I Smell Legal Problems
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But what the hell do you call it when 50 Shekel’s friends at Jews for Jesus hijack your website’s name, logo and format and launch their own site, truejewschool.com? Oh, wait, I think it’s called “trademark infringement.”
***
Dear 50,
I’m sorry I dissed your music and made you want to kill yourself and take Jesus into your heart. I think I’ve already said that. But, please don’t make me sue you. For your own sake, get over it.
Love,
Mobius
*** UPDATE ***
The other night I was hanging out in Kikar Tziyon, waiting for CK and Laya, when this dati (Orthodox) guy frantically approached me and asked if he could use my cellphone. When I asked him what the trouble was, he explained that there was a missionary a few yards from us, proselytizing. He wanted to call an anti-missionary task force to come and hassle the guy. I explained to him that while I thought that missionizing was reprehensible, particularly in Israel — a state born out of the Jewish determination to be free from Christian and Muslim oppression — that he had a right to free speech. He isn’t forcing anyone to listen, nor to accept what he has to say, and anyone weak-willed, ignorant and foolish enough to buy into it — well, that’s on them. Each individual is responsible for their own actions. If they’re truly that thick and gullible, either blame Chabad for not getting to them first, or blame the nominal Jewish world for being so uninviting, or worse yet, alienating.
I’ve taken this position for a few reasons. The first is that, as Reb Chomsky says, “If you believe in freedom of speech, that means you believe in freedom of speech precisely for views you despise. Otherwise you’re not in favor of freedom of speech.” The second is a result of the conclusions I’ve drawn from my encounter with a missionary at the Metalist Festival in Palmakhim. The manner in which the Israeli youth he was proselytizing to responded to him gave me extraodinary confidence in Jewish youth to counter the arguments of missionaries. They don’t need folks to stand up for them. They’re critically-minded and well-informed enough that they’re more than capable of doing so on their own. Finally, I’m compelled to consider the effect of Abe Foxman and the ADL in countering antisemitism and Holocaust denial, and other individuals and organizations of their ilk, such as Alan Dershowitz who unsuccesfully campaigned to ban Norman Finkelstein’s latest work, Beyond Chutzpah. By considering antisemitism, Holocaust denial, anti-Zionism and missionizing important enough to protest and even censor, we affirm their value as something worth taking seriously, and even help give them the status of “a truth so dangerous,” that it must never reach the public’s eyes nor ears — thus making them all the more compelling. As such, some folks advised me to simply ignore this incident. No one would even know about the site, suggested Harry, if I didn’t blog it myself. (Tell that to Gothamist.)
Thus, in dealing with this particular situation, I’m conflicted. I am no fan of copyright, trademark, or intellectual property in general. Some might recall my run-in with Teenage Millionaire for my parody of their “Jesus Is My Homeboy” t-shirts, where I argue that Jesus wouldn’t sue, as Teenage Millionaire threatened to do. However, I do see a difference between parodying a single piece of merchandise and outright coopting an entire brand, along with its logo and color scheme, while operating in the same market as that brand. When it’s done with the intention of waging a valid critique — and particularly when it’s tongue-in-cheek — such as Jewlicious’s Jewschool parody, I don’t find it troubling at all. When it’s done, as it is in this case, as a means not to criticize necessarily, but to missionize, it’s much more problematic.
Jews for Jesus isn’t a Jewish initiative. It is not, as some people have remarked, simply Jews who think Jesus is the Messiah. The organization is primarily bankrolled by various evangelical groups, such as Baptist churches and Assemblies of God ministries (the same folks we call “Christian Zionists,” whereas they are some of the Zionist movement’s biggest allies and financial supporters). In their mission statement, the Assemblies of God state that they are “committed to making ‘disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything’ that Jesus Christ commanded.” Their agenda is to convert all people to Christian worship, and see Jews as a primary target.
This philosophy de facto asserts that Jews are misled, that their religious beliefs are “wrong,” and that they can not and should not be left alone to believe and worship as they see fit. It is an inherently antisemitic doctrine and particularly offensive as it shields itself behind the tyranny of good intentions: “We do it because we care about your souls.” Take the Mormons, for example, who have gone so far as to baptize Holocaust victims in their graves — something which, in Jewish law, constitutes a desecration of their gravesites, but which is ultimately seen as a furtherance of the Final Solution: The elimination of the Jewish people. It is a double-kick in the teeth to the victims of Hitler’s attrocities. Yet the Mormons see themselves as trying to help us poor, ignorant Jews who “missed the bus” and rejected the Messiah. How thoughtful!
Jews for Jesus is even more odious and outrageous, because it coopts Judaism in order to destroy Judaism. Bad enough we have Madonna’s commodification of our culture to contend with. Now we need Christians telling us we’re not authentically Jewish? The cooptation of Jewschool is a perfect example of this: Jews for Jesus taking something organically and authentically Jewish, sloppily inserting their Yeshua crap into it and calling it “truer” than the original. It’s a total affront.
Look, freedom of speech is a fundamental human right which most certainly cannot and should not be challenged, as its “pros” most certainly outweigh its “cons.” As such, Jews for Jesus are free to proselytize everywhere, from subways to mikvahs (ritual baths), using their devious interpretations of scripture to “prove” to the unwitting and uninformed that Jesus is the Messiah. They target those who have sorely lacked meaningful religious experience, giving them a glimpse of what a positive Jewish community could look like were they only offered the chance. Jews who fall for the Jews for Jesus shtick are usually those who have not had fulfilling Jewish experiences, and are therefore more open to alternatives. It is only because these individuals feel unwelcome in their communities and dissatisfied with their Jewish experiences, that they seek fulfillment elsewhere. Jews for Jesus’ success, then, should be a wake-up call to the Jewish establishment to examine its failure in providing substantiative communal experiences.
That’s why I believe the ultimate answer to Jews for Jesus is to create more open, inclusive, and engaging Jewish communities. As one person I consulted on this matter states, “The answer to bad speech is more speech.” And I wholly agree. In terms of censorship, this is why, rather than signing Steven Weinstock’s petition to have Jew Watch removed from Google, I launched the Jooglebomb instead. It is for this reason that I refuse to compromise the value of free speech in order to combat these views and practices, and so I do not wish to file legal proceedings against the individuals responsible for this site. I would rather invest my energy in creating a more welcoming and fulfilling Jewish community, rendering such “spiritual competitors” irrelevant.
However, there’s another matter in play here, on which I am compelled to act: If I do not issue (at the very least) a nastygram, I will be seen as to be abandoning my trademark in the eyes of U.S. copyright law, thus giving way to everyone and anyone who so chooses to coopt the Jewschool brand and its notoriety to push whatever they’re hawking — be it Christianity or the bankrupted affects of mainstream Judaism. With Jewschool in the press every couple of weeks, and with all the individuals whose names are attached to this site, I can not allow the possibility let alone the “likelihood of confusion” to create the impression that I nor anyone associated with Jewschool support the views promulgated by those who steal our identity.
So I reiterate my request to Aviad Cohen and friends: Please, don’t make me sue you. I really, really, really don’t want to, but I really will have to. My hands are bound. Don’t blame me. Blame stupid, unintelligible copyright laws.
***
Cory Doctorow of Boing Boing informs me:
Abandonment of trademark is trotted out by lawyers all the time, but in practice, trademarks that are still used by their creators are practically never treated as abandoned in the US and the rest of the West. Hoover, Kleenex, Google — all these are routinely used without permission, in a generic sense, and no lawyer would seiously argue that Bissel could ship a Bissel “hoover” and not get sued. The last major trademark to be taken away from a commercial actor (barring German trademarks expropriated during the war) who was making use of it was “cola” in the early 20th century, which Coke sued Pepsi over.
You don’t lose your right to sue people who use your marks deceptively under common law or black-letter law. What you get is an infinitesimally increased risk that someone might violate your trademark and when you sue, the court will find that because in this instance you failed to sue, that an unsophisticated member of the public had concluded that your marks were not distinctive indicators of your company’s goods and services.
Now, put yourself in the shoes of an “unsophisticated consumer” who reads your site who encounters the J for J site. Will she assume that you must have endorsed the J for J’s position and offered them a license? If so, you’ve got a trademark claim: the J for Js are appropriating your goodwill to market their services. If not, you’ve got no claim and you bear no risk by failing to threaten them with litigation.
That being the case, meh. Aviad, you are lame and obsessive. “True” Jews know the difference between Moshiach (the Messiah) and avodah zarah (idolatry). TrueJewschool is FalsehoodForFools. Hell, I’m amused that we’ve inspire you to invest so much energy, but holy crap—stop martyring yourself. All we said was that you’re a corny rapper. You’d think we killed your lord or something.
*** UPDATE ***
TrueJewschool has changed its logo.
The part I find most ironic about all of this is that 50 Shekel has chosen Jewschool as his windmill at which to tilt. The reason we criticized Shekel to begin with was because he was a darling of the nominal, mainstream Jewish world. The guy got more press and more gigs than hundreds of artists with more talent and better acts — folks who don’t embody the demeaning stereotypes and arrogant ethnocentrism at the core of Shekel’s act. Somehow Shekel has come to see us as the mainstream Jewish world which rejected him, a now martyred Messiah in his own imagination. But the Jewish mainstream didn’t reject him. A brief glance at his press page proves that.
Jewschool’s not the mainstream. We’re the outsiders who have been rejected by the mainstream as well, and who have, in turn, rejected the mainstream itself. Our critique of Shekel was part of that critique. It’s simply ridiculous that he would use us to martyr himself. It stands reality on its head.
But well, that’s his whole game. This is another one of Shekel’s “brilliant” publicity stunts. And I guess I knew that getting into this. But now, after giving it some thought, I’ve decided this will be my final mention of Aviad Cohen aka 50 Shekel on Jewschool. Ever.
Good luck staying relevant buddy. I won’t be a pawn in your game.
This thread has been closed.
Why are you so intolerant of a guy that believes his rabbi was the messiah and told him not to perform the mitzvot – and to convince others of such. Most contributers on this web site believe there is no messiah, that those who believe in such things are extremists and ‘the enemy’ and simply have decided on their own to reject mitzvot and the divine nature of the Torah. Seems like you are just freaked out by the fact that there is very little theological difference between most contributers to Jewschool and the early Christians.
oy…you dwell in mitzrayim
Uh… it wouldn’t be trademark infringement since I don’t think you shelled out the cash and got Jewschool registered as a trademark. It may however be copyright infringement. That being the case I would suggest a cease and desist letter to their ISP, as the site violates their terms of service. Suing them might be rough as the registrant is in Louisiana. Oy. What a bunch of dispsticks.
my lawyer informs me that there is such a thing as common-law trademark, and i do have official filings sitting on another lawyer’s desk.
Dude.
For fifty bucks, I’ll just break the $%^&ers knees.
Consider it my mitzvah for the day.
I’m not sure where it lists knee-breaking as such, but I’m almost POSITIVE somwhere there’s a midrash for it.
Quick.
You go find it.
I’ll ready my trusty crowbar.
There is a cause of action for trademark infringement even if its not registered, however, it’s far more difficult to win without registration.
Also, this may be a difficult case anyway, because its unlikely to cause confusion with your site (buts that for the judge/ jury to decide). In fact, its more of a counter-site to jewschool, than it is competition. Similar to “the drudge retort†which has the web site “drudge.com†and uses the same logo graphics and format.
Unless you have a lawyer doing this pro bono, I would waste my time.
Also, free speech doesn’t mean you cant force someone to shut up, it means youre against government restrictions on speech. In fact, free speech includes the right to try to force (by legal means) anyone you disagree with, to shut up.
*wouldnt*
Actually I think proselytizing is illegal in Israel. I don’t think it’s enforced but I believe there is a law against it on the books. The law is intended to keep religious tensions from rising, certainly a noble goal. So I’d have no problem with calling the police or anti-missionaries.
After reading the post, and every link attached to the post, I see no hint of any ‘intolerance’ on Mobius’ part. In fact, I think he shows great restraint, and much tolerance in said post (especially considering how absolutely creepy this is. These freaks really give poor Jesus a bad name).
It is obvious Aviad Cohen has psychological problems. He needs help from Rick Ross. We Jews have to keep faith in our identity unlike the weak-hearted Aviad Cohen,
Mobius:
I disagree with the following premise of yours:
“The manner in which the Israeli youth he was proselytizing to responded to him gave me extraodinary confidence in Jewish youth to counter the arguments of missionaries.”
I accidentally stumbled into a Jews for Jesus proselytizing den (thanks a buttload, “Let’s Go”) in Teveria over the summer, and walked away feeling horrendously depressed, having overheard its leaders talking about the success they’ve been having getting young Israelis to “see the gospel”. Indeed, a young Israeli girl was working at the front desk there. I also recall seeing a handful of twenty-thirtysomething year old Israelis distributing “Ani heart yeshua” bumper stickers at the gay pride parade June 30th.
Not all Israelis know enough about their communal/individual heritage to effectively ward of the people who nabbed 50 shekel.
I think that it’s against Israeli law to do missionary work in Israel.
Mobius,
I find your argument interesting: that in the free market of ideas, the fittest will choose the right ones and the weak-minded will fall prey to the schemers. And any attempt to protect against the dangerous ones will only, in fact, strengthen them.
This surely proved true with the whole Passion of the Christ controversy. Had Abe Foxman never made a fuss, then the movie, originally slated as a small independent film, would not enjoy the mainstream publicity and prominence that it did.
On the other hand, there has to be a line drawn somewhere. Hate groups and missionaries actively target those who are vulnerable and will take heed to their message. Each success story of these groups only means that their message will have a stronger presence and be more difficult to defeat. And while they do have free speech, it is our job to let the dangerous ideas die out. That won’t happen if nothing is done.
I understand that free speech is a touchy issue. It’s hard to find a balance so that you move to block the flow of dangerous ideas without giving them more prominence or violating free speech and appearing like a hypocrite, which might lead to more anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. Dammit, it’s a cruel world.
“I should hit you with some knowledge: you should quit now before you and lovable band of losers lose in Las Vegas, LaFleur.”
I believe in free speech…to an extent. That is, free speech should be protected, legally, but MORALLY individuals should censor their own speech. The problem is that in modern Western society people confuse law and morality as the same thing, so the guy who smokes pot but objects to CD piracy is looked at like a wierdo. But in actuality, he’s just a guy who has extralegal morals.
Anyway, if Mr. Aviad Cohen is reading this, I’d like to say I laugh ridiculously at your “truejewschool” site. There’s nothing true or Jewish on your site. The missionaries may talk a big game of love and mercy and forgiveness, but at the end of the day it’s still the Crusades. It’s still convert or else.
Judaism has persisted in spite of missionary attempts for thousands of years, and will continue to do so. You’re always welcome back. Always.
I noticed that they’re using a ‘chanukiah’, whereas Jewschool uses (more fittingly) a menorah in their logo. Any thoughts on that? Why the change? Is the chanukiah more dear to J4J, ’cause Hanukah comes around Christmas time? Is it just a weak way to try to avoid copyright infringement?
Hmmm, I visited the site and the logo on the site is nothing like the one you show here? So what’s the deal, are you trying to cause problems that do not exist? What do you care anyway, this site isn’t knocking off your site – the people on that site seem to be nice people, I didn’t read a single post where they were slamming any of you. You guys are way too paranoid. Get a life.
hey mobi: “You’d think we killed your lord or something.” I laughed out loud, great finshing line.
I love this 50 shekel. he’s a cornucopia of bad judgement and good intentions gone awry. All those uber-funded Xstians droolin’ about him like vultures waiting in the wings, but far be it for me to expound on someone else’s misfortune. There’s plenty of ammunition here, especially for me, but I digress.
Is it really going against free speech if to demand accountability for one’s actions? This isn’t just a missionary proselytizing, it’s someone jacking your shit wtihout giving props and you should keep ’em in check.
I admire your course of action, but I myself would’ve taken a different route; sued them for everything their worth, not because it’s some money driven scheme to capitalize on their mistake or even for the publicity it would afford, add to that any of the legal mumbo jumbo involved with the trademark.
No, not for any of those reasons, but just to see how far I could take it. I respect your character more for this decision, but wouldn’t it be fun just to mess with ’em, just a little bit? ;]
Hey there-
Jews for Jesus use images like Bart Simpson and other cartoon characters all the time. I’m sure somebody’s complained about it before.
There is totally trademark protection for unregistered marks. Copyright protection doesn’t apply. And you can probably find pro bono lawyer pretty eailsy. Try Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts http://www.vlany.org/) . They love to practice their IP law. Or send me an email.
By the way- I think that the free speech of the proselytizer should have been met with the free speech of the anti-proselytizer. Don’t lock the dude up or drag him away or anything, but definitely let him be debated or shouted down.
You should definitely do something about this- and quickly. but try to get a lawyer first. I’m happy to talk more about it.
Taltman, I think most people in the US don’t know that there’s a difference between a menorah and a chanukiyyah. But since menorah’s much easier to spell and say, it wins in the popular culture…
Just saw this.
Possibilities include:
Sue his ass; embarass his ass; blogspam his ass – every entry, have people suggest interminably that people go to the “real” jewschool” site; give him a touch of free publicity, but you will get much more … ‘eh?
Last suggestion: see above suggestions.
For relevant items, see http://www.besr.org/ and http://www.jlaw.com/
Since the logo isn’t even close to the same – visit the site – it’s not the same and the following domains similar to yours can be purchased jewschool.net jewschool.org
jewschool.us jewschool.info
jewschool.biz jewschool.us.com
jewschool.eu.com
what are you going to do sue all of them? I agree with Yetz, you people seriously need to get a life.
At the end of the day, Dan has a brand he created with Jewschool and now some Jesus freaks who like converting Jews are trying to exploit that.
The fact is they copied his logo and then they changed it later.
By using his logo, they are trying to create some association with the real Jewschool.
If it was satire, then that is something different, this was not satire.
Actually, since I visited that site yesterday and didn’t notice that the logo looked anything like your logo, I question whether or not it ever did. Seems to me a bit of fooling around with a graphics program and all of the sudden there’s a phony reason to rail against 50shekel or worse a group of Messianics who, as far as I can read, aren’t trying to convert anybody. It looks like a members only site to me. You can’t post or do anything without a membership…that’s not an attempt to convert.
oh, it’s also still the logo on 50 shekel’s homepage. jackass.
Oh please there are a million people in Louisiana. Fact is, when I went to that site, it didn’t have your stupid logo on it. Was it changed? I don’t know, and if it was, who changed it, you? Or the folks who own that site? Leave people alone, don’t you have better things to do with your time?
feh. you are the only fishy smell in the room.
Mobius, Asher is right. The fact that they changed it is after you complained in some places is a coincidence. It doesn’t look like your logo, at least NOT WHEN I’M NOT LOOKING AT IT!
“Asher,” you and yours have been getting way too much publicity from your antics. You hit, and then you scream for pacificism” and call us haters when we hit back. Why are “you people” always like that?
It definitely looked like Mobius’s logo yesterday.
I looked at 50 Shekel’s website and couldn’t stop laughing. He’s starting a campaign against Harry Potter, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Snow White, The Wizard of Oz and other stuff. No joke: http://50shekel.com/busted.cfm
mobius:
Has it occurred to you that, with all the sh*t you give Avi (as I knew him in high school — and no, we weren’t friends and I haven’t seen him since) … maybe he’s just f*cking with you? And that it’s working?
We’re referring to a guy who has changed his entire image about 3 times in the last month or so.
Give it a week or two. I promise you will find that truejewschool has suddenly turned into truelicious.com.
i had resigned to ignoring him before he pulled this shit. i just wanted to put out the “once and for all” statement.
I can’t see why you’re being so paranoid, asher. I have enough trust in Dan/Mobius to take his screenshot at the top of the entry at face value. Also, Mr. Cohen has not had the greatest history with good decisions.
Regaring TrueJewSchool.com Ummmm….hellloooooo… I just found the site and linked to it. I don’t own it….duhhhhhhh. Whatever….you’re just true Jew haters….ya hate true Jews…have a problem with true Jews…cause we know the truth and you’re just heeb frontin fayyykers….lata.
Pax Tecum, yo!
Oh yeah, looks to me and probably everybody else that poor lil beefy size mobius is upset. But its also quite evident that he is dangerous and psychotic and so are his jew school followers/worshippers. Moooby are you trying to be God? Apparently so is your Rabbi. I think you are mentally diseased and demonically possessed and everyone else can see that too. Ya need Jesus more than you need a drunk upper west side shabbos experience. we’re gonna keep praying for you even though you have chosen to serve ha’satan. People are beginning to walk away from Jewschool.shlock and moving to truejewschool.com And by the way, make sure your fantatical followers and martyrs consider holding out on the threats to “me” Here is what your guy wrote above:
Dude.
For fifty bucks, I’ll just break the $%^&ers knees.
Consider it my mitzvah for the day.
I’m not sure where it lists knee-breaking as such, but I’m almost POSITIVE somwhere there’s a midrash for it.
Quick.
You go find it.
I’ll ready my trusty crowbar.
Monk Eastman • 11/28/05 06:03am
So…I think most Jews who read what your followers write realize your whack and psycho and fuel hatred and murder. Now you don’t really want the police to come and visit you and take you and your Heeb frontin murderous henchmen away. Ya might not be going back home. Careful. You’re treading on broken glass that you shattered. Where is the love of God in your heart? Apparently you don’t have the Ruach Ha’Kodesh and your viewers of this website are unconverting from your fantatical hate fueled website and moving away from you. You are an embarassement to God…but a joy to ha’satan. And by the way, you think I care about your jokey website and how you slander me? Who cares? You’re pathetic and jealous. Dude, glorify God, stop glorifying yourself and your religion. Mayber more people will like you when you drop the hezbalah style antics and start reading the Tanakh and seek God whole-heartedly. Rabbinic Judaism is just like Islam…fuels hatred. This site is 100% evidence of that.
Aviad Cohen
sometimes you have to enfore missionary free zones along the lines of that guy in kikar zion asking you for your phone. where i live in sydney australia there is public housing estates full of russain jews, who live physically away from the mainstay of jewish life, and who only have a rudimentary understanding of jusdaism. jews 4 jesus people go into those estates and kindly offer to host a shabbat service and make kiddush for everyone. people attend and don’t have any idea that these are covert missionaries. and their knowledge of judaism isn’t thorough enough to realise that what they’re including in their services isn’t kosher. in the community here, we’re aware of this phenomonan but there isn’t always enough people to deal with the problem – eg have a full-time chabad rabbi working in these places, etc.
Dear 50 (1492) Maravedis… are you into Liberation Theology and Christians for socialism or you are just one more Bushista?
(oy, why did you ban me from your site? Aren’t you a bit of a coward? Are you afraid of my very Christian name, Torquemada?
right aviad. you have nothing to do with the site. which is why it appeared on your site first, and why there’s an ad for your music in the sidebar, and your site is #1 in their top ten links.
why don’t you put “banned from da shul” back up on your site and let people see what you’re really about?
ye, you banned me too aviad.
if you’re so true, why are you afraid of the truth.
and if you aren’t into this site, why are you here ALL THE TIME.
go glorify your god, yeshua ha-mamzer
Does “Ahavat Israel” still cover people like Mr Cohen, or once turned “heretics” they lose their “Jewish soul”?
Does it not occur to y’all that ignoring this pip-squeek will make him go away. The only publicity this awful sight has is here. I just clicked in and saw six users. 50 shekels says that they were all Jewschooler’s checkin it out.
Let the sorrowful kid ramble. Or Just ban him from this site if he continues to use it to promote his moronism and shalom al yisrael.
But please – dont let him get to you!
how the fuck can anyone let a jews for jesus site rip off a jewish site without a fight……..sue their asses
check this little discourse we had:
http://www.jewlicious.com/inde…
this guy is soooooo fake. plus, he even denied it was him. i’m sick of this looser…
i wish we had a copy of banned from da shul so we could shut him up for good.
I guess a debate on turning the other cheek is completely out of the question, hehe
Aviad
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt… (Lincoln)
And Mobius, wotzup? No big deal. So some dude, who for some odd reason cannot see the dissonance in professing to hold the truth, and at the same time showing no nerve to stand on his own cyber-feet, dons some fake jew-ellery and struts about. Cat-calling is appropriate; but legal battles are complete overkill (and utterly boring). Trust the attractive strength of authenticity rather than fear the consequences of cheap imitations…
yeesh! Aviad – we know you’re lost. Stand down and apologize. Mobius did it. If you also do it, you will be well on your way to regaining your dignity and respect from your fellow Jews. Don’t try to impinge on someone elses creativity – it’s not what Jesus would do. Aviad: I went to a Shabbat dinner with you on the upper west side a few years ago – you loved it; you savoured it’s flavors spiritual, mental and physical. It is you, my friend, who just needs an upper west side shabbat experience. Go to the meals and to the shuls and just be quiet. Keep your head quiet and listen to others around you. You are not AVIAD COHEN because of Jesus and because he saved you: you are Aviad Cohen because your parents were smart enough to see the infinite value in continuing a tradition that makes so much sense.
Aviad: stand down. It’s not a fight you will win.
Mobius: sue them for all they’ve got. (Aviad, I hope to God that it’s not you behind this, because if it is, you will be very sorry you decided to do this.)
Mobius: The site belongs to it’s contributors who have made it an amazing example for others. Kol Hakavod. Keep it up
Leslie: Dan has a brand he created with Jewschool.
eemshalom: The site belongs to it’s contributors who have made it an amazing example for others.
Make up your minds, folks.
Eeny
Dan owns the Jewschool brand, some Jesus freak or freaks stole his brand and have attempted some passing off through the use of the design. That is at the heart of the problem. Don’t try and get away from the issue.
The site can and does belong to its contributors, but that is different issue.
In which case, not only did those Jesus freaks steal Dan’s logo and branding, but they also stole from every single person who has contributed in some way to Jewschool.
Whether that is through writing or whether that is through those who support it with advertising, such as myself with our adverts that have appeared here.
And if these people really are friends of Jesus, then what does Jesus say about design theft and passing off? I suspect Jesus would not really like these Jesus freaks. In fact, Jesus would propbably try to distance himself away from these Jesus freaks.
cheers
Leslie
jesus would probably say, “ow. do you have some bacitracin for these holes in my palms? fuck, this is gonna get infected.”
btw–jewschool as a brand does belong to me. but jewschool as an entity — ie., as a community of contributors and readers — extends way above and beyond me. this site would be nothing without you folks, and i can’t emphasize it enough.
btw, check out shleve’s post on this subject and the following discussion for a more critical look at what i’ve written here.
radical transparency: it’s the wave of the future!
Just a Xtianity stole from and distorted Judaism, so did Truejewschool steal from Jewschool.
But they must think stealing’s OK, since they’re *forgiven*.
from “The site belongs to it’s contributors who have made it an amazing example for others” I meant that other Jews should see that Jewschool is for critical thought and simultaneous enrichment of many Jewish values. People need to recognize that Judaism needs to be approached and addressed the way Jewschool does it. If you want to talk about true Judaism, look at Jewschool as a whole and you will find it all.
I’ve used Jewschool many times in my Hebrew School curriculum to show students how awesome Judaism is. I will keep on doing it as long as Jewschool lasts.
Peace.
i don’t think aviadshalom.com has anything to do with aviad cohen. i think it’s a coincidence.
is it also a coincidence that his face is plastered all over aviadshalom.com?
lol, is that the best you can come up with? fat jokes? i’ve never rapped about any sexual indescretion ever. btw my father was a cellist. my mother was a violinest. I’ve grown up with music. lol, and i’ve grown up with Judaism. unlike you 50, that’s why it was so easy for them to convert you.
http://www.joegrossberg.com/ar…
explain that
btw your lies are transparent. we know it’s you spitting such venom. why don’t you just rerelease that banned in da shul thing. i think that expresses your opinion rather well.
jujitsu…please drop it. he’s been banned.
lol okay, i can live with that!
Wow, I could barely get through half of these posts. I started thinking, are these the types of conversations that lead to relgious wars. For fuck’s sake people, I though this was a loshon harah free zone. Damn, none of you are acting like Jews, true or fake.
oops, i looked up aviadshalom.org, which was referred to earlier in this discussion, but i typed aviadshalom.com. Right now i can’t load aviadshalom.com, but the .org seems to have nothing to do with mr. cohen.
Whats worse Jews leaving the faith or joining a nonsense cult?
I don’t understand why someone worships Jesus and still thinks he has Ruach HaKodesh while a great resource jewsforjudaism.org has all the proofs against it.
Aviad, congratulations. Your weaknesses have led you into falling into a trap designated for the weak and the stupid.