Censorship

APRIL 20, 2023

NY Times: Reviving the Renaissance Temples of Venice’s Jewish Ghetto

Dating back to the 1500s, in the Cannaregio section of Venice, there once was a Jewish Ghetto full of 5000 chosenites. These days, the number of Venetian Jews has dwindled to about 450; but five of the old synagogues are still there and about to be renovated for the sake of nostalgia. This renovation story itself is of no interest to us. But the article does offer us a good “teachable moment” ™ to talk about something far more interesting — namely, the Jewish money lenders of Renaissance Venice.Here’s a truth gem, in the form of a quote from Dario Calimani, president of a “nonprofit” group known as the Jewish Community in Venice

:“We were in a way protected in the ghetto and at the same time segregated. They didn’t want the Jews to mix up with Christians because there was a danger in their view that Jews would convert Christians to Judaism.” (emphasis added)

Thanks for that confirmation, Dario! You see, the phenomenon of Jews from centuries past converting Gentiles to their depleted ranks (a fact which we have long understood to be true) makes the latter day claim of a “right to return” to Palestine — from which the Romans dispersed the original true Jews in A.D. 70 — all the more absurd. And it wasn’t just in Italy where conversions occurred. The Spanish Alhambra Edict of Expulsion Decree in 1492 specifically cited Jewish conversions of Christians as one of the reasons for them having worn out their welcome. And according to the eminent and officially approved historian Will Durant, the olive-skinned Sephardi branch of Jewry descend from North African converts. Then of course there was the mass conversion of the mixed Turko-European pagans of Khazaria (modern day Ukraine). These are the Ashkenazi, the dominant racial sub-group of modern day Jewry.

And finally, going waaay back, there’s this quote, attributed to Jesus Christ in the Book of Matthew (23:15), written nearly 2000 years ago:

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.” (emphasis added)

Tell it, Jesus. Tell it!

The article also brings to mind William Shakespeare’s now censored “anti-Semitic” literary classic from 1600, “The Merchant of Venice.” Some of “youse” fellow “boomers” may recall the story from High School literature class days, but it’s doubtful that many 40-and-unders were ever permitted to read this. Here’s the basic plot:The odious character Shylock is a Jewish moneylender in Venice. The other main characters despise him for lending money with outrageously high rates of interest. The merchant Antonio  curses and spits at Shylock because he believes his “trade” is predatory and immoral. Even Shylock’s daughter finds her father unbearable and runs away from home — taking with her a chest full of money and jewels, of course.

When Antonio finds himself in a position to have to borrow money, Shylock offers to loan him 3000 ducats. But instead of charging any interest, Shylock says he will take one pound of Antonio’s flesh if the loan is not repaid within three months. Confident of his ability to repay the loan after his next business move is complete, Antonio agrees. But when Antonio’s ships and wealth are lost due to a storm, Shylock demands to cut out one pound of his flesh, even refusing a late offer of 6000 ducats from Antonio’s friend, Bassiani — hence the popular expression about revenge, “I want my pound of flesh.”

At the court of the Duke of Venice, Shylock, when pressed as to why he must have a pound of flesh, puts on his victim of anti-Semitism routine, pleading:

“He (Antonio) hath disgraced me, and hindered me half a million, laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies, and what’s the reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh?”

The Duke is not moved by Shylock’s pity-inducing antics, but a contract is a contract. To work around the predicament, it is finally decreed that Shylock may cut out a pound of Antonio’s flesh as agreed, however, he is not entitled to one drop of Antonio’s blood; and if Antonio should lose any blood during the extraction process, all of Shylock’s wealth will be seized! The Jewish villain was thus thwarted and all lived happily ever after.

And that, boys and girls, is why this once universally read masterpiece ceased being read in most American High Schools and colleges a long time ago.