Jews - why do people (historically) hate them?

I have great respect for all people whether they are Jew, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist or whatever. But, I must relate an incident yesterday.

We were in NE London and my wife was taking a very innocent photo of a squirrel up a tree. We happened to be outside a synagogue. A Jewish man, driving a car, stopped us and asked us to stop taking photos. My wife was very angry. Clearly the person was fearing we were taking photos with a view to attacking the synagogue. Nothing could have been further from our minds.

If any race in the UK wants to minimise risks they should blend into our culture and not try to be a race apart: NE London is full of Hassidic Jewish people in their unique dress. In 15 minutes of trying, I managed to get 2 Jews to acknowledge my existence. They prefer to live separate lives. No, the Jewish community is its own worst enemy sadly.

One of my good friends is Jewish. In my illness she has been kindness itself.

By the way I managed to shake hands with the man. Shalom my friend.

Anti-Jewish feelings?

It saddens me that so many Jewish people find the UK is anti-Semitic but many Jews chose to live apart: separate schools, avoidance of eye contact in the streets (try it - it took 15 minutes or more in a Jewish part of north London to make any eye contact and the Jew who eventually did make eye contact was shocked!). Sorry, but in an inclusive society all groups must try to integrate. This applies to all groups and not just Jewish people.  By the way, some of the kindest people I know are Jewish. I am all for love and kindness between all peoples.

Auschwitz - 70 years on since liberation

Some years ago I visited Auschwitz. Even in the 21st century this Nazi death camp still gave me shivers. It is a miserable place and during WW2 it must have been horrific.

Today, hatred of the Jews seems to be on the increase. I have no sympathy for Israel's position over Gaza and Israel's position on the Palestinian people. All I wish is that everyone can respect the views of others and of their right to exist and worship as they wish, even if they chose to do so differently. Life is too short for hatred.

Arab, Christian, Jew? It matters not. What matters is we all share this little planet together, and should do so  in peace.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30996555 .

Middle East politics

The politics of the Middle East is hard to fathom. Over the years there have been plenty of injustices and many continue even now. I do NOT have the answers but wish that the people of the region could live in peace and mutual respect - many are different e.g. Arabs and Jews, yet surely more is gained by acceptance of each's right to exist than forever trying to annihilate the other?

It saddens me to see a region so troubled.

I wonder what will happen when the world learns to live without oil? Our heavy dependency on a peaceful Middle East will end. I suspect the West will just leave them to their own devices.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-30258537 . In Egypt I have no idea about the rights or wrongs of recent events, but I am pleased the judge dismissed charges of murder against Egypt's past president.  All should learn that forgiveness is the most powerful force in the world. It has always been so since the dawn of humanity.