The principal of New York's first Arab charter school defended the sale of T-shirts that say "Intifada NYC."
Dhabah Almontaser, principal of the soon-to-open Khalil Gibran School in Brooklyn, defended the sale of the shirts, produced by a company that shares office with an organization for which Almontaser serves as spokeswoman.
Sale of the T-shirts, which prompted a critical news story in the New York Post on Monday, was condemned by New York state assemblyman Dov Hikind, an Orthodox Jew from Brooklyn.
In a letter to the New York schools chancellor, Joel Klein, Hikind said it is "outrageous" that Almontaser would "support and hail" the T-shirts.
"It is grossly insensitive," Hikind said. "I have had personal friends killed in the recent intifada. What is Ms. Almontaser thinking? If this is her mindset, a radicalized vision of Islam, she poses a danger to New York City students and she should be removed immediately. She has disqualified herself from being a principal in any New York City school."
Almontaser told the Post that while she understands the "negative connotation" the word "intifada" carries from its association with Palestinian violence, she doesn't believe the T-shirt's producers intended to promote violence in New York City.
"I think it's pretty much an opportunity for girls to express that they are part of New York City society ... and shaking off oppression," Almontaser said.
A spokesman for the Anti-Defamation League called the T-shirts "disturbing."
BagelBlogger: This is just so out of control. The US accommodates these fruit cakes and allows them to set up what essentially is a Madrasah. Just what the United States needs a school teaching more Muslims militant Islamic Fundamentalism views.
Can you imagine the up roar if a local NY school started selling 'Kill Palestinians/muslims' tshirts?
Well, please tell me the difference?
References:
JTA: Arabic School under Fire
Check out more on this at Hot Air: Intifada NYC
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Orthodox NY Teen dies
An Orthodox Jewish teenager was killed Monday when the van he was in overturned on a Maine highway.
Gedalia Rosenblatt, 15, from New York, was killed en route from the Bethel Wilderness Camp in upstate New York to a canoe trip along the Penobscot River when the van he was traveling in plowed into the median, then veered back into the road and down an embankment where it overturned.
The Bangor Daily News reported that 10 other boys, aged 14 to 18, and two camp counselors traveling in the van survived. Several suffered serious injuries.
Members of Bangor's Jewish community went to the accident scene to help out and counseled the teens at Eastern Maine Medical Center, where the survivors were taken, within an hour of the accident. Synagogue leaders from Beth Abraham, a local Orthodox shul, provided the teens with yarmulkes and teffilin and helped organize kosher food for them.
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