135 Comments
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Leslie Golding Mastroianni's avatar

I am a Jewish 75 year old lady living in a rural north eastern town; my last name is Italian , my husband converted. I have one Jewish friend. I am afraid to wear religious jewelry because my neighbors, although wonderful people, have never met a Jewish person and I’m frightened. This article describes a tsunami of hate so terrible that it makes me lose my breath. What can one person do? Does money help? If we are a civilization we must cling with reverence to our past, our Torah, our ways. My personal mission in life as a Jew is to do as many mitzvot as possible. God will look kindly on that. Mitzvah means good deed but also commandment. We as Jews must continue to fight evil with good.

Ido Singer's avatar

Thank you for sharing an I share in your concerns. I'd love to tell you that money helps. I'd love to tell you not to worry so much. I worry. I watch my back. I study those around me. It's hard not to be able to fully let my guard down in public.

My father fled that horror. That wasn't that long ago and we are circling that drain.

We have to take care of one another, do mitzvot, as we always do, and have faith that we will get through this.

Leslie Golding Mastroianni's avatar

I agree with all of you. We are all in pain but we have each other.

Ido Singer's avatar

We sure do. Hang in there.

sabasarge's avatar

I understand where you're coming from, but take it from me, Jews must fight evil with overwhelming force.

Ido Singer's avatar

And we do. It's harder for some, more than others. It's like playing Wack-A-Mole these days. Stay vigilant.

sabasarge's avatar

Always

Robin Alexander's avatar

Oh yes, in terms of Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis, PLA, ISIS, etc. Israel and the West are far too nice. There is a "suicidal empathy" that makes us think war should be fought like a gentleman's tournament. It is not.

Ido Singer's avatar

“We live in the Middle East, not the Middle West…” - paraphrasing, but this still holds up.

Leslie Golding Mastroianni's avatar

When I was a grad student in the summer of 1997 I had a professor who was an unashamed Nazi admirer. One evening in class he took a break from his lecture and began talking about how neat and interesting the Nazis were. He showed us rare death camp photos and had a bedspread with a huge swastika on it. I thought I was dreaming this and my ears turned burning red. A woman across the room was sobbing. I crossed the room and we sobbed in each other’s arms. Later I confronted this man but his eyes were unfocused—in another world. And here I was, in West Chester, Pa, thinking the Holocaust was decades in the past and I was safe. I never felt really safe again.

Ido Singer's avatar

Insane. Not unique, unfortunately, as I'm sure others endured a version of this, but insane nonetheless. God knows how many more "teachers" like that are out there. Universities could care less about rooting that out.

sabasarge's avatar

Not surprising. I once, abt 20 years ago got in a bar fight in Botswana with a proud Afrikaner Nazi. It didn't end well for him.

Leslie Golding Mastroianni's avatar

It just never ends.

Robin Alexander's avatar

That is so crazy ! I can't even imagine it. Just curious - what did he teach?

Leslie Golding Mastroianni's avatar

Sociology. When I confronted him I said that maybe he should give his Nazis a break and read some books on Judaism. He asked for suggestions so I said This Is My God and Jews, God, and History. Of course he never read them. But I was going crazy inside. Should I report him to the President of the University? I was just finishing my degree after 5 years’ work; what if the President was like this “professor?”

Freedom Lover's avatar

I would bet money that you are perfectly safe among your rural Christian neighbors. It is in our cities where the red/green alliance operates with impunity or near impunity. And though there is a far right Jew hate problem it is miniscule compared to the red/green alliance which has a hatred for Israel and by extension all Jews that rivals that of the Nazis.

Ido Singer's avatar

Agreed about the alliance. It is much more prevalent in the ranks of the modern left as part of their ideology/permission structure than it is on the right. I just wish the mainstream right had more courage to excommunicate these fringe factions from its ranks and call them out (Candice, Tucker, Nick F., etc.) for what they are. Fringe. Unaffiliated. Shameful. Dangerous.

Freedom Lover's avatar

Couldn't agree more but at the same time plenty of Republicans and Conservatives have denounced them while over 20 board members have walked away from the Heritage Society over Kevin Roberts' defense of Carlson. Meanwhile other than John Fetterman I am hard pressed to think of a mainstream Democrat who has stood squarely with Israel let alone denounced the Jew haters in the party. And that includes Charles (May his name be erased) Schumer.

Ido Singer's avatar

Correct. I've stopped considering Heritage Foundation as a source to side with. They showed who they are. As for Fetterman - he's great. Very contagious to stand up to his party like that. Richie Torres is another one worth a very clear moral compass when it comes to Jews.

Leslie Golding Mastroianni's avatar

Living in the country gives protection, I agree . Something it makes me feel guilty.

Ido Singer's avatar

Glad you've got a sense of safety. It's not wrong to feel safer where you are, as opposed to a large city, and I know you're watching your 6 at the same time.

Leslie Golding Mastroianni's avatar

Thanks a lot! And no other students in the class reacted. They were much younger than my Other fellow Jew and probably barely knew about the Holocaust…and believe me, I was very frightened!

Leslie Golding Mastroianni's avatar

This professor taught Sociology. And when I confronted him I said that maybe he should give his Nazis a break and read a few books on Judaism. He asked for suggestions and I said This Is My God and Jews, God, and History. Of course he never read them!

Jane Davis's avatar

And we must cling together.

Ido Singer's avatar

We do and will. Small yet mighty.

Robin Alexander's avatar

Thanks for your reply. I did a Master's at Rutgers in Comp Lit. I cannot imagine a professor saying something so anti-Western civilization. Of course, people have a way of fooling themselves into all kinds of idiocy. What a traumatic experience. I totally understand not wanting to report him. It took guts to talk to him directly about possibly exploring the other side of things. Just wow.

Ellen Jannol's avatar

As much as I miss my parents, I'm thankful that they don't have to see this happening again.

Ido Singer's avatar

I second that notion. Especially my father and our entire Holocaust-surviving family on his side. It feels like such a betrayal.

Irwin Weiss's avatar

Exactly my thoughts

Kafr Dhimmi's avatar

I believe we need the JDL a lot more than we need the ADL. Jabotinsky was right and Meir Kahane was even more right. Kahane chai.

Ido Singer's avatar

They all made some solid points. I truly believe in this one: הקם להורגך - השכם להורגו ("If someone comes to kill you, rise up and kill him first")

carrie's avatar

"Every Jew a 22.. " (Kahane)

Ido Singer's avatar

We all need to be armed and ready, yes.

Stephen Stein's avatar

EVERY Jew should learn to use a firearm and purchase one. Even in Canada this can be done (so far). It seems to make sense on a visceral level, if it became known that many Jews carried there would be some reluctance to fuck with them. Good thing to know, good thing to have and a lot of fun in honing one's skills in the activity.

Ido Singer's avatar

It IS the great equalizer.

Leslie Golding Mastroianni's avatar

You’ve got a point.

Shari Levine's avatar

I am a 71 year old so proud to be Jewish woman, and I’m taking shooting lessons now. We are not laying down to die! Am Yisreal Chai.

Ido Singer's avatar

You are inspirational! Get after it! No more trembling knees.

Steve S's avatar

Agree 100%. Every Jewish home should have at least one firearm for each adult, with enough ammo for practice at the range and if needed. At least one long gun is also recommended. Shooting is relaxing, calming, even meditative as there is so much subjectivity in the world, it is a relief to engage in objective skills where accurate holes in the target down range give testament to one's skills and abilities, or need to improve.

Ido Singer's avatar

Agreed. Get them while you can. Practice as if you're going to need to use it. Hope to never have to.

Glenn Wolfson's avatar

Concealed carry everywhere it’s legal

Ido Singer's avatar

Amen to that. Carried an M-16 everywhere for 3 years while I served. Most Israelis do. No wonder the response rate to anything there is lightning fast. Mitigated many terroir attacks that works have been much more deadly. Funny enough - no school shootings...

The Holy Land News's avatar

I live in Israel. I have an Israeli flag at the entrance of my home. I have no fear for my children nor grandchildren. They are safe.

Yes, we fo have crime and terror attacks in Israel but we also have police, the military and secret service. They know how to deal with these hate mongers the thieves.

Welcome to the Holy Land 🙌

In God we Trust and our warriors 🙏

Ido Singer's avatar

Safest place for Jews on earth. Even though.

Barry Lederman, “normie”'s avatar

As the fog of October 7 war in Gaza is lifting, it is becoming clear that current conditions for Jews in Israel and in the Diaspora are worse than in recent history, i.e., 1930's. The current cease-fire in Gaza as part of and the proposed 20 point peace plan proposed by President Trump finds only Israel committed to its execution and not the opposing party, Hamas. This has been history if not on repeat, then rhyming. At the recent Al Jazeera forum in Doha, Hamas's political leader, Khaled Meshaal, admitted that Hamas will not surrender militarily, That is precisely the requirement of the current next point of the peace plan. At the same time, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas published the draft of the constitution for a Palestinian state. It confirmed "Palestine" as part of the Arab Homeland and it reaffirmed the PLO as the sole representative of the Palestinian people. The draft of the constitution does not mention the existence of Israel or any Jewish ties to Jerusalem. It specifically calls for Sharia to be the only legal system for the Palestinian state. We are back to square one of a NO two state solution. Meanwhile, the Diaspora Jews are under worldwide resurgence of antisemitism under the cover of anti-Zionism. The increase of reported incidents, including the most violent ones, is in unprecedented numbers. It is not only in Germany and Austria of the 1930's; it includes almost all western, democratic countries.

The resurgence of Jew hatred is now also fueled by very visible Islamist invasion by unchecked migration to Europe. Add to it the convergence of the new left and the new right on the Jew hatred with the Islamist Trojan horse taking advantage of it.

Yet, what is different right now is that Jews do have a country and they have a supporting Trump administration in the US. We see "moves" by the two leaders, Trump and Netanyahu, that indicate that they have the understanding of the gravity of the current situation, especially with Iran, the major supporter of the conflict. It seems that Israel gave up on a negotiated political solution. It actually announced plans to expand control of Judea and Samaria despite condemnations from some Western and Arab countries. At the same time, the United States keeps increasing its military assets in the waters surrounding Iran. We don't know what will be the final move. It is again, wait to find out.

Ido Singer's avatar

Thank you for expanding and bringing more context. I agree with the notion that diplomacy, while important, should not interfere with or contradict concrete action to secure our borders and people. Not surprised that we are the only ones respecting the rules. Doesn't matter if we do or don't, so might as well protect ourselves.

Barry Lederman, “normie”'s avatar

Yes. It is also apparent that although “silence is not an option” as Elie Weisel said, we cannot win the PR war. Israel has no choice but become independent of US monetary and financial aid. We should accept that the American political system can bring total change in support every four years. Diaspora must support the mother ship without interfering in Israeli internal politics. The Jew hatred never ceases, it just goes dormant for a “while”.

Weisshorn Ent's avatar

It is disappointing and dangerous to converse with morons, but suffice it to say, Hitler lost the war, utterly destroyed his country and then shot his dog, his wife, before blowing out his brains.

Ido Singer's avatar

I was just about to say - I'm sorry for the dog.

Dan's avatar

Sad about the dog.

Dana Ramos's avatar

True, but not before slaughtering 6 million Jews. We can't afford to go through that again.

Mike Guetta's avatar

As Haviv Rettig Gur has observed, the Nazis lost the war against the Allies, but they won the war against the Jews. Never again. We need to give up trying to be well-liked and just be strong instead (without losing our decency).

Ido Singer's avatar

Agreed. I'm not here to “convince” anyone we are a force for good. I'm here to let them know we are a force to be reckoned with.

Weisshorn Ent's avatar

Not so. Am Yisrael exists and modern-day Nazism is just nihilism for losers.

Ido Singer's avatar

You're right. I find that explaining, providing facts, arguing and exposing the stupidity of those who choose to lean into that ideology rarely makes a difference. I'd rather be feared than understood. It's just too time consuming on my part.

Nathan Brown's avatar

I would like to counter that thought … the Nazis indeed lost the war to the Nazis, and whilst the Nazis destroyed 2/3rds of European Jewry, (6 million murdered out of about 9 million), whilst that was an evil battle of theirs, out of the dreadful ashes of the Shoah, 1948 saw the rebirth of modern day Israel .. 💙🇮🇱

Ido Singer's avatar

We are one of the biggest success stories humanity ever produced. That's a big reason why losers who can't achieve flock to hating and demonizing us.

Weisshorn Ent's avatar

For these people, any appeal to morality is ineffective. The reality that Hitler and his most of his henchmen preferred suicide is a clear indication that their was an utter failure only attractive to losers.

Ido Singer's avatar

No one with strong morals and convictions ever presses the proverbial "abort button".

Weisshorn Ent's avatar

before blowing out his brains because of shame and guilt about the wreck he made.

Ido Singer's avatar

You might be ascribing too much morality to this guy. I think, and that's my personal opinion, because we will never know, that he was too high on drugs and too much of a coward to fight, let alone face the music.

Weisshorn Ent's avatar

This is equally plausible. The end result is that anyone claiming Hitler was right is betting on a path to their own ignominious doom

Ido Singer's avatar

As history proved again and again.

Shari Levine's avatar

Hitler had no shame about what he wrought, he killed himself, like any malignant narcissistic megalomaniac, before he was taken into custody for what would have been a very unpleasant future for him. Another self serving act. Not sad about the wife, but the dog should have lived.

Ido Singer's avatar

Who knows? Probably trained to attack Jews...

Eva's avatar
Mar 7Edited

He didn’t kill himself out of guilt or shame.

He killed himself because he was a vile murderer, narcissist and coward.

Dan's avatar
Feb 14Edited

Hitler and Nazism are debunked in a couple of Lines of Logic, thus: Hitler (Volkshero and protector of The White Races) killed 50 Million White people in a vicious World War, including six million German soldiers and civilians, and 27 million Russians. Plus 5 million polish people and 3 million Serbian folk. They were the best whites too: irreplaceable, and the white people are irreparably damaged because of Nazism. Whenever the Nazis come up and force us to dread again, remember these simple lines. Nazism has thus been Debunked in what Hitler has done to the Whites. Hitler was wrong.

Ido Singer's avatar

He was very wrong. Too many people have died as he was exploring his perverted world view. It's a shame so many people think he had a point.

Dan's avatar
Feb 15Edited

Nazism was actually the Darkside route by which the psychopaths of society take to get to the positions of total power, to begin killing to satisfy their lusts: Darkness and the appeal to Darkness all the way. Well written piece. Thankyou. My apologies about my dead dog comment: Funny but Darkside, just to illustrate how easy it is for good people to slip into the dark places.

Ido Singer's avatar

Thank you for reading, Dan. I hope you find other pieces as interesting. I hope we see this ideology go back into the dark corners of society again in our lifetime.

Dan's avatar

I am an anti-Nazi monitor. ‘The price of Freedom is Eternal Vigilance’. Best wishes.

Ido Singer's avatar

Keep up the good work.

Richard Baker's avatar

The "Hitler was right" mentality has existed for decades. I personally think it's said to insult anyone Jewish. Sadly, people who barely know anything about the Third Reich use these insults because they know the effect it will have on Jewish folks. As to wearing a Star of David around your neck or a yarmulke/kippah I would say stand your ground and be proud of what you are. Even though Catholicism is on the leftist hit list, many. many, Catholics wear a crucifix openly some of them quite large. As was said during my '70's Army Infantry days "DRIVE ON!'

Ido Singer's avatar

They do it because it cuts deep, as you say. They can use Genocide, call Jews and Israelis Nazis, then in the same breath Debby the Holocaust ever happened. I'll continue to wear it with pride. Doubling down. If someone has a problem, they're welcome to tell my 6'5, 220 lbs, ex IDF, hobbyist boxer face. I won't mind at all...

vicky's avatar

Well the natzis never left really did they?

Ido Singer's avatar

Nope. Just went into hiding for a minute. They feel pretty emboldened now, don't they?

vicky's avatar

For now 😁

Ido Singer's avatar

Amen to that. Sooner rather than later, hopefully.

John Galt III's avatar

Blue Cities and Blue States are places where you have no rights as an American Jew or an American Christian.

If that is where you live, flee with your family before it is too late. In Mamdani's NYC he wants Jews dead or gone and Israel destroyed.

If something happens to a Jew in NYC he could care less and everyone in his admistration will cheer. That's NYC in 2026.

Ido Singer's avatar

Sadly, you're right about NYC. I no longer live there, thankfully. A lot of people will suffer from his policies, but he's really targeting Jews. I'm not in a blue state...

John Galt III's avatar

I was born in Manhattan. I left to join the US Militray at 18 and never returned. My ancestors built Kew Gardens, Richmond Hill and part of Forest Hills in The Queens.

I'm Christian but my Father's partner in an endeavour he had was Jewish so impossible to have the anti-Jewish feeling so many suffer.

Now we are all in danger. NYC has not changed for the better. Things will get worse and for now it looks awful but there is always hope.

Karen Brothman's avatar

When someone told me things would get wirse i did not realise the worst which is beyond my imagination here in Israel! Thank you my American Uncle a commander in US Navy in WwIi and served WWI too was like my surrogate grandfather taught me to love USA and he loved us jewish kids his wifes nieces i visited Queens Manhatten for a total of 24 hrs enroute to a home in Israel time i revisited NY before it is no longer on my list after jews voted for Mamdani which is beyond my comprension too! Thanks John for giving me faith in Americans again!

Ido Singer's avatar

I don't understand that vote either. Like sawing the branch you're sitting on.

Ido Singer's avatar

Thank you for your service!

It's funny how it's hard to blanket-demonize a people when you spend time with them. Not always, but for the most part.

Problem is, only about 15mil Jews worldwide. Most people never have and never will meet one to realize the lies are just that. Lies.

Paul Goldman's avatar

It’s time to take off the gloves. Like Meyer Lansky during the 40s, Jews need to follow the anti-semites home and physically show them the error of their ways.

Ido Singer's avatar

I don't condone that, but I feel your frustration. Every time I see a lone Jew being attacked by that mob I want to go out there and help. It won't solve anything. We certainly ought to stand our ground if confronted, but going out there "looking for it" isn't the best idea (even though it might feel vindicating). Stay safe, Paul.

Sandra Klein's avatar

My mother’s name was also Singer. I was born in 1946 and grew up in England. I was told to tell no one I was Jewish. I lived in Israel for a year in 1967. Then moved to NY with my American husband. I have lived and experienced everything that this article expresses. I moved from NY two years ago. Most of the Jewish people I knew were liberal Democrats who read the NYT like it was their Bible and couldn’t understand what was going on in the world. I have friends whose parents are Holocaust survivors living in NYC who don’t realize the dangers of their Jihadist mayor. I was derided for voting for Trump, the only leader in the world who supports Israel. I lived in Massachusetts for a few years. When the war broke out I wanted to wear a Magen Dovid in support of Israel. I was too scared to do so. Even Hillel didn’t speak up in support of their Jewish students. I am now living in a mainly Jewish community in SE Florida. I’m wearing my Magen Dovid. I went to visit my cousin in Sarasota. She looked at my Magen Dovid. It’s dangerous to wear this here, she told me. Someone could attack you. You could get stabbed.

Ido Singer's avatar

Not to draw too fine a line, but it's clear how the red/blue jurisdictions approach Jewish safety and where you feel safe to wear it. NYT ids no different than Al Jazeera, in my opinion. Glad you made it out of there. Let them "Enjoy" Mamdani. They're already having some buyer's remorse. It won't get any better from here.

MICHAEL BELL's avatar

Thank you. A very sobering look at the hatred we have somehow been chosen to endure.

Ido Singer's avatar

Thanks for reading.

Jenn's avatar

Right after reading this essay, my friend forwarded me this statement from the Ontario Camping Association with respect to the targeting of Jewish camps. Made me blood boil. Why can’t the haters just leave us alone????

https://ontariocampsassociation.ca/about/special-statements/

Ido Singer's avatar

On my reading list. Thanks for sharing!