Reggae Singer Matisyahu’s performance at the Spanish Rototom Sunsplash Reggae Festival was cancelled due to BDS threats only to be rescheduled after fierce criticism of the antisemitic cancellation. During the show, Matisyahu was faced with protests and jeering from Palestinian activists who waved massive Palestinian flags and signs in front of the stage. But Matisyahu remained steadfast in his commitment to peace and to music and played his hit song, “Jerusalem” about the 3,000 year Jewish connection to the land of Israel. After his performance, Matisyahu tweeted a clip from his performance of “Jerusalem” and said, “Tonight was not easy but at the end of it all I feel blessed to be given the opportunity. Thank You!”

I feel so grateful to live in this crazy world, of all types of types, of agreeing to disagree, and having the opportunity to stand up for myself, my rights, my people, my beliefs, and how I live my life.  I feel so proud of my fellow Jews for doing the same, we have to speak up, make our voices heard, loud and proud, united, strong, one big family.

I am also grateful that my version of Jewish, tradition, family, and practice is accepted, respected and left alone.  I love living in an orthodox Jewish community, every Saturday everything closes down, everybody turns off their electronic devices, spends time with family and friends, and rests from the week before and recharges for the week ahead.  We literally live in the Jewish Downtown, every type of kosher food you can imagine, Thai, Mexican, Japanese, Persian, you name it, we got it.  The holidays shut down the town, all you can hear is celebration, love, hope, prayer, and well wishes for each other.  I read an article about a point of view of why it is good to let the men have their brotherhood, and I do agree on many of the points, to each their own, but I firmly believe that I am the queen, and it is important to make my husband feel like the king.

http://forward.com/sisterhood/319559/why-im-ok-staying-out-of-the-orthodox-boys-club/

This article is from a proud Jew, I enjoyed reading it,

http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2014/07/why_i_am_proud_to_be_a_jew.html

On the right side of this newspaper you will see statistics of Jewish population going up all over the world, even more than pre-holocaust!

http://issuu.com/jewishhomela/docs/la_jh_7-2-15_lo/45?e=7985120/13903792

Below is a video of Jerusalem by Matisyahu with the lyrics,

Loud and Proud Jew,

Coach Yulia

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