The Torah tells us unequivocally that the homosexual act is of that last category. Even if it burns inside for a lifetime, the best thing for you, for your health, and for your ultimate satisfaction in life is to subdue and re-channel that desire........ .......So yes, just as we don’t judge a fellow Jew for breaking Shabbat or eating non-kosher, so we don’t judge for the type of sexual life they are practicing and certainly not for the desires they never chose to have in the first place. In all cases, we look deeper, to the divine soul within. Encourage such people in the good things they are doing. Help them grow in the realms of Jewish practice and spirituality where they wish to grow. Let that soul shine." --Tzvi Freeman

It's pretty hard to find any official statements regarding LGBTQ issues made by Chabad because the devil works hard but Chabad's PR team works harder; however, I have the advantage of coming from within the community, and I know where to look.

So here are a few anecdotes from people such as myself, and what they've heard and dealt with due to Chabad:

(TW: extreme homophobia, sexual violence, conversion therapy)

Chabad is by no means a progressive branch of Orthodoxy. It is not unique in its queerphobia in comparison to other Orthodox Jewish movements, but it has spent a great deal of time and energy generating an illusion of being "milder" than other Charedi wings, when in reality it engages in just as much suppression and exclusion, even to the point of conversion therapy, as other Charedi groups do.

Just because you've seen that one photo circulating around Tumblr of a Chabad shliach putting Tefillin on a rainbow-flag caped individual does not change reality. A Chabad shliach putting Tefillin on an individual they view as undeniably a man (even if that person identifies as a woman or nonbinary, which they could have) is not the progressive win you think it is. It is no different from the refrain you hear from fundementalist Christian groups that preach to "love the sinner, hate the sin". They still view LGBTQ people as inherently sinners, whether they're doing so with a smile or not. And while I believe everyone is entitled to their beliefs, it is the deception that is most insidious to me, and young queer people have a right to know who it is they're endorsing when they endorse Chabad.

If you are in a similar situation as I once was, here are some resources:

JQY.org

Eshelonline.org

[xiyaogotcha4gaza]

Who are we donating to?

Donations for this event will be open from July 12th - Aug 2nd. You can also view this list on our Xiyao Gotcha-4-Gaza carrrd which provides a little more descriptive detail on each drive

⪢ eSIMs for Gaza

eSIMs are virtual SIM cards which allow people to connect to the outside world, to communicate with their families, show what’s happening in Gaza!

⪢ Life For Gaza

Help Gaza with access to clean water and rebuild their sanitization and with Gaza's water wells!

⪢ Hashem Jadallah's Family

Let’s show Hashem (who is running this gfm) that his family is not forgotten!

⪢ Sirdah Pharmacy

Help Sirdah rebuild to provide medicine to Palestinians in Gaza!

⪢ Camps Breakerz Crew

This is a hip-hop dance school (damaged from IOF bombing) helps house and feed others while also giving the kids a place for artistic relief from the stress of living under occupation!

⪢ Watermelon Relief

This relief effort is made up of a group of activists in Gaza aiding displaced families with meals, support, and activities on the ground!

Please stay tuned for the link to the form!

[todaysjewishholiday]

11 Menachem Av 5784 (14-15 August 2024)

When the Babylonian army first besieged Jerusalem and took captives away to live in exile, the prophet Yirmeyahu sent them a message:

So says HaShem, ruler of the heavenly host, the G-d of Israel, to all the captives, who HaShem has caused to be carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses, and dwell in them, and plant gardens, and eat their fruits; marry there, and bear children; and find wives for your sons, and husbands for your daughters, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there, do not waste away. And seek the peace of the city where G-d has sent you as exiles, and pray to HaShem for it; for in the peace of the city shall ye have peace.

The exiles appear to have taken this message to heart. A generation later, when the Persians seized control of Babylon and permitted displaced peoples within the empire to return to their ancestral homelands, many Jews stayed in the Babylonian heartland, tending their gardens, raising their children and grandchildren, and praying for the peace of their cities. Five hundred years later, after another Mikdash had been built and destroyed, the Jews of Babylon were still there, living under yet another Persian empire. They too established rabbinical academies like the one Yochanan ben Zakkai founded at Yavneh. And when the Gemara was compiled it was collected semi independently by both the Galilean and Babylonian sages, with the Talmud Bavli being the more complete and detailed of the two collections. Through centuries of turmoil, and then millennia, the Jewish community of the Mesopotamian river valley remained strong and vibrant. And through it all, the Jews often saw their own welfare as wrapped up in that of their gentile neighbors and sought the peace of their cities.

One such occasion came on the 11th of Av 5493. The Sassanian empire of Tannaitic times had given way to the Islamic caliphates, and the caliphate in its own turn had been absorbed by the Ottoman Empire. The Jews of Sura were now the Jews of Baghdad, and Baghdad was under siege by a Persian army led by Nader Shah Afshar. The Safavid Persians were a theocratic regime which had imposed restrictions on Jewish life similar to those of medieval Western Europe— Jews were forced to live in segregated neighborhoods, wear badges marking them as different, and forbidden from entering most trades and professions. The Jews of the Ottoman Empire by contrast had a large amount of official toleration. And of course the capture of Baghdad by the Shiite Safavids would also bring hardships on the majority Sunni Muslim population of the city.

On the 11th of Av 5493, an Ottoman army led by the 70 year old general and recently retired Grand Vizier Topal Osman broke the Safavid siege and drove off the Persian invasion. Baghdad’s Jewish community rejoiced in the deliverance of the city, and observed 11 Menachem Av as a special commemoration of the deliverance of Baghdad for generations. It has only been since the Second World War and the rise of Arab and Islamic nationalism that the Jews of Babylon once more faced a major persecution. Most of Baghdad’s Jewish population made aliyah under pressure from antisemitic groups which accused them of double loyalties with the newly established Israeli state.

[riding-with-the-wild-hunt]

vetted fundraisers from today. please please continue to share and donate if it's within your means. today alone has been one of the most brutal and deadly since the beginning of the genocide. we can't let our focus wander now.

july 9th:

The AlBalawi family of 11, including many children (one is very sick with hepatitis; all are suffering from malnutrition) and two chronically ill members who urgently need treatment (€11,441/€50,000) - @elbalawi, @yasminalbalawiigaza, @bisanalbalawi, verified by @/90-ghost

Amina Abu Hashem, her husband, and their four young children, one a newborn and one needing treatment for a gland disorder ($19,271/$100,000) - @ameinababa, verified by @/ibtisams

Arwa Afana, her husband Naji Hamam, their newborn daughter (needs urgent treatment for oxygen deficiency and heart problems caused by white phosphorus), and Arwa's chronically ill mother (€2,020/€30,000) - @arwaafana, verified by @/90-ghost

Sick toddler Yousef (needs lifesaving treatment for a dangerous blood condition) and his parents (€2,265/€25,000) - @dima96yousef, verified by @/90-ghost

Helping autistic 5-year-old Omar Jad Al-Haq recover after evacuation, and evacuating the remainder of the Jad Al-Haq family (including a member currently paralyzed from a stroke) (kr4,754 SEK/kr200,000 SEK) - @doaa-jad, verified by @/90-ghost

Mai Balousha, her husband Raed (injured and chronically ill), their four children, and the childrens' grandmother (€40/€52,000) - @nourbader2019, verified by @/90-ghost

The Ayyad family of eight, four of whom are children ($22,681/$35,000) - @aymanayyad82, @raghadayyad81, @mayadayyad81, @ahmedharara, #144 on @/nabulsi and @/el-shab-hussein's spreadsheet

Tahani Shorbajee, her husband, their three children, and six other family members ($16,533/$50,000) - @tahanishorbaje2, verified by @/el-shab-hussein

Dina, her husband, and their three little children, one a newborn ($5,221 CAD/$20,000 CAD) - @dina179, verified by @/ibtisams

Safaa Abd, her husband, and their two little children (€4,630/€50,000) - @safaabed8, verified by @/90-ghost

The Al Azaiza family of six ($2,396 CAD/$48,000 CAD) - @isra-elazaiza, #236 on @/nabulsi and @/el-shab-hussein's spreadsheet

Muhammad Atallah (needs urgent surgery after being shot with an explosive bullet) and his family of 12, including children and a newborn (€1,356/€82,000) - @mohammed-atallah, verified by @/90-ghost

Mohammed Al Manasra, his wife, and their three little children (Mohammed needs treatment for chronic respiratory illness) (€18,429/€40,000) - @save-mohammad-family, #192 on @/el-shab-hussein and @/nabulsi's spreadsheet

Musab and his family (€155/€7,000) - @musababed, verified by @/90-ghost

Hanaa Jad Al-Haq, her husband Muhammad Hammad, and their little son Youssef (£1,249/£20,000) - @hanaajad123, verified by @/ibtisams

Mahmoud Al-Sharif, his wife (pregnant and urgently needs perinatal care), and their three children (Mahmoud also needs treatment to preserve his vision) ($524/$60,000) - @mahmoud-sharif, verified by @/90-ghost

Mohammed Alanqer, his wife Enas Majed, and their four children, one a newborn (€37,042/€38,000) - @mohammedalanqer, #174 on @/nabulsi and @/el-shab-hussein's spreadsheet

Helping Siraj Abudayeh, his wife, and their three young children rebuild their destroyed home ($4,711 CAD/$82,000 CAD) - @siraj2024, #219 on @/el-shab-hussein and @/nabulsi's spreadsheet

Munna Tashmali and her three children (this is the third time they've lost their house) (£1,766/£30,000) - @monashamali, verified by @/nabulsi

not yet vetted:

Reem, her husband, and their two young children (€1,955/€20,000) - @rem096

Eman Zaqout, her husband Mahmoud, and their two children (Eman is the recepient of a prestigious science fellowship and needs to travel abroad to participate) ($1,650 CAD/$40,000 CAD) - @emanzaqout

these families just want to live in safety. any contribution you can make, no matter its size, is one of hope for a brighter future

[gryficowa]

Boycott!

It pisses me off when people criticize a series they haven't seen because they're bothered by the fact that the characters are LGBT+… Yes, it pisses me off on many levels

Yes, I see this a lot with "The Owl House", they attack the series for its LGBT+ characters and think that's the only reason people like this series, not because it fucking has an interesting plot and characters… It irritates me so much

As a person with ASD, this pisses me off because it shows that they don't give a damn about the medium of animation, they would prefer only cis straight white able-bodied characters (Preferably male…)

I know this is a random rant, but it pissed me off

Now that I have your attention:

[rolaisam]

‏In response to some messages I found in my inbox after I posted my small family's Gofundme link.

‏Some were surprised and others congratulated my late step.

‏I am here to tell you why I finally decided to participate, forced to do so, in posting the link as we approach the completion of eleven months of the war?!

‏I will not hide from you that from the first moment I confirmed the destruction of the two apartments I own in the National Housing Tower 3 in northern Gaza, many friends and relatives began to convince me of the necessity of creating a link in an attempt to compensate for some of my huge loss.

‏At that time, we were in the third month of the war, and the spread of Gofundme links at that time was limited and perhaps more useful.

‏However, I strongly rejected the matter.

‏Even though after the destruction of the two apartments, I lost everything I owned in every sense of the word.

‏However, I used to say: Thank God, I am fine, and my displacement in my family's home makes me independent of the world.

‏I thought at the time, like many others, that the war would end soon, and that the ordeal would not last much longer!

‏But the aggression continued with a ferocity that spared no one.

‏As the genocide continued, thousands of families were increasingly leaving through the Rafah crossing to Egypt and elsewhere.

‏At that time, everyone around me was asking me, "Why don't you take your children, Rula, and travel?"

‏This question alone would kill me, and tears would come to my eyes, "Where am I going, oh my God? Do I have anything left to do?!"

‏At that time, a friend who cared about me said to me, "I will make you a link, whether you like it or not, if not for you, then for your children."

‏And she did create a link for me.

‏The link remained the same throughout the past months, no one knew about it, and I didn't know about it either.

‏Until the occupation announced the start of the ground operation in Rafah on May 6th.

‏I immediately fled my family's house in Rafah (which the occupation later destroyed) to a tent in the Mawasi area of ​​Khan Yunis!

‏This displacement made me say that a new war had begun the day we were forced into it.

‏The war with all its tragedies since October 7th is on one side, and what happened after I was displaced to a tent on May 8th is on the other side!

‏Over the course of four months in the tent, I spent everything I had until I have now reached the point of nothing!!!

‏With the return of talk about efforts to activate work on the Rafah crossing and the possibility of allowing travel through it during the coming period!

‏I felt that activating the Gofundme link was a necessary evil!