Tribute to Aly Raisman
 | By Jonathan Hoffman
August 15, 2012 | Share |
Aly Raisman is the US Gold Medal-winning Gymnast who chose Hava Nagila as her music, to honour the 11 Israelis murdered at Munich and to shame the IOC who failed to do so
http://richardmillett.wordpress.com/2012/07/30/hava-nagila-inspires-usas...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2185361/Olympics-2012-U-S-gymnas...
Written by Latin-Israeli Dance teacher from Cornell - Dan Yagudin
Dear Aly Raisman,
I want to tell you about how you became the hero of a gym full of Israeli soldiers.
...The same Israeli soldiers who have to deal with Iran's nuclear threat to the Jewish state. The same ones who serve two-to-three years of their lives, because we have to; because there's no one else that would do it besides us, because our neighborhood sucks, and when the leadership next door in Syria massacres their own people, there's no way we would let them lay hands on our kids, as foreign dictators have done for thousands of years.You picked a song for your floor routine in the Olympics that every Jewish kid knows, whether their families came from the shtetls of Eastern Europe, the Asian steppes of Azerbaijan, the mountains of Morocco or the Kibbutzim of northern Israel. It's that song that drew almost everyone at the Israeli army base gym to the TV as soon as the report about you came on the news this morning. After showing your floor exercise to Hava Nagila, the announcer told about your gold medal with unmasked pride, and of your decision to dedicate it to the Israeli athletes who were killed in the Munich Olympics in 1972.
There were some tough people at that gym, Aly. Men and Women, Battalion Commanders from Intelligence, Captains from the navy, Lieutenants from the Armored Corps and more. You probably understand that words like 'bravery' and 'heroism' carry a lot of weight coming from them, as does a standing ovation (even from the people doing ab exercises.) There was nothing apologetic about what you did. For so long we've had to apologize for who we are: for how we dress, for our beliefs, for the way we look. It seems like the International Olympic Committee wanted to keep that tradition. Quiet, Jews. Keep your tragedy on the sidelines. Don't disturb our party.
They didn't count on an 18 year-old girl in a leotard.
There wasn’t one person at the gym who didn’t know what it was like to give back to our people, not one who didn’t know what happened to the good people who died in 1972, not one who didn’t feel personally insulted by their complete neglect in the London Olympics, the 40 year anniversary of their deaths, and not one who didn’t connect with your graceful tribute in their honor.
Thank you for standing up against an injustice that was done to our people. As I was walking back to my machine at the gym, I caught one of the officers saluting your image on television. I think that says it all.
COMMENTS
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 12:13 Rate this: 3 points | A beautiful routine and touching sentiment expressed by Ms Raisman. |
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 12:27 Rate this: 5 points | Postscript: If Aly had chosen the music in memory of the murdered athletes it would have been legitimate and admirable. The fact is the thought never occurred. " ......and to shame the IOC...." Where on earth did you get that from ? Where does she say she chose her music to shame the UOC ? All in all rather the poor girl seems to be both bemused and being used. |
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 12:41 Rate this: 6 points | The wonderful thing about Hoffie is that when he is lying he cheerfully provides links that prove it. |
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 12:49 Rate this: -4 points | American gymnast Aly Raisman has revealed the music for her gold medal-winning floor routine at the London Olympics was a tribute to the victims of the 1972 Munich Games terror attack. The 18-year-old said choosing Hava Nagila- a traditional score used for wedding dances and bat mitzvah - was a response to the International Olympic Committee's failure to mark the 40th anniversary of the tragedy. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2185361/Olympics-2012-U-S-gymnas... |
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 13:58 Rate this: 5 points | Oh Jonathan do try to come over a little less desperate. That is a headline of a BLOG. Nowhere in the body of the report does she say that. Are you attempting to say that we should take YOUR blog headlines as gospel ? Even in this piece of nonsense she is quoted as saying what is entirely consistent with what she is quoted as saying in the widely quoted New York Post interview. " I am Jewish that's why I wanted that floor music. I wanted something the Croud could clap to..." Compare " having that floor music wasn't intentional............." How long ago was the music chosen do you think? Do try to do better Jonathan. Any better luck on her setting out to shame the IOC ? I find it hateful how Jonathan and his ilk try to use people like this. |
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 14:04 Rate this: -5 points | http://rr-bb.com/showthread.php?178822-Munich-Victim-s-Son-Thanks-Aly-Ra... Well if the son of one of the victims thinks Raisman's choice of music was part of her tribute then I for one take the Mail newspaper article at face value. Only the most hardened and petty Israel basher would question it. |
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 14:26 Rate this: 6 points | Nonsense he doesn't say that. Once again you are making stuff up. This isn't about " Israel bashing " or Israel at all. It is about not letting YOU get away with LYING. Looks like you are busted again Hoffie. Hold your hands up, apologise and we won't mention it again. Not here anyway. |
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 15:16 Rate this: 5 points |
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Thu, 08/16/2012 - 15:20 Rate this: -5 points | It's self evident that you have failed to read the main body of the Mail article by Leon Watson . |
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 15:46 Rate this: 5 points | What a bunch of nonsense. That little girl, while a proud American Jew, had no intention of "SHAMING THE IOC" after being plucked out of athletic obscurity from among however many other competitors numbering in the thousands who wanted her position. You rabid extremists need to get a grip on yourselves and stop looking for validation from without. Instead of groveling around the for patronising acknowledgements and solicited attaboys, you should be sending the world a clear message that you're Jewish and proud and here to stay, end of story, and stop this shameful neurotic search for acknowledgement where it's not appropriate. Jonathan Hoffman, you ought to know better. You'd be laughed out of town if you tried this over here. You constantly look around for something or someone to project your own shambolic emotions on regardless of whether the facts or circumstances fit or not. This little girl was handy. She played a Jewish song and that was close enough for you. |
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 15:57 Rate this: 5 points | Personally, I prefer my sirloin steak a little leaner. |
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 16:02 Rate this: -5 points | American whatever |
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 16:20 Rate this: 6 points | As Happy goldfish pointed out, the Daily Mail got this one wrong in their zeal for a story. All other interviews on this subject quote her, her family, and her rabbi as sending no particular message except for Jewish pride. AFTER her gold medal win, she decided to pay tribute to the slain 11, but not before. |
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 16:23 Rate this: 4 points | You and Jonathan will have to find some other way to try to "shame" the IOC, cabbie. |
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 16:27 Rate this: -5 points | Sister |
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 16:35 Rate this: 5 points | 'Aly Raisman has revealed the music for her gold medal winning routine was a tribute to the victims of the 1972 Munich games terror attack and an indictment of the IOC failure to hold a minutes silence in their honour . ' Revealed where and when Harv ? I saw where she revealed that the choice of music wasn't intentional. |
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 16:41 Rate this: -5 points | Again read the Daily Mail article |
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 16:50 Rate this: -5 points | News Home Arts Headlines Pictures Most read News Board Login American gymnast Aly Raisman has revealed the music for her gold medal-winning floor routine at the London Olympics was a tribute to the victims of the 1972 Munich Games terror attack. The 18-year-old said choosing Hava Nagila- a traditional score used for wedding dances and bat mitzvah - was a response to the International Olympic Committee's failure to mark the 40th anniversary of the tragedy. And for Aly, from Needham, Massachusetts, she said it made her gold even more special. 'I can only imagine how painful it must be for the families and close personal friends of the victims,' she said. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2185361/Olympics-2012-U-S-gymnas... |
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 16:52 Rate this: -5 points | As it appears there is a need to spell it out for those who are too blind to see or just plain dumb |
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 17:03 Rate this: -5 points | Sister |
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 17:19 Rate this: -5 points |
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 17:25 Rate this: 5 points | Welcome to the party, Harvey. I do so hate it when you get so upset. But so much as I hate it when you insist that black is white, and when I see you joining in the bemusing and using of this young girl. I think that JAP brilliantly summed up the pathology of what is happening. Tell me Harvey, did Aly make these statements directly to a Daily Mail blog spot? Where and when was she interviewed by the Daily Mail? Do we have the name of the Daily Mail Journalist who interviewed her? Given that all this contradicts what she said before and at the games, and what she, her family, and even her rabbi have said since, you surely will want to bear with the people if they want to know. |
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 17:29 Rate this: -2 points | Mary |
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 17:36 Rate this: 3 points | It has been revealed on this very blog spot that Harvey doesn't know what day it is, and on which side of the road he is supposed to be driving his cab. There you go. Settled. Harvey, you make about as good a job of flirting with Mary as you do insulting JAP. The simple fact is that Aly Raisman is Jewish, proud of it and chose that music to express this. |
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 17:53 Rate this: 3 points | I didn't intend to spend so much time on this nonsense this morning. It has all become very belabored and tedious. I just will add that the hijacking of a young, proud, apolitical Jewish girl and her achievment is appalling. I would further repeat that if you tried it over here, you would be run out of town on a rail. The toxicity of it all is disgusting. |
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 17:56 Rate this: -2 points | Zaheerayin |
Fri, 08/17/2012 - 14:11 Rate this: 2 points | In summary It is not Aly Raisman's fault that Israel didn't win a medal at the games that they could waive at the IOC. Leave her in peace to enjoy the deserved fruits of her hard work. She adopted that routine with the music well over a year ago when she was 16 years old. Please stop making things up, Jonathan. It used to be quite funny but I am starting to find it chilling. |
Fri, 08/17/2012 - 14:18 Rate this: -2 points | http://www.thejc.com/news/world-news/72149/gold-medal-winner-aly-raisman...
Only the most hardened and petty Israel basher would question the reasons for Raisman's choice of music ... |
Fri, 08/17/2012 - 16:48 Rate this: 2 points | Heard from whom? Isi Liebler? Citation please, Jonathan. Jonathan, I can keep this up as long as you can, and will. And if I get tired, Zaheer will. Aly has been performing this routine to that music for well over a year, since she was barely 16 years old. If you think that Munich was in the forefront in the child's mind at that time, then you probably think Harvey is a Rhodes scholar, shortly to enter astronaut training. http://richardmillett.wordpress.com/ "In an interview with JTA, Raisman said that she's proud to be using the traditional Jewish tune "because there aren't too many Jewish athletes out there" among the world's top gymnasts. National team coordinator Martha Karolyi suggested a general idea of Jewish music, and Raisman's mother, Lynn, found the up-tempo rendition of the song that the gymnast uses through an Internet search." |
Fri, 08/17/2012 - 17:14 Rate this: 2 points | "Only the most hardened and petty Israel basher would question the reasons for Raisman's choice of music ..." Dear G-d Jonathan, this is not about Israel, it is about YOU. Unless you ARE Israel. |
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Mary in Brighton
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 12:00
Rate this:
Oh dear dear Jonathan. It's so sad to see you making it up as you go along again.
"Aly Raisman is the US Gold Medal-winning Gymnast who chose Hava Nagila as her music, to honour the 11 Israelis murdered at Munich and to shame the IOC who failed to do so"
Where on earth did you get that from? We certainly don't see it if we follow your link to Richard Millet's blog, and nor does a thorough search on the internet take us to it. What we do find is....
“Having that floor music wasn’t intentional,” Raisman said in a New York Post cover story under the banner headline “Star of David.”
“The fact it was on the 40th anniversary is special, and winning the gold today means a lot to me. If there had been a moment’s silence, I would have supported it and respected it.”
You really can be a very naughty boy.