The story on the left was an advertisement run in the Yated Neeman by the Kupat Ha'Ir of Bnei Brak. It describes an elderly woman who donated 19,260NIS for the fund for the 3 boys in jail in Japan.
How'd she come up with that number? She explained that this is the number that the Nazis tatooed on her arm. She was imprisoned in the concentration camps. Everything that was written abotu what the boys in Japan are going through, is exactly what she experienced in the concentration camp, and how the Japanese are treating these three boys, that is how the Germans treated them.
She continued with tears that she now feels she has exacted her revenge on the Nazis, by giving this amount to help save Jews from those who were partners with the Nazis, the Japanese. What these boys are going through reminded me of the troubles I went through under the Nazis, and maybe now this money will help free them.
The ad concludes by saying, "This is the check. 19260NIS of revenge. For these forlorn boys, captured by the Japanese, the nation who were partners with the the most horrific of tragedies. Whomever was not there, in the concentration camps, will never understand. Will these boys merit ever returning from there? The answer to that depends, as well, with you."
So now they are playing the Nazi and Holocaust cards to get us to donate. I think it might be exaggerating a bit, no matter how bad the Japanese jail is, for them to have described the Japanese jails in terms that made this woman think that they are going through exactly what she went through in the Holocaust...
Do they have no busha?
Rafi- Many months ago on your blog there was a discussion about tzedaka organizations stretching the truth in order to melt hearts and get donations.
ReplyDeleteSeveral posters vehemently defended the right of a local organization to create facts about electricity being cut off (that didn't happen at that time). This was all in the name of tzedaka.
This seems to be the MO of certain factions of the population..sensationalist soliciting.
This concerns me. If we continually allow sheker (or truth "massaging") what will be the gvul? Will this open the door for further sheker in other areas?
"Titain Emes L'Yaakov"!
Can't we raise money with a positive message?
"exaggerating a bit"
ReplyDeleteA bit? Only a bit? Maybe she really thinks that way; but it lacks all intellectual credence. These boys were arrested for allegedly breaking legitimate laws designed to protect safe society. Smuggling drugs! And I really doubt that modern Japanese society is running concentration and death camps.
a 'bit' exaggerated? How about off the wall, wacko, and not worthy of any serious consideration?
Mordechai - welcome back. I don't blame her a bit. She felt that way. the problem is with their advertisements. they described it in a way that made her feel it was exactly like what she experienced in the concentration camp. They did the avla, not her.
ReplyDeleteBut isn't such an advert ok as long as it's for "tzedaka"?
ReplyDeleteIt is as ludicrous as those organizations (not just the local one) that say "no overhead".
With check/bank fees, PR costs and rentals, pens,paper,telephone etc.how can anyone say "no overhead"?
Minimal overhead, yes. No overhead? BOGUS!
Whether this frantic plea for the 3 in Japan or regular collecting..
Let's have some honesty and integrity especially in tzedaka!
Wait...wait.. that's not all.
ReplyDeleteDonating to these jail birds is now a SEGULA.
That's right.
Donate similar amounts of money like this woman has and it is a segula that you will never be sent to Auschwitz.
Hurry! Segula powers end Thursday at midnight