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The Jewish community in New York is protesting a recent attempt to silence Jewish activist Pamela Geller, who holds lectures in which she warns against the dangers of Islam and jihad which are spreading in Europe and the U.S.
Geller is co-founder of the American Freedom Defense Initiative and has been at the forefront of championing causes that have to do with democracy, freedom, liberty and justice through her role as a leading blogger at "Atlas Shrugs", a co-founder of "Stop the Islamization of America" and a prolific writer on the subject of the threat to the American value system that she feels is represented by insidious encroachment of Sharia law in the Western world.
Arutz Sheva has learned that several weeks ago, Geller was invited to speak at one of the synagogues in Great Neck, but local Jewish leftist activists exerted heavy pressure on the synagogue, in order to prevent her from speaking.
Members of the local Jewish community told Arutz Sheva on Sunday that the leftists threatened to take action against the synagogue if it allows Geller to speak there. The rabbi of the synagogue eventually surrendered and cancelled the lecture, they said.
Local Chabad members, however, heard the story and, deciding that freedom of expression is a supreme value, allowed Geller to lecture at one of the local Chabad synagogues. The Chabad members were also threatened but did not give up. The community members said that even when well-respected donors told Chabad they would block financial aid if they let Geller speak, Chabad was not deterred and said it intended, despite the threats, to allow Geller to be heard.
On Sunday, Geller was given the opportunity to give her lecture in the presence of many Jews.
Geller is co-founder of the American Freedom Defense Initiative and has been at the forefront of championing causes that have to do with democracy, freedom, liberty and justice through her role as a leading blogger at "Atlas Shrugs", a co-founder of "Stop the Islamization of America" and a prolific writer on the subject of the threat to the American value system that she feels is represented by insidious encroachment of Sharia law in the Western world.
Arutz Sheva has learned that several weeks ago, Geller was invited to speak at one of the synagogues in Great Neck, but local Jewish leftist activists exerted heavy pressure on the synagogue, in order to prevent her from speaking.
Members of the local Jewish community told Arutz Sheva on Sunday that the leftists threatened to take action against the synagogue if it allows Geller to speak there. The rabbi of the synagogue eventually surrendered and cancelled the lecture, they said.
Local Chabad members, however, heard the story and, deciding that freedom of expression is a supreme value, allowed Geller to lecture at one of the local Chabad synagogues. The Chabad members were also threatened but did not give up. The community members said that even when well-respected donors told Chabad they would block financial aid if they let Geller speak, Chabad was not deterred and said it intended, despite the threats, to allow Geller to be heard.
On Sunday, Geller was given the opportunity to give her lecture in the presence of many Jews.
