Looking Back: The Palestinian Extremist Sim

 

In real-life news, it's been about a month since the Hamas terrorist organization attacked Israel. In the resulting carnage, over 1400 Israelis were killed, notably many civilians in their own neighborhoods or attending a music concert. There have been numerous stories of grenades tossed into safe rooms where terrified families were hiding, and piles of decapitated babies. Many were also taken hostage. American visitors were among both the dead and abducted. 

 

In response, Israel responded by bombing Hamas positions in Gaza, the tiny but densely populated strip of land controlled by the terrorists, and then following up with an invasion. With so many people in the place and the terrorists taking positions so close to where noncombatants lived, the result has been scores of civilian casualties. With the stories of civilian suffering, there have been numerous calls among neighboring Arab states for a ceasefire, and pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the US and Europe. But there has been no alternative plan to get rid of the terrorists. 

 

Eleven years ago in November 2012, there was a less devastating attack on Israel from Hamas involving a number of rockets, resulting in a fight in which Hamas claimed victory despite coming out of it heavily damaged. In Second Life, there was also a Palestinian militant propaganda sim, Jordan River. The place was full of propaganda, referring to the Israelis as "Zionists," comparing them to Nazis, and calling for the end of the nation of Israel. Others spoke out against the place, Hamlet Au of New World Notes calling it a place with the "most extreme forms of expression."One commentator would say, "It seems strange to me that one can have a sim that calls for the annhilation of the state of Israel. And that's okay. But if (I) created one calling for the annhilation of Syria, Iran, Palestine or Egypt, why, then I'd be in violation of the TOS for 'hate speech'. Seems unfair to me."

 

Checking again several months later, Jordon River was gone. While it's possible the owner closed the sim on his own, more likely Linden Lab finally caught wind of the place and shut it down. 

Bixyl Shuftan

Fanny Starr To Present Holocaust Discussion on Youtube, Feb, 22

One of the oldest residents in Second Life is FannyStarr Hilltop, Fanny Starr in real life. As a Holocaust survivor, she has on occasion talked about her experiences in Second Life, such as in March 2015 when she spoke at the VWBPE conference. Later this month, she will be having another discussion. But it will be on Youtube, and not Second Life.

"We tried to have it in SL, too many people," Explorer Dastardly, FannyStar's real-life daughter, told the Newser, "At least 1000 or more on live Youtube that we know of. ... The sims would crash, so I asked Spiff, and one idea was Youtube live." As of now, there are no plans for an inworld location of any kind where the event will be discussed, "I wanted to use cookie, the amp theater, but only 40 avatars allowed. But on Youtube you'll be able to ask questions. We will have a moderator."

Despite the efforts of historians and people like her to educate the public, Holocaust denial is still an issue. "It's a very serious issue, on grand scale worldwide." She went on to say the problem wasn't just neo-Nazis and radical Muslims, but people in politics and business whom were either incompetent or just didn't care. She cited one Huffington Post news article about Amazon allowing the sale of books calling the Holocaust a "myth", and a Washington Post story in which this year's annual statement from the White House on International Holocaust Remembrance Day failed to mention the six million Jews whom were murdered. Of the later, she felt was probably a sign of ineptness rather than malice, "We don't know, but its caused a lot of fear and hate. We'll talk about that next Wed. night."

The event is on Wednesday, February 22 at 6:20PM SL time, with the link at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MuM7hRFZKo&feature=youtu.be

Bixyl Shuftan

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Our Mission

My husband I decided to carry on a painful legacy, and we wanted to fight Holocaust denial. I’m braver than the other survivors; I want people to listen. No one can attempt to identify the faith that humanity can learn from its mistakes. We use live technologies, and other live venues followed by discussions to promote awareness and understanding of the Holocaust from a living witness.

I have a mission to complete to tell the world what happened, especially to the deniers. 

We cannot forget the blessed memories: My family, my late husband, and his family and my late son Morris. I cherish my daughters Hilda, and Helen. I cherish my son-in-law Irwin, my grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 

Please join us; we know you cannot make it to CSU's Holocaust event featuring Fanny Starr, Holocaust Survivor.  Please join us on YouTube live, on Wednesday, February 22, 2017.

How To: 

YouTube Live Access Link: Available on February 22, 2017 at  6:20 pm

Steps to Access the Live Event
 
Step 1. Click the link the arrow is pointing to
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MuM7hRFZKo&feature=youtu.be

Step 2.  Once the link is open look for the Subscribe button. Click on it and accept.

Step 3. Click on the power button

Step 4.  Sit back, watch, and listen 

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Best Regards

Fanny Starr and Helen R. Starr

Any information shared by Fanny Starr and Helen R. Starr is protected by intellectual property and copyrights. Thank you

New Homeland For The Jews (2007)

The early Second Life Newspaper was at first much different than the newsletter it would become, with short posts with one or two pictures. But throughout 2007, it would publish more and longer articles. In May 2007, SLN reporter Miralee Munro covered the opening of the Jewish Historical Museum and Synagogue in Ir Shalom.

Read Miralee's article in Places.

Holocaust Survivor Speaks at the VWBPE Conference

Last Friday March 20, Holocaust survivor Fanny Starr (FannyStarr Hilltop) spoke to an audience at the Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education Conference about her experiences during her ordeals from the Lodz Ghetto to the concentration camp of Bergen Belsen. She was with her real-life daughter Explorer Dastardly onstage, who helped with the discussion. The people there had a number of questions for them about the atrocity, and some related issues.

Read about the event in People.

Second Life Synagogue

With Hanukkah (also spelled Chanukah) taking place this time of year, a religious friend suggested I could try to find something related to the holiday. As it turns out, there happens to be a synagogue here on the Grid, the Second Life Synagogue.

The place looked colorful, built in the style of the earlier mainland days of the Grid. There were some chuckles, such as a flying fish cake, and a couple cutouts explaining the inspiration for the Vulcan salute. On a more serious note, one could also pick up some notecards explaining about Judaism.

Outside the building was a menorah with three candles lit. So somebody was lighting it as the days went on.

Next to the synagogue was where the "Torah Talk" discussion group met. A sign on the wall read, "Torah Talk is a discussion group made up of a very diverse group of individuals. We come from many countries. We speake many languages, and We observe differently. Some of us have studied for years, and some of us are taking our first baby steps into Torah Education." There was dreidel toy spinning around there.

Hanukkah did not originate in the days of the Old Testament. What happened was several years after Judea was taken over by Syria around 200 BC, it's new ruler began outlawing Judaism and it's practices. When it was ordered that pigs, an animal considered unfit to eat by the Jews, be sacrificed at the Temple of Jerusalem, the result was rebellion. Despite being outnumbered, the rebels succeeded, and the temple was to be cleansed and rededicated. But they needed kosher olive oil to burn throughout the ceremony, and only a day's worth was found. According to belief, somehow the oil burned for eight days, which was the time needed to prepare a fresh supply. To celebrate the miracle, an eight day festival was declared.

The Second Life Synagogue is part of the TMA Jewish Neighborhood , in the sim of Nessus.

Nessus (36, 143, 103)

Bixyl Shuftan

Visiting Second Life Israel

Grey Lupindo has been out traveling again. In her most recent article, she checks out Israel Island. She found much to look at, such as history and memorials. But that wasn't all. There were displays of artwork, a balloon tour, music, and more.

Read more in Places.

Passover Service in Second Life (March 2010)

In March 2010 on Palm Sunday, Bixyl Shuftan was at a virtual Passover service in Second Life. The event was performed by a Christian group whom saw great value for followers in learning about what has traditionally been a Jewish practice. Although done four years ago, this event still stands out as how Second Life can be used for religious education.

Read more in Events.

Palestinian Extremist Sim Gone

In November last year, Second Life Newser reported on the Jordan River sim (article), of which the owners had built an area to support the cause of Palestinian terrorist groups whose goal it was to topple and overthrow the state of Israel. Taking a look back there recently, the Arabic scripts and black, red, & white flags were gone. The sim was now in someone else's hands for whatever other means they wanted, and all of the propaganda gone.

It is unclear exactly when in the previous year the old owners lost the sim, and why. Perhaps Linden Lab finally decided to put their foot down about residents actively calling out for the end of a democratic country, and it's people (which include Muslim and Christian Arabs among it's citizens and government, in addition to the descendants of Jewish people from Europe whom had returned to the place of their ancestral orgin). Or perhaps it was closed from the owners not being able to pay their teir. Or maybe it's builders closed it on their own, deciding there was a better use for their time and money.

Whatever the reason, while the end of a sim is usually a sad occasion, this time most residents are more likely to take the news with relief.

Bixyl Shuftan

Palestinian Propaganda Sim

Recent events in the news included the latest eruption of violence between Israel and the Palestinians with the launching of rockets into the former from Gaza. It isn't just in the news that one can find Arabs and Israeli's bickering. There's a sim in Second Life owned by residents supporting Palestinian resistance, made as a place to display propaganda.

Read more in Places.

Rosh Hashanah

One of my real-life friends told me it was the Jewish New Year, or Rosh Hashanah today. Doing a search, I came across a "Jewish Neighborhood in Second Life" at Nessus. There was a sizeable white synagogue, and a number of smaller buildings, such as this one shown.

Nessus (23, 142, 103)

What's Going On in Your SL Church?

Last year at Palm Sunday, the You Are Loved Ministries held a virtual Passover service. Attented by over 80, it was an experience many found educational, some spiritually uplifting, some both.

SL Newser is interested in what is going on at the various churches in Second Life this Easter season. If you belong to a religious group on the Grid, please let us know what special events you will be doing online.

Image from Second Life Newspaper