Tiferet's+Project

 **IFACES 2011**
= = = = = __**Rationale: ** __= I have chosen to interview Trevor Asserson, about everything he has accomplished relation to standing up for Israel. I chose to interview Trevor because in my opinion, people who help Israel from out of the country have a strong affect on the people around him, and not only in israel. Trevor Asserson helped Israel in a very special unexpected way, and i wish to find out more about what he has done. I hope that in my project i will discover more about him accomplishments and hope to shre then with others as-well.

Trevor Asserson was born and raised in London, England, to a non-religous family. His family was quite traditional, though his parents decided that attending jewish schools was not necessary. For that reason, Trevor attended a catholic school until the age of eighteen. The young boy was a very thorough student, although he was rather mischevious the moment he was dismissed from class.
 *  __profile: Trevor Asserson:__ **

 Growing up Trevor was not religous, he enjoyed eating pork and lobster and celebrating Christmas. He would attend church every day for 15 years. Trevors father was traditional so they did celebrate Yom Kippur and 1 day of Rosh Hashana and the Passover Seder. (altough they did eat bread) When Trevor was learning about Judaism and about traditions, he picked up one along the way, and from before he was married until today he and his family kept this particular one. Which one? The placing of matza in a bag and carrying it between two bowls of water, to remember the Exodus.

 When Trevor was in his early 20's he took his first trip to Israel. The trip was actually by accident, he joined a friend that was going on holiday. Trevor really enjoyed the weather in Israel, though most of all he enjoyed a very inspirational Shabbat with Orthodox Jews. Trevors trip to israel inspired him in Judaism and in a Orthodox lifestyle. Trevor did not have any orthodox friends and did not grow up in a religous home and for that reason when he decided to keep Shabat he had to do everything all by himself. On Shabbat Trevor did not have much to do, he wanted to learn more about Judaism but because he did not read Hebrew he read Zionistic or Jewish history books. Trevor was not a member of any Zionistic orginizations, so the way that he learned about it was by reading a lot. Among the many topics he was interested in was Jewish leaders, such as Golda Meir and David Ben Gurion. The more he read about Israel the more he felt connected to it and less interested in British society as he felt that Israel was the best place for Jews to live.

 The one thing that influenced Trevor to become religious was Hilchot Tzedaka of the Rambam which made him believe that Jews are very generous people. Trevor grew up with a Christian education that said that Jesus says that you have to give all your possessions away, but no Christian actually does that because it's not practical. When Trevor learned about the Jewish approach, that you have to give just 10% of your income away, it was more logical and realistic. Even though you are actually not giving anything away, the 10% is Hashems and not yours, so in that case if you don't give away the 10% it is as if your stealing from Hashem. In Trevor's opinion the best thing about Hilchot Tzedaka is the idea of giving someone the ability to earn a living on their own.

 According to Trevor, the English were not particularly friendly to Jews, and he did experiance a few antisemetic experiences. In boarding school at the age of 13, kids would call those who were cheap "Jewish" using the word in a negative anti-semitic way. Since Trevor was barely Jewish, he did not get picked on. Trevor also mentioned that cars would stop on the street while he was walking and yell "Jew" or throw something at him, but would say "they're [already] gone", so there is no point in standing up to them. Although when he got older, he did experiance a antisemetic experience at work which he did stand up to. A colleague said that all the people in the office were difficult, and that was in a way saying that Jews were difficult (because most of the workers were Jewish).

Trevor is a lawyer and has his own law firm. Although he is a lawyer now Trevor said that if he wasn't a lawyer he would want to be a politician for Israel.

Trevor was part of a team that was fighting the BBC, it was small but well known. From working inside that team Trevor learned how to fight the BBC. When the intifada started and the BBC started attacking Israel, Trevor wanted to fight back, so he approached people and asked them to join with him, but they would just say that it was a good idea and not do anything about it. For that reason Trevor decided to do something about it himself. He wanted to spread the truth about Israel to as many people as he could, and make the BBC stop spreading its lies. Trevor really didn't know how far it would go, but enjoyed the feeling of proving them wrong.

In the process of attacking the BBC, the BBC threatened to sue Trevor. Even though the BBC was a huge company Trevor wasn't scared, he knew he could defend himself. Trevor's goal was to spread the word, and he thought that if they would sue him, the news would go out, just like he wanted to. The only thing that was hard for Trevor while attacking the BBC was his friendship with his colleagues. They didn’t want to get involved with politics. They were scared that if they would get a bad name people wouldn't want to come to them.

What was the BBC actually doing wrong? Balancing out the anti-Israel news with pro-Israel news. The workers at the BBC were mostly arabs, and they had convinced themselves that Israel is a horrible place. It was really difficult for them to keep it balanced. "It almost became a religion for them to prove Israel was a bad place" Trevor said to me. When they would show Israel in a good way, it was usually by showing dead Jews, in a type of "sympathy" perspective. For example: they showed a picture from the holocaust, just to "balance" it out.

<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;">Overall, Trevor got better responses and more encouragement than he thought he would get.The hardest thing about attacking the BBC though, was finding time. Trevor was working full time. Today there are 2 or 3 companies funded to watch and monitor the BBC. People are paid full-time to keep track of the BBC, using the techniques he developed. Interestingly enough, Trevor also has given legal advice to Palestinians, because he believes that if they get rich they won't want war and would want to live a peaceful life. In his opinion this is how there will be peace in the world.

<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> Trevor Asserson's law practice has enabled 50 families to make aliya and is also focused on helping Israelis around the world. Even with everything that Trevor has accomplished so far in life he is also planning on writing a book.Today Trevor lives in Jerusalem with his wife Mally and Two Daughters Eliana and Avital

<span style="font: normal normal normal 24px/normal Casual; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;"> __Backround research on the BBC:__

<span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> The BBC is the principal public service broadcaster in the United Kingdom. It’s headquarters are located in the Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. <span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> The BBC is the largest broadcasting company in the world, with about 23,000 staff members. The BBC stands for - British Broadcasting Corporation which provides <span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man. <span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> The company's activities include programme- and format-sales and magazines. It also <span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> includes Radio Times and book publishing.

<span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> In the United Kingdom the term "public service broadcasting" refers to broadcasting for <span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> the public interests rather than for commercials.

<span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> __How did the BBC even begin?__ <span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> The BBC was the world's first national broadcasting organization and was founded on <span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> October 18, 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company. The original company was founded in 1922 by a group of six telecommunications companies. <span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> The British Broadcasting Company was created by the British General Post Office John Reith.

<span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> To sum up its purpose and values, as well as provide guidance and direction, the BBC <span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> used the motto: "Nation shall speak peace unto Nation", as well as the quote from <span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> Micha: "nation shall not lift up a sword against nation".

<span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> The BBC runs their own television channels, radio stations, and news paper. The BBC also has its own commercial services, music and even a magazine. With the explosion of the internet onto the news scene, the BBC also joined in with their own web-site and other internet based services <span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> Despite today’s increasing reliance on the internet, the BBC magazine, BBC History, is the biggest selling history magazine in the UK and is growing by nearly 7% every year. <span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> BBC’s History Magazine regularly attracts media attention. The magazine is devoted to history, and is accessible to all levels of knowledge and interest. Being a <span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> British publication, the magazine focuses mainly on British history, but it also deals with historical issues from around the world.

<span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> Today the BBC is constantly growing and evolving. I found it very interesting to learn how the BBC was created, how it functions and to see how their influence continues to <span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> spread around the world.

<span style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 20px/normal 'Trebuchet MS'; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;"> **Peace That Was Never Peace:**

<span style="color: #333333; display: block; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"> Wars, famin, and hatred

<span style="color: #333333; display: block; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"> That’s what our world’s full of today

<span style="color: #333333; display: block; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"> Nothing but pain and suffering

<span style="color: #333333; display: block; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"> That never goes away

<span style="color: #333333; display: block; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"> ‘We’re in a time of peace, ’ they say

<span style="color: #333333; display: block; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"> But how can that be true

<span style="color: #333333; display: block; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"> With news of war on every channel

<span style="color: #333333; display: block; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"> The word peace just won’t do

<span style="color: #333333; display: block; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"> People are being killed

<span style="color: #333333; display: block; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"> By brothers, sisters, friends

<span style="color: #333333; display: block; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"> People they thought cared about them

<span style="color: #333333; display: block; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"> Are forcing their life to end

<span style="color: #333333; display: block; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"> This is no time of peace

<span style="color: #333333; display: block; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"> There are many who can prove it

<span style="color: #333333; display: block; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"> There are baby’s dying, and children

<span style="color: #333333; display: block; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"> And it’s all of us who do it

<span style="color: #333333; display: block; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"> Where is our peace now

<span style="color: #333333; display: block; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"> It’s gone, it is decieced

<span style="color: #333333; display: block; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"> Our lives are filled with the lies

<span style="color: #333333; display: block; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"> Of peace that was never peace

<span style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Verdana; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;"> Create Date: <span style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Verdana; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;"> Wednesday, April 08, 20

<span style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 20px/normal Arial; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;"> By: Faith Offerman

This Poem I found, after reading many poems stood out to me among the others, do to the fact that i feel very connected to the meaning of the words. This poem, “Peace that was never peace”, really truly shows the wars that are going around across the world and aswel as israel. When i read the poem i believe the words that are written, even though they are facts, the poem makes you want to prove that you can change that.

This poem relates to Israel, since the war that is constantly surrounding Israel, and the call for peace. In my opinion this poem portrays the present of the middle east and gives inspiration to what i want Israel and the middle east to be, which is to be in peace.

In my opinion the best element of this piece is the sentence “Where is our peace now”? The poet is questioning the readers, and I think that makes me relate to this poem even more.

This poem is such a amazing poem, since it could relate to everyone, not only those who are at war, It has an element of truth that makes you connect to the words. This poem on it’s own is amazing, but along with my project, it has a deep connection as well. <span style="font: normal normal normal 36px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;"> <span style="font: normal normal normal 36px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;"> __**reflection:**__ <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;">When I started this Project I was expecting a “just doing this for class” project, I didn’t think I would actually connect to the project as much as I actually did. I really believe that not only did I improve my writing skills and improved my research skills, I also really learned a lot about SO many different topics. I am so happy that I chose Trevor Asserson to be the person I interviewed, as he introduced me to a really interesting subject, that I probably wouldn’t have known about if it wasn’t for him.

<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;">The more I got into the project the more I felt proud to be Israeli, as well as being a Jew. The more I learned about the hate that there IS out there, the more I want to defend against it and stand up and show what I believe in.

<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;">While I was working on the project I also learned a lot about myself, I learned that I care so much more about Israel than I realized. I learned that I care a lot about what is going on out there, and that I want to one day make a change.

<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;">If I could have done this project differently, I would have believed more in myself that I could do this project and I wouldn’t hesitate so much on building up my project.

<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;">This project really became more then just a school project to me, I learned so much and really enjoyed learning and making this project.

<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;">I was shocked and very surprised in what I found, especially from the creative connection and the literature connection to the project. I found so many interesting videos, poems and stories that I wouldn’t have found if it wasn’t for this project. Thank you very much for this opportunity!