Long article, but a good read. All valid points. Still, it's important for Zionists to seek political office in the Diaspora and this involves catering to a wider tent than the Jewish communities there. Right now we can find non-Jewish allies in this "wider tent" among conservative moderates who are appalled by the woke hegemony controlling media, academia and more. Most of these conservative moderates are, to varying degrees, "pro Israel". Bottom line: Don't abandon the country you are living in by isolating yourself politically. And help make sure that country doesn't abandon Israel.
Virulent antisemitism has been mainstreamed; it's not on the fringes right and left anymore. Every time I look at the news, I see Hamas lies trumpeted. I have lost close friends on both right and left because of their Jew hatred. I spoke yesterday with my sister who lives in educated southern Maine and she said all her Jewish acquaintances are antizionist. Most if not all antizionists don't know Israeli history and don't know much Jewish history, and if you don't have that information, if you don't know that Hamas and the PLO are foundationally genocidal, if you don't know that Israel offered the Palestinians their own state something like five times and each time it was rejected because they want all the Jews gone and killed, then you are operating out of the false information you get from mainstream news that says everything bad that happens to the Jews is their own fault because they're such terrible, dishonest, brutal people. Lack of curiosity has created a Diaspora fifth column, very much a ninth front in the war against Israel.
Let me remind everyone how much antisemitism there was all over the world during and after the Holocaust, how there were strict limits on US immigration that kept Jews out, that no one would take the Jews. That one of the reasons Great Britain supported the creation of Israel was because they wanted to ensure that after Partition, Palestinian Jews would not immigrate to England. Let me remind you that throughout most of the 20th century, Jews all over the US were changing their names to non-Jewish-sounding monikers, particularly in Hollywood, because a Jewish name would ensure they couldn't make a living. I once had a conversation with a Jewish guy who said we would never be endangered in the US because there are so many groups here to pick on, why would we be a target? He never expected that all those groups would gang up on us. But it has happened. The antizionist Jews don't want to know. They feel if they just laugh along with the Jew hatred, if they erase themselves, if they keep their heads down and just play nice, they'll be fine.
Wonderful article!!!.....soooooo right ......I do remember as a child, during the war, (before we have Eretz Israel) ......The mufti of Jerusalem ploting with Hitler not letting the Jews escape to then Palestine......
Josh. You have written here three articles in one. Make one point in one article, another in another and another in the final one. Otherwise you risk losing your readers' attention. This article was too long although as usual all right-on. Martin
Just wanted to add that I fully agree that we Jews must remain the cohesive, if geographically spread out, community we’ve always been, politics aside.
And, obviously, without our Jewish homeland, as you said, we will return to being “guests” waiting to be scapegoated and told to move along. Or worse.
You are correct that anti-semitism binds together the far right and the far left.
However, if you believe that far right anti-semitism of the Neo-Nazi kind is still living on the societal fringes in the USA, I’d like to introduce you to the MAGA movement and its leaders, DJT and JDV.
DJT is a lifelong admirer of Hitler. Both DJT and JDV were recently responsible for the amplification of a blood libel that originated with a Neo-Nazi group - the lies that Haitian immigrants in an Ohio community were eating the pets of the long-time white residents. With the spread of this filthy lie, the Haitians were subjected to the same abuses that German Jews suffered as a result of similar lies.
I’m not defending the anti-semitism on the far left and I find their alignment with murderous genocidal terrorists extremely disturbing and no less so knowing that they are taking sides based on a false narrative originally created by Soviets and now being furthered by US institutions with foreign funding.
The MAGA movement, however, IS mainstream and its big tent has made plenty of room for the 6MWE crowd.
Jews in America, like everywhere, have to think of our survival at the same time we weigh our political choices for our country. I don’t believe any of us feel that either of our political parties are a perfect fit for the Jews. But the threat of mass violence is far greater from the American far right at the moment. No need to take my word - just ask DHS or the FBI what they consider to be the number one national security threat in USA Today. It’s right wing domestic terrorism.
You have Trump Derangement Syndrome and you have it very badly. You say you dont defend the Left but in fact, you minimize all the things they have done and you magnify what you feel Trump has done wrong. It truly is pathetic to read you thoughts when everyday the Jewish people are undergoing the biggest spike in antisemitism in decades and it is being committed by the Left. Do you not realize that WOKE, DEI, Identity Politics, Critical Race Theory, PostModernism Colonization et al are all products of the Left. The Professors in Universities that are casting Israel as White Colonizers are coming from the Left. Another 4 years of Dems and Jews will have to pack their bags and leave the US. You are so focused on the Big Orange Boogeyman that you are blind to what is happening around. Trump was in power for 4 years and he was great for Jews and Israel but you dont magnify all that he did but you talk about Haitian blood libels. Truly Truly Pathetic. papa j
If you don’t see what your dynamic duo did to the Haitians as an omen for what they’ll do to the Jews, you are foolish.
And even if I were wrong about that (and I don’t think I am), MY Jewish values do not allow me to support candidates who scapegoat ANY group for their own political benefit.
But do keep the personal insults coming. I’ll wear them as a badge of honor. So much for Jewish unity. I wouldn’t set foot in a shul that teaches hate, Jerry, and that seems to include yours.
By the way - aren’t you an Israeli?
Recommended reading for you: @rabbi Joshua Hammerman right here on Substack.
As for woke, DEI, etc. - I recommend turning off the Fox News. It’s turning your brain into mush.
Typical response about “keep watching Fox News” …… I do watch Fox news and I also watch CNN, I have a subscription to the Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal, The Daily Wire, The Globe and Mail and much more. I try to get my news from all sources.
I bet you Ruth, that you have no right of center media that you listen to …. You solely listen to mainstream, left of center outlets. That is why your opinion carries so little weight to me.
I mentioned WOKE and DEI et all so let me recommend a book which you will never read. Its called The War On The West and its written by Douglas Murray. A man who is truly on the money and a true hero for Jews and Israel.
I can list other books but you wont read them either. Keep sticking to Biden and Harris ….. YOu know the ones that warned us not to go into Rafeh, the one that said the death toll is too high …. you kinow your fairweather friends who have dropped you for the Muslim vote.
Ooh another insult from a myopic fool who can’t see history repeating itself in the USA.
And no, I’m pretty centrist and read a wide variety of news. My undergrad degree is in mass communications, so I’m pretty discerning about sourcing out news.
But thanks for the merit badge. [Ruth proudly pins “pathetic” to her sash right next to “TDS”]
One more question, Jer? Do you not consider 4 star generals from the US Army and Marines, decorated career protectors of the national security of the USA, and not even close to “libs”, to be reliable sources as to the character of your hero?
Let me guess. Another non-US resident eager to see us elect the lifelong admirer of Hitler?
I believe it’s you who needs some help and some remedial Jewish education.
Why would you vote for a convicted fraudster who managed to bankrupt his casinos, also an adjudicated rapist who tried to overturn a free and fair election he lost?
A man who goes to give a speech and instead spends 10 minutes waxing rhapsodic about Arnold Palmer’s schlong? Or spends 40 minutes swaying onstage to gay anthems instead of answering questions at his town hall?
Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you? What’s to like? His running mate? Why? You think American Jews would fare well under a Christian nationalist government?
My Judaism is that of intellectual and humanist Jews, not that of Bernie Madoff, Roy Cohn, and Meyer Lansky. How about you?
More food for thought for Jer and anyone else who doesn’t believe that right wing violence is a problem in the US or that Donald’s supporters are not the ones threatening US elections.
I’m linking to the snarky Substack story on this, but it is a real verifiable story, so if anyone doubts its veracity, you can do a simple search and find more primary sources.
Or maybe the Donald-loving Israelis among us just don’t care if the US slides into fascism because they believe Donald will keep Israel safer? In which case, I have a bridge to sell you…
Millennial here. My attention span held out the entire way. This is easily the best article I've ever read on Substack, and perfectly encapsulated a lot of what I had been feeling over the last year without being able to articulate. Thank you.
Such wise words! You are right this has to be the ultimate goal. If you succeed you are unstoppable. Your words about the IDF are so right. In my mind they are best army in the world!
Thank you for this article. so well put in a cohesive and clear read. I identify so much with your article, especially living in the diaspora (Australia).
You are correct that AMerican (Or obviously other) Disapora Jews should not pledge their permanent fealty to any political party. Like nations, we don't really have friends, just alliances and interests. But there are several points I would like to make. First, most disapora Jews do not place Jewish or Israeli interests high on their list of reasons to cast a vote. Second, it should be evident to any reasonable observer, that Antony Blinken and company are not representing the interests of the United States. They may think they are but they are most certainly not. As it happens at present the geo-political interests of the Western world and the United States neatly coincide with the interests of Israel. It would behoove Disapora Jews to vote for whoever recognizes this and against whoever doesn't. At this point in time, it seems to me that the Republican party is more likely to recognize that the ultimate destruction of the Mullah regime rather than its empowerment is in the interests of both Israel and the entire Western world.
I read the first part of it and what I read is quite good. The length of it, however, is time prohibitive for me. Hopefully, will carve some time to finish it.
Long article, but a good read. All valid points. Still, it's important for Zionists to seek political office in the Diaspora and this involves catering to a wider tent than the Jewish communities there. Right now we can find non-Jewish allies in this "wider tent" among conservative moderates who are appalled by the woke hegemony controlling media, academia and more. Most of these conservative moderates are, to varying degrees, "pro Israel". Bottom line: Don't abandon the country you are living in by isolating yourself politically. And help make sure that country doesn't abandon Israel.
Virulent antisemitism has been mainstreamed; it's not on the fringes right and left anymore. Every time I look at the news, I see Hamas lies trumpeted. I have lost close friends on both right and left because of their Jew hatred. I spoke yesterday with my sister who lives in educated southern Maine and she said all her Jewish acquaintances are antizionist. Most if not all antizionists don't know Israeli history and don't know much Jewish history, and if you don't have that information, if you don't know that Hamas and the PLO are foundationally genocidal, if you don't know that Israel offered the Palestinians their own state something like five times and each time it was rejected because they want all the Jews gone and killed, then you are operating out of the false information you get from mainstream news that says everything bad that happens to the Jews is their own fault because they're such terrible, dishonest, brutal people. Lack of curiosity has created a Diaspora fifth column, very much a ninth front in the war against Israel.
Let me remind everyone how much antisemitism there was all over the world during and after the Holocaust, how there were strict limits on US immigration that kept Jews out, that no one would take the Jews. That one of the reasons Great Britain supported the creation of Israel was because they wanted to ensure that after Partition, Palestinian Jews would not immigrate to England. Let me remind you that throughout most of the 20th century, Jews all over the US were changing their names to non-Jewish-sounding monikers, particularly in Hollywood, because a Jewish name would ensure they couldn't make a living. I once had a conversation with a Jewish guy who said we would never be endangered in the US because there are so many groups here to pick on, why would we be a target? He never expected that all those groups would gang up on us. But it has happened. The antizionist Jews don't want to know. They feel if they just laugh along with the Jew hatred, if they erase themselves, if they keep their heads down and just play nice, they'll be fine.
We've seen that before. It never works.
Wonderful article!!!.....soooooo right ......I do remember as a child, during the war, (before we have Eretz Israel) ......The mufti of Jerusalem ploting with Hitler not letting the Jews escape to then Palestine......
Josh. You have written here three articles in one. Make one point in one article, another in another and another in the final one. Otherwise you risk losing your readers' attention. This article was too long although as usual all right-on. Martin
This article did not lose my attention. I thought it was riveting.
You're right as far as millenials and younger folks. No attention span left for these poor souls. But older folks can read that with no problem.
I was with him on all points. He was spot-on and did not lose my attention.
That is exactly how I felt!
Just wanted to add that I fully agree that we Jews must remain the cohesive, if geographically spread out, community we’ve always been, politics aside.
And, obviously, without our Jewish homeland, as you said, we will return to being “guests” waiting to be scapegoated and told to move along. Or worse.
Shalom Josh - as usual, on point.
Chag Sameach
You are correct that anti-semitism binds together the far right and the far left.
However, if you believe that far right anti-semitism of the Neo-Nazi kind is still living on the societal fringes in the USA, I’d like to introduce you to the MAGA movement and its leaders, DJT and JDV.
DJT is a lifelong admirer of Hitler. Both DJT and JDV were recently responsible for the amplification of a blood libel that originated with a Neo-Nazi group - the lies that Haitian immigrants in an Ohio community were eating the pets of the long-time white residents. With the spread of this filthy lie, the Haitians were subjected to the same abuses that German Jews suffered as a result of similar lies.
I’m not defending the anti-semitism on the far left and I find their alignment with murderous genocidal terrorists extremely disturbing and no less so knowing that they are taking sides based on a false narrative originally created by Soviets and now being furthered by US institutions with foreign funding.
The MAGA movement, however, IS mainstream and its big tent has made plenty of room for the 6MWE crowd.
Jews in America, like everywhere, have to think of our survival at the same time we weigh our political choices for our country. I don’t believe any of us feel that either of our political parties are a perfect fit for the Jews. But the threat of mass violence is far greater from the American far right at the moment. No need to take my word - just ask DHS or the FBI what they consider to be the number one national security threat in USA Today. It’s right wing domestic terrorism.
You have Trump Derangement Syndrome and you have it very badly. You say you dont defend the Left but in fact, you minimize all the things they have done and you magnify what you feel Trump has done wrong. It truly is pathetic to read you thoughts when everyday the Jewish people are undergoing the biggest spike in antisemitism in decades and it is being committed by the Left. Do you not realize that WOKE, DEI, Identity Politics, Critical Race Theory, PostModernism Colonization et al are all products of the Left. The Professors in Universities that are casting Israel as White Colonizers are coming from the Left. Another 4 years of Dems and Jews will have to pack their bags and leave the US. You are so focused on the Big Orange Boogeyman that you are blind to what is happening around. Trump was in power for 4 years and he was great for Jews and Israel but you dont magnify all that he did but you talk about Haitian blood libels. Truly Truly Pathetic. papa j
If you don’t see what your dynamic duo did to the Haitians as an omen for what they’ll do to the Jews, you are foolish.
And even if I were wrong about that (and I don’t think I am), MY Jewish values do not allow me to support candidates who scapegoat ANY group for their own political benefit.
But do keep the personal insults coming. I’ll wear them as a badge of honor. So much for Jewish unity. I wouldn’t set foot in a shul that teaches hate, Jerry, and that seems to include yours.
By the way - aren’t you an Israeli?
Recommended reading for you: @rabbi Joshua Hammerman right here on Substack.
As for woke, DEI, etc. - I recommend turning off the Fox News. It’s turning your brain into mush.
Later gator.
Typical response about “keep watching Fox News” …… I do watch Fox news and I also watch CNN, I have a subscription to the Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal, The Daily Wire, The Globe and Mail and much more. I try to get my news from all sources.
I bet you Ruth, that you have no right of center media that you listen to …. You solely listen to mainstream, left of center outlets. That is why your opinion carries so little weight to me.
I mentioned WOKE and DEI et all so let me recommend a book which you will never read. Its called The War On The West and its written by Douglas Murray. A man who is truly on the money and a true hero for Jews and Israel.
I can list other books but you wont read them either. Keep sticking to Biden and Harris ….. YOu know the ones that warned us not to go into Rafeh, the one that said the death toll is too high …. you kinow your fairweather friends who have dropped you for the Muslim vote.
Did i say pathetic? I meant truly pathetic.
papa j
Ooh another insult from a myopic fool who can’t see history repeating itself in the USA.
And no, I’m pretty centrist and read a wide variety of news. My undergrad degree is in mass communications, so I’m pretty discerning about sourcing out news.
But thanks for the merit badge. [Ruth proudly pins “pathetic” to her sash right next to “TDS”]
Oh my goodness ... mass communications ... forgive me. LOL
say goodnight Ruth
One more question, Jer? Do you not consider 4 star generals from the US Army and Marines, decorated career protectors of the national security of the USA, and not even close to “libs”, to be reliable sources as to the character of your hero?
Shalom, Jer.
Good Lord. Seek help.
Let me guess. Another non-US resident eager to see us elect the lifelong admirer of Hitler?
I believe it’s you who needs some help and some remedial Jewish education.
Why would you vote for a convicted fraudster who managed to bankrupt his casinos, also an adjudicated rapist who tried to overturn a free and fair election he lost?
A man who goes to give a speech and instead spends 10 minutes waxing rhapsodic about Arnold Palmer’s schlong? Or spends 40 minutes swaying onstage to gay anthems instead of answering questions at his town hall?
Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you? What’s to like? His running mate? Why? You think American Jews would fare well under a Christian nationalist government?
My Judaism is that of intellectual and humanist Jews, not that of Bernie Madoff, Roy Cohn, and Meyer Lansky. How about you?
More food for thought for Jer and anyone else who doesn’t believe that right wing violence is a problem in the US or that Donald’s supporters are not the ones threatening US elections.
I’m linking to the snarky Substack story on this, but it is a real verifiable story, so if anyone doubts its veracity, you can do a simple search and find more primary sources.
https://open.substack.com/pub/wonkette/p/arizona-men-arrested-for-separate?r=2q93jc&utm_medium=ios
Or maybe the Donald-loving Israelis among us just don’t care if the US slides into fascism because they believe Donald will keep Israel safer? In which case, I have a bridge to sell you…
Recommended reading for Jews who’ve forgotten what makes Judaism great:
https://substack.com/@rabbijoshuahammerman?r=2q93jc&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=profile
Millennial here. My attention span held out the entire way. This is easily the best article I've ever read on Substack, and perfectly encapsulated a lot of what I had been feeling over the last year without being able to articulate. Thank you.
The existence of the State of Israel the IDF and the Mossad protect the safety of Jewish communities around the world
Such wise words! You are right this has to be the ultimate goal. If you succeed you are unstoppable. Your words about the IDF are so right. In my mind they are best army in the world!
Thank you for this article. so well put in a cohesive and clear read. I identify so much with your article, especially living in the diaspora (Australia).
You are correct that AMerican (Or obviously other) Disapora Jews should not pledge their permanent fealty to any political party. Like nations, we don't really have friends, just alliances and interests. But there are several points I would like to make. First, most disapora Jews do not place Jewish or Israeli interests high on their list of reasons to cast a vote. Second, it should be evident to any reasonable observer, that Antony Blinken and company are not representing the interests of the United States. They may think they are but they are most certainly not. As it happens at present the geo-political interests of the Western world and the United States neatly coincide with the interests of Israel. It would behoove Disapora Jews to vote for whoever recognizes this and against whoever doesn't. At this point in time, it seems to me that the Republican party is more likely to recognize that the ultimate destruction of the Mullah regime rather than its empowerment is in the interests of both Israel and the entire Western world.
I read the first part of it and what I read is quite good. The length of it, however, is time prohibitive for me. Hopefully, will carve some time to finish it.