This is an important lessons for Jews to assimilate and internalize. The Jews' claim to Eretz Yisrael does not depend on the benevolence of outsiders but on their own God-given right to the land which predates the existence of most of the nations on earth. No one questions the rights of Britons to the UK, of the French to France, not even of Americans to America, that latest manifestation of modernity for which the ancient Hebrew commonwealth was the seedbed society, which derives from the Hebrew Bible. So Jews should wake up and sign on to the deal they have so often betrayed and finally lay claim to their land; and when they find themselves elsewhere, make their enemies' lives so uncomfortable that they stop asking the Jews to deny their own existence.
"If you want our votes, prove it. If you want our donations, show it. If you want our participation, earn it." Agree with this statement but the key to it all is will Jews have the intestinal fortitude to walk away from those who ignore or take them for granted? No muss, no fuss, and no support of any kind, just walk away. These people need you more than you need them, remember that.
Some will. Most won't. It has always been like that. The ones who refuse to be conscripted in the war against our people become the remnant of a remnant who continue, and the ones who go along are the ones who G-d burns off in G-d's crucible, smelting off the Jewish people to leave only those G-d finds precious, the silver. The metaphor of burning off the dross comes up over and over in the Nevi'im. It remains relevant today. It's not pretty but it has repeated in every generation. It's G-d's way.
It's true. Those of us who remain loyal and steadfast to the. Jewish people, who refuse to give in, are the ones who do not assimilate. We pass the love of am yisroel down to our children and so it goes, century after century. The others melt into the majority pot and the rest remain strong.
While this article is a excellent analysis that American Jews find themselves in, its only reaching self aware Jews who follow these writers. Instead of singing to the choir its writing to a very small segment of the American Jewish community who are in agreement with the article.
Way too many Jews actually (to put it bluntly) do not give a shit about their Jewish identity. They have in way too many cases replaced their parents and grand parents religion and culture with the new religion of either "social justice" or outright abandonment of the Jewish world. Much like the Jews of Germany in the 1920's and 30's when they said "we are Germans who happen t be of Jewish descent". Even when Hitler came to power these self deluded people who said that its got nothing to do with them and it will all soon pass. History proved them fatally wrong.
How as a group can we get respect from the wider world when a large segment of American Jews in a very public way either do not respect their own roots or actively support movements and people who wish the Jews either gone or assimilated to their idea of "Americanism"?
The way I see it we do not have any grass roots leaders like many other minorities in the states have to speak for Jews. What we have are "donors" that give huge amounts of money to get their names put up on some building they paid for which in their eyes entitles them to "speak" for people like me and others. Better that money be spent (I think) on allowing Jewish children to get a decent Jewish education either full time or part time either in some Jewish school taught by qualified teachers or meaningful after public school instruction without breaking the families pocketbook.
All these cerebral articles do is delay what has to be done because they are reaching a pitiful few Jews who have a interest in making Jewish life in the states more meaningful and yes, safe .
That's been my experience with Jews going back at least fifty years to university....NY State university half Jews with most indifferent to their ancestry ..... and those folks had kids and grand kid who are equally disaffected. Lots and lots of b. sanders types then. "anti war " pro the proletariat.....the whole SDS platform.
Cowardice and the excuse not to take on the real issues, these attitudes make those that practice ‘Liberalist’ ideology easy prey for the ACTUAL dangers which exist in the real world. The Jewish experience makes us uniquely placed to guarantee values which support Freedom for Jews and Non-Jews alike. Thus Judaism is a culture to be proud of. I know this because I have done this in practice. Judaism works. And the Jews in turn who supported me when I needed them, are G-d fearing Zionists. As I say, Judaism works.
"Jews can turn the tables: If you want our votes, prove it. If you want our donations, show it. If you want our participation, earn it. This flips the dynamic from dependence to accountability. Political parties and movements cannot simply assume Jewish support while ignoring Jewish safety, dignity, and continuity."
I'd love to see the day when two Jews can agree on any topic. Just look how many Jewish organizations there are in the US who cannot agree on anything. Those that support Israel and those who vilify and demonize the State of Israel just to seek favor with the Goyim, including pushing resolutions to boycott, defund and embargo arms to Israel.
What a disgrace 😤
Remember, we either stand side by side or hang side by side.
I used to be a Democrat. But I am revolted by the self-hating Jews in that party-Bernie Sanders I’m talking about you-as well as those who would associate with the scum who is Donald Trump. So now I am an independent. This post has helped me understand myself and my predicament.
I hear you. I'm there. I am still a registered Democrat, just so that I can vote in the primary and maybe help pick a better person -- if one exists. Right now, there are few and far between.
I transitioned from being a die-hard Democrat to an Independent about 12 year ago. I was disturbed by the degree to which Jews were excluded from the intersectionality paradigm and labeled (erroneously) as white, privileged oppressors, when in fact we were at the forefront of almost all social justice initiatives in the country. I used to think of the Bernie Sanders types of Jews as self-hating Jews, until I watched and listened and concluded that they are not self-hating; they spew their rejection of Jewish values and identity proudly. Their self-esteem is intact. They are Jew hating Jews, and they do inestimable damage to the status of the Jewish people and the acceptance of the legitimacy of Israel.
Very true… the malevolent contract at the top of The State here in Europe is that we must seek Protection from the very worst people who are the same people who attack and violate Jews to increase ‘State Power’. The nasty part about this is that part of the Jewish People in Israel is then made complicit in this racket, to oppress Jews. The way out is to expose this State Protection Racket for the corrupt practice which it becomes. We did so with the help of the people in part of the State who understood as I did that this racket made US ALL vulnerable to re-emergent Nazism. Our solidarity, Jew and Non-Jew, saved Freedom. I defend against Nazism both because I am a Jew, and I Love Freedom. And I was supported by Non-Jews who respected both. To them I say, much thanks!
Jews point out the shortcomings and inconsistencies of many of those who claim to "support" them; they hold a mirror up to those who supposedly "support" Jews/Israel and to those who explicitly want not to.
However, only those who think (self-)critically and are open to learning are grateful for this. Those who already believe they know everything are not.
And the latter group constitutes the ominous vast "majority" of those who claim to be "democratic" or consider themselves to be so.
Perhaps there should be introduced a test on attitudes towards Israel/"the Jews", and only those who pass it should be allowed to vote. That would probably solve many "problems."
I do agree with most of the article, but I find some of it a little unrealistic.
Unfortunately, it has to do with our numbers. We are a community of people who are standing out in the crowd, because of our dominance in many fields.
We’re strong intellectually, financially, but relatively small in numbers.
So if either parties would need to choose between aligning themselves with the Muslims or Jews, no question who would be the beneficiary of their interests.
What is depending on ourselves mean today in the twenties of the 21st century. The Reform synagogues in the great heartland with folk guitar. Or the bobbing Hasidim in Crown Heights shteiblles. Leftist progressive or Republican. Zionist....indifferent or anti Zionist. Imagine the ignorance and chutzapah of the emmy winner's free Palestine" and then ridiculing "that ethno nation" thing. She 's beyond ethno national.....Unless its 'palestine" or France or Greece or Italy. Then it's okay, apparently. Pre war, pre state the Bundists wanted a Jewish entity with Yiddish....they got it ...Birobizhan. I read an entire book on the anti Zionists of pre state years and the early state years. Jewish author holds them up for approval. Some guy Elmer Berger the B. Sanders of his day. Okay, Joshua....I'm dispirited today, but I like your voice of self reliance. As I look to the next 4 to 8 years of the triumph of two years of racist demonstrations and disturbances in NYC.
This was a great read, capturing exactly how I feel personally and about us as a collective.
We need to stop centering and reacting to the market of global opinions and be the people who meet the moment of the world and be the small but mighty people brave enough to lead the global fight against the Islamists determined to collapse Western civilization.
💯 Well said. For those of us who want to remain attached to our heritage and history and Mothers and Fathers, we are challenged to make peace - peaceful coexistence - with one another. 2 Jews, 3 arguments, but somehow we have to show up for each other in the mundane, daily actions of life and survival.
It's not a simple way forward - many of us are rabid 'al pi Torah' others are rabid 'individuals' and many of us pick and choose between the two whether we are aware of it or not. The labels, the brands, are deadly. And, not anything goes. There are boundaries and limits.
May the Master of the Universe, ריבונו של עולם, help us navigate for ourselves, our families and friends, and Bnei Yisrael.
Make sure you are registered to vote in the Primary Elections based on which party is most likely to hold power where you live! For most of us, it is the Democratic Party. Vote however suits you in the general but do NOT miss primary elections.
This is an important lessons for Jews to assimilate and internalize. The Jews' claim to Eretz Yisrael does not depend on the benevolence of outsiders but on their own God-given right to the land which predates the existence of most of the nations on earth. No one questions the rights of Britons to the UK, of the French to France, not even of Americans to America, that latest manifestation of modernity for which the ancient Hebrew commonwealth was the seedbed society, which derives from the Hebrew Bible. So Jews should wake up and sign on to the deal they have so often betrayed and finally lay claim to their land; and when they find themselves elsewhere, make their enemies' lives so uncomfortable that they stop asking the Jews to deny their own existence.
"If you want our votes, prove it. If you want our donations, show it. If you want our participation, earn it." Agree with this statement but the key to it all is will Jews have the intestinal fortitude to walk away from those who ignore or take them for granted? No muss, no fuss, and no support of any kind, just walk away. These people need you more than you need them, remember that.
Some will. Most won't. It has always been like that. The ones who refuse to be conscripted in the war against our people become the remnant of a remnant who continue, and the ones who go along are the ones who G-d burns off in G-d's crucible, smelting off the Jewish people to leave only those G-d finds precious, the silver. The metaphor of burning off the dross comes up over and over in the Nevi'im. It remains relevant today. It's not pretty but it has repeated in every generation. It's G-d's way.
It's true. Those of us who remain loyal and steadfast to the. Jewish people, who refuse to give in, are the ones who do not assimilate. We pass the love of am yisroel down to our children and so it goes, century after century. The others melt into the majority pot and the rest remain strong.
While this article is a excellent analysis that American Jews find themselves in, its only reaching self aware Jews who follow these writers. Instead of singing to the choir its writing to a very small segment of the American Jewish community who are in agreement with the article.
Way too many Jews actually (to put it bluntly) do not give a shit about their Jewish identity. They have in way too many cases replaced their parents and grand parents religion and culture with the new religion of either "social justice" or outright abandonment of the Jewish world. Much like the Jews of Germany in the 1920's and 30's when they said "we are Germans who happen t be of Jewish descent". Even when Hitler came to power these self deluded people who said that its got nothing to do with them and it will all soon pass. History proved them fatally wrong.
How as a group can we get respect from the wider world when a large segment of American Jews in a very public way either do not respect their own roots or actively support movements and people who wish the Jews either gone or assimilated to their idea of "Americanism"?
The way I see it we do not have any grass roots leaders like many other minorities in the states have to speak for Jews. What we have are "donors" that give huge amounts of money to get their names put up on some building they paid for which in their eyes entitles them to "speak" for people like me and others. Better that money be spent (I think) on allowing Jewish children to get a decent Jewish education either full time or part time either in some Jewish school taught by qualified teachers or meaningful after public school instruction without breaking the families pocketbook.
All these cerebral articles do is delay what has to be done because they are reaching a pitiful few Jews who have a interest in making Jewish life in the states more meaningful and yes, safe .
That's been my experience with Jews going back at least fifty years to university....NY State university half Jews with most indifferent to their ancestry ..... and those folks had kids and grand kid who are equally disaffected. Lots and lots of b. sanders types then. "anti war " pro the proletariat.....the whole SDS platform.
Cowardice and the excuse not to take on the real issues, these attitudes make those that practice ‘Liberalist’ ideology easy prey for the ACTUAL dangers which exist in the real world. The Jewish experience makes us uniquely placed to guarantee values which support Freedom for Jews and Non-Jews alike. Thus Judaism is a culture to be proud of. I know this because I have done this in practice. Judaism works. And the Jews in turn who supported me when I needed them, are G-d fearing Zionists. As I say, Judaism works.
"Jews can turn the tables: If you want our votes, prove it. If you want our donations, show it. If you want our participation, earn it. This flips the dynamic from dependence to accountability. Political parties and movements cannot simply assume Jewish support while ignoring Jewish safety, dignity, and continuity."
I'd love to see the day when two Jews can agree on any topic. Just look how many Jewish organizations there are in the US who cannot agree on anything. Those that support Israel and those who vilify and demonize the State of Israel just to seek favor with the Goyim, including pushing resolutions to boycott, defund and embargo arms to Israel.
What a disgrace 😤
Remember, we either stand side by side or hang side by side.
I used to be a Democrat. But I am revolted by the self-hating Jews in that party-Bernie Sanders I’m talking about you-as well as those who would associate with the scum who is Donald Trump. So now I am an independent. This post has helped me understand myself and my predicament.
I hear you. I'm there. I am still a registered Democrat, just so that I can vote in the primary and maybe help pick a better person -- if one exists. Right now, there are few and far between.
I transitioned from being a die-hard Democrat to an Independent about 12 year ago. I was disturbed by the degree to which Jews were excluded from the intersectionality paradigm and labeled (erroneously) as white, privileged oppressors, when in fact we were at the forefront of almost all social justice initiatives in the country. I used to think of the Bernie Sanders types of Jews as self-hating Jews, until I watched and listened and concluded that they are not self-hating; they spew their rejection of Jewish values and identity proudly. Their self-esteem is intact. They are Jew hating Jews, and they do inestimable damage to the status of the Jewish people and the acceptance of the legitimacy of Israel.
I agree with you.
שנה טובה Josh Hoffman 🍎🍯
שנה טובה!
Very true… the malevolent contract at the top of The State here in Europe is that we must seek Protection from the very worst people who are the same people who attack and violate Jews to increase ‘State Power’. The nasty part about this is that part of the Jewish People in Israel is then made complicit in this racket, to oppress Jews. The way out is to expose this State Protection Racket for the corrupt practice which it becomes. We did so with the help of the people in part of the State who understood as I did that this racket made US ALL vulnerable to re-emergent Nazism. Our solidarity, Jew and Non-Jew, saved Freedom. I defend against Nazism both because I am a Jew, and I Love Freedom. And I was supported by Non-Jews who respected both. To them I say, much thanks!
Jews point out the shortcomings and inconsistencies of many of those who claim to "support" them; they hold a mirror up to those who supposedly "support" Jews/Israel and to those who explicitly want not to.
However, only those who think (self-)critically and are open to learning are grateful for this. Those who already believe they know everything are not.
And the latter group constitutes the ominous vast "majority" of those who claim to be "democratic" or consider themselves to be so.
Perhaps there should be introduced a test on attitudes towards Israel/"the Jews", and only those who pass it should be allowed to vote. That would probably solve many "problems."
Absolutely! Thank You for this!
I do agree with most of the article, but I find some of it a little unrealistic.
Unfortunately, it has to do with our numbers. We are a community of people who are standing out in the crowd, because of our dominance in many fields.
We’re strong intellectually, financially, but relatively small in numbers.
So if either parties would need to choose between aligning themselves with the Muslims or Jews, no question who would be the beneficiary of their interests.
What is depending on ourselves mean today in the twenties of the 21st century. The Reform synagogues in the great heartland with folk guitar. Or the bobbing Hasidim in Crown Heights shteiblles. Leftist progressive or Republican. Zionist....indifferent or anti Zionist. Imagine the ignorance and chutzapah of the emmy winner's free Palestine" and then ridiculing "that ethno nation" thing. She 's beyond ethno national.....Unless its 'palestine" or France or Greece or Italy. Then it's okay, apparently. Pre war, pre state the Bundists wanted a Jewish entity with Yiddish....they got it ...Birobizhan. I read an entire book on the anti Zionists of pre state years and the early state years. Jewish author holds them up for approval. Some guy Elmer Berger the B. Sanders of his day. Okay, Joshua....I'm dispirited today, but I like your voice of self reliance. As I look to the next 4 to 8 years of the triumph of two years of racist demonstrations and disturbances in NYC.
This was a great read, capturing exactly how I feel personally and about us as a collective.
We need to stop centering and reacting to the market of global opinions and be the people who meet the moment of the world and be the small but mighty people brave enough to lead the global fight against the Islamists determined to collapse Western civilization.
if you want a good test of your brand of Judaism think about what you yourself would say if you were giving an Emmy acceptance speech
💯 Well said. For those of us who want to remain attached to our heritage and history and Mothers and Fathers, we are challenged to make peace - peaceful coexistence - with one another. 2 Jews, 3 arguments, but somehow we have to show up for each other in the mundane, daily actions of life and survival.
It's not a simple way forward - many of us are rabid 'al pi Torah' others are rabid 'individuals' and many of us pick and choose between the two whether we are aware of it or not. The labels, the brands, are deadly. And, not anything goes. There are boundaries and limits.
May the Master of the Universe, ריבונו של עולם, help us navigate for ourselves, our families and friends, and Bnei Yisrael.
Make sure you are registered to vote in the Primary Elections based on which party is most likely to hold power where you live! For most of us, it is the Democratic Party. Vote however suits you in the general but do NOT miss primary elections.
Beautiful. Love it.