David Mamet likes to rile people. The playwright who brought street talk from the alleys of Chicago to Broadway, and upset theater-goers with plays about sexual harassment and white-black relations in America, has assumed a new public persona: that of a neoconservative fighter who is out to shatter the "dogma" of the liberal left and defends Israel aggressively. His book The Secret Knowledge: On the Dismantling of American Culture (Sentinel HC, 2011) establishes the nexus between the current wave of anti-Israelism and anti-Semitism, especially in the West, including attempts at denying Israel’s very legitimacy.

Michael C. Duke and the newspaper he writes for, the Jewish Herald-Voice, work for the survival of a Jewish community in Houston, Texas. A local Jewish newspaper can often help define the issues that are important. And Duke fights those who wish to delegitimize Israel and for the unity of the 42,000 Jews dispersed within a metropolitan area population of almost 6 million in Houston.

It is little known that Jews came to Texas with the Spanish conquistadores, more than 60 years before the presumably first Jews to North American arrived in New Amsterdam (now New York). When Houston was founded in 1836, Jews were among the first to make the city their home.

The Jewish Herald-Voice was established in 1908 and bills itself as the longest-running Jewish paper in the Southwest and one of the oldest in the United States. The Jewish Herald-Voice reveals more about Houston and Texas Jewish life, thought and culture than any other single source. It is a weekly community newspaper serving the Jewish community of Texas' Gulf Coast. The paper is owned by the Samuels family, also its publishers, and is edited by Michael Duke.

The Herald is subscribed to by approximately 7,000 households (Post Office audited), with a readership of more than 30,000, making it read by almost every Jewish household in the area. In addition, business owners, government officials and clergy of other faiths subscribe to the Herald to be informed on Jewish issues and to keep up with their Jewish customers and friends.

The Herald covers Jewish and Jewish-related events from around the world, events from more than 90 local Jewish organizations, and has specialty pages for seniors, parents of young children, party planners, business, medical, singles, food and arts and entertainment. In addition, supplements are published annually for education, Israel Independence Day, home improvement, election and holiday shopping.

The Jewish Herald-Voice empowers its readers to action through its reporting of important events, community happenings and life-cycle announcements; editorials and insightful columns and coverage of a wide variety of issues for people of all ages and stages. Representing the great and powerful diversity of this Jewish community, the Herald unites many thoughts in its weekly pages. As one of American’s original chat rooms, this Jewish community newspaper is an interactive forum that brings people together, rather than divides and separates.

Michael C. Duke (see picture above) follows in the tradition established by his grandparents, Joe and Jeanne Samuels. Joe died on Jan. 19, 2011 after publishing the newspaper for 38 years. Michael C. Duke was taken by his grandfather to Israel when he became a Bar Mitzvah. This is the reason he gives why he has such a strong love for the State and people of Israel today. Like his grandfather, he likes to brag that he is an unapologetic Zionist.

The grandfather Joseph W. Samuels (his Hebrew name was Josef ben Moshe) was born in Dallas on Dec. 10, 1915. His father owned and operated a printing business until he became seriously ill with nephritis (a common ailment among printers) and died at the young age of 38, before he could realize his dream of starting a Jewish newspaper.

Joe’s mother had no choice during the economic depression in the USA but to follow the advice of their San Antonio Rabbi Ephraim Frisch. She brought her three children – Joe, 13, Grace, 9, and Alvin “A. Pat,” 6 – to New Orleans, where the children were accepted in the Jewish Children’s Home.

A free-thinker, and the oldest child ever to be admitted to the Home, Joe immediately became “Peck’s Bad Boy.” Despite Joe’s impressive academic record, the Home superintendent counseled his mother to “Get rid of him. That boy’s going to end up in prison.”

At 18, Joe returned to Houston. As World War II loomed, Joe married Jeanne and was admitted into the U.S. Army Air Corps, which soon became the U.S. Air Force. Joe was shipped overseas to the European Theater of Operations. The new lieutenant’s communications specialty was instrument landing systems. During his tour of duty in French West Africa, in Dakar, Joe and his crew installed a navigational system that prevented crashes. He later established similar systems at other American bases in Europe, including Naples, Italy, and Bucharest, Romania.

After the war, Joe remained in the reserves at Ellington Air Force Base, earning more than 22 years of military service before his retirement as a lieutenant colonel. He helped found the B’nai B’rith Downtown Lodge and published its newsletter, “The Downtown Dude.” The family also were members of Temple Beth Israel, and moved to Temple Emanu El in the 1950s.

Joe and Jeanne purchased the Jewish Herald-Voice newspaper on April 1, 1973, becoming the third owners of the now 103-year-old newspaper. He wanted the paper to represent all of the Jewish community and its organizations. Joe transformed the Houston community over time as he brought disparate factions together, helped to mend fences, corrected injustices and brought help to those in need, both behind the scenes and through the printed word.

Through the newspaper, Joe and Jeanne sustained Jewish life in Houston and many times saved lives with their pleas for blood and organ donations, or funds to help the destitute, followed by an overwhelming response from the generous local community.

Passionate Zionists, through the paper the two have been friends to all synagogues and Jewish organizations, day schools and camps, and particularly supportive of the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, Jewish Family Service, Seven Acres and Holocaust Museum Houston, among the many others.

In the greater world, Joe and Jeanne traveled around the globe, reporting on Jews in need, subsequently garnering support from the community to save Jews in the Middle East, the Soviet Union and Ethiopia. Having gone to Israel more than a dozen times, their reporting has moved the Jewish community to contribute financial resources to those in need in Israel, especially during times of crisis.

Picture above: Ambassador of Israel Moshe Fox presented the “Defenders of Jerusalem Award” from Israel Bonds to Joe and Jeanne Samuels in June 2002.

Joe left an extraordinary legacy: his Jeanne, his beloved wife of 67 years, through his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, his brother, A. Pat Samuels, numerous nieces and nephews, extended family, his friends locally and around the world, through the family-led newspaper, that made Houston proud, and his employees, through the Houston Jewish community he nurtured, and in the State of Israel he supported.

Picture above is of Jeanne and Joe on top at Joe’s 90th birthday party with Lawrence S Levy, Matt Samuels, Marc Samuels, Vicki Samuels Levy, Kristy Samuels, Cameron Samuels, Maylee Samuels, Ben Samuels, Amy Duke, Jesse DeMartino, Wendy Waterman, Maurene Bencal, Michael Bencal, Naomi Duke, Caroline Samuels, Daniel Waterman, Michael Duke, Alyssa Campbell, Joseph Duke, David Duke, Lan Duke and Isabel Duke.

Rabbi Joseph Radinsky eulogized Joe Samuels at a memorial service on Sunday, Jan. 23, at Emanu El Memorial Park. He said:

Do you know how many lives Joe saved? Because every time there was somebody who needed a blood transfusion, who needed – you know Jeanne is in this too, but she said to only talk about Joe, don’t talk about me, but Jeanne is as much responsible as he is – so many, bone marrow transplants, how many times do they keep putting it in the paper that we need a bone marrow transplant donor. … and they didn’t only put it in the paper, they put it on the front page!

One example of the influence of Joe Samuels was his support in the paper for Rabbi Joseph Radinsky regarding the Sterne-Wolff Foundation. The money meant for Jewish widows and orphans had been going to the Methodist Hospital – very wonderful charity, but there weren’t too many Jewish orphans and widows there. Eventually, all the money is now basically going to Seven Acres, and I can assure you that there are only orphans there and there are many widows.

He also was very proud Jew. A very, very proud Jew. And Joe was such a Zionist. He really, that was his whole heart and being. In fact, he loved Israel very much. And you all remember about the Soviet Jewry episode, you remember how the Refuseniks, how the Communists wouldn’t let the Jews out. But, do you know who was there to help them? In the paper, every paper there was something published about them. Not only that, they went to Russia to see the Rufuseniks and they really raised – excuse the expression – holy hell – in this town. This town was very good. We sent so many people here. This town, the Federation and everybody else backed it.

Joe and Jeanne were great supporters of synagogues in the paper. You can find all the synagogues and about all the schools and they did a lot of things free for everybody and it was very, very wonderful. And they were very evenhanded. He has influenced this community in many, many positive ways. His paper was open to all. He championed every cause that he thought was just, and all of us basically thought was just.

Rabbi Roy A. Walter also eulogized Joe Samuels. He said:

The Jewish Herald-Voice was more than a business to Joe Samuels. It was a place where the Jewish community could express itself, and Joe always stood for what he thought was right. And what he always thought was in the best interest of the Jewish community, and that was always his and Jeanne’s guide no matter what they wrote about, no matter what position they took, whatever mistakes they may have made, there was never one moment that any of us who knew Jeanne and Joe doubted that they were doing it in behalf of the Jewish community and for our best interests.

Recent articles in the Jewish Herald-Voice give a sense of the extent the newspaper unites the community and gives them a sense of pride in being Jewish.

• Congregation Emanu El member Steven Karpas is the managing director of the Houston Marathon
• Houstons first Jewish city councilwoman (Ellen Cohen) looks forward to neighborly term
• University of Houston's first Jewish football coach (Tony Levine) debuts with historic bowl victory
• Three Houston-area athletes (Marty Appelbaum, David Katz, Stacy Aguirre) came home from Brazil with medals from the Pan American Maccabi games on Jan. 1.
• Jewish Policeman (Brad Sternberg) recognized with bravery award
• BBYO (formerly the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization) stages message against bullying
• Basketball building bridges: Rice coach Braun, an Emanu El member, strengthens international relations on the court
• Israeli by choice: Jewish Agency programs help lone soldiers integrate into Israeli society
• Houston mayor sees Israelis as start-up model, business partner
• Christians, Jews united for Israel.

Michael C. Duke encouraged in the newspaper the activities of Ira Bleiweiss who founded Bridge Houston in April 2008. The organization was dedicated to countering the public acts of anti-Semitism with a vision of standing for Israel and the Jewish people by physically showing up wherever anti-Israel and anti-Semitic demonstrations were being conducted in the Houston area. As word got around, the Bridge Houston organization of concerned citizens grew.

A local newspaper can also mobilize the Jewish community to help those who need assistance as was shown with the coverage Michael Duke gave to the Berry family tragedy.

Five members of the Berry family were driving home from a vacation over the July 4 weekend on July 2, 2011 when their car collided head on with another vehicle. The parents, Josh and Robin Berry, 41 and 40, were killed instantly. Two of the children in the back seat, Peter, 9, and Aaron, 8, suffered severe spinal injuries and were paralyzed from the waist down. One child, Willa, 6, escaped with a broken arm and ankle and was cognizant when state troopers arrived at the accident scene. She provided crucial personal identification information and contact numbers for family members in Houston.

Robin and Josh Berry were active in the Houston Jewish community. They were members of Beth Yeshurun, a large, Conservative synagogue. Robin had worked as family life coordinator at Beth Yeshurun, and Josh had participated in men’s club programs. The Berry children attend Beth Yeshurun Day School.

In Houston, the Jewish community became active in making sure that the Berry children are well cared for. Friends established a trust fund for the kids, local businesses held fundraisers, TV stars sent their condolences, and professional athletes stopped by the children’s hospital beds.

Baseball all-star Hunter Pence of the Houston Astros showed up, and Wilson Chandler of the NBA’s Denver Nuggets and Kyle Lowry of the Houston Rockets also came to boost the children's spirits at Children’s Memorial Hermann hospital with a gift and jokes. Three players from Major League Soccer's Houston Dynamo visited, too.

The Houston Dynamo and the Israeli consulate in Houston partnered together to raise funds for the three children’s trust. Dynamo match, designated to celebrate Jewish Heritage night, gave a donation of $10 to the Berry trust for every ticket sold.

At least $46,000 was raised through dog washes, lemonade stands and ice cream sales organized by local children and their parents. That amount did not include donations to the trust fund or fundraisers by local businesses.

I.W. Marks Jewelers in Houston held an auction to benefit the children and help pay for their medical repair. Tasti D-lite also donated proceeds from business on a Friday night, and BoConcept furniture held a fundraising event in August.

“Team Berry” was created for participants at the Houston Marathon that took place on January 15, 2012. T-shirts were made up that are branded with the heart-shaped logo and all the money goes to the Berry kids. (Note: There are about 150 participants across all the races and a number of registrants as part of a cheer squad.)

Further Reading:

Ira Bleiweiss founded Bridge Houston to fight anti-Jewish and anti-Israel propaganda

Websites of hatred constructed by David Hobson of Minnetonka, MN

Ira Bleiweiss has two hobbies: taking gun practice at a shooting range and combating anti-Semitism in a peaceful way. For two years on his evening commute, Bleiweiss watched members of the Progressive Action Alliance protesting Israel with virulent signs on the bridge over U.S. 59. Although increasingly bothered by them, he did what most people would do: He silently fumed but didn't act on it.

“I didn't have to dig very deep to see what these demonstrators were about, and that was hatred of Judaism and the Jewish people rather than hatred of Israel,” Bleiweiss said. “They veil their hatred under an anti-Zionist cover, but their sayings come directly from anti-Semitic propaganda such as the Protocols of the Elders of Zion.”

Then one day in March 2008, fed up with the increasingly anti-Semitic tone of the group's signage, he decided to take action against what he calls “freeway blogging.”

Not many of those who support the fight against anti-Semitism and against the delegitimization of Israel will recognize the name of Newton Becker. A little known philanthropist, Newton Becker who died on Jan. 2, 2012 was one of the biggest supporters of the pro-Israel and Jewish community. Roz Rothstein of StandWithUs describes him as: “He shifted the paradigm of pro-Israel activism.” “Without him, the pro-Israel community would not be as strong and effective as it is today.”

A lawsuit by Jessica Felber and Brian Maissy accusing UC Berkeley of turning a blind eye to alleged intimidation by Arab students and fostering a climate of anti-Semitism was dismissed by a federal judge who said school officials have no duty to intervene in campus political disputes.

The plaintiffs, a current student and a recent graduate, said they and other Jews have been harassed during Apartheid Week, held by Muslim student groups each year to protest Israeli policies.

Jacobs' self-declared mission is "breaking the silence" about Islamic extremism and unmasking its American practitioners and enablers, many of them centered in Boston. He currently heads Americans for Peace and Tolerance, an interfaith group he founded in 2008.

Rachel Lea Fish led a campaign in 2003 that was instrumental in pressuring Harvard University to reject funds from Sheik Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, ruler of the United Arab Emirates, who funded and lent his name to an anti-American, anti-Semitic think-tank based in Abu Dhabi.

Richard Allen has fought the partnership with rabidly anti-Israel groups at the Jewish Community Center in Upper West Side Manhattan. He founded JCC Watch.org, a volunteer group made up of current and past members of the JCC in Manhattan and other concerned individuals and organizations with the motto to hold Jewish Groups accountable, and by doing this, created a stir in New York and nationally by targeting pro-Palestinian support by progressive local and national Jewish leaders.

Glenn Beck is a controversial person when it comes to Israel and Judaism. If you only listen to Beck for an hour or two, you are sure that he is philo-Semitic and staunchly pro-Israel. He has said that "there is no one more pro-Israel or more pro-Jew than I am."

But he has angered Jewish groups by what they claim is his use of Nazi language and imagery, his attacks on Holocaust survivor George Soros, and his comparison of Reform Rabbis to radical Muslims. Commentators have triggered a debate over whether he is a true friend of Israel or just a fanatic who is in essence anti-Semitic.

Rabbi Jonathan Guttentag of Whitefield Synagogue in North Manchester was the originator of one of the largest Israel advocacy conferences seen in the UK.

He was inspired to this action by an Israeli NGO’s study identifying London as a major center in the delegitimization campaign against the Jewish state. After reading a report published last year by the Tel Aviv-based Reut Institute, titled “Building a Political Firewall against the Assault on Israel’s Legitimacy,” he decided it was time to act.

Fiamma Nirenstein is a name that few outside Italy recognize though she is one of the most active fighters against hate in Europe and was chosen by the Jerusalem Post in June of 2011 as one of the world's 50 most influential Jews. She is a parliamentarian in Italy where she speaks out in support of freedom and human rights, against terror and anti-Semitism, and for a clear-eyed view of Israel and Islam. Nirenstein stands for Western values and against the “leftist ideologies” which, she proclaims, have been used to “justify…violent crimes” and “disgusting verbal attacks” against Jews and Israel.

Rising hate incidents against Jews in Australia has led David Southwick, Liberal member for Caulfield, to act against rising anti-Semitism on Australian university campuses by calling on Minister for Higher Education and Skills Peter Hall to discuss the incidents of hatred with community leaders on Nov. 14, 2011.

Jessica Felber was a Jewish student at the University of California at Berkeley in 2010 when she became a fighter against hatred. She graduated in December 2010 with B.A.s in Economics and Legal Studies. A suit was filed by her and Brian Maissy on March 4, 2011 against UC Berkeley for failing to provide a safe atmosphere. Her request for a jury trial was heard on September 22, 2011 at the United States District Court of the Northern District of California. Jessica is waiting for a decision.

Jeremy Dery is only 24 but he is a young man full of energy. He took on Drew University when it challenged his decision to study in Israel, is involved in numerous projects, and has devoted his time to Jewish affairs.

Helen Freedman, executive director of Americans for a Safe Israel (AFSI), can be seen in the forefront of the picture as dozens of pro-Israel activists take on Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) outside Columbia University on Nov 16. 2011.

It was the third and final day of the 2011 National Students for Justice in Palestine “teach-in”, organized by its members to prepare for their upcoming Israel Apartheid Week events across college campuses throughout North America.

David Hallam: A Voice against hatred fights the UK Methodist Church resolution of support for a boycott of Israel.

Methodist preacher David Hallam has fought strenuously against his own church’s Boycott of Israel and considered suing his own church over its use of charitable donations to pursue a campaign of discrimination against Israeli Jews.

What could Amy Stein find to do in the war against hatred in Boulder, Colorado? Boulder is located in a beauty spot, at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The city violent crime rate for Boulder in 2009 was lower than the national violent crime rate average by 42.97%. Boulder is in an area of the US where neighboring towns close their police stations at night. Indeed, the city of Boulder frequently acquires top rankings in health, well-being, quality of life, education, and art.

On the eve of the new Jewish Year, Vladimir Putin’s “Rosh Hashana” greeting to Russia’s Jews draws attention to the way in which this long-serving leader has re-shaped political discourse in his country, nearly eliminating public expressions of anti-Semitism from mainstream politics.

Russian politics have never been for the faint of heart, and Jews have featured in them for centuries as convenient scapegoats and victims. Russian Czars enacted anti-Semitic legislation, subjecting the Jews to inferior status. They routinely made use of mob pogroms and blood libels, instigated from above, as a useful way of keeping the Russian masses happy. From this period originated the call - "beat the Jews and save Russia."

The United Nations held its 10-year anti-racism commemoration conference, commonly referred to as Durban III, on Sept. 22, 2011 to honor the fiercely anti-Israel and anti-Western Durban I event.

Anne Bayefsky took up the fight against this UN anti-Semitism by becoming lead organizer of a counter-conference with 18 prominent personalities on “The Perils of Global Intolerance: The United Nations and Durban III.” This year’s meaningless Durban III can be viewed as a kind of crowning achievement of Bayefsky’s tireless work to debunk a racist endeavor dressed up as anti-racism.

In March of 2011, Denis MacEoin, took up the fight against hatred in an open letter written to the Edinburgh University Student Association against their decision to boycott Israel.

A motion to boycott Israel had been passed at the Edinburgh University Students Association (EUSA) General Meeting on Monday 14th March, 2011. The motion, ‘Boycott Israeli Goods in EUSA shops and supply chains’ received around 270 votes in favour, with only 20 students voting against.