Becky Griffin's profile picture on Facebook.
In the upper right hand corner of this blogsite, you see the small words “What have you done for Israel today?” Because your humble servant strongly believes that we live in a world in which one person can make a difference, if you click on the “Fight For Israel Now” tab in the menu bar, you will find eight specific ways you can fight for Israel right now.
But when you see something that is wrong, do something about it. Take the case of Becky Griffin–an aspiring Israeli-American actress–who attempted to buy a NIVEA skin cream product online last week. She was shocked to see that even though NIVEA sells its products in Israel, NIVEA did not list Israel as a country on its website–and did list the ‘Palestine Territories.’
Instead of just saying ‘That’s terrible’, Griffin did something about it. She sat down and wrote a letter to NIVEA (owned by the German company Beiersdorf AG) and then posted that letter on her Facebook site. Her posting and letter read in part:
“I am an Israeli-American that used to use your products–but never again. I believe in ‘Never Say Never,’ but in this case it is fair to say that I will never buy your products, and I will make sure that others don’t either.
‘Why?’ I hear you ask? Well, the answer is quite simple. I don’t support racism and I don’t support anti-Israeli propaganda. I was very surprised to find out that according to you, my country, Israel, is good enough to sell your products in, but not worth being a part of the rest of the world. When asked to select my location on your website, I couldn’t do so.
I would love to understand why you choose to eliminate us off the map of the world? Such behavior reminds me the history of your country, Germany, and the Nazi regime. Or is it the Iranian regime that denies the Holocaust and calls to wipe us off the map that you support? Is it the terror groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah and IHH to name just a few that you wish to keep happy? Or is basic business – there are more ‘Arab customers’ than Israelis, so you would rather risk losing our business than theirs?
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I simply cannot believe that I am even writing such a letter in the year 2011. You should be ashamed of yourselves and yes, this will not go away quietly, or ignored. You make me feel scared, and sick to my stomach. I usually end letters with ‘Thank you,’ but I will not thank you for discriminating [against] me, my people or my country.”
You might be interested to know that the day after Griffin posted this on her Facebook page, Nivea included Israel in its list of countries–complete with an introduction page in Hebrew. Check it out yourself at: http://www.nivea-international.com/pages/int-country-selection
One person can make a difference. You can be that person and you can make that difference. When you go to sleep tonight, proudly remember what you did for Israel today!
Addendum:
Nivea was founded in 1911 by Dr. Oscar Troplowitz, a German Jew, who owned the Beiersdorf company until his untimely death in 1918. You can read his biography at the Niveawebsite: http://www.beiersdorf.com/About_Us/Our_History/Personalities.html
If you have the time, you might scan through some of the other biographies. In particular, look at Dr. Willy Jacobsohn who in 1933 “resigned – along with the other Jewish members of the Executive Board – and took over responsibility for the company’s international business from Holland, emigrating to Los Angeles in the USA via London in 1938.” Note in Carl Claussen’s biography that Jacobsohn had resigned in 1933 “for political reasons” and that Claussen “managed the company throughout the National Socialist era until 1954.” For political reasons? Hitler began his campaign to annihilate world Jewry. The National Socialist era? The Nazi era.
A student from Malawi, who had worked with an Israeli health volunteer in his country battling AIDS, came up to us as we walked down the street in the UC-Davis Picnic Day Parade and wanted to carry the Israeli flag.