Posted to Jewish News on

P Is for Palestine: Kids’ Book Glorifies Terror

A children’s book titled “P is for Palestine” is infuriating some New York Jewish mothers — who charge that it’s nothing but anti-Semitic propaganda disguised as a kids’ alphabet book.

From the Algemeiner:

Controversy erupted in a Facebook group of Upper East Side mothers this week after one member posted an advertisement for a reading of her new children’s book titled, P Is For Palestine.

The illustrated text, authored by Dr. Golbarg Bashi, includes a line that says, “I is for Intifada, Intifada is Arabic for rising up for what is right, if you are a kid or grownup!”

“Intifada” is an Arabic word meaning “tremor” that is most commonly associated around the world with two violent Palestinian uprisings against Israel in recent decades that included numerous bombing, shooting and stabbing attacks.

One responder to Bashi’s post in the “UES Mommas” group, Bryce Gruber-Hermon, wrote, “Hey everyone! Let’s talk about one of those intifadas! Real family members of mine were MURDERED. Innocent women who never carried a gun, knife, or anything more than a book. My husband has 2 bullets in his back from those intifadas you’re justifying. If you think these are okay or fair or reasonable or just part of politics, you’re flat out telling me my family deserves to be dead. You’re not that bad of a person, are you?”

The reading was held on Saturday at Book Culture on Columbus.

Related Articles

12 Comments

  • Milhouse

    “Intifada” is an Arabic word meaning “tremor”

    No, it isn’t. Intifada means self-liberation, from the root פדה. That’s also where we get Fedayeen, freedom fighters. The prefix “inti-” is like התפעל.

    • to milhoser

      go inti yourself. we all know what they mean by intifada. They want to destroy Israel and all the Jews.

    • Milhouse

      Well apparently you don’t know, and nor does whoever wrote this article. In your case it’s because you’re an ignorant and incurious boor, but I’ll do the writer the courtesy of considering it an honest mistake that he will appreciate being corrected.

  • Frightening

    So sad for this golus
    Here we are celebrating our victory of the seforim which brings kedusha to the world and then seeing this

  • What they do...

    Clearly the inspiration for this “book” is to be found in children’s teaching materials in the Arab world which promote violent and virulent anti-Israel, anti-Semitic attitudes and behavior. We teach peace, they teach hate.

  • Milhouse

    Idea: how about a bunch of us men go to the book reading and drive the author crazy with questions. It’ll be so much fun!!!

  • Yitz

    Gee, the author could have written:
    “I” is for “Israel”, which is the ancient name of the homeland of the Jewish people.
    Now THAT would be educational!

    • Milhouse

      “I” is for “Israel”, which is the ancient name of the homeland of the Jewish people.

      No, it isn’t. The land was never called “Israel” until 1948. Try J for Judæa.