30 Comments
User's avatar
Jason Crystal's avatar

For many Jews it’s reawakened their sense of Jewish identity. Far from breaking us, they are uniting us and we are becoming stronger each and everyday.

I know many who have started sending their kids to Jewish schools and attending synagogue that had previously abandoned their faith.

We will survive and thrive. On the other hand, those who succumb to the dangerous mind rot that is antisemitism are exposing themselves, not only in their hatred for Jews, but in celebrating all acts of violence (for example assassination attempts on Trump, assassination of former UHC CEO recently). As more people come to understand their worldview and find it repugnant they will become weaker, while we Jews in the Diaspora form stronger bonds with Israelis.

We are entering a golden age of Judaism. We may bend, but we will not break.

Expand full comment
enrique waterhouse's avatar

Here in Argentina we live in harmony in that respect. Our very large jewish community live in peace. We have a lot of problems, political, social and economic but antisemitism is in the margins. There are loonies in every country. Our president is an ally of Israel and hopefully we will move our embassy to Jerusalem.

Expand full comment
Nancy F's avatar

After the October pogrom I started wearing a chai necklace for the first time. I don’t tuck it. You want to hate me? Bring it on

Not a Jew with trembling knees

Expand full comment
Zevik's avatar

Please stop referring to Oct. 7 as a pogrom – it was an invasion. The internationally recognized border of Israel was invaded by an enemy army. That is why we had no choice but to declare war – not for revenge or any of the other BS reasons our enemies blame us for. An invasion is a declaration of war, and the only legitimate response is to declare war back. Not responding to Hezballah the same way was, IMHO, a big mistake.

Expand full comment
Nancy F's avatar

I get the invasion part. but what’s up with giving aid to the enemy? Maybe AFTER the war but no during. seems nuts to me.

Expand full comment
Dan's avatar
Dec 7Edited

Fuck 'em! We beat The Nazi Party and the Nazis in the Protection of The State. Eternal Vigilance is the Price of Freedom. Yes we have many friends now: Because this is our job, for Eternity, and the whole Free World appreciates what The Jewish People do in the defence of Freedom from Genocide and the violence of The Nazi Party. So Be roused and of good cheer! We won.

Expand full comment
Onappeal's avatar

I have watched this insidiously creeping antisemitism metastasis for years. I warned folks and was scoffed at despite the mounting evidence.

My response was to join a friend and bring the Legion to our community. Since 2019 we have trained scores of Jews and those non-Jews who proudly serve our community in Krav Maga and other aspects of personal safety and first aid.

We’re not vigilantes. We study the Law of self defense and we don’t operate outside our dojo as a group. And we study how to stay safe. More folks must train.

Many Jews have obtained carry permits and now carry weapons.

The problem of the past is Jews were and too many are viewed as “soft targets.” That must end. Just as Israel is strong we in the diaspora must be strong. Am Yisrael Chai.

Expand full comment
Nina R Weissman's avatar

We are still viewed as soft targets partly because we are a tiny minority of about around .2 % of the global population or less. I think we still don't respond strongly enough in our own self defence.

Expand full comment
Jewish Grandmother's avatar

Not so easy for the hostages, the bereaved, the injured and those struggling with PTSD, but all of us have each other to help us stand up again when we fall down. We watch the resilience of Israelis and borrow strength from them. We study our history and know we will survive.

Expand full comment
Sarit Z Rogers's avatar

This is the work I do : work with trauma. I have seen an increase in Jewish clients in my practice, and I am grateful I can hold the container for us to process this pervasive trauma of antisemitism. I also work with someone individually to work on my own trauma around this because it is never ending. And, it is NOT our fault. Hate comes from the hater not the hated : antisemitism comes from the antisemite not the Jew. Ben is right. And we have to tend to the somatic response to the vigilance and terror we carry every single day. We aren’t going anywhere and we are carrying the current trauma load alongside the epigenetic load of generations before us.

Expand full comment
Robin Kurland's avatar

I have seen an increase in Jewish clients as a trauma therapist as well.

Expand full comment
Penny Adrian's avatar

As Mr. Rogers used to say "Look for the helpers." There are always helpers.

Expand full comment
Dan's avatar

Big thanks to the Helpers too! Best wishes Penny.

Expand full comment
Miriamnae's avatar

Thank you for these words. I’ve felt that something shifted all over the world, and in my life, on October 7. This twisted hate cannot be explained. But I feel it.

Expand full comment
Susan Sullivan's avatar

I agree with what you say. The continual abuse and gaslighting, will of course have an effect. Especially over a period of time! I should think the effect is shocking, people that witnessed the attack and the killings, must be suffering PTSD. The effect must be terrible and I hope victims are receiving specialist help for PTSD.

Expand full comment
Liba's avatar

The antidote is to study and learn what it truly means to act like a Jew. There is so much more to being a Jew than just being persecuted. We are, in fact, a joyful nation.

We do not really ”blame the victim”. Everything that happens to an individual and to the Jewish People as a whole is actually a message. It tells us what we have to improve. For example, right now (and in fact the last 2000 years) we have been experiencing senseless hatred from the world around us. This is a message that tells us we have to improve on the senseless hatred within our ranks.

Expand full comment
Liba's avatar

My post on there’s more to being Jewish than being persecuted

https://open.substack.com/pub/liba/p/just-because-youre-paranoid-doesnt?r=fxgvw&utm_medium=ios

Expand full comment
Nina R Weissman's avatar

What lack of positive Jewish identity and cowardice would yield someone not wanting to be a Jew in response to the explosion of gaslighting projection and genocidal hatred of Jews we are bearing witness to. People hate others who they envy, i.e., who have something the haters lack, but want.

Expand full comment
Ilana M.'s avatar

I don't want to minimize but I want to ask those people who no longer want to be Jewish- did they want before or was it automatic?

Expand full comment
Daniel Rosenblatt's avatar

A friend of mine went to Israel some time after 10/7 to help. When he came back he could not get over the hatred the world has for us. All my life, of 76 years, I have had to fight the hate that others had for me. I cannot say how many times I fought after hearing you dirty Jew or you G-D damed Jew or the like. Most times I did not win. That was not the point. I felt they had to know you open your mouth like that I am coming over the table for you. Even in defeat I got a small amount of respect. My view and I told my friend this, is they have always hated us they have been trying to kill all of us since we showed up and they will continue to try to kill us until we no longer exist. I said get use to the idea and only when you come to grips with this can you be more ok with their hatred. At 76 if I hear you G-D damed Jew I don't care how big or how young or any of that I know I am going to come over the table for you even if I die trying. I will never back down my ancestors understand this I only wish the Jews of today could understand that no matter what we do they will hate us, and that is ok, at least we know where this shit is coming from but more importantly those who hate us should know that when you do we will fight back. Am Israeli Chai. Shalom Dan

Expand full comment
Alfred Harder's avatar

I lost faith in Humanity long ago!

Expand full comment
Laura's avatar

We need to become too powerful to mess with.

Expand full comment