What an Excellent article! As the most articles in Future of Jewish. I translated this this into Finnish and share in tge FB & X with your name and link to the original. I am “a Jew by heart”, in the Bible believing Christian. I stand, write and speak boldly for Israel and her incredible talented beautiful strong Nation. My weapon is prayer and a pen - sharpened pen for the times like this! May the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob Bless you richly and keep you and yours safe!
I’m a South African Catholic with a Jewish Lithuanian great grandfather on Mum’s side.
This ugliness towards Jewish people has always been there as you say, it was just hidden.
I was teased at school in the 1970’s that with my heritage I would have been Jewish enough for Hitler.
I’m 64 now and our beloved country has many problems but standing up as just one person against discrimination and disrespect is my dedication to remembering what unites us as people rather than on what divides us.
How do Israelis do it? How do you keep calm when someone is literally spitting anger in your face?
I used to volunteer for Stand With Us. One summer I tabled with an Israeli shiliach at Pikes market in Seattle. Our banner read Talk to me about Palestine. (“Palestine”—to draw attention in the hopes of a conversation.) One man had constant excuses for the Palestinians. The Shiliach, Eitan, engaged and had a discussion with this man, shaking his hand at the end. I had to force myself to shake this man’s hand. I wanted to wash it after.
Had I been on that train I would have celebrated you. I wear my Jew bling loud and proud.
You are correct but it is necessary to note that in the 21st century the vast majority of Jew hate is coming from what we call the Red Green Alliance. Muslims and leftists. Not entirely but mainly.
Tzlil, please revel in the adoration of your commenters below. Your calm and situational awareness baked into your IDF Krav Maga training was on full display. Your training has made you confident knowing that the perpetrator was indeed fortunate to simply walked away after her diatribe rather than lay unconscious on the ground. We Jewish Americans with Krav Maga training and weapons training living in the United States remain deeply puzzled why most American (and European) Jews have not taken to complete Krav Maga and weapons training en masse. One key difference is the mandatory IDF service in Israel versus the elimination of compulsory service in the United States (and many EU member states). We continue to educate Jewish Americans on the responsible use of Krav Maga training and responsible use and safe storage of personal firearms. We cannot thank you enough for your steadfast resolve in the face of your public encounter with US antisemitism. The confidence you felt because of your training SHOULD BE IN EVERY DIASPORA JEW'S REPERTOIRE. One last note, please confirm that your situational awareness training included your monitoring "bystanders" for tactics to surround and assault you. Gary
Praise be to God that you exist and that you thrive. People that do these things hate The Lord. Revenge belongs to The Lord. May the Messiah bless your path of truth and faith and keep you always. True Christians face similar persecution. Our battle is the same. There is one Lord. His name is Jehovah.
It's definitely important to realize that Jew Hatred never left. 20 years ago, it was one person. A statistical outlier. It simply wasn't socially acceptable to express it. Now speaking Hebrew on a subway platform might bring a whole lot more people screaming in your face, and make it impossible to feel safe in the subway car.
As I look back on experiences in my life where discussions of being Jewish brought uncomfortable comments, it was just feeling something is wrong.
While I felt disturbed that someone who was a guest in my own home could make such comments, I couldn't, call it out as Anti-Semitism, because it was so unfashionable to even say the words out loud. That's how tightly controlled the discussion had become.
The real Anti-Semitism existed only on the far-right. The KKK, white-supremcists. We are the enlightened ones. Our criticism is simply against Israeli Policy.
Now, I understand. Now the truth has been revealed. Anti-Zionism is just a cloak to disguise the Jew Hatred. October 7th served as a permission structure to allow their true feelings to be revealed.
Now everyone can see. The Anti-Semitism that drunk through the backbone of the Democratic party, not just me.
I recall someone stating (I think here on Substack) that October 7th was a signal to the world that it was open season on the Jews. Based on what I’ve seen these last two years, that seems to me like an accurate assessment.
Wonderful article which illustrates to some degree the plight of the Diaspora Jew compared to that of the Israeli Jew. We in the U.S. are concerned about our daily lives here while those in Israel are more secure in their daily lives.
except for the odd missile, drone or terror attack... but we are trained in situational awareness over the decades and the compulsory military service and the freedom of movement and play in our kindergartens have raised generations of incredible strong, proud young people... secure in their Judaism...
"Rise again?" This assumes it was reduced. My thought is that civilizational reticence is disappearing and the anti-semites don't see any need to hold back. This scourge has never gone away but has always been just simmering.
Thank you so much for your wonderful essay !!!!!!......I guess we have to learn NOT to answer when someone ask what language are we speaking !!!!!!!! Like you very well said it, the old, sick hatred was always there and after the atrocities perpetreded by Hamas to civilians in our beloved Israel, the world didn't sympathize with Israel, they sided with the terrorists/murderers, rapists. Kidnappers!!!!!!!!!!......
Thank you so much, dear friends! 🤩 I’m truly grateful for your support💕🇮🇱
u kick ass!
What an Excellent article! As the most articles in Future of Jewish. I translated this this into Finnish and share in tge FB & X with your name and link to the original. I am “a Jew by heart”, in the Bible believing Christian. I stand, write and speak boldly for Israel and her incredible talented beautiful strong Nation. My weapon is prayer and a pen - sharpened pen for the times like this! May the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob Bless you richly and keep you and yours safe!
thank you so much for your support of Israel and the Jews! God Bless you.
I’m a South African Catholic with a Jewish Lithuanian great grandfather on Mum’s side.
This ugliness towards Jewish people has always been there as you say, it was just hidden.
I was teased at school in the 1970’s that with my heritage I would have been Jewish enough for Hitler.
I’m 64 now and our beloved country has many problems but standing up as just one person against discrimination and disrespect is my dedication to remembering what unites us as people rather than on what divides us.
Kindest regards and deep respect
Carol Power
Johannesburg
South Africa
This is one of the most eloquent pieces I’ve ever read on antisemitism. Jews all over the world should read this and learn from it.
How do Israelis do it? How do you keep calm when someone is literally spitting anger in your face?
I used to volunteer for Stand With Us. One summer I tabled with an Israeli shiliach at Pikes market in Seattle. Our banner read Talk to me about Palestine. (“Palestine”—to draw attention in the hopes of a conversation.) One man had constant excuses for the Palestinians. The Shiliach, Eitan, engaged and had a discussion with this man, shaking his hand at the end. I had to force myself to shake this man’s hand. I wanted to wash it after.
Had I been on that train I would have celebrated you. I wear my Jew bling loud and proud.
Wonderful article.
It is quite unhinged. There is no possibility to give logical arguments with some people.
This is happening in London:
Pro-Palestine protester ‘threatened to behead’ Israeli lecturer
https://hellish2050.substack.com/p/pro-palestine-protester-threatened
You are correct but it is necessary to note that in the 21st century the vast majority of Jew hate is coming from what we call the Red Green Alliance. Muslims and leftists. Not entirely but mainly.
Tzlil, please revel in the adoration of your commenters below. Your calm and situational awareness baked into your IDF Krav Maga training was on full display. Your training has made you confident knowing that the perpetrator was indeed fortunate to simply walked away after her diatribe rather than lay unconscious on the ground. We Jewish Americans with Krav Maga training and weapons training living in the United States remain deeply puzzled why most American (and European) Jews have not taken to complete Krav Maga and weapons training en masse. One key difference is the mandatory IDF service in Israel versus the elimination of compulsory service in the United States (and many EU member states). We continue to educate Jewish Americans on the responsible use of Krav Maga training and responsible use and safe storage of personal firearms. We cannot thank you enough for your steadfast resolve in the face of your public encounter with US antisemitism. The confidence you felt because of your training SHOULD BE IN EVERY DIASPORA JEW'S REPERTOIRE. One last note, please confirm that your situational awareness training included your monitoring "bystanders" for tactics to surround and assault you. Gary
Praise be to God that you exist and that you thrive. People that do these things hate The Lord. Revenge belongs to The Lord. May the Messiah bless your path of truth and faith and keep you always. True Christians face similar persecution. Our battle is the same. There is one Lord. His name is Jehovah.
It's definitely important to realize that Jew Hatred never left. 20 years ago, it was one person. A statistical outlier. It simply wasn't socially acceptable to express it. Now speaking Hebrew on a subway platform might bring a whole lot more people screaming in your face, and make it impossible to feel safe in the subway car.
As I look back on experiences in my life where discussions of being Jewish brought uncomfortable comments, it was just feeling something is wrong.
While I felt disturbed that someone who was a guest in my own home could make such comments, I couldn't, call it out as Anti-Semitism, because it was so unfashionable to even say the words out loud. That's how tightly controlled the discussion had become.
The real Anti-Semitism existed only on the far-right. The KKK, white-supremcists. We are the enlightened ones. Our criticism is simply against Israeli Policy.
Now, I understand. Now the truth has been revealed. Anti-Zionism is just a cloak to disguise the Jew Hatred. October 7th served as a permission structure to allow their true feelings to be revealed.
Now everyone can see. The Anti-Semitism that drunk through the backbone of the Democratic party, not just me.
I recall someone stating (I think here on Substack) that October 7th was a signal to the world that it was open season on the Jews. Based on what I’ve seen these last two years, that seems to me like an accurate assessment.
Wonderful article which illustrates to some degree the plight of the Diaspora Jew compared to that of the Israeli Jew. We in the U.S. are concerned about our daily lives here while those in Israel are more secure in their daily lives.
except for the odd missile, drone or terror attack... but we are trained in situational awareness over the decades and the compulsory military service and the freedom of movement and play in our kindergartens have raised generations of incredible strong, proud young people... secure in their Judaism...
👏👏👏
What a fabulous essay. x
"Rise again?" This assumes it was reduced. My thought is that civilizational reticence is disappearing and the anti-semites don't see any need to hold back. This scourge has never gone away but has always been just simmering.
Thank you so much for your wonderful essay !!!!!!......I guess we have to learn NOT to answer when someone ask what language are we speaking !!!!!!!! Like you very well said it, the old, sick hatred was always there and after the atrocities perpetreded by Hamas to civilians in our beloved Israel, the world didn't sympathize with Israel, they sided with the terrorists/murderers, rapists. Kidnappers!!!!!!!!!!......
A powerful and painful piece. I weep for Israel and I weep for us.