This is so true and beautifully written. I wonder what Thomas Friedman thinks since he wrote that despicable article for the NYT about how the actions of the Israeli government endanger Jews in the Diaspora.
Friedman was an insightful columnist at one time. But that was long ago (last century, actually). But he has long been a worthless hack. But perfect for the NYT’s I guess.
He's not wrong that Israel's actions endanger Jews in the diaspora - but that would be ANY action under ANY condition.
It really doesn't matter what Israel does or doesn't do, the world hates Israel, despicable organizations like the UN sanction Israel endlessly but allow membership to countries who do not acknowledge its existence, our supposed bastions of higher education in the US do not comprehend the true true definitions of words like "colonization" "genocide" or "apartheid" and blithely throw these words around and apply them to Israel like they know what they mean. In the meantime women's groups are silent about the real apartheid - Muslim women in Arab countries who are routinely subjected to physical, emotional and sexual violence - these things Friedman and the media ignore.
Of course my all time favorite has to be "Queers for Gaza" - the complete irony of their stance being completely lost on them.
Joshua - this piece from you left me in tears. That Jews have been able to return to their homeland, regain Hebrew and build one of the most beautiful countries in the world contributing to the best that humanity has to offer - whilst threatened over and over since 1948 is a testimony to their resilience. Am Yisrael Chai
…. Very proud indeed. And Always have been, actually. A great honour to be born Jewish into this world. Israel and diaspora, devout and secular… keep going …humble not arrogant and Jewish to the core. Thus we continue, appreciated and acknowledged here in the Diaspora by Freedom-loving Democracies too, as well Josh. For Nazism and Iran has threatened them too. How do we know? Because both of them have repeatedly said so, threatening genocide and the end of democracy.
... addenum from one of your faithful fans of your writings time and again; and followers of Future of Jewish; and, at least in my case a loyal devil's advocate. Your exit line is "That should make every Jew incredibly proud." Oh,yes, let us hope so. And even more so as an extension of that exit line... Ideally that pride shall be worn with 'bittle' humility (not our practised forte) and get each of us to dig deep for "The BIG Lesson" from that Simchat Torah (Oct. 7, 2023); and, active daily with at least minimal study of Torah, daily part of weekly Parsha and whatever Mitzvah or Mitzvot that one can muster via daily practice. In our case, pride (with humility in good measure) spiced with daily Torah can assist the living work-in-process that we metaphorically and manifestly happen to be.
Good enough to compare with the UK per capita, NOT good enough to compare with the Diasporic Jews. Numbers don’t lie.
Doesn’t take anything away from Israel, but inaccuracies that are slanted to glorify Israelis and diminish Diasporic Jews are common amen regrettable. This bias has been illustrated by the attitude of the Israel-born “Sabras” towards the Holocaust survivors, who started I arrive after the end of WW2.
And from my own context: the despicable Head of Military Intelligence, General Ali Za’ira, before the 1973 Yom Kippur War had browbeaten the Head of Unit 8200, Brigadier General Yoel Ben-Porat, my commander, in response to Yoel ringing the alarm bells of forthcoming war by saying to him: “Stop your Diasporic paranoia!”, as Eli was a “Sabra”, while I could chat with Yoel in Polish, his mother tongue. The direct outcome was that Yoel was bullied NOT to report directly to the Chief of Staff about his conclusion that all signs indicated war, NOT as Eli insisted — an exercise, and the nation paid a terrible bloody price for it. Yoel ended in a mental asylum in Acre, ridden by guilt, while Eli lived a comfortable life after being dismissed soon after the war, denying any responsibility for one of the most terrible fiascos of Israeli Intelligence.
And we paid, as a nation, the price for “Sabras” arrogance again on 7/October/2023!
This arrogance has been rectified I think. From my own personal experience I have directly warned both Israel and the Diaspora of the re-formation of The Nazi Party by International Nazis who had gathered in 2013 in London to do so. My information and our Reports have been well received by The Jewish Agency and the others who are responsible for our safety. Sabra and Diaspora, all now pull together in the modern Jewish State, in Israel and abroad. We are well beyond the 1970’s now. But your reporting of old divisions is instructive. May these Never happen again!
Yes, old, ugly history, thank you for your positivity! In the 1960s, as a teenager in Bat-Yam, I didn’t even realize that the derogatory adjective and verb derived from “soap” (“sabon” in Hebrew) was a word-play on the human-fat soap the Nazis experimented with in extermination camps. It fit the Holocaust survivors very well — they were lame, polite, Diasporic Jews, they were pale in comparison, untouched by the Middle Eastern sun, and they almost ended as soap!
Indeed. ‘Soap’ jokes are ugly, but very much of the past I hope. Here in London we are right on top of the Re-formation of The Nazi Party, and here in Europe too, and we have reported the F*** out of the scumbags, so everyone now knows. I am making Aliyah within three years because the Far Right Reform Party (but Not The Nazi Party I say) look likely to take power here in Britain. The British are certainly not so stupid as to go with The Nazi Party and The German State, elements of which now back them, because the Nazis are and remain a route for psychopaths to get power and to start terror, intimidation and mass-killing again. Am YIsrael Chai.
Excellent. As an example of the depravity: NY Times condemns antisemitism! Such courage.
Wednesday the 18....headline....".IDF fires on Palestinians trying to get food aid." How much more miserable can the MSM be. IDF as the nazi death squads roaming poland and Ukraine for Jews to murder. Except IDF murders Arab civilians with malice and cruelty. Either enforced starvation or kill them when they line up for food. BTW no coverage of Sudan's death squads and the famine there. Sanders endorses a rabid Israelophobe antisemite for mayor of NYC. Democrats furious that Israel "escalated the danger" even tho the hated orange man was conducting negotiations. So the warmonger, the racist who rounds up innocent hardworking hispanics....he's negotiating with progressive Iran. As in prelude to WWII...Jews are dragging the dumb goyim into a war in which Jews don't fight or die.....forget about Israeli dead. The Jew derangement is now at 100 per cent. We remain the most targeted scapegoat. Let'snot forget that Arab and Muslim student organizations have petitioned and shouted to remove Holocaust remembrance days from university schedules and programs. The head of Columbia Mid east studies is a rabid Israel born anti Zionist. Only settler colonialism is allowed to be taught....She stands proud by her refusal to bow and allow Zionist oriented professors. We in NYC may just barely escape having the worst most anti semitic mayor anywhere in the world.
Joshua-Joshua, usually on the mark, but mentioning Nobel Laureates in the same sentence as Israel is between wishful thinking and ignorance, as the shoe on this case is on the other foot — Israel doesn’t score well on this metric, the Diasporic Jews Do! As I used to comment as a reviewer for quality academic journals when in MIT and Harvard — “revise and resubmit!”
Please remember that the intellectual Jews of The Diaspora would have been Intimidated and murdered long ago by Nazi Parties even after World War Two had it not been for Israel protecting us. The Israeli Soldiers and her military services protected and continue to protect the Scholars of the Diaspora. Also, Israel has her share of Nobel Laureates at the Chaim Weitzmann Institute and other superb centres of scholarship.
This is so true and beautifully written. I wonder what Thomas Friedman thinks since he wrote that despicable article for the NYT about how the actions of the Israeli government endanger Jews in the Diaspora.
Thomas Friedman is useful as a negative indicator. Whatever he says, the opposite must necessarily be true.
Friedman was an insightful columnist at one time. But that was long ago (last century, actually). But he has long been a worthless hack. But perfect for the NYT’s I guess.
He's not wrong that Israel's actions endanger Jews in the diaspora - but that would be ANY action under ANY condition.
It really doesn't matter what Israel does or doesn't do, the world hates Israel, despicable organizations like the UN sanction Israel endlessly but allow membership to countries who do not acknowledge its existence, our supposed bastions of higher education in the US do not comprehend the true true definitions of words like "colonization" "genocide" or "apartheid" and blithely throw these words around and apply them to Israel like they know what they mean. In the meantime women's groups are silent about the real apartheid - Muslim women in Arab countries who are routinely subjected to physical, emotional and sexual violence - these things Friedman and the media ignore.
Of course my all time favorite has to be "Queers for Gaza" - the complete irony of their stance being completely lost on them.
Israel is alone and always has been.
Beautiful essay. I am more grounded in my Judaism than EVER before. I have not lived a Jewish lifestyle, but am fiercely Jewish and beyond PROUD!
Joshua - this piece from you left me in tears. That Jews have been able to return to their homeland, regain Hebrew and build one of the most beautiful countries in the world contributing to the best that humanity has to offer - whilst threatened over and over since 1948 is a testimony to their resilience. Am Yisrael Chai
The IDF keeps Jews in exile physically safe and the existence of the State is certainly a great weapon in fighting anti Semitism and assimilation
…. Very proud indeed. And Always have been, actually. A great honour to be born Jewish into this world. Israel and diaspora, devout and secular… keep going …humble not arrogant and Jewish to the core. Thus we continue, appreciated and acknowledged here in the Diaspora by Freedom-loving Democracies too, as well Josh. For Nazism and Iran has threatened them too. How do we know? Because both of them have repeatedly said so, threatening genocide and the end of democracy.
... addenum from one of your faithful fans of your writings time and again; and followers of Future of Jewish; and, at least in my case a loyal devil's advocate. Your exit line is "That should make every Jew incredibly proud." Oh,yes, let us hope so. And even more so as an extension of that exit line... Ideally that pride shall be worn with 'bittle' humility (not our practised forte) and get each of us to dig deep for "The BIG Lesson" from that Simchat Torah (Oct. 7, 2023); and, active daily with at least minimal study of Torah, daily part of weekly Parsha and whatever Mitzvah or Mitzvot that one can muster via daily practice. In our case, pride (with humility in good measure) spiced with daily Torah can assist the living work-in-process that we metaphorically and manifestly happen to be.
Israel is fighting for life and for truth. https://substack.com/home/post/p-165841436
Dan,
Good enough to compare with the UK per capita, NOT good enough to compare with the Diasporic Jews. Numbers don’t lie.
Doesn’t take anything away from Israel, but inaccuracies that are slanted to glorify Israelis and diminish Diasporic Jews are common amen regrettable. This bias has been illustrated by the attitude of the Israel-born “Sabras” towards the Holocaust survivors, who started I arrive after the end of WW2.
And from my own context: the despicable Head of Military Intelligence, General Ali Za’ira, before the 1973 Yom Kippur War had browbeaten the Head of Unit 8200, Brigadier General Yoel Ben-Porat, my commander, in response to Yoel ringing the alarm bells of forthcoming war by saying to him: “Stop your Diasporic paranoia!”, as Eli was a “Sabra”, while I could chat with Yoel in Polish, his mother tongue. The direct outcome was that Yoel was bullied NOT to report directly to the Chief of Staff about his conclusion that all signs indicated war, NOT as Eli insisted — an exercise, and the nation paid a terrible bloody price for it. Yoel ended in a mental asylum in Acre, ridden by guilt, while Eli lived a comfortable life after being dismissed soon after the war, denying any responsibility for one of the most terrible fiascos of Israeli Intelligence.
And we paid, as a nation, the price for “Sabras” arrogance again on 7/October/2023!
Truth should make us free!
Cheers,
Oscar
This arrogance has been rectified I think. From my own personal experience I have directly warned both Israel and the Diaspora of the re-formation of The Nazi Party by International Nazis who had gathered in 2013 in London to do so. My information and our Reports have been well received by The Jewish Agency and the others who are responsible for our safety. Sabra and Diaspora, all now pull together in the modern Jewish State, in Israel and abroad. We are well beyond the 1970’s now. But your reporting of old divisions is instructive. May these Never happen again!
Yes, old, ugly history, thank you for your positivity! In the 1960s, as a teenager in Bat-Yam, I didn’t even realize that the derogatory adjective and verb derived from “soap” (“sabon” in Hebrew) was a word-play on the human-fat soap the Nazis experimented with in extermination camps. It fit the Holocaust survivors very well — they were lame, polite, Diasporic Jews, they were pale in comparison, untouched by the Middle Eastern sun, and they almost ended as soap!
Indeed. ‘Soap’ jokes are ugly, but very much of the past I hope. Here in London we are right on top of the Re-formation of The Nazi Party, and here in Europe too, and we have reported the F*** out of the scumbags, so everyone now knows. I am making Aliyah within three years because the Far Right Reform Party (but Not The Nazi Party I say) look likely to take power here in Britain. The British are certainly not so stupid as to go with The Nazi Party and The German State, elements of which now back them, because the Nazis are and remain a route for psychopaths to get power and to start terror, intimidation and mass-killing again. Am YIsrael Chai.
Oh, my heart! Thank you for writing this piece...so necessary... <3
AMEN.
Thursday June 19, 2025. Is Sivan 23.
A few minutes read. When you get to the 9th numbered sentence .... https://www.chabad.org/holidays/purim/article_cdo/aid/1430/jewish/Chapter-8.htm
God bless Josh Hoffman! ⭐💪🏻
I am so very proud.
And this morning I read a comment online by an Israeli who said his friend had coined the perfect work for how Israelis are all feeling: PROUDZAUSTED.
Excellent. As an example of the depravity: NY Times condemns antisemitism! Such courage.
Wednesday the 18....headline....".IDF fires on Palestinians trying to get food aid." How much more miserable can the MSM be. IDF as the nazi death squads roaming poland and Ukraine for Jews to murder. Except IDF murders Arab civilians with malice and cruelty. Either enforced starvation or kill them when they line up for food. BTW no coverage of Sudan's death squads and the famine there. Sanders endorses a rabid Israelophobe antisemite for mayor of NYC. Democrats furious that Israel "escalated the danger" even tho the hated orange man was conducting negotiations. So the warmonger, the racist who rounds up innocent hardworking hispanics....he's negotiating with progressive Iran. As in prelude to WWII...Jews are dragging the dumb goyim into a war in which Jews don't fight or die.....forget about Israeli dead. The Jew derangement is now at 100 per cent. We remain the most targeted scapegoat. Let'snot forget that Arab and Muslim student organizations have petitioned and shouted to remove Holocaust remembrance days from university schedules and programs. The head of Columbia Mid east studies is a rabid Israel born anti Zionist. Only settler colonialism is allowed to be taught....She stands proud by her refusal to bow and allow Zionist oriented professors. We in NYC may just barely escape having the worst most anti semitic mayor anywhere in the world.
Joshua-Joshua, usually on the mark, but mentioning Nobel Laureates in the same sentence as Israel is between wishful thinking and ignorance, as the shoe on this case is on the other foot — Israel doesn’t score well on this metric, the Diasporic Jews Do! As I used to comment as a reviewer for quality academic journals when in MIT and Harvard — “revise and resubmit!”
Please remember that the intellectual Jews of The Diaspora would have been Intimidated and murdered long ago by Nazi Parties even after World War Two had it not been for Israel protecting us. The Israeli Soldiers and her military services protected and continue to protect the Scholars of the Diaspora. Also, Israel has her share of Nobel Laureates at the Chaim Weitzmann Institute and other superb centres of scholarship.