Kunjuppu,
I am a big zero when it comes to Jewish history. But right now many of our members feel that tabras are a "persecuted lot" for no fault of theirs. In that very limited sense, we all know that Hitler persecuted the Jews, Tabras are being persecuted. I feel this is the main reason for the Jews-Tabras-Hitler topic coming up again and again.
But I have read somewhere that Hitler had valid reason/s to feel against Jews, not only from his own life experiences but as a general grievance of the non-Jewish population. In that book it was also emphasized that it was not just the "magic" force of Hitler's oratory but the sub-terranean dislike of Jews which made the Nazi to become as popular as it became and most old non-Jew Germans were sympathetic to it though it was the youngsters who joined the party in large numbers.
May be you are the proper person to clarify the actual position.
Thank you sangom.
There is no comparison between jews and tambrams. Their histories and antecedents, are place in their societies are completely different. Let me give an encapsulated version of jewish history per moi.
Jesus was a jew. Jews were ruled by romans. Romans killed jesus, with jews’ connivance, as jesus claimed to be son of god, whereas jews of those times believed all the prophets had already arrived on this earth. With that started the thollai for the jews.
The jews lost their homeland, before jesus was born, and so they dispersed. We are talking not big distances or big numbers, but myths are born with losses. These myths become the succour of one’s sorrows and instigate dreams, whether it be of revenge or return. That is why every year the jews rallying cry, ‘next year in jerusalem’.
Till the 1500s christianity just about despised the jews. The jews had followed xtianity to all parts of the roman empire, and as xtianity spread to Europe along with it came the jews. Xtianity, like islam forbid usury or lending of money. So jews became money lenders. Money lending is very profitable. So jews made lot of money, which incited jealousy. Because jews did not arm themselves, it became open season for every bully to pick on the jews. (the moral: teach your children to defend themselves).
Germany was the first European country to fully open up all aspects of life to jews. So starting from 1600s jews became part of german life and many of them assumed german names, and lapsed in their own religion. England, treated them correct but worse. There were no pogroms (organised attacks) in England, but effectively kept them out through their class system (which was as hierarchical, and as rigid as our caste system).
Kaiser Wilhelm 2nd started world war 1 and lost. the war was fought in france mostly and I think 1/3 of france’s young men (18 – 22) died. England too bled. But germany even though defeated had its factories and mills intact. So the victorious allies made germany pay heavily for the war. This caused great resentment, and also wrecked german economy and caused inflation, thus destroying savings.
Hitler was a corporal – message runner during the war, and was awarded for bravery. Several thousand jews fought for germany in ww1 and were medalled.
Hitler after the war, got hit by a car. It was a jewish guy who saved his life by rushing him to a doctor (jewish ofcourse). But all along anti jewish feelings were there in all of Europe. Hitler added to it his race theory and effectively gassed 6 million jews from all over Europe, during world war 2 (1939-45)
Incidentally, islam considered the jews as people of the book (along with xtians) and treated the jews with tolerance. The irony after world war 2, all these arab jews (Sephardim) did a 180 degree change in attitude by opting for Israel, which was a western fabrication along with jewish group called Zionists.
Zionist were European jews, who in late 1800s, being tired of persecution in Europe, advocated a return to their ancient homeland of Israel. Except that this geographical area, was now Palestine, and occupied fully by arabs, and there were hardly jews there. there were xtian arabs there in pockets (Bethlehem, Jerusalem etc).
After the war, guilty west approved the setup of Israel, and disposed a couple of hundred thousand arabs, who were shunned by other arabs. These Palestinian refugees, lived in refugee camps in gaza and west bank of river Jordan, and now multiplied to a couple of million (large families).
So, dear sangom, pray tell me, where does the jew and tambram history cross. Not a single line of cross section.
South of india, there were jews in kochi, who have now moved on to Israel. But no where in tamil nadu. Jews from iraq (sassons) did business in india in 1800s, 1900s during british rule. But they too left.
The jews have a history of philanthropy. Wherever they went they contributed generously for the welfare of the locals. In north india there are david sasson hospitals, I think, they were free or subsidized.
Tambrams are known for tightfistedness, even the rich, and very rich. Poverty is glorified for the poor.
When a rich jew dies, his obituary would boast of the good deeds that he did – how many hospitals, schools and charities that he built and supported. When recently sivasailam died, there were list of companies that he headed. Not one line for any charity involved. I am not complaining, but calling a spade a spade.
Starting from the 1800s when jews were permitted to the universities, they have developed a tradition not only for learning, but for critical thought. Along with the scots, the jews are overwhelmingly represented in the nobel prizes. Tambrams can this as a rep of india, but still lag in total numbers, way behind the jews.
Orthodox jews, shave their women’s head, keep them apart during their menses, and have kosher laws which to me looks very confusing. Much like our concept of theetu and aacharam.
It is interesting that jewish initiatives are best thriving in a Christian gentile society. The state of Israel, after 60 years or so, is still dependent of American largess for its high standard of living. If that pipeline is turned off, every Israeli jew would be knocking the immigration doors of usa or other white societies.
For the American jews, the threat today isnot of persecution but assimilation. When you have no bogey to fear, complacency sets in. 1 in 3 jews intermarry gentiles, most of these do not practise the faith and above all do not impart jewish values to their children. Maybe this sounds a familiar lament of tambrams in the usa too? I don’t know.
Tambrams have never been persecuted in tamil nadu the way the jews of Europe were. Tambrams smelled opportunities for better life in the erstwhile british empire of india, the Indian states, Ceylon, Malaya, Singapore, burma and made good in these places. Till recently it was the fear of crossing the sea and losing caste that forced us to stay within land journeyable borders. Now we don’t care, and world is our limit.
Sangom, so concludes my brief foray into the history of jews. The jews in my opinion are giants, to tambrams’ pygmies. Let us not puff ourselves to non existing pretensions, let alone realities.
Thank you.
