JTA
Patrick Buchanan cited Israel as a model for his call to preserve the U.S. “identity.”
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“Israel fights ferociously to preserve her religious and ethnic identity,” the three-time presidential candidate and commentator writes in his book released this month, “Day of Reckoning: How Hubris, Ideology, and Greed Are Tearing America Apart.”
“Immigration is restricted to those who are Jewish by birth or faith,” he writes. “While Jews from all over the world are urged to settle in Israel or on the West Bank, no Palestinian is permitted to return to the home of his father or grandfather. The rights of land ownership extended to Jews are not extended to non-Jews.
“Jewish history is taught in the schools. The Hebrew language has been revived. A Jewish currency, the shekel, has been created. There is talk of annexing all major Jewish settlements on the West Bank, and in exchange, giving up Israeli land contiguous to the West Bank where Arabs reside.
“Many Israelis say openly that while they wish to keep their Jewish population they would let the Arabs go. They seek an overwhelming Jewish majority in a Jewish state. Israelis understand it is not ideology that makes a nation. It is not democracy. Jews are a people. And Israel is unapologetic about preserving its ethnic and religious character.”
In fact, immigration to Israel is open to non-Jews, although it is facilitated to a much greater degree for Jews, who are perceived in Israel as part of a collective nation. Much of Israel’s land, owned or controlled by the Jewish National Fund, was restricted to Jewish lessees until 2000 when Israel’s Supreme Court determined that the practice was discriminatory. The shekel is the national currency and does not otherwise have a religious identity. All of Israel’s prime ministers have absolutely rejected transferring areas populated mostly by Israeli Arabs to Palestinian control.
Buchanan has drawn American Jewish ire in the past for charging that the pro-Israel lobby has a stranglehold on foreign policy and that U.S. forces have fought wars on behalf of Israel.
Some interesting comments to article #2 I think this is only the begining! Peskin are you worried?
The JEHT Foundation, whose funds were entirely managed by Madoff, is also closing its doors, immediately terminating payments on existing grants:
http://www.jehtfoundation.org/news/
By sleater on 12/15/2008 at 2:07pm
Where were the regulatory agencies when all of this was going on? Aren’t they supposed to be sending in auditors evey year? Why didn’t they uncover this?
By ShoppingMama on 12/15/2008 at 4:33pm
Perhaps now our wealth elite who made fun of regulators will now understand that capitalism can only be preserved in the long run when it’s overseen by people of honor. Many people now can’t trust anyone, they’re holidays will now be consumed with fear that their wealth has been greatly reduced. The last gilded age is coming to an end. Showing off expensive luxuries may soon be considered bad taste.
By redlands123 on 12/15/2008 at 6:47pm
I suppose if he’d not scre*ed his fellow Jews – and robbed us poor gentiles it would’ve been absolutely kosher, eh?
By xdfxdfxdf on 12/15/2008 at 8:10pm
One jew thief robs another bunch of jew thieves – I suppose that’s what you’d call a victimless crime.
By xdfxdfxdf on 12/15/2008 at 8:16pm
I guess this is now Anti-Semite heaven for some of people who are mentally ill and get off on other people tragedies, because of race or religion. We jews call that an Asshole what word do you Goyim aka gentiles use?
By rasonablema on 12/16/2008 at 5:58am
asshole works for us too, ranson
By mangimages on 12/16/2008 at 6:54am
I believe that the con artists from Tyco, Worldcom & Enron would good Christians. We should also remember all of the good deeds that Jewish people do, including those foundations that have been wiped out. There are good & bad people in every race & religion, we should judge everybody on their own, if one is a sylf righteous religous hypocrite, they must be called out on this, in the process, we must try not to judge every person of that race and/or religion.
By redlands123 on 12/16/2008 at 9:00am
Thank goodness the guy wasn’t black! It’s totally STUPID to even play the race card…his race has nothing to do with his con…we have all been suckered once or twice–i got married, talk about being conned : ) I heard that hedge funds are not regulated and at least three years ago the Wall Street Journal ran a story about another PONZI/Pyramid type hedge fund. The information is out there, but greed blinds all. A small investor who has lost everything summed it up pretty nicely: I couldn’t even understand the statements that were sent…but I was making MONEY..isn’t that the only thing that counts?
By Vonnie on 12/16/2008 at 11:20am
To Hell with the whining Jews in Palm Beach. No one gives a crap.
By Murr345 on 12/16/2008 at 11:44am
its just very interesting that the biggest wall street scam before Madoff involved jews as well. stereotypes are there for a reason and id have to say that jews may very well be extraordinarily greedy compared to other people on this earth. money is their religion.
By roostertag on 12/16/2008 at 2:13pm
Its completely despicable that NY Magazine allows for the posting of racist or otherwise inflammatory, anti-semitic postings. The fact that some (or perhaps many) of those that Madoff victimized are Jewish is completely beside the point.
The fact is, many people, who had worked a life time in respective businesses, many of whom created thousands of jobs for others, have lost their entire savings. Not only are many of those people left with nothing more than a roof over their heads (not all are mansions, believe me), but in turn, tens of dozens of respective family members have seen their children and grandchildren’s education savings wiped out completely.
Again, many of the investors that lost “tens of millions” might seemingly have had more money than anyone could have possibly needed, but every single one of those people contributed millions to charities and philanthropic organizations whose mission is to provide for those less fortunate, to help discover cures for cancer, and many other important causes. Should we begrudge those that work lifetimes and are fortunate enough to have succeeded?
Yes, those that entrusted the bulk of their net worth with Madoff, or the vast bulk of their wealth with any institution are acting irresponsibly. Especially in a time when no single financial institution should be considered bullet proof.
Freedom of speech is one thing, but facilitating the distribution of incendiary and hateful remarks is beyond comprehension. Shame on those that have been so poorly educated for not understanding that the people who lost their ‘fortunes’ are the ones that have created tens of thousands of jobs, and have tried to use part of their ‘fortunes’ to make the world a better place for thousands of people they have never met, and would never know of.
By jlcgrp on 12/16/2008 at 3:06pm
well is seems like the charities hit hardest by this mess are the ones that benefit only Jewish people and that seems racist to me. its also very suspicious that the SEC chairman didnt react sooner to red flags concerning madoff. its no secret that madoff has ties in the SEC and his niece even married one. it just so happens that his friends in the SEC are jewish. it is any coincidence that the former chairman of the SEC Arthur Levitt Jr. is Jewish and close personal friends with Madoff? All of these links make it very obvious that Wall st is a jewish circle and no one wanted to blow the wistle on a fellow “chosen one” since his investments benefit Jewish interest here and abroad. they like to keep the money in their circle even if it involves corruption. its not enough that the Jews have AIPAC which control congress and make America give money and fight wars for the benefit of Israel. fortunately this scam backfired and exposed the corruption that exists in the jewish community on our nation’s highest levels. control of wall st, washington, hollywood, sports, and especially the media by an overactive minority is never a good thing for a nation and will never serve in any nation’s best interest.
By roostertag on 12/16/2008 at 4:27pm
I find it PATHETIC that people are so small minded that they are now blaming ALL JEWS for this and using this to promote HATE and ANTI-SEMETIC BEHAVIOR! Go to hell for posting the blogs – but – you must be a coward since you failed to list your name!
People who were smart, worked their entire lives to amass a fortunes, gave millions to charity – were SCREWED by ONE BAD APPLE and his family. This has NOTHING to do with religion, race, or gender.
In 2008, it is sad that bloggers and citizens are still ready to blame Jews. I wonder how many “gentiles” (per blogs below) were gainfully employed for years and years, by these Jewish entrepreneurs who built successful businesses, worked their entire lives, only to be screwed by one evil liar – Bernard Madoff, who should be publically hung in Times Square – so that DETERRENCE will be promoted and all other liars will actually have some fear.
By shulick on 12/16/2008 at 6:22pm
“Phoenix Holdings According to Reuters, the insurance unit of this Israeli bank had $15 million invested in funds managed by Thema that followed Madoff’s investment strategy.”
Okay, here’s what I don’t understand–wasn’t Madoff’s “investment strategy” to take money from Investors L-Z to repay Investors A-K, and if so, how did anyone lose money unless they handed it to him directly?
By paulaann on 12/16/2008 at 7:48pm
So what are a few million or billion dollars? Has anyone lost their life? Their
grandparents vanished? House, store and lively hood destroyed? Being
pulled out of the basement of a collapsed 5 story house? Fled a burning
city stepping over corpses and unexploded bombs? Sleeping in fields in
February and later in barns? This happened to us on Feb. 13 -14 1945.
There was no help, no insurance, we had what we had in a couple of
suitcases and knapsacks going to farmers begging for a few potatoes.
Don’t complain, you have nothing seen yet! I was then 11.
Forget about the millions of $! Enjoy your homes however big or small and be glad to be alive and have enough to eat.
From a survivor!
By Pagofin on 12/16/2008 at 10:17pm
I must register my disappointment and shock in reading so many comments here that seem to think that it is okay to blame one religious group for the behavior of one its members.
I am also surprised to see that people had not problem writing obviously bigoted statements that are not based on fact – but rather envy at those who have worked hard, been successful and used their wealth to assist many regardless of religous background. I believe in a freedom of speech and I have learned today that anti-semitic thinking is still very much alive. I hope that people reading these comments will think carefully before saying hateful and false things. To close, I would like to point out that philanthropists who happen to be Jewish contribute to lots of different causes that help people throughout the world regardless of their religious, ethnic or other background aspects.
By rachellealee on 12/16/2008 at 11:12pm
I don’t understand how so many investors can say they were “wiped out.” This fund had billions of real dollars put in and, whatever it may have lost in its actual investments, presumably still has actual assets. The fund is now in bankruptcy court. Presumably those remaining assets will be equitably distributed among investors. How much is left? 20%? Half? Whatever, why should anyone be literally wiped out? Someone please explain. (Except you asshole anti-semites, you can stick it.)
Annie
By Crackpipe_Annie on 12/17/2008 at 1:32am
And so he sits in his $7M New York condo under house arrest (his wife put up another piece or 2 of their property to make the bail). This SOB shouldn’t have the clothes off his back muchless a roof over his head for what he has done to so many people and charitable foundations! Kudos to his sons for turning him in to the FBI.
By R_U_Serious on 12/17/2008 at 3:02pm
What amazes me is that Madoff is allowed out on bail. If he was a drug dealer, he would have to provide information that the funds used for bail and his defense aren’t tainted. Whiite collar criminals can use their ill-gotten dollars without proof of where it came from?
Incredible!!!!
The guy should be made to sit in jail and rot.
By Edjoblor on 12/17/2008 at 5:49pm
Ted another blocked comment?
informative video from Fox Business
http://www.foxbusiness.com/video-search/m/21680637/jewish-charities-affected-by-madoff.htm?pageid=28147
http://www.jfunders.org/
The List:
Charities, Old People, Jews Hit Hardest by Madoff Fraud UPDATED
12/15/08 at 11:01 AM
http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2008/12/charities_old_people_jews_hit.html
Information is still trickling out about who lost money (and how much) with Bernard Madoff, the legendary New York investor whose sons turned him in to authorities last week after he admitted that the investment arm of his securities firm was “a giant Ponzi scheme.” But as the SEC sifts through the rubble of his midtown office, a list is taking shape that gives some idea of the magnitude of Madoff’s crime. What’s truly heartbreaking is that it’s not just deep-pocketed giants like Steven Spielberg and Swiss banks who lost out, but charities — several have already shut their doors and fired their staffs — and a crowd of pastel-panted Palm Beach senior citizens whose dreams of living out their days on the golf course have been dashed. Below, a list of known victims so far, which we’ll try to update as they roll in.
Access International Advisers, New York-based investment firm may have lost $1.4 billion in assets, according to Bloomberg.
Aozora Bank Ltd. The Japanese bank had 12.4 billion yen ($137 million) invested with Madoff, according to Bloomberg.
Banco Santander – Spanish bank reported yesterday that clients of one of its Swiss subsidiaries have lost $3 billion.
Banque Bénédict Hentsch – $47.5 million worth of client assets at risk.
Basically everyone at the Palm Beach Country Club – Madoff has belonged since 1996. “I’m taking care of my sick mother-in-law,” one member, Richard Spring, 73, told the Times. “My wife has cancer. I just can’t deal with it. I’m cooked.”
Bank Medici The Austrian bank has two funds with a combined $2.1 billion invested with Madoff.
BBVAThe second largest bank in Spain; potential $404 million in losses, according to Bloomberg
Benbassat & Cie Swiss bank has 1.1 billion francs, or $935 million, at .stake, according to la France via Reuters.
BNP Paribas – Did not invest directly in the Madoff funds but has 350 million euros, or about $500 million, at risk through trades and loans to hedge funds.
Bramdean Alternatives – British asset manager lost $19 million, or 9 percent of the company, according to a statement. The female CEO is being pilloried in the press: “I am an ordinary person who manages pension funds for pensioners. If I was a male fund manager this would not happen. Someone has to take a stand. If women are persecuted in this way you won’t have any female fund managers. This could destroy me,” she told the Evening Standard.
Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation – 99-year-old Boston philanthropist Carl Shapiro’s foundation lost $145 million, almost half its money, according to the Boston Globe
Clal Insurance Israeli insurance company, $778,000, according to Bloomberg
Chais Family Foundation – Gives out some $12.5 million each year to Jewish causes in Israel, the former Soviet Union, and Eastern Europe; announced yesterday that it had closed after losing all of its money through investments with Madoff.
CNP Assurances The French insurance company could lose up to $4.1 million, according to Bloomberg
Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity – Invested money with Madoff — its losses are thus far unknown.
EIM Group – European investment manager has $230 million exposed.
Dexia SA The Belgian financial had $106.9 million wrapped up with Madoff, according to Bloomberg
Fairfield, Conn. – $42 million, or 15 percent of the town’s retiree pension fund.
Fix Asset Management $400 million.
Fortis Bank Netherlands $1.4 billion at risk, despite lacking direct exposure to Madoff’s firm, according to the AP.
Madoff employees – “Generations of employees had worked for Madoff and invested their savings there.”
Fred Wilpon – New York Mets owner, unknown.
Groupama France-based international insurance group, $13.6 million, according to Bloomberg.
Harel Insurance – Israeli investment service, $14.2 million.
HSBC – $1 billion at risk.
Avram and Carol. Goldberg – The Boston-based founder of the Stop & Shop supermarket chain and his wife lost $29 million, according to reports.
J. Ezra Merkin – The GMAC LLC chairman’s Ascot Partners lost most of its $1.8 billion, according to the Journal.
Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles – $18 million of the Foundation’s Common Investment Pool (currently valued at 11 percent of its assets) was invested with Madoff.
The JEHT Foundation As commenter Sleater noted below, the JEHT Foundation, a nonprofit in downtown New York that promoted reform of the criminal and juvenile justice systems, has been felled by Madoff and will close, according to its web site, at the end of January 2009. According to the Web site: “The funds of the donors to the Foundation, Jeanne Levy-Church and Kenneth Levy-Church, were managed by Bernard L. Madoff, a prominent financial advisor who was arrested last week for defrauding investors out of billions of dollars.”
Julian J. Levitt Foundation – Texas-based Jewish charity, lost about $6 million.
Kingate Management Ltd. – $3.5 billion at risk, according to Bloomberg.
Korea Life Insurance Co – $50 million.
Korea Teachers pension – Has $9.1 million indirectly invested.
Leonard Litwin The 93 year old real estate mogul has lost an as yet undetermined amount of money. This is not his only loss this year –Litwin narrowly missed making the Forbes 400 Richest Americans list and instead ended up on the “82 American billionaires too poor to make the list” list.
The Madoff Family Foundation – Madoff’s own charity gave to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Lincoln Center, Robin Hood Foundation, and others. Its $19 million is gone, obviously.
Man Group PLC – The world’s largest publicly traded hedge-fund manager, $360 million.
Maxam Capital Management – Darien-based hedge fund helmed by Sandra “Jerry Maguire of hedge funds” Manzke lost $280 million. “I’m wiped out,” Manzke told the Journal.
M&B Capital Advisors – Spanish hedge funds had $578 million invested.
Mediobanca Italian investment bank, $671,00, according to Bloomberg.
Mirabaud & Cie. Lost “a few million Swiss Francs” according to Reuters via Le Temps.
Mort Zuckerman’s charitable trust Losses stand at $30 million, or 10% of the trust. “That was still a big chunk of money that was intended to go to worthier causes than shall we say Mr. Madoff,” said Zuckerman in an interview with CNBC.
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. $11 million.
Natixis The French corporate and investment bank could lose up to $614 million, according to Bloomberg.
New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg – “One of the wealthiest members of the Senate, entrusted his family’s charitable foundation to Madoff. Lautenberg’s attorney, Michael Griffinger, said they weren’t yet sure the extent of the foundation’s losses, but that the bulk of its investments had been handled by Madoff.”
Nomura Holdings Inc. – Tokyo investment firm; said today it had $302 million in exposure.
Norman Braman – Former Philadelphia Eagles owner, unknown.
The North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System – $5 million.
Notz, Stucki & Cie International portfolio management group; undetermined amount, according to Bloomberg.
Neue Privat Bank – Acknowledged being at risk.
Oak Ridge Country Club members A few members of this predominantly Jewish country club in Hopkins, Minnesota have lost perhaps almost $100 million, according to the St. Paul-Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Pioneer Alternative Investments – Irish hedge fund invested all of its $280 million in assets with Madoff — gone.
Phoenix Holdings According to Reuters, the insurance unit of this Israeli bank had $15 million invested in funds managed by Thema that followed Madoff’s investment strategy.
Robert I. Lappin Charitable Foundation – The Boston-based charity, which financed trips for Jewish youth to Israel, announced last week: “The money needed to fund the programs of the Lappin Foundation is gone. The foundation staff has been terminated today.”
Royal Bank of Scotland – $600 million exposed.
Royal Bank of Canada Less than $40 million ($50 million Canadian).
Societe Generale – The French bank lost less than $13.46 million dollars, which it called a “negligible” amount.
Sumitomo Life Insurance Co. The Japanese company had $22 million (2 billion yen) involved, but put their losses at only “several hundred million yen” according to AFP.
Technion The Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa could lose $6.5 million.
Tremont Capital Management This advisor to hedge-fund portfolios has about 7% of its $2.7 billion in assets exposed to Madoff.
Walter M. Noel Jr. and the Fairfield Greenwich Group – The Fairfield Greenwich Group invested billions of dollars with Madoff over twenty years, and has lost approximately $7.5 billion. “[Noel] was a person of superb ethics, and this has to cut him to the quick,” George L. Ball, a colleague of the founder, told the Times.
The Wunderkinder Foundation – Steven Spielberg’s charity. “In 2006, the Madoff firm accounted for roughly 70% of the foundation’s interest and dividend income, according to regulatory filings.”
224 funds and investment vehicles in Spain The Spanish stock market regulator CNMV has not yet revealed their names, but as of October 31, they had a combined 106.9 million euros directly exposed to Madoff.
Reichmuth’s Reichmuth Matterhorn fund – 385 million Swiss francs, or $327 million, in potential losses.
UniCredit SpA The Italy based cross-European banking company has a potential $102.5 million involved, though the company told Corriere della Sera, the Italian newspaper, that “exposure…was ‘equal to zero’ in Italy and ‘very limited’ overall.”
Union Bancaire Privee Swiss asset management bank, $1.08 billion.
Yeshiva University – “Sources close to Yeshiva University, where Madoff served as treasurer of the board of trustees and chairman of the board of Y.U.’s Sy Syms School of Business until he resigned last week, said that the school has lost tens of millions of dollars, if not more,” according to Jewish and Israel News.
What happened is a profoundly sad state of affairs. But the whole system has become corrupt, not because of the system, but because of the moral decay we are faced with. What happens next is that the system gets blamed and we get a more controlled socialist system with the same smucks running it. They’ll have more power and control; things will be worse than ever.
I put together the following satire as an illustration of how bad it is getting. And it is getting this bad, if not so blatant.
Madoff Tapped To Head Social Security Administration
President Elect Obama announced the selection today of Bernard L. Madoff to head up the Social Security Administration. The pick came as a surprise to some, who would consider a recent scandal in which Madoff was implicated in the financial sector, a disqualifying factor.
A spokesman for the incoming administration defended the pick saying that, “No one has been convicted yet, and, in any event, there is nothing here that a pardon cannot remedy.”
Other critics were quick to point out the role of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich as an adviser in the selection process, expressing fears that money may have changed hands for the appointment.
Rahm Emmanuel, who also worked with Blagojevich in the selection process, dismissed the criticism as partisan, citing Madoff’s experience as a primary factor for the choice.
“No one, and I mean, no one, has more expertise or understands the system better than Madoff – And I think he has the record to prove that!” Emmanuel said.
He continued by pointing out that if Madoff was able to keep his organization afloat for so long, relying solely on the money of investors, “Imagine what he can do in a system where he will have access to an almost unlimited supply of tax dollars and everything is perfectly legal.”
Emmanuel also went on to say that no other candidate had worked a system that had so much in common with the way social security worked, and that any differences actually worked in Madoff’s favor.
The White House refused to comment on the appointment.