Author Tuvia Tenenbom Joins Nachum on Today's JM in the AM

Tobia Tan. My pleasure to welcome you to JM in the AM. >> Pleasure to be with you. >> I appreciate that. >> So you were born in Benet Brock. >> I mean physically in Tel a Viv. >> Ah >> but my parents are from Nebra and [clears throat] uh after the hospital after I was born I was taken to but [clears throat] my passport it says Tel a Viv. >> Right. But the reason I bring it up and the reason I say it like that is because and I always like to point this out. You know the whole routine. In other words, when you go and explore Maya Sharim >> or or or you have an adventure that you know involves our people, especially those who are part of the religious and ultra religious community. You're very very familiar with it. >> Uh yes and no. Yes, I was born into it. But that has been some years. To remind you I'm 21 years of age. >> All right. >> So obviously it took some years and uh when I was there I was a very young boy and I saw the world then from the perspective of a young boy. Now I see I got the chance to see the world to replay my life decades later and to see it from a perspective of a grownup which is very interesting number one. Number two, I didn't know anybody in me shar you know by the by the time I came back you know because most of the time was in >> right >> and so for the book I was in Merim I was with my wife Izzy and we were there for about a year and a half including also some weeks in Ben boy break and to my luck and I didn't know that this is my best first surprise when I go into a showroom I walk on the street and everybody Not everybody but almost everybody. >> And how did they know you? >> This is what surprised me. They read the books. They were they were from and at that point >> yeah in the book in your book because catch the Jewish in Hebrew and they say ini >> on page 137 base >> they give you these details huh >> the five just go back >> just go back >> I get that but what just just go back for a second you so you leave that whole Ben arena. At what age? Like are you gone from there as a very little kid or as a teenager? When are you >> I went as a teenager I left the ultra orthodox world and I moved into the orthodox world. I moved to >> Oh wow. >> And then when I was in America I saw they don't know how to study. They don't know Talmud because compared to what I learned you know it was totally different. I mean it's like you cannot compare. There's no there's no it was not it was not the way we studied the Talmud you know it was totally different not to mention and all that thing and what you know nothing I mean comparison you know and in the world we we learned you know And then one second, one second, but you're surprising me with this. In other words, you go to America and what the the spirit, the atmosphere is different when it comes to Torah study. >> They don't know how to study. >> What does that mean? >> It's like, so it's an academic pursuit instead of >> Yeah. kind of academic, you know. >> What was it in Brock? It was what kind of pursuit? >> I told you. I told you. So, you know, >> so it was more so it was more of a spiritual uplifting experience. >> Number one and number two. It was compared. Everything goes. Everything goes and are you sitting on the chair or does the chair sit under you? >> Right. >> So say to an average person from from America and he thinks you lost your mind. What do you mean you the chair sits underneath you is you don't understand. You don't understand these things. You know, it's like >> how they handle how they handle Brisco. >> They don't even know. [laughter] They don't know. It's like, you know, it's not and they don't have theidic passion, you know. This is the passion. You know, they don't have it. >> How long were you in the America Sarav area? I was six months >> and then >> and then I decided okay this is not for me and then I moved um um I met up from Shapiro and we both decided this is not for me. >> Wow. >> And then I moved to Edder >> where >> in Malot. >> Wow. So I went to I was there and then uh I immediately realized that in terms of Talmud they have nothing to teach me >> and I didn't even go to the classes because I said this is a classes for dumb people with low IQ. >> Wow. >> That's the way I saw it. You know >> this was a Hezra Yeshiva and Malotra Malot. So the Roshiva came to me and said how come you don't come to classes I study by Rosovski and I teach in the style of Rashmoski. said to him listen and I studied was the brother of and much more than him I don't need you to teach me how to study gam and he looked at me said you study roofski I said yes of course said okay you don't have to come to classes I have nothing to give you >> wow >> but what but what it gave me is I served in the I army >> right >> I was in the tank units >> around what year >> and I became a tank driver >> around what year was this? >> 77 78 something like that. >> Post 7. >> So I became a a tank driver. That's where I learned how to drive. I did not learn how to drive on a on bicycles, on cars, you know, I came from a totally different world. To this day, I don't know how to drive a bicycle, you know. Kill me. I don't know how to do it. I don't know how to swim. I don't like beaches. I don't know how to swim. Never taught me how to swim. But it's funny because you come off as such a courageous and brave person. I would think that the sense of adventure would be very high and that these types of activities would be >> Of course I I of course I tried. I fell. I went to the I went to even to a small pool. I drowned. >> So you gave up. [laughter and gasps] >> It's like what's the point? You know, I said, you know, I live I lived all my life at that time without a bicycle and without, you know, >> but our Talmud does tell us the importance of knowing how to swim. >> I know, of course, but they never say they didn't that page I didn't study. Put it this way. >> When do you start the world of journalism? Because I want to get to the point where you're writing these books and really investigating in your unique way. When did you start doing that? >> Um, one time it was in 2008 I think. I was in u in uh Saudi Arabia in Riyad. Are you >> because I got a I got a an invitation from President Bush at that time to join the president on his Middle Eastern ride and I took from that part I took only the part of Saudi Arabia because at that time a Jew could not go into Saudi Arabia especially a Jew was born in Israel and ser in the Israeli army. I tried to take a visa by the on the on the Saudi website and two questions I couldn't answer. Where were you born? You have a list of countries. Israel did not exist, >> right? >> What religion did you grow up in? Judaism did not exist, >> right? >> But uh the White House, you know, I told the White House, are you are you making fun of me? I mean, it's like I cannot get on my own. You know, you should have known that I couldn't get on my own. I said, don't worry. Send us a passport. will get you the visa. So I sent him the passport and three days later I had it already with a stamp from the Saudi government and it says on it that I am in the delegation of the United States presidents, >> right? >> Means I'm totally cautious >> and and you were invited because you were a journalist. >> Yeah, because I wrote a few little things, you know, it's like all my life I studied journalism one of the things. So I wrote in little papers here and there and then I wrote an article um in the Italian paper called Corera de laera Ka de laera and they put it on front page how does a Jew get along in Saudi Arabia. It was very funny and then somebody from the site from Germanite you know uh called me up and said can you write for us also about your experiences in Saudi Arabia. I wrote them and obviously the the German audience loved the article and they said, "Give us this man more and more." You know, we forgot already what Jewish humor is. We forgot already. One of the letters, for example, said after we killed the Jews, we don't even know what Jewish humor is. And it's >> so it was a humorous article. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, by the end of the day, I started writing for them. And I wrote more and more and more. One time I even wrote from an old article about >> How many languages do you know? >> Um, a little bit English. >> Yeah, we got that. >> A little bit English. >> Yeah. >> A little bit Hebrew. >> Any others? >> Little bit German and a little bit Arabic. >> All self-taught. >> Yes. >> Interesting. Um, Tovia Tanibam is with us. Does that trip become part of your first book? >> So just a second now. So after I have started writing for the for the site which is one of the biggest papers in Germany. It's like the New York Times of Germany >> only higher level of journalism. >> Um so I started writing for them and then one day I get a call from I got an email from one of the publishing companies in Germany. Would I mind? you know the editor says I love your articles and decided do you mind to write for us a book come to Germany and write a book for us. So I went there, came to Germany together with my Asia Kyle and we traveled around Germany for a long time and then the book came out I sleep in Italy >> and and that title was why that title >> why the title because I actually slept in it >> literally in his bedroom >> literally yeah in in his room he had a place as that he was in charge of renewing it's called the the elephant hotel. Today it's in Vimmer today and during the after the Vimemer Republic you know when he became the leader >> he made it with a whatever with an architect whatever redid it and then he had one room one suite that was is when he came to Vimma you know to that place the German the Germans were the people were gathering in a square a big square in front of the hotel and They were yelling and screaming fear fear uh get out of your elephant house you know and then the fear would get out and stand in the balcony do zig eye and the audience would go crazy so that's what uh >> that's where you stayed >> so I stayed there I went to the balcony I saw like a bunch of Germans working on the street and I did the guy I just wanted to see as you'll do it the way did They answered me back the guy. It was very >> Are you serious? >> So is that the book where you where you expose what what Europeans actually think of Jews? >> Yes, that's the first one and that became a huge bestseller in Germany. It was for months it was on the bestseller list. It's like the New York Times bestseller. But but I thought that their desire is to is to try to uh is to try to express, you know, that they've moved on from World War II and that they can't tolerate, you know, being referred to the way they're referred to when it comes, you know, to their attitude toward Jews. But they >> That's true. The publisher and the publisher on the first publisher when they got a copy, my editor loved the book. She said, "Tuia, I cried and I left." And then the publisher, the ad of the publishing company read a book and he sent me an email. He said, "I'm sorry, I cannot publish it. You don't know how to write." >> And what he really meant was, "I can't publish. >> Can you teach me?" He said, "Yes, >> what he really meant was that he can't >> I will edit I will edit the book." So he edited the book and said, "No, it's a good book." And I looked at his editing. If somebody said, "Uh, I can't stand the Jews," it changes. I can't stand the Israeli. If somebody said all the Jews to die, you know, it changed at all. There was a chapter about club 88, which is 88 stands for HH, which is Iler, you know, there was a chapter in the book about a neo-Nazi club and he took this all out. Basically, he made Germany look much nicer than the book was. So, he had a big fight and it became a big fight also in the in the German media. He broke the contract and It all looked like doomed. But then another publishing company So got along and they published the book and it became >> a real the real manuscript. They published the real manuscript. >> Yeah. Yeah. The real one and >> and that's the translation we have of the real of the book you actually wrote. >> Exactly. And that became a huge a huge bestseller and that started them the the book business. I never thought about writing books. >> Right. >> And then the next book was about Catch the Jew. >> Right. >> No. My editor said to me, you came to us to Germany and you spend your month and then you came out in a book with a book claiming that 80% of us are anti-semites. Okay. Now I challenge you go to your country where you are born to Israel stay there a few months and come with a book see what you come up with a book about you guys. So I I accepted it, you know, we agreed on the prize, whatever it is, >> right? >> And there we went to to Israel and then the book uh catch the came out and it became also a huge huge bestseller. >> And in that in that book, you're you're you're going around Israel as a German, right? Nobody knows you're Jewish. >> Yeah. At that time, nobody knew me. >> And what do you discover? What's the reaction? >> What I discover? I discovered that underneath the noses of the Israelis, you know, you have all these peaceloving Europeans with all their NOS's. And I discovered that they are not peace lovers. They are just simple anti-semmites. So I became very >> selfing Jews. Would that be the right the right self-hating Jews? >> That too. But many of them from the European NOS's are not even Jews. They just come there. And the idea what they come that's why the name of the book is to catch a Jew. That's the idea. So and I became very friendly with Gibbl at the time he was number two of the Palestinian leadership of the PLO. We became very very very good friendly. He didn't know that I'm Jewish. Of course he thought I am a Nazi German. And we became very very friendly, very very close. And he opened the doors for me to anybody I wanted. and and I was walking in Ramla in Janine I I was like a king everybody knows that I'm a friend of Gibbril you know and I everything all the the the foundations the NOS's all my friends because I was walking in the eye classes of the Palestinian world and it was amazing so one day we were in Israel one day with the Palestinians for months month and months and u and Gabriel told me the truth what he thinks she told me what the PL a lot of things, you know, they just wanted the Jews to get out of there forever, you know, and nobody wanted peace and spoke really badly about Jews. You know, the Palestinian leadership like Iard the worst thing about Jews and then and I realized what the what the NOS's are doing, what all the peace movements are doing there. You know they are basically running there to catch a Jew and if they didn't catch a Jew doing something wrong they try to make him do something wrong you know whatever throw stones at him and then nobody's set him up they try to set him up set him up and the Jews throw stone back you know that's when the camera start so the whole thing and then I also find that you know like one of the which is the Jewish >> right >> you know very left um >> he's pistnics and I found out I mean talking with their one of their biggest uh activist over there the top activist and he told me um the holocaust is a lie never happened you know >> a bellum activist told me >> activist yeah >> and I recorded him and I have a video of it you know of course you know of course in the beginning but went crazy the denied that happens. He denied that he ever said it. They called me a liar. They made a whole spiel with American media. They tried to sell to American media that I am a liar. So what did I do? I took the the thing and I put it on Facebook, you know, and then they didn't have a choice. >> Are you a are you a marked man? Are there people who uh who would like to come after you after doing all these under this undercover work? >> I don't think about in those terms. If I thought in those terms, I wouldn't be able to move. So you don't travel with security? >> No. God forbid. God forbid. >> And and obviously the adventure you just told us about catch the Jew, the that resulted in the book Catch the Jew. Obviously that was an undercover job. How difficult is it to remain undercover? How hard is it to maintain that you know this whole charade? >> You have to you have to understand the mentality. You have to know how to speak Arabic and you have to understand the mentality that the Palestinian mentality and the Middle Eastern mentality because otherwise you are not going to make it you know >> I mean you if you say one they got you >> of course if I say one they got me so and sometimes they started talking to me in Hebrew I would say excuse what language is this is the language of the docks I don't understand one word you're saying you know stuff like that so you always have to and they say a lie you have to say a double I you have to understand the the whole spill, you know, >> it takes training. It takes training. No, >> no, it takes it takes thinking. It takes cop, >> but you have to train yourself otherwise [laughter] you can slip. >> But it takes a brain to be, you know, you have >> Did you did you ever think of Ellie Cohen when you were doing this? >> No, I didn't think about that, you know, because it's like I was totally different, you know. I went to this on the streets. I did whatever I wanted, you know. It's like >> you know people thought that I am the the savior of Palestine. >> It was it was like amazing. >> No understood to tan. >> You remember one day we were in the house of Gibil Kajub and Gibil says to me from this day because I called myself Tommy Toby from Germany to minia. So he says in front of these people he says from this day on your name is not Toby anymore. And I said oh god he knows what's my name. Says from this day on your name is Abu Ali. Abali gave you an Arabic name >> and all the people around me said to me, you know, the commander, the commander, the colonial gave you, you know what it means? I said, what does it mean? Abu Ali in Arabic, it means the father of Ali. They said, no, no, no. Abu Ali is an term of endearment. This is the highest respect we can give to people like you, to white people, to Europeans. And I found out that the other European white man who got this honor of being called Abraali was Adolf Hitler. So they put me on the same level as Adolf Hitler. I said to myself, "Wow, what an honor." >> Who gave Hitler the name? >> The Palestinian at the time, you know, the sheh, the MUI. I know who gave it to >> the MU. I was trying to think of it. The MUI, right? Um uh from this you went to uh to check out some of the um uh refugee camps in Germany, right? >> No, that's after that. And then we did a a journey in America. >> Oh, you did America first? >> Yeah. That's book is called uh >> the lies they tell. >> The lies they tell. And that's when I discovered for the first time how anti-semitic this country is. >> Where what cities were you in? >> Everywhere. 28 states including of course New York, Washington. >> Even in New York you found anti-semitism. >> Oh yeah. Oh yeah. And I recorded this anti-semitism all over and it was amazing. also recorded the the the Jewish anti you know auto anti-semitism self anti-semitism >> you know it's like you go to temples you know on Don Kipur and Raj Shana and you hear the rabbis telling you that we have to say to pray for the holy souls of Gaza >> which has been tortured by and killed by by the Arabal Jews the Zionists you know and it's like it was amazing so I heard all these things it was like you know recorded. I remember when the book came out, people said to me, "What are you talking? You are you are inventing things." Now the people say, "Tuia, sorry for saying that." >> Yeah. Because [clears throat] >> before us, I mean, I'm not an obia. I'm not a prophet. I didn't do it. >> People have been exposed. >> Yeah. >> Sitting in the car, turning the machine on, driving and talking to people, >> right? >> From 28 states, >> you know, plus Washington DC. I mean it's like it was like amazing to see the anti-semitism in this country. You know people tell me they have nightmares just thinking about Jews. I mean it was like frightening to hear what I had and >> imagine how much worse it is now. >> It's the same thing. Now it's in public now. You don't you don't you don't need me to go there and tell you the things. You don't >> exposed now. >> You just you just see it on the street. >> Yeah. Understood. Um, yeah, someone once said to me, someone in law enforcement once said to me, "You have to remember something. Everybody hates Jews." >> And of course, that sounds like a very harsh, you know, terrible summation, irresponsible summation of the situation. >> But it's true. >> I was going to say you could confirm that that's the case. >> Yeah. But the the more horrible thing is I find out many of these NOS's and foundations that are anti-Jewish. If you dig deep inside them, the person who is like staring the pot is most likely a Jew, >> right? >> And that's what's frightening. >> Well, they taught you bra they taught you bra about the av, didn't they? This is I mean if it was just we will not have so many NOS's you know and so many Jews you know who are doing this you know it's it's it's us times that we look at oursel look at the mirror you know then there was a book about Britain you know um the taming of the Jew >> the taming of the Jew about >> and what the anti-semitic >> first you did hello refugees >> hello refugees that's about the the Germans the the >> refugee camps in Germany. >> Refugees refugee camps in Germany, you know, which was shocking to see the old thing the machine operates >> and then aiming of the Jews. >> The funny thing the funny thing, you know, during the the book about the the refugees. So, we used to spend a lot of time with the refugees and with the German refugees, Germans, refugees, Germans. I found out that the Germans are much more anti-semitic than the than the refugees. the ones from Syria, from Lebanon, much more anti-semitic than them. It's like I I didn't hear so much anti-semitism. Nobody was like obsessed with Jews, you know, from the refugees, you know, the Syrians didn't care. Okay. >> But the Europeans Yeah. Yeah. [sighs and gasps] The white men, they are the biggest haters of Jews. More than more than the Arabs, more than the Palestinians, more than everyone, you know. It's like it was like amazing. And then I go I try to interview people from all these NOS's, you know, solidarity with Palestine, you know, all these things, you know, London with Palestine, you know, all these things. So I'm going to interview them and I thought I'm going to meet Palestinians. No, no, white people and many times Jews. >> Well, as as many people remind us, you know, Jewish history with Christianity was much more brutal than Jewish history with Islam. >> Of course. Of course. And it is to this day. To this day, you cannot change the >> the cultural history. >> Unbelievable. >> To this day, >> all of this that we just described, this list of your incredible works, all of it's undercover, all of it with the bravery and courageousness that I keep pointing out and you're able to maintain this facade in every one of these situations. >> Thank you. So, except for the of course the the book about which was not under any assumed thing. Everybody knew why he was from the beginning. >> Yeah. Let me just tell everybody the latest book, Tovia's sixth book is called Careful Beauties Ahead. It was published in May of 2024. Again, it's called Careful Beauties Ahead and it's uh it's about Maya Sharim and And you didn't have to go and you couldn't have Right. You couldn't have gone under cover because they knew you there as you said. >> Exactly. Exactly. So there was no point of going on the cover but it's not just I mean was the base but it's a book about from A to Z in Israel you know whatever you know. But what did you learn about the Karedi community? >> I learned uh I learned that I personally might not be religious but I am kared. >> You have to explain that. You have to explain that. >> This is first of all I learned and it's like you know it's like personal you know because you are closest to yourself you know. I learned I'm think like them. I my sense of humor is you know you can see me you know Friday night we do like shabas thing the theater and us we are doing inviting people for shabas I I I have a table you know that it's totally >> you have a tish you make a tish >> I have a dish it's like a you know [laughter] like a dish you know it's like all the songs you know all the the msdk you know [clears throat] That's what you sing. How ironic. >> Nobody in the upper east side where we live sing these songs. >> But how ironic that is singing about >> Seion. Of course. Of course. Remember this is also the song about all the people who got arrested by the Israeli by the Israeli police. Correct. >> So it's like but [laughter] [gasps] yeah I mean that's the first thing you learn. I mean the food that you like the most is the food you have in your food. >> It was a very positive experience. >> Amazingly positive. I mean it's like from the time I open my eyes in the morning till the time I went to sleep I was laughing. These people make me laugh. They have such a healthy sense of humor >> and their attitude and their attitude toward Israel, toward other people who are of the Jewish faith. Did that come up? Was that an issue? >> Of course, it came up, of course, 10,000 times. But you have to see the people who are making the big spiel, you know, the big anti- thing, the demonstrations. First of all, is the group called Pelleg. >> Oh, they are they are the worst. And uh their leader is Marovich whom I know personally I was is my family Rabbi Marovich and which I never liked him and this is one of the groups and but most of the times you don't see that you don't see this sin is you don't see that I remember I went I I gave interviews to rabbis I interviewed rabbis it was from my understanding the first time rabbis agreed to be interviewed you know so title What >> inf of course so I interviewed the reb of the sound you know the reb of the is one of the biggest and you know >> the ones who got the passing with the >> gold may there may so I go to the reb and the rebar and I ask him a question and I ask him what would happen if it's came to the what will you do means nonreigious nonreligious in that lingo >> right So the Reb says to me, if he came to fight with us, what can I do? I have not many choices. If he did not come to fight with us, what kind of question is we are all Jews. I said this anti-zionist, you know, [snorts] the father of the mother of you know he has more is you know than anybody I know in Israeli politics than all the 120 members you know he has more where do you see somebody even from where do you see anybody talks like this we are all Jews you know we have to welcome everybody who says that You know what you've taught me? >> You know what you taught me, Tvia? You can take you can take the man out of Benet Brock, but you can't take Benet Brock out of the man. >> But yeah, [laughter] but by the end of the day, that's I mean, it was amazing. It was amazing. And the food, I love the food. >> How long were you there? How long did you move in there for? >> For about a year and a half. >> What you were 18 months in Mayor Sher? >> Yeah. And Ben. >> Wow. >> I spent time in May. Did you get into the bianual rituals? that you enjoy pes and sukus and may >> of course of course >> and even though you've gone in a certain direction you >> sukus you know you go so I go to which is the I got another extreme with extreme it's a split from the from the no more relation I walk in and I have my telephone on me you know and immediately I just walk in you know 20 kids you know because they've never seen a man who looks like me you know it's like they come to see who is the animal so I if you're talking to them in English. So you like all walls tumble down, you know, because myish, you know, and it was like totally and then one of them says to me, "What is this?" I said to him, "This is a smartphone." And he said, and I said to him, "What bother you? I'll put it in the bucket if it bothers you to look at it." So no, no, no. If you want us to do you a favor, give give us the phone and we'll break it for you. [laughter] I said, I need this phone. It's it's it's my job. It's it's my it's my producer. >> I make money out of this. And and all of a sudden, an older man was standing by. He said, "What is your producer? What is your job?" I said, "I'm a shber. I'm a writer." So he says to the kids, "Leave him alone. make right [laughter] >> and that was and that was at the simplest space of >> Yes. Yeah. >> Did you did you bake matzas in May? >> Uh no, >> you're not into that. >> It's like you know I did it when I was young young young young and and it is not an exciting thing to do. So I didn't this and when I did it as a teenager you know I got paid for it at least you know like no I'm not going to do you know. [gasps and laughter] So yeah, but it was very interesting. Now we were like uh the next books that comes out will come out next year is about the the settlements. >> Where who did you spend time with there? >> Oh, everybody I could. I mean it's like God almost everybody. Um >> of course you are ra no question about >> Marzel. Of course, it's it's it's we have to talk about >> Of course. I know. I know. So, I spent every we we moved from we spent like every two three weeks we moved to another settlements. >> Give me a name. Give me some settlement names. the non-religious, you know, the religious Emmanuel, you know, the I mean it's like every time somewhere else, you know, everything you can you can imagine, you know, >> were were you were you were you >> were you as happily um did did you meet Daniela Vice? >> Of course. Are were you as happy and as enthralled with the mitnim as you were in May? >> It's a totally different thing. First of all, the mitnim don't have the sense of humor, >> right? They're serious people. >> They're serious people. Number two, their food habits, their eating habits is very different. It's more like San Francisco. >> You know, you go shabas, you are invited. Always invited. You know, it's like we we lived. >> So, it would be good. Salat >> salad. Salad kinoa sal everything is ely I said how can you live like this >> you don't you have ch no god no it's not it's not it's not it's not like I said to me you know what I send you all to San Francisco to to to California you don't belong in this land you know it's like you know I mean it's like it was like amazing the food was arable >> but you're not being fair I've had plenty of good in you're not being fair >> okay maybe you had good child in I did not have good in asked for you. But I did that. I lived in too, you know. >> You lived in Baker for how long? >> For three weeks or something. >> Wow. >> What are you talking about? >> So you're a ser you're a serious investigator. You you you >> came to you can do a book about the settlers and the settlements without living there. I was like, I can't believe it. You know, a professor in in Bengalon University said to me, he's very famous and she said to me, Tuvia, you made history. I said what history? She said look I did not read your book yet but I can tell you you are the first one who actually lived with the settlers to write about them. Nobody has done it >> right >> you know maximum somebody would come for two days for two hours. >> When does that book >> I have no idea who the settlers are. So I learned the settlers they have a lot of good things. Of course you know >> when does that book come out? >> In the middle of next year somewhere. >> And have you been back to Malot since Hezra Yeshiva or not? Of course >> you have been. >> Yeah. >> As a kid my >> it was a different Malot in my time was Malot was like you know basically only Moroccans and us you know Moroccan immigrants you know Malot is now different you know it's like >> to me to me as a kid in my generation Malot meant one thing one of the worst terror attacks in Israel's history. Yeah, of course. >> That Friday night. >> Of course, I mean, you know, it's like 24 hours a day I had the M16 on me, >> right? >> You know, for four years, you know, >> other other areas of Israel have caught up to the to the uh the the danger, right? Lot lot of other areas of Israel where people need to walk around. >> I mean, the funny thing, especially during the war, the the settlements were the safest place to be, >> right? you know, because because of the rockets, you know, almost no rockets fell in that area. Very few in that area, you know. >> But there's another reason. >> Yeah. >> And I wonder if you agree with this because, you know, both the uh the quote unquote settlement side, as much as I don't like that word, and the Arab side, uh Israel was showing its strength, its power, and it it made the enemy rethink whether they're going to uh embark on wanting terror attacks. Is is that theory does that theory hold any water for you or not? >> No, it doesn't hold any water. >> Wow. And there are every day attempts at terror attacks in all the area. >> War or not war no matter what. war on to this day there are all the times you know it's like I interviewed so many soldiers I mean officers you know they constantly have to go like in Elon M for example there is not a day going by that the people around in the area you know who are not planning to infiltrate alon and kill the people in many places like that I mean it's like it's a constant constant constant constant war and you cannot let go. So the Israeli army is very good in preventing it. Especially the Shabbach, you know, the secret the Shabbach is doing an amazing job. I mean, people don't even know. >> People on this side of the world will never understand the neighborhood that Israel is in, right? They'll never >> No, no, no. And because the journalist who are there to tell them the story, how do people know about anything? You know, they reading journalists, you know, they read papers or they watch TV. >> They're staying in a hotel and they're and they're flying back. >> They're not even staying in hotels. I mean it's like they live most of the time in in in in Yafo, you know, Jaffa, you know, on there they go to restaurants and they write on their computers. They open the computers and they write Gaza strip. They are not in Gaza strips there in Yafa and and they write as if they were in Gaza Strip or as if they were in Kon or whatever. You hardly see and I mean it's like I lived with the settler so much I've seen journalist they come for two hours maximum, >> right? And then they already create, you know, they tell you what the settlers are and what you know from them. The settlers are not inhumans. They are cannibals. You know, they kill Palestinians for breakfast. I mean, it's like you don't the journalists don't know. They came with their anti-Jewish ideas, anti-semitic ideas, and they come here and they just exercise those ideas. >> Toia, I can't thank you enough for all this time. Everybody should check out Tovia Tennbam's books. They're available, they're available on Amazon. They're available everywhere. All right. And um and what was the worst when it comes to the lies they tell about the United States? What was the worst episode you had? Where was it? What city? Give me something of note that happened which showed you the the ferociousness of the anti-semitism in this country. >> Everywhere and anywhere. that uh the most things that I will remember I'll never forget is the self aid of the Jews >> where >> to go to Yamipur to go to a shul in Colorado for example you know and the rabbi talks about the horrible things we do in Israel and national remember the innocent people of Gaza the innocent people of the West Bank were nice people and then she makes a prayer for the Palestinians against the Jews. You know the worst for me >> the worst anti-semitism you saw in the United States came from Jews. >> Exactly. >> Wow. or to go to there was a conference of Christian CFI whatever they call Christian for Israel know in Washington DC there was demonstration outside of Jewish voice for peace the way they talked about Jews you know in your program I not even say the names and not repeat those names because there are so many explicits you know and who that Jews and who try to stop those Christian from loving Jews the Jews themselves zero fighting zero like amazingly arable you know the way you talked about Jews like Nazis so if you ask me what is for me as a Jew the worst of all the anti-semitism I saw in the land is the selfhating of the Jews and the fact is that none of us you know not me of of course none of us of the Jews you know the leadership of Jews see don't open their mouths against it you know it's like if he doesn't exist, they don't want to see it. You know, I only hear the voices from the Jewish organizations saying, "Okay, what these Jews are doing is armor." No, they don't say, you know, I'm sorry to say, I mean, J Street is is a garbage. I have been to their conferences. What I hear J Street people, rabbis tell me to the Germans, you know, because you thought I a German journalist. what I hear them telling me. I bet the Jews are they admit it. I mean, it's like, you know what he does to you? It's like you cannot forget it. So, of course, as a German, I tell them, "Yeah, you're all right. It's good that you came up with it. Very good idea." And I'm just listening to myself. >> Very perceptive. >> What's going on for it? >> These are so If it wasn't so so sad, it would be funny. Huh? >> I know. It's actually funny. I mean, funny. >> Have a wonderful day. >> You really do know your name. >> Shabas. >> Wait, wait a second. Is it a git chabas or Shabbat shalom? Which one is it? I need to know. >> Shabas. >> Shabas. Thank you, >> Shabas. Everybody check out his books. They're all available on um on Amazon. on the most recent one, careful beauties ahead, is the one he wrote after spending all that time, a year and a half in May Sharim. And next year, I hope we'll have him back because he's going to have his evaluation of who he calls the settlers, the Mitnim, the ones we call the amazing heroes of Uda and Shamron, uh, and those areas of Israel. Um, and we'll speak with him, please God, about that once that book comes out. Again, check out all his work online. Sophia Tanbound Te-N. More coming up. It's Thursday and you're listening to JM in the A.M.