“When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic. Sell not liberty to purchase power" – Benjamin Franklin
By Ilya Galak
Jewish American poet, Emma Lazarus, wrote the poem on the Statue of Liberty, entitled “The New Colossus,” in 1883. Being re- inspired Alla Bogoslovskaya brought the poem to life in song form .Music By Alla Bogoslovskaya Lyrics By Emma Lazarus Performed By Brian Delany Starr Produced at AB Studio Productions LLC
The Statue of Liberty is the symbol of Freedom presented to the great “United States of America” by the country of France. This statue is an icon, a powerful symbol standing for freedom, justice, liberty and the rights and responsibilities of every American Citizen. America is our country…all of us who have chosen to live free. We all have an obligation to stand for the freedom that our great country represents. This song was inspired by the poem,”The New Colossus” written by Emma Lazarus over two hundred years ago, still standing as a stirring statement of the American ethos.
Being re- inspired Alla Bogoslovskaya brought the poem to life in song form .
This creation was written for all, who claim American citizenship, as well as for all who come to this great land and wish to live, serve and be a part of the greatest country in the world .
So… as you listen to the song and hear the great words, we welcome you to America”…the land of the Free and the Home of the Brave!’ Look for “The New Colossus” at iTune
Music By Alla Bogoslovskaya
Lyrics By Emma Lazarus
Performed By Brian Delany Starr
Produced at AB Studio Productions LLC
Jewish American poet, Emma Lazarus, wrote the poem on the Statue of Liberty, entitled “The New Colossus,” in 1883. Written in an effort to raise funds for the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal, the poem welcomes immigrants from across the world to the United States.
Emma Lazarus’s biography as a Jewish American adds meaning to her poem. Lazarus was descended from immigrants with roots in both Spain and Eastern Europe, and she felt a deep connection to the plight of immigrants in her day.
“Colossus” alludes to the Colossus of Rhodes, a massive statue built in antiquity to thank Helios, the sun god, for protecting Rhodes from invaders.
The New Colossus
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
All things considered, why there is this deafening silence from unions on the topic of bringing manufacturing jobs back to the United States? Why aren’t they jumping up and down screaming at Politicians on both sides about this?
In America, we once had what was one of the best manufacturing industries in the world. As you know, that is no more, because most of these jobs have been gradually offshored.
Since the year 2000, we lost about 2.7 million manufacturing jobs, of which half a million were in high-tech industries such as telecommunications and electronics. Simply put we hardly manufacture anything anymore. We instead buy tons of foreign manufactured goods – often made by American companies — and then wonder why we are lacking good-paying jobs. We need to restart our engines, manufacture, and export.
In this piece, we’re not getting into why manufacturing is vital to fix our economy. If you need to learn more, Professors Google, Bing, Yahoo, and many others provide many links to many professional and credible resources on the topic. You see, the bottom line is that without manufacturing, our economy is doomed.
It is important to remember that the jobs of production workers, supervisors and managers in heavy industry enterprises, such as metallurgy, helped build and define the middle class throughout the 20th century. It is also important to note that manufacturing jobs have on average higher compensation than service sector jobs.
What can be done to bring back this vital part of our economy AND who’s going to do it?
For starters, we can’t really expect the crony capitalists; the executives of the greedy crony corporations that shipped our jobs overseas, to return them back without a major fight. Their only concern is profit, and their goal is to make as much money as possible, as quickly as possible. If it’s cheaper to make thing in China, they move the jobs to China.
We won’t be able to count on our politicians either, no matter which party they’re from. You probably already know that the two controlling parties have been infiltrated (to be polite) long ago by the people who sent our jobs overseas. P.J. O’Rourke said: “When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators.”
Also, simply saying that “we the people” want this to happen won’t be enough. We don’t have the power that we used to have because many of us became ignorant, apathetic, and corrupted. The fact that New York State Democratic Assemblymen Sheldon Silver and Vito Lopez got re-elected after their scandals says more about how we became and how our corrupt(ed) election and political systems work than anything else.
Another thing is that we know it takes a lot of money and political power to get anything meaningful done on the ground. So are there political powers that would benefit financially from bringing manufacturing jobs back to the U.S.? Also, do they have the special interest powers needed to challenge the crony corporations and politicians?
The answer is YES. It’s the Unions. But are they doing anything in that regard?
In the past few months the NYC school bus drivers went on strike, the teachers in Chicago went on strike, and the municipal workers in Wisconsin went on strike. All of them fought for hardly anything more than extra taxpayer money in their pockets. But we’ve never seen them protesting on Capitol Hill, or even at local city halls, demanding action to bring manufacturing back home to America. Common sense would argue that Unions would want manufacturing back in the U.S. That would be a net positive to the entire economy, particularly to unions, but why are they really hardly doing anything in that regard? This is beyond our comprehension.
It’s time to start a real grassroots movement, a real push, a real organizing effort, to lead the fight of bringing manufacturing back to the United States. A movement that works to make the slogan “Made In USA” a reality. A movement that is for the people, by the people, and not beholden to any interest but the interest of the people. It is time for us to put aside our differences and stop allowing others from keeping us divided and conquered. We must stand united or face the consequences. It doesn’t matter if you’re conservative or liberal, support Roe Vs. Wade or against it, union or non-union; bringing manufacturing back to the United States is among the few things we all agree on.
Such a movement needs the strong will of principled people from all backgrounds and occupations to take a stand for this cause. Such a movement needs all the recourses and help it can get, and that’s where the Unions can really shine. Their grassroots, resources, lobbyists, and political connections might just give this movement the edge it needs.
And remember what Plato said:
“One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.”
One day our grandchildren may ask us this question. Will we have an answer that will make us and them proud or will we have to sit silent knowing we stood silent when it was time to speak or remained passive when it was time for action? Now is the time for all believers in limited government to stand up and be counted. Now is the time for all who believe, “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” to remember “That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”
The coming 2014 mid-term elections may well be the most important in our lifetime. America faces a crisis as profound as the Revolution and as divisive as the Civil War. This has been brought on by the Progressives who seek to fundamentally transform America through evolutionary means. Incrementally, one entitlement program, one regulation, and one tax rate increase at a time, these Evolutionaries have used class warfare, activist judges, a politically-correct education system, and a complicit media to create a dependent constituency. They’ve constructed a matrix of sports addiction, celebrity worship, and recreational prescription medicine that makes the bread and circuses of Rome appear as crude as they were effective. Welcome to the Brave New World.
In 2008 the Progressives achieved what the media called a “Veto Proof” majority in both houses. This was typical of the Progressive-controlled media’s spin. With a fellow Progressive holding court in the White House there was no chance the long cherished dreams of national health care, massive interference in the economy, and expansion of the bureaucracy would be vetoed. The description of the majorities should have been “Filibuster-proof” meaning there was no way for the minority party to thwart the will of the majority. Even when the Democrats lost their 60th seat in the Senate with the addition of a Progressive Republican taking Teddy Kennedy’s seat, they still had a filibuster-proof majority. The only reason they did not achieve more of their agenda such as amnesty for illegal immigrants is that members of their own party balked at a complete surrender of our heritage.
Fast forward to 2013 and after 3 years of the 2010 Tea Party led re-capture of the House Nancy Pelosi and her troops are chomping at the bit to finish their Evolution and drive the final nails in the coffin of limited government.
Those who wish to stop the mad rush into the arms of an all-embracing Federal Government must register! They must vote! They must do all they can to influence anyone and everyone to elect a true veto proof majority with the power and the will to reverse the slide into insolvency, which will trigger either a default upon our overwhelming debt or a collapse of our economy. Either of which opens the door for the current administration to impose their statist solutions irrevocably altering the nature of the United States. The name will remain the same but let no illusions of normalcy cloud your sight; this will be a new nation, the Obamanation.
In the coming mid-term elections it is imperative that those who wish to reverse course send a veto- proof majority in both the House and the Senate to Washington or President Obama will block every attempt to return to the traditional American model of limited-government. And even if this happens the newly awakened Patriots must realize their victory will energize the portion of the country desiring a European-style welfare state. They must realize just as Truman in 1948 ran against the “Do-nothing Congress” more than against Tom Dewey and Clinton in 1996 ran against the “Mean-spirited” Congress more than against Bob Dole, in 2014 Mr. Obama and his surrogates will run against the “Obstructionist” Congress more than against any individual opponents the Republicans might nominate.
The Town Hall meltdowns of 2009 and the Tea Party phenomenon of 2010 have surged across America as no spontaneous movement has in many years. The energy and enthusiasm of this grassroots explosion has rocked primaries from Coast-to-Coast. The political establishment in both parties were bracing for a tsunami of popular indignation at the ballot-box in 2012. Instead the republicans nominated another Progressive which left the conservative base sitting on the sidelines.
The Republicans managed to hold the House leaving the Democratic Majority Leader to lead well-disciplined troops in blocking every move the Conservatives make, and the media will hang the ensuing deadlock squarely around the neck of the Tea Party.
In 2014 to make sure that the rising Tea Party Samson successfully pulls down both the House and the Senate pillars of the Temple of Progressivism, the novice Conservative political activists need to understand voting is not enough. We need to exert every ounce of influence among friends, neighbors, and family to bring out an historic vote. We should stand ready to drive people to the polls, work the polls, do anything we can to plant the flag of Liberty once again in the capital of the Land of the Free and the home of the Brave.
Turning to the Word of God we’re counseled, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” Our Founders declared, when tyranny raises it head, when a government founded to ensure the rights of citizens begins to trample upon those rights their descendants should remember, “That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to affect their safety and happiness.”
As peaceful citizens let those who love Liberty use their guaranteed rights to write, speak, assemble, and vote to preserve what we’ve been given for our children and our grandchildren. Let every politician know, whether they wish us well or ill, that “we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” If we will do this, if now that it’s our time upon the stage we’ll take a stand beside the Founders, the Framers, and the Greatest Generation when our children or grandchildren ask us, “Did you do anything to keep liberty alive? we will be able to say more than, “I didn’t notice what was going on,” or “I couldn’t find the remote.”
Take one step into the Staten Island Community Center and Islander’s Kids Learning Day Care Center and you immediately sense something different about this place. There is a mixture of home, community, organization, and belonging all at once. It is difficult to even tell that the entire community was struck by Super storm Sandy just a mere six months prior.
The hallways are decorated with photographs of the children dancing, upcoming picture days, and student work. Children are singing in the different classrooms to songs being played on the piano. The aroma of homemade food fills the building as breakfast is prepared in the kitchen.
The center opened in 2004 to serve the Dongan Hills area of Staten Island, and quickly news spread of its excellence to all of Staten Island, and even New Jersey and Brooklyn. Since then, it has become well known as a center for academic excellence, dance, music, art, summer programs, and Universal Pre-Kindergarten through the City of New York. Unfortunately, the building was severely damaged during the storm, but reopened in less than two months. The people of the community have come together in an incredible effort to rebuild, even better than the original. The first level now has gorgeous, completely redesigned music, dance, and art studios, where the kids can enjoy both: group, and privately scheduled piano, guitar, dance, chess, and art lessons from our highly qualified professionals.
The Islanders Kids Day care center also boasts the New York City Board of Education Universal Pre Kindergarten program, as well as one third of the students entering the City’s Gifted and Talented programs each year. The goal of the Islander’s Kids Learning Center is to bring affordable, well-rounded, advanced education, with high expectations to children 2.0 to 6.0 years old, regardless of race, creed, or cultural background.
The Staten Island Community Center (SICC), school age program goal is to remain as a stable place for children to spend time together in a supervised environment after school. Our teachers pick them up from school, help them with their homework, and provide a nutritious snack. We want to continue to pull school age kids off the streets and provide choices in music, art, and dance so that they can express themselves through the arts. We are providing creative channels for their energy.
The neighborhood is a diverse New York City residential area. The center’s mission is to socialize children in this environment. “We bring all of our children there for their second birthday,” says one mother. “The experience simply cannot be replaced.”
The center’s director/owner, Ella Fridman, has over 30 years of teaching experience in both early childhood education, and music. “We socialize children at a very early age.” The children have obvious routines and enjoy their schedules. They are calm, and make transitions with ease. The entire center runs like clockwork.
Renovations are ongoing after Super storm Sandy both in our building, and in the Staten Island community. Sandy is gone, but we stand up stronger and better than ever!
RE-EMERGING: The Jews of Nigeria is just such a movie.”
-The Jewish Advocate, November 9th, 2012
WRITTEN, PRODUCED, DIRECTED BY: Jeff L. Lieberman MUSIC COMPOSED BY: Jeremiah Lockwood
SYNOPSIS: Like many young men and women growing up in Nigeria, Shmuel consistently heard that the Igbo people were Jews.
Yet, two centuries of Christian Colonialism prevented him and many other Igbo from exploring that connection further. When an Internet café opens in his town, Shmuel begins by comparing Igbo traditions with Hebrew traditions. What he found starts him on a journey that eventually leads him to a community of thousands of Igbo Jews. Yet, despite the Igbo Jews’ passionate commitment to Judaism they are often met with outside scorn, family rejection and violence.
In a devoutly religious country, with an Igbo population of 25 million, the movement has the potential to re-define Judaism. It also raises questions of identity for countless African-Americans, many who were once Igbo.
NEW YORK – April 25, 2013 – After its festival debuts at the Boston, Washington DC, Phoenix, Toronto and Vancouver Jewish Film Festivals and New York’s African Diaspora Film Festival, the QUAD CINEMA and Re-emerging Films are proud to present the New York Theatrical Premiere of Jeff L. Lieberman’s documentary, RE-EMERGING: The Jews of Nigeria (93 minutes) on May 17, 2013.
Praised by CNN, BBC Radio, Newsday, Indiewire, D’Afrique, and Jewcy, RE-EMERGING: THE JEWS OF NIGERIA begins as a journey into the heart of Igboland and into the lives and culture of the Igbo people. But who could have imagined what it finds there?
Unknown to most of the world, across Nigeria there are dozens of village synagogues, maintained by a handful of passionate, committed Igbos, who believe that they are descendants of Jews who had migrated to western Africa, fleeing the destruction of the 1st and 2nd Temples in Jerusalem. With precious few resources they continue to fulfill their historical legacy as Jews.
RE-EMERGING traces a fierce spirit of independence in the Igbos from Biblical times through rebellions during the slave trade and the brutal 1960s Biafran War (which killed over one million Igbos) to the rediscovery of Judaism today. The luminous individuals featured in the film powerfully demonstrate the Igbo’s resilience as well as their firm commitment to Judaism.
Samuel Chukwuma aka Shmuel Tikvah is a young man whose story exemplifies the turn toward Judaism. Today, Shmuel is a leader in his community who teaches and chants Torah and dreams of one day becoming a rabbi. But like almost every Igbo, this gentle and committed spirit grew up in the aftermath of Christian colonialism, and the road to his discoveries has been fraught with antagonisms and misunderstanding, wrong turns into Messianic worship, exile from his family, violent prejudice from both Muslim and Christian neighbors, indifference from Jews he has contacted in the Western world, and a dispiriting lack of funds to further his education beyond what he can discover on the internet. Yet, his has also been a profound recognition of the beauty and inspiration of Judaism in the embrace of his Jewish community.
There is one thread of connection between Shmuel and the Diaspora. Shmuel was discovered by an American Rabbi, Howard D. Gorin, who, since 2001, has been invited to participate in the education and conversion of Native Africans with Jewish aspirations. With generous love and single-minded dedication, Rabbi Gorin has volunteered to work with Shmuel and others to see their dreams become reality. Recently retired, Rabbi Gorin’s former congregation, Tikvat Israel, in Rockville, Maryland, has shipped two 40’ containers to Africa; their contents included Jewish books, computers and an assortment of items ranging from crutches, walkers, bicycles, housewares, and recycled clothing to boxes of matzos.
The film is causing a stir for many African-Americans interested in determining their genetic and ancestral background. With the help of American historians, the film sheds new light on the origins of hundreds of thousands of African slaves brought to American shores—a large number of whom were Igbo. The film uncovers, as well, a previously unknown letter from 1803 that confirms a legend that Igbo slaves revolted in the waters off of St. Simon’s Island, GA and swam to shore and established their own community at “Ibo Landing”. The film also establishes that several prominent African-Americans such as actors Forrest Whitaker and Blair Underwood, and Bishop T.D. Jakes have discovered an Igbo DNA connection, and further, that in areas like the state of Virginia, 60% of African slaves were Igbo.
RE-EMERGING is the first independent film for Director, Jeff L. Lieberman. Lieberman is a Journalist and Producer in New York, whose work has been seen on CBS, HBO, CNN, FOX, Starz Encore, Fox Movie Channel, The Discovery Channel, E! Entertainment, and on the websites of Yahoo!, The New York Post, CBS Moneywatch, and The Huffington Post.
PRODUCER JEFF L. LIEBERMAN IS AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS AND WILL ATTEND SELECTED SCREENINGS
FOR Q&A SCHEDULE PLEASE SEE QUAD WEBSITE AT: http://www.quadcinema.com
RE-EMERGING (93 minutes) Not rated. Opens Friday, April 12 at New York’s QUAD Cinema, 34 West 13th St., New York, NY 10011 p: (212) 255-2243 f: 212) 255-2247; http://www.quadcinema@aol.com
ADVANCE TICKETS SALES CALL 777-FILM #636 / GROUP SALES: BOX OFFICE (212) 255-2243 OR: PURCHASE FROM http://www.movietickets.com – Enter theater zipcode 10011 – scroll to QUAD Cinema
“Every so often a documentary comes along and changes they way you view the world. RE-EMERGING: The Jews of Nigeria is just such a movie” -The Jewish Advocate, November 9th, 2012
“Every so often a documentary comes along and changes they way you view the world. RE-EMERGING: The Jews of Nigeria is just such a movie” -The Jewish Advocate, November 9th, 2012
Like many young men and women growing up in Nigeria, Shmuel consistently heard that the Igbo people were Jews.
Yet, two centuries of Christian Colonialism prevented him and many other Igbo from exploring that connection further. When an Internet café opens in his town, Shmuel begins by comparing Igbo traditions with Hebrew traditions. What he found starts him on a journey that eventually leads him to a community of thousands of Igbo Jews. Yet, despite the Igbo Jews’ passionate commitment to Judaism they are often met with outside scorn, family rejection and violence.
In a devoutly religious country, with an Igbo population of 25 million, the movement has the potential to re-define Judaism. It also raises questions of identity for countless African-Americans, many who were once Igbo.
To put it simply, how did they get there?
The Igbo have been living in West Africa for generations. Many Igbo believe they descend from a forefather named Eri, so some Jewish Igbo believe there might be a link to the biblical Eri, who was the grandson of Jacob, and son of Gad. Others theorize that the Igbo may have been exposed to Judaism through British Colonialists, many who were searching for “Lost Tribes of Israel”. Another possibility is that the Igbo traded with Jewish traders who might have been fleeing persecutions in Spain, Portugal and North Africa. That’s one question the film explores at length.
Jeff Lieberman and his friends
Tell us a bit about yourself
I am a New-York based Journalist, Television Producer and Documentary Filmmaker. I grew up in Vancouver, Canada and trained at Ryerson University in Toronto, and UCLA’s Professional Program in Producing. For many years, I worked as a documentary producer in Los Angles, producing making-of-the-movie programs for HBO, Starz and many DVDs. For the past 5 years, I have been working as a Broadcast Journalist at both The New York Post, and CBS National News. More recently, I have been focused on my production company, RE-EMERGING FILMS, and 2 documentaries, “RE-EMERGING: The Jews of Nigeria” and a documentary film on the late, great Nina Simone.
Where did you get the idea for this project? What was the inspiration?
I was sitting in my office in LA one day when I got an email from a synagogue I sometimes attended. It was an invitation to a lecture and slide show from a Maryland-based rabbi who would be talking about his recent trip to Uganda and Nigeria. On a lark, I went. I thought the subject would be really fascinating as I always had an interest in different forms of Judaism, as well as a love/interest/curiosity about Africa. Viewing Rabbi Howard Gorin’s pictures, I was mesmerized. One picture stands out in particular – a hut in the forest with a Star of David above the door. The rabbi explained that was a synagogue. After the presentation, I approached him and asked him why he didn’t have more pictures and why no video. He said it was just him and a small camera. I told him the next time he goes; I would love to join him. He later told me that he didn’t think I was all that serious, but I followed up with him for several months, and some time later, he called and said if I was really serious to go get my shots and a visa, he was going in February (2006).
Can you tell us a bit about the Igbo language? In particular, is there anything in their language that may suggest Hebrew/Semitic roots?
There are a lot of similar words in both the Hebrew and Igbo Language. Here are 4 examples…
HebrewIgbo
Ivri/Ibri - Igbo
Ketan – Nkenta – Little/Small
Mezuzah – Mezuzo – Relating to the Door
Kol – Ool - Voice
What were the things unique to their culture that linked them to Judaism?
The most prominent similarity is circumcision on the eighth day, which all Igbo, regardless of their faith, practice. There are also many other rituals related to rest day, diet, separation during female menstruation, belief in one God, that are strong links. There is also strong lore in the Igbo faith that speaks of descending from the Israelites/Hebrews/Lost Tribes.
Is it possible that there are people of African-American heritage today that have Igbo, and thus perhaps Hebrew ancestry?
There is definite evidence that a large number of African Americans descend from the Igbo. African Americans & people of the Caribbean descend from 1 of 7 West African groups. The Igbo is one of the 3 largest. Granted, once in the Americas, the groups were mixed extensively with both each other, and the White European-Americans who owned or encountered them. So, most African Americans might trace back to several ethnic groups, although DNA tests might show stronger genetic ties to one group or another.
If large numbers of Igbo in Nigeria believe they are ancestrally Jewish, then it’s not a far leap for an African American with Igbo ancestry to have the same belief.
If the answer is yes, in your opinion, how many are there?
Impossible to know. But many prominent African Americans have discovered Igbo Ancestry including Actors Forrest Whitaker, Blair Underwood & Bishop T.D. Jakes. There are also many African American synagogues where members connect to Judaism through an Igbo link.
So, where can one see this movie? Will it be on DVD, in theaters, and will there be individual screenings?
RE-EMERGING will be playing at NYC’s Quad Cinema from May 17-23, twice daily at 1pm and 7pm. Filmmaker Jeff L. Lieberman will be present at each screening to introduce the film, and take questions from the audience. Tickets and further details at www.re-emergingfilm.com
The film is also available on DVD for $18 plus shipping. It can be purchased at www.re-emergingfilm.com
