The Jewish cause is not every cause. We must stop funding everyone else’s problems. We don’t need to prove our morality. We need to ensure our survival.
What about: only helping real, proven friends, and stop funding enemies? The Jews are not without friends, who have your back. I am one of them. Unfortunately, the forces of darkness are winning right now.
Yes I don't like the idea of we Jews becoming insular and insisting the world is our enemy. We have many enemies and we should give them the back of our hand or our fist. But we also have many friends. Thank you for your support.
I would have directed all the money towards mental health services in Israel. Too many soldier suicides and people severely affected psychologically by Oct 7th atrocities.
Indeed! That would have been my comment as well. When I read about this million dollar giveaway to the Gaza fund, I was gobsmacked! They couldn't have picked a worse place to give their money.
I agree 1000%. As the author suggests, if nothing has been learned from October 7th except that the Jews stand alone when the antisemites come out of their holes then that is enough. We need to act for self preservation more often. Upwards of 75% of Jewish charity supports non-Jewish causes. This needs to change. Let the Universities (mostly the antisemitic filled Ivy League), the Hospitals, Libraries, Museums and Performing Arts centers fend for themselves.
Let’s spend Jewish money on Jewish day schools. Let’s spend it protecting our synagogues (I haven’t been to shul in a decade on the high holidays without an armed guard present. And I live in Boston). Let’s support Jewish elderly and poor, let’s support Israel. Enough is enough!
These other organizations are laughing at us all the way to the bank.
Moreover, there is a concerted, intentional effort to separate Diaspora Jews from Israel by utilizing guilt and shame. We should never be prouder of being Jewish and of Israel for dismantling and destroying the maniacal, genocidal axis of resistance!
Couldn’t agree more, I said this last week in comments on Threads and Instagram. The one million dollars should have been going to help the struggling families in Israel, the widows and orphans, the soldiers in the IDF suffering from PTSD. This is nothing but pathetic virtue signalling seeking the approval of our enemies. It is pathetic. ‘I am not a Jew with trembling knees…’
Beware the term “virtue signaling”. The implication is that helping one’s enemy is virtuous. It is not. Helping one’s enemy in time of war is evil and treasonous.
Such is the the morality of altruism.
“Love your enemy”, said Jesus, and two thousand years later the world is unable to see his code for what it is: “The morality of death”.
Growing up with Jew-haters, I well remember the accusation that Jews only fund other Jews, ie, their own causes. Then I learned “damned if we do and damned if we don’t“. Even when so much Jewish money goes to universal charitable goals, damnation will remain in place. Another aspect is the frightful amount of self-hating Jews who so much contribute to demonise the entire people, so afraid for their own image and unique well being, always apologising, and very likely, constituting a large portion of those donating to non Jewish causes and to our enemies.
Let's not forget how many Jews jumped on the BLM bandwagon and put signs on their front lawns even though it said in its charter that they support the Palestinians. After Oct. 7 BLM doubled down on their anti-Zionism. I wasn't surprised, but they were. Most of my charity dollars go to Israel and Jewish causes. Keep in mind that you can buy Israel Bonds instead of putting money in CDs, the rate of return is about the same.
Many Liberals have for a myriad of reasons lost sight of the distinction between worthy liberal causes and hateful radical Marxist causes. I warned my own Rabbi ot to March with Black Lives Matter in 2020. To no avail. He is no radical but he proved to be a useful idiot.
Black Lives Matter was founded on racism, which is the lowest form of collectivism.
Phony claims were made on the basis of black deaths at the hands of police, which were unsupported by actual statistics.
Heroes were made of black thugs by the media and the liberal establishment, and people’s lives, homes and businesses were destroyed while police were prevented from responding.
And, it is not over. Observe the refusal of Cincinnati’s police commissioner to call out the black mob that attacked a white man and woman recently. Racism is alive and well in America, spearheaded by the liberal establishment and use as a cudgel against those citizens going about the process of living their lives.
Anyone who unknowingly was swept up in the support for BLM should recognize his error and vow to support reason, law and order, and justice going forward.
In NYC on WABC radio, one Black man Dominic Carter "stands 1000% with Israel," chides and ridicules the George Floyd cult and BLM ....and predicts an easy win for mamdani the racist for mayor of NYC
Good to hear about WABC Radio and radio host Dominic Carter.
It is shameful that a liberal racist can garner so much support from voters in NYC. It would be interesting to see how the support is made up in terms of demographics.
My problem is not Jews becoming involved with other causes. My problem is that Jewish groups are contributing to all the WRONG causes. Black Lives Matter was a MArxist anti Western anti Semitic group that should anethema to any actual liberal. Contributing to GAZA while Hamas still survives and rules by force? That is downright insane. The left has gone insane and Jewish groups that are on the left have gone insane with them,
If that is what the Jewish Federation of New York did then it is as antisemitic as our worst enemies. Evidently they deserve to have an antisemitic Muslim mayor who want to arrest PM Netanyahu if he shows his face in the city of New York. Talk about dumber than dumb.
Thank you so much for an honest and accurate essay.......That's utterly right, Gaza and Gazeans get compassion and help from the whole world, but would they help any Jew, would they had help the hostages?......Israel is the ONLY country supposed to feed its enemies?
Jewish Federation jumped the shark on Israel along time ago. A decade ago they allowed groups that support BDS in the Salute to Israel parade. Now lets also tell the truth. They did not give money directly to anyone in Gaza. They gave it to Israid, which is a life saving group that helps worldwide.
Should they have given it to orgs that only work inside Israel? Absolutely. As explained in the article there are billions of dollars earmarked for Gaza and no need for UJA to have done this.
Even if they wanted to do this, it would have been better for them to wait until the war is over so we can ensure that the money can also go for deradicalization of the population.
This stupidity is also why I stopped giving to UJA/Federation decades ago. It is being run by people competing for who can the biggest asshole.
no I mean their attitude has "jumped the shark"...they have gone so over the top in trying to be even handed that they forget what their mission actually is.
Hmm, never heard that expression, but agree about Jewish Federation. They lost my support years ago due to their leftwing bent. Really bad decision. I wrote a blog on a similar issue. See below.
This shows my age. Back in the olden times there was a show called Happy Days with a character called Fonzi. As the show dragged on, and rating began to wane, they had the character do a stunt where he rode a motorcycle over a pool of sharks. It’s an expression. That something/someone is ridiculous.
A mandate must have come from JFNA directing all local federations to send out letters expressing their concerns for the “humanitarian situation” in Gaza. I received one from mine which—unlike UJA-Federation NY—did not even clearly blame Hamas for the alleged crisis. I was disgusted by it. Anyone paying attention knew that the photos of “starvation victims” were actually of children suffering from wasting diseases or from other war zones such as Syria and Yemen and that there was a coordinated attempt to discredit the GHF in order to return power and funds to Hamas and the UN agencies. None of that info appeared in my Federation’s letter. It was a cowardly effort to distance themselves from Israel, prove that they were “compassionate” and as always, embrace the Democratic Party line.
I’m on the Board of my Federation and plan to resign as a result of this letter. I can no longer be affiliated with, nor donate to, this weak-willed organization which cannot stand firmly with Israel.
What about: only helping real, proven friends, and stop funding enemies? The Jews are not without friends, who have your back. I am one of them. Unfortunately, the forces of darkness are winning right now.
Yes I don't like the idea of we Jews becoming insular and insisting the world is our enemy. We have many enemies and we should give them the back of our hand or our fist. But we also have many friends. Thank you for your support.
I would have directed all the money towards mental health services in Israel. Too many soldier suicides and people severely affected psychologically by Oct 7th atrocities.
I wrote about this as well in a previous post. Most, if not all, of our charity dollars need to go to Israel and Jewish communities. See below
https://open.substack.com/pub/ginafriedlander/p/the-good-jews-are-at-it-again?r=1ha3if&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Indeed! That would have been my comment as well. When I read about this million dollar giveaway to the Gaza fund, I was gobsmacked! They couldn't have picked a worse place to give their money.
It is very simple. Would you feed another family before you feed your own?
Been saying this for years; even before the massacre.
It doesn’t mean we abandon other worthy causes (assuming those causes haven’t betrayed us). But we need to carefully prioritize our time and dollars.
I love this.
I agree 1000%. As the author suggests, if nothing has been learned from October 7th except that the Jews stand alone when the antisemites come out of their holes then that is enough. We need to act for self preservation more often. Upwards of 75% of Jewish charity supports non-Jewish causes. This needs to change. Let the Universities (mostly the antisemitic filled Ivy League), the Hospitals, Libraries, Museums and Performing Arts centers fend for themselves.
Let’s spend Jewish money on Jewish day schools. Let’s spend it protecting our synagogues (I haven’t been to shul in a decade on the high holidays without an armed guard present. And I live in Boston). Let’s support Jewish elderly and poor, let’s support Israel. Enough is enough!
These other organizations are laughing at us all the way to the bank.
Moreover, there is a concerted, intentional effort to separate Diaspora Jews from Israel by utilizing guilt and shame. We should never be prouder of being Jewish and of Israel for dismantling and destroying the maniacal, genocidal axis of resistance!
Couldn’t agree more, I said this last week in comments on Threads and Instagram. The one million dollars should have been going to help the struggling families in Israel, the widows and orphans, the soldiers in the IDF suffering from PTSD. This is nothing but pathetic virtue signalling seeking the approval of our enemies. It is pathetic. ‘I am not a Jew with trembling knees…’
Beware the term “virtue signaling”. The implication is that helping one’s enemy is virtuous. It is not. Helping one’s enemy in time of war is evil and treasonous.
Such is the the morality of altruism.
“Love your enemy”, said Jesus, and two thousand years later the world is unable to see his code for what it is: “The morality of death”.
Growing up with Jew-haters, I well remember the accusation that Jews only fund other Jews, ie, their own causes. Then I learned “damned if we do and damned if we don’t“. Even when so much Jewish money goes to universal charitable goals, damnation will remain in place. Another aspect is the frightful amount of self-hating Jews who so much contribute to demonise the entire people, so afraid for their own image and unique well being, always apologising, and very likely, constituting a large portion of those donating to non Jewish causes and to our enemies.
Let's not forget how many Jews jumped on the BLM bandwagon and put signs on their front lawns even though it said in its charter that they support the Palestinians. After Oct. 7 BLM doubled down on their anti-Zionism. I wasn't surprised, but they were. Most of my charity dollars go to Israel and Jewish causes. Keep in mind that you can buy Israel Bonds instead of putting money in CDs, the rate of return is about the same.
Many Liberals have for a myriad of reasons lost sight of the distinction between worthy liberal causes and hateful radical Marxist causes. I warned my own Rabbi ot to March with Black Lives Matter in 2020. To no avail. He is no radical but he proved to be a useful idiot.
https://open.substack.com/pub/ginafriedlander/p/the-other-n-word?r=1ha3if&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
I wrote the attached essay on overuse of the "N" word which touches on a related issue.If you have time, please check it out.
Black Lives Matter was founded on racism, which is the lowest form of collectivism.
Phony claims were made on the basis of black deaths at the hands of police, which were unsupported by actual statistics.
Heroes were made of black thugs by the media and the liberal establishment, and people’s lives, homes and businesses were destroyed while police were prevented from responding.
And, it is not over. Observe the refusal of Cincinnati’s police commissioner to call out the black mob that attacked a white man and woman recently. Racism is alive and well in America, spearheaded by the liberal establishment and use as a cudgel against those citizens going about the process of living their lives.
Anyone who unknowingly was swept up in the support for BLM should recognize his error and vow to support reason, law and order, and justice going forward.
In NYC on WABC radio, one Black man Dominic Carter "stands 1000% with Israel," chides and ridicules the George Floyd cult and BLM ....and predicts an easy win for mamdani the racist for mayor of NYC
We have to keep trying to call it out even when it’s our own people
Good to hear about WABC Radio and radio host Dominic Carter.
It is shameful that a liberal racist can garner so much support from voters in NYC. It would be interesting to see how the support is made up in terms of demographics.
Thank you for your post.
Amen. Jewish Money should go to the only Jewish state on earth vs many muslim and christian nations. Get the hostages and take back Israel’s seacoast.
Same old Stockholm Syndrome shit. “Don’t kill US!!! We’re the GOOD Jews! Kill those OTHER Jews!!!”
My problem is not Jews becoming involved with other causes. My problem is that Jewish groups are contributing to all the WRONG causes. Black Lives Matter was a MArxist anti Western anti Semitic group that should anethema to any actual liberal. Contributing to GAZA while Hamas still survives and rules by force? That is downright insane. The left has gone insane and Jewish groups that are on the left have gone insane with them,
If that is what the Jewish Federation of New York did then it is as antisemitic as our worst enemies. Evidently they deserve to have an antisemitic Muslim mayor who want to arrest PM Netanyahu if he shows his face in the city of New York. Talk about dumber than dumb.
This was an inappropriate and colossal waste of precious Jewish communal resources
Thank you so much for an honest and accurate essay.......That's utterly right, Gaza and Gazeans get compassion and help from the whole world, but would they help any Jew, would they had help the hostages?......Israel is the ONLY country supposed to feed its enemies?
Jewish Federation jumped the shark on Israel along time ago. A decade ago they allowed groups that support BDS in the Salute to Israel parade. Now lets also tell the truth. They did not give money directly to anyone in Gaza. They gave it to Israid, which is a life saving group that helps worldwide.
Should they have given it to orgs that only work inside Israel? Absolutely. As explained in the article there are billions of dollars earmarked for Gaza and no need for UJA to have done this.
Even if they wanted to do this, it would have been better for them to wait until the war is over so we can ensure that the money can also go for deradicalization of the population.
This stupidity is also why I stopped giving to UJA/Federation decades ago. It is being run by people competing for who can the biggest asshole.
Did you mean "Jumped ship on Israel" instead of "Jumped the shark on Israel"?
no I mean their attitude has "jumped the shark"...they have gone so over the top in trying to be even handed that they forget what their mission actually is.
Hmm, never heard that expression, but agree about Jewish Federation. They lost my support years ago due to their leftwing bent. Really bad decision. I wrote a blog on a similar issue. See below.
https://open.substack.com/pub/ginafriedlander/p/the-good-jews-are-at-it-again?r=1ha3if&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
This shows my age. Back in the olden times there was a show called Happy Days with a character called Fonzi. As the show dragged on, and rating began to wane, they had the character do a stunt where he rode a motorcycle over a pool of sharks. It’s an expression. That something/someone is ridiculous.
Those were indeed the good old days!
A mandate must have come from JFNA directing all local federations to send out letters expressing their concerns for the “humanitarian situation” in Gaza. I received one from mine which—unlike UJA-Federation NY—did not even clearly blame Hamas for the alleged crisis. I was disgusted by it. Anyone paying attention knew that the photos of “starvation victims” were actually of children suffering from wasting diseases or from other war zones such as Syria and Yemen and that there was a coordinated attempt to discredit the GHF in order to return power and funds to Hamas and the UN agencies. None of that info appeared in my Federation’s letter. It was a cowardly effort to distance themselves from Israel, prove that they were “compassionate” and as always, embrace the Democratic Party line.
I’m on the Board of my Federation and plan to resign as a result of this letter. I can no longer be affiliated with, nor donate to, this weak-willed organization which cannot stand firmly with Israel.
Totally agree. And all this groveling will surely backfire as it has always in the past. Please see my blog below for a similar outlook.
https://open.substack.com/pub/ginafriedlander/p/the-good-jews-are-at-it-again?r=1ha3if&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false