You are right, where are the voices from these organizations for the daily hate on university campuses, the one step/two step by the Biden administration, the outrageous call by the ICC towards some of the leadership in Israel and on and on? Nowhere to be found. I haven't read one article, received a piece of mail, or watched a Zoom from any of them. Oh, I did watch a Zoom that had Jonathan Greenblatt tiptoeing ever so gently with his measured words. It was all too obvious, but what can one expect from a former Obama hire? His bio on the website makes it seem as though he has walked on water with all his "vast accomplishments." I'm no longer impressed by positions, titles, educational degree attainment because somehow when the dots are connected, a good part of it is meaningless. Much to my sadness, the world has turned me from a once idealistic individual into an exceedingly skeptical one. However, I will never give up believing that the goodness and common sense of people will prevail.
I generally give what little I have directly to Israeli organizations. I am less concerned with antisemitism than with the survival of Israel. Check out IDSF - הביטחוניסטים - They do great morning updates from Israel and explain many of the military considerations. They also have Bibi's ear. Check them out.
Now that we've had a chance to see what it costs us to lose the media wars, I think we are at a point where there may be greater receptivity in the Jewish world to the kind of broad, collaborative initiatives that you have outlined here. Since you are clearly ready to roll up your sleeves, I'll email you directly with some thoughts I've had about these matters that won't fit in a comments box!
Please check your inbox for: "Winning the Battle for Public Opinion: A Plan of Action"
Antisemitism is a spiritual disease. It cannot be fixed with political action.
The solution is that all Jews return to our Gd and our Torah.
Absent that, "practical" solutions are liable to go sideways. (Case in point: the new Antisemitism Awareness Act, which has apparently somewhat aggravated antisemitism on the right.)
Thus, organizations which purport to "fight antisemitism" yet don't provide Torah-true spiritual leadership actually *increase* antisemitism in two ways: with their support for liberal (read: morally permissive) anti-Gd policies, as well as with their misdirected political effort. To summarize, these organizations are worse than useless.
You listed some options for reorganizing within these multiple Jewish organizations, but what about a common vision all of them can share? What can all of them do collectively to re-frame the DEI argument? What can all of them do collectively to call in the ‘chips’ for all the non-Jewish organizations that have benefitted from our support? What can all of them do collectively to make the American world recognize what Jews are dealing with? How about ‘ads’ that speak the truth to be posted on social media to counter all the negative social media comments? What about the research regarding the impact of Islamic political organization in America? Who is checking into this and seeing where all those campus participants who are not university students are coming from?
Stop asking for my money without telling us how collectively you’re going to respond to the big issues. I don’t need another podcast. I need a better response to be broadcast everywhere!
6 months ago I was suspended from my professor position for saying I stood with Israel. I reached out for support from all the big Jewish orgs and barely a peep or response. Indeed it was the little guys who stepped up - starting with Joshua Hoffman of Future of Jewish who has been amazing - and moving on tho Canadian Jewish News and Everything Jewish Toronto. Those “little guys” have been wonderful and have supported me throughout my fight with the U of Guelph. I am a Christian - but when a community of determined Jewish citizens, no matter how rich or strong they are individually, come together they are a powerful force for good.
Thank u. I am still looking for a lawyer. Everyone promises and then they disappear. I’m trying to fight a multi million dollar institution, I’m not sure this can work
There is another problem some of us pro-Israel advocates run into: OpenWeb. This an Israeli software startup that performs a simple task, it moderates the comment sections of many major news websites. As cofounder Nadav Shoval said in a CNBC interview, his goal was to detoxify online conversations. Given the amount of ugly antisemitism being written by online trawls, this was a welcome change, or so I thought.
I used to be an avid reader of the Jerusalem Post. I disagreed with the biased reporting against Netanyahu, Likud, and the Kohelet inspired judicial reforms. I often wrote comments at the ends of articles, pointing out flaws in the reporting. I always kept my comments respectful, even when other readers' comments crossed the line into overt antisemitism. I soon realized that I was being shadow-banned, while the antisemitic comments remained. I complained repeatedly, and I was ignored. I stopped reading the Jerusalem Post. When Yaakov Katz stepped down as editor-in-chief, I thought it might be safe to try again. But the website would block me from even viewing the comments section. OpenWeb had become authoritarian. But they did not censor antisemitism. Instead, they censored conservative and pro-Zionist comments. In short, OpenWeb is a typical leftist company that had the power to delete any comments they disagreed with. Most commenters are unaware they are being deleted, because their comments remain visible on their own screens.
OpenWeb also moderates the comments at Fox News, HuffPost, and many other popular websites. When you consider how much a single company can interfere with the spread of information, you start to understand how the news media is easily corrupted. My own family couldn't believe that an Israeli company would censor Zionists while protecting the "free speech" of antisemites. I directed them to the Wikipedia article about OpenWeb, which listed many large, and some foreign investors in the company. I doubt the company has any loyalty to Israel.
Another suggestion is that synagogues stop requiring dues payments from Jews who aren't wealthy. We suffer enough discrimination in the workforce as we age that we don't need exclusion from participation in Jewish life because of mandatory dues and synagogues charging the same percentage to low-income Jews as they charge to wealthy people with inheritance.
The door is still open to any Jewish organization that isn't taking a right-wing position, to support me in negotiating this matter with the county. I have served on another commission without experiencing antisemitism. But I still have been alone in my community concerning this issue from 2022.
Another suggestion is that synagogues stop requiring dues payments from Jews who aren't wealthy. We suffer enough discrimination in the workforce as we age that we don't need exclusion from participation in Jewish life because of mandatory dues and synagogues charging the same percentage to low-income Jews as they charge to wealthy people with inheritance.
Re King County (Seattle area, Pacific Northwest region): In 2022, I was invited to attend a meeting to learn about joining a new county community input commission. I applied and was chosen. The meetings were on zoom, as was the case during the pandemic. A few months later, at the July 13 meeting, the non-Black affinity group was shown a video on the history of racism in public health. This was an excellent video about Black History, but the speaker in the video, Joyce DeGruy Leary, veered off into antisemitic digressions, with hostile comments about Jews, the Holocaust, Spielberg and 9/11. King County Executive Dow Constantine was present at the zoom meeting and introduced the video, but I don't know whether he saw it in advance or stayed to watch it while his profile was still there in the chat. my attempts to resolve this situation quietly did not lead to a solution. I contacted Jewish organizations. They did nothing, zero, zilch, to support me or my right to serve on a government commission without having to listen to anti-Jewish misinformation. No one tried to talk to Dow Constantine. Not only did they not support me, they undermined me. The AJC/JF sent a letter to the diversity manager, without my permission or the opportunity to read and approve it in advance, stating that a constituent had made allegations which would not be proven. This was a lie and they knew it. I did not make "allegations" and everything could be proven. The objectional video is online for everyone to see. The meetings were recorded and the chat was saved. All of my communications with the county were on e-mail. Everything is on video, zoom recordings or e-mail. Then the ADL/JF statement said that they do not represent the constituent. They failed to set up a meeting where they would help me and trying to straighten out this problem. Instead, they did nothing to support me, I was bullied off the commission, and the ADL/JF went in and made a presentation to them with their educational materials, minus my presence on the commission. This is how the Jewish organizations treat a respectable, educated, ethical Jewish person serving on a local board and commission. They still have not apologized to me or done anything to remedy the situation and support Jews participating in public service. They have done nothing to support my ability to serve on government boards and commissions without experiencing comments hostile to Jews. A couple of individual county council people have invited me to their events, that they could make sure did not contain antisemitic content. Imagine how a Muslim or Hispanic or Asian or Black person would be supported by their community if something like this happened to them. CAIR has a legal defense team ready to help its constituents on any issue of bias. If any Jewish organization wishes to stand up for me, the support will still be appreciated.
What about if these tech executives start by offering jobs to Jewish women in tech at the highest level of our skillset in STEM and stop allowing Jewish women with education to live in poverty and marginalized status in the community because of the intersection of being female + Jewish + older? When "tech executives" show us how they will acknowledge, appreciate, value our skills, rather than leaving us in the poverty ghetto, I can take them seriously.
The organizations in the Jewish community are now keenly aware of the anti Semitism that has been brewing on American campuses for years. The question remains whether the heterodox Jewish community in America will realize that the Orthodox community with its emphasis on a daily commitment to the observance and study of Torah and a strong commitment to Israel rooted in family synagogue And Yeshiva education has something to offer in terms of transmitting the traditions of Judaism to the next generation as opposed to the failed false god of social justice
100% correct. The failure of leadership has been complete and devastating.
You are right, where are the voices from these organizations for the daily hate on university campuses, the one step/two step by the Biden administration, the outrageous call by the ICC towards some of the leadership in Israel and on and on? Nowhere to be found. I haven't read one article, received a piece of mail, or watched a Zoom from any of them. Oh, I did watch a Zoom that had Jonathan Greenblatt tiptoeing ever so gently with his measured words. It was all too obvious, but what can one expect from a former Obama hire? His bio on the website makes it seem as though he has walked on water with all his "vast accomplishments." I'm no longer impressed by positions, titles, educational degree attainment because somehow when the dots are connected, a good part of it is meaningless. Much to my sadness, the world has turned me from a once idealistic individual into an exceedingly skeptical one. However, I will never give up believing that the goodness and common sense of people will prevail.
Amen Diane 🙏
Neither did Anne Frank!
I generally give what little I have directly to Israeli organizations. I am less concerned with antisemitism than with the survival of Israel. Check out IDSF - הביטחוניסטים - They do great morning updates from Israel and explain many of the military considerations. They also have Bibi's ear. Check them out.
I will!
Now that we've had a chance to see what it costs us to lose the media wars, I think we are at a point where there may be greater receptivity in the Jewish world to the kind of broad, collaborative initiatives that you have outlined here. Since you are clearly ready to roll up your sleeves, I'll email you directly with some thoughts I've had about these matters that won't fit in a comments box!
Please check your inbox for: "Winning the Battle for Public Opinion: A Plan of Action"
Looking forward to it!!
So true!
Here in Montreal there's goodwill, but all problematic issues you pointed are found.
There's very little internal mobility and entry barriers seem unsurmountable.
People are so nice, well-intended, but the results are deeply frustrating and it's palpable.
I only wish they could read your humble piece of "free consultancy services".
Hahaha love how you ended the comment!!
Antisemitism is a spiritual disease. It cannot be fixed with political action.
The solution is that all Jews return to our Gd and our Torah.
Absent that, "practical" solutions are liable to go sideways. (Case in point: the new Antisemitism Awareness Act, which has apparently somewhat aggravated antisemitism on the right.)
Thus, organizations which purport to "fight antisemitism" yet don't provide Torah-true spiritual leadership actually *increase* antisemitism in two ways: with their support for liberal (read: morally permissive) anti-Gd policies, as well as with their misdirected political effort. To summarize, these organizations are worse than useless.
Very well said Batia!
You listed some options for reorganizing within these multiple Jewish organizations, but what about a common vision all of them can share? What can all of them do collectively to re-frame the DEI argument? What can all of them do collectively to call in the ‘chips’ for all the non-Jewish organizations that have benefitted from our support? What can all of them do collectively to make the American world recognize what Jews are dealing with? How about ‘ads’ that speak the truth to be posted on social media to counter all the negative social media comments? What about the research regarding the impact of Islamic political organization in America? Who is checking into this and seeing where all those campus participants who are not university students are coming from?
Stop asking for my money without telling us how collectively you’re going to respond to the big issues. I don’t need another podcast. I need a better response to be broadcast everywhere!
Ah yes, another podcast, how could I forget!!! Haha.
6 months ago I was suspended from my professor position for saying I stood with Israel. I reached out for support from all the big Jewish orgs and barely a peep or response. Indeed it was the little guys who stepped up - starting with Joshua Hoffman of Future of Jewish who has been amazing - and moving on tho Canadian Jewish News and Everything Jewish Toronto. Those “little guys” have been wonderful and have supported me throughout my fight with the U of Guelph. I am a Christian - but when a community of determined Jewish citizens, no matter how rich or strong they are individually, come together they are a powerful force for good.
I read your article on this and was profoundly moved!
Thank u. I am still looking for a lawyer. Everyone promises and then they disappear. I’m trying to fight a multi million dollar institution, I’m not sure this can work
Joshua your content and website is like a breath of fresh air in this 'game' of self support and survival that we find ourselves in today.
There is another problem some of us pro-Israel advocates run into: OpenWeb. This an Israeli software startup that performs a simple task, it moderates the comment sections of many major news websites. As cofounder Nadav Shoval said in a CNBC interview, his goal was to detoxify online conversations. Given the amount of ugly antisemitism being written by online trawls, this was a welcome change, or so I thought.
I used to be an avid reader of the Jerusalem Post. I disagreed with the biased reporting against Netanyahu, Likud, and the Kohelet inspired judicial reforms. I often wrote comments at the ends of articles, pointing out flaws in the reporting. I always kept my comments respectful, even when other readers' comments crossed the line into overt antisemitism. I soon realized that I was being shadow-banned, while the antisemitic comments remained. I complained repeatedly, and I was ignored. I stopped reading the Jerusalem Post. When Yaakov Katz stepped down as editor-in-chief, I thought it might be safe to try again. But the website would block me from even viewing the comments section. OpenWeb had become authoritarian. But they did not censor antisemitism. Instead, they censored conservative and pro-Zionist comments. In short, OpenWeb is a typical leftist company that had the power to delete any comments they disagreed with. Most commenters are unaware they are being deleted, because their comments remain visible on their own screens.
OpenWeb also moderates the comments at Fox News, HuffPost, and many other popular websites. When you consider how much a single company can interfere with the spread of information, you start to understand how the news media is easily corrupted. My own family couldn't believe that an Israeli company would censor Zionists while protecting the "free speech" of antisemites. I directed them to the Wikipedia article about OpenWeb, which listed many large, and some foreign investors in the company. I doubt the company has any loyalty to Israel.
Another suggestion is that synagogues stop requiring dues payments from Jews who aren't wealthy. We suffer enough discrimination in the workforce as we age that we don't need exclusion from participation in Jewish life because of mandatory dues and synagogues charging the same percentage to low-income Jews as they charge to wealthy people with inheritance.
The door is still open to any Jewish organization that isn't taking a right-wing position, to support me in negotiating this matter with the county. I have served on another commission without experiencing antisemitism. But I still have been alone in my community concerning this issue from 2022.
Another suggestion is that synagogues stop requiring dues payments from Jews who aren't wealthy. We suffer enough discrimination in the workforce as we age that we don't need exclusion from participation in Jewish life because of mandatory dues and synagogues charging the same percentage to low-income Jews as they charge to wealthy people with inheritance.
Re King County (Seattle area, Pacific Northwest region): In 2022, I was invited to attend a meeting to learn about joining a new county community input commission. I applied and was chosen. The meetings were on zoom, as was the case during the pandemic. A few months later, at the July 13 meeting, the non-Black affinity group was shown a video on the history of racism in public health. This was an excellent video about Black History, but the speaker in the video, Joyce DeGruy Leary, veered off into antisemitic digressions, with hostile comments about Jews, the Holocaust, Spielberg and 9/11. King County Executive Dow Constantine was present at the zoom meeting and introduced the video, but I don't know whether he saw it in advance or stayed to watch it while his profile was still there in the chat. my attempts to resolve this situation quietly did not lead to a solution. I contacted Jewish organizations. They did nothing, zero, zilch, to support me or my right to serve on a government commission without having to listen to anti-Jewish misinformation. No one tried to talk to Dow Constantine. Not only did they not support me, they undermined me. The AJC/JF sent a letter to the diversity manager, without my permission or the opportunity to read and approve it in advance, stating that a constituent had made allegations which would not be proven. This was a lie and they knew it. I did not make "allegations" and everything could be proven. The objectional video is online for everyone to see. The meetings were recorded and the chat was saved. All of my communications with the county were on e-mail. Everything is on video, zoom recordings or e-mail. Then the ADL/JF statement said that they do not represent the constituent. They failed to set up a meeting where they would help me and trying to straighten out this problem. Instead, they did nothing to support me, I was bullied off the commission, and the ADL/JF went in and made a presentation to them with their educational materials, minus my presence on the commission. This is how the Jewish organizations treat a respectable, educated, ethical Jewish person serving on a local board and commission. They still have not apologized to me or done anything to remedy the situation and support Jews participating in public service. They have done nothing to support my ability to serve on government boards and commissions without experiencing comments hostile to Jews. A couple of individual county council people have invited me to their events, that they could make sure did not contain antisemitic content. Imagine how a Muslim or Hispanic or Asian or Black person would be supported by their community if something like this happened to them. CAIR has a legal defense team ready to help its constituents on any issue of bias. If any Jewish organization wishes to stand up for me, the support will still be appreciated.
What about if these tech executives start by offering jobs to Jewish women in tech at the highest level of our skillset in STEM and stop allowing Jewish women with education to live in poverty and marginalized status in the community because of the intersection of being female + Jewish + older? When "tech executives" show us how they will acknowledge, appreciate, value our skills, rather than leaving us in the poverty ghetto, I can take them seriously.
The organizations in the Jewish community are now keenly aware of the anti Semitism that has been brewing on American campuses for years. The question remains whether the heterodox Jewish community in America will realize that the Orthodox community with its emphasis on a daily commitment to the observance and study of Torah and a strong commitment to Israel rooted in family synagogue And Yeshiva education has something to offer in terms of transmitting the traditions of Judaism to the next generation as opposed to the failed false god of social justice