23 Comments
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Jack Shore's avatar

You should have mentioned that western Jews have allowed this anti Zionism and antisemitism to fester by signing on to a progressive liberalism and globalism, without a clear understanding of their possible effects and by failing to hold the feet to the fire of an academic and media class that that had forgotten or abandoned the Enlightenment‘s first principles.

Suzyology's avatar

Thank you, Joshua, for your ability to see a silver lining in a dark cloud and helping us resist despair. If the Jewish people want it, it will happen. Am Yisrael Chai!

Juliana's avatar

What a beautiful post. I'm not Jewish but it's these kinds of things that bring me that much closer to understanding Jewish peoplehood in a more personal way. Thank you.

noah g.'s avatar

Its funny how the term "Zionist" has become such a hot button word. Jews never had to identify as one, it was simply a given that we all believed that Israel had a right to exist.

Anyone who believes otherwise, Jew or not, are the only ones who ever actually use the term and often in the pejorative

The larger issue now are people I refer to as JINO's (Jewish in name only). You know the ones: will gladly show up to a Mamdani function, or eager to recite a Quran verse at a political meeting.

Dissent is practically a tenet of Judaism but at some point we need to figure out an effective way to excommunicate those who would willingly pass the DSA purity test for what they think is 'acceptable Judaism'

I can say with 100% certainty I would never pass their purity test.

Am Yisroyel Chai, bitches!

Joanne's avatar

JINO…I love that ( though inside I’m still disgusted with them)

Be's avatar

Jews who don't support Israel are not real Jews, right? Ergo all Jews support Israel? That's incredibly dangerous rhetoric please stop.

Joanne's avatar

I’m not sure that I disagree with him. How can one be a Jew without supporting Israel? How can a Jew not support Israel? Zionism has already won.

Be's avatar

Many Jews do no support Israel. This number is increasing month by month. Anti semites (real ones) will point at comments like yours and say 'look, all the Jews supported this'. You're bringing down a calamity on your tribe. Fool.

Joanne's avatar

Calamity on my tribe? Are we in the 1930’s? Do you really/still believe that you will be spared by denouncing Israel? Then you are the fool. I can’t believe that you even wrote that, let alone believe it. We are not those Jews any longer and I am ashamed for you. We are warriors in charge of our own destiny not sniveling rats anymore

Freedom Lover's avatar

A Jew who opposes the existence of Israel has self excommunicated themselves. I no longer consider such people Jews.

noah g.'s avatar

oh look Rabbi Miriam Grossman has entered the chat. Go back to licking Mamdani's loafers

Robert Tulip's avatar

I am a Christian Zionist. I vividly remember many years ago my shock at hearing a deeply Jewish colleague state “I’m not Jewish.” Zionism comforts the trauma of some of the best people in the world as they find their roots and identity denied by their society.

Freedom Lover's avatar

I feel infinitely closer to our Christian brethren than Jews like the disgusting Brad Lander or Bernie Sanders or Jeremy Ben-Ami.

Freedom Lover's avatar

I am 59 years old. I am old enough to remember the fear and excitement when Sadat came to Jerusalem and when Time magazine had a headline "Is Begin a Fagin?" I have been aware my entire life that Israel has not only been vulnerable but treated monstrously unfairly by much of the world. None of this is new. As soon as Israel gained some strength and power, the world demanded she give it up and return to her state of existential vulnerability. That has never stopped. When Oslo happened I supported it. Within a year I realized it had been a catastrophic mistake. Israel was now expected to turn its security over to Yasser Arafat. Then Hamas. The sheer magnitude of the online Jew hatred upsets and worries me but I really don't see anything new. Even though I am a patriotic American, I have always been an ardent Zionist and a strong supporter of Israel. That will never change. Today of course it is stronger than ever but I feel very comfortable here. I know if God forbid things reach a point I can go to Israel. But even if I never do, I will love it like I love my own children. Always. I don't know what it will take to get the younger generation of left wing Jews to feel this way.

Dawn's avatar

I Stand With You ISRAEL 🇮🇱🇺🇸💯 Thank you Joshua, for your kind words and support of your community. You have stated the truth about Zionism so well❣️ G-D Bless you and all the Jewish people worldwide‼️🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱😻🙏

Puck's avatar

“Jews treated Jewish particularism as an embarrassment to overcome . . .”

Don’t we play into our enemy’s hand when we describe ourselves using their Marxist inspired accusation of Jewish particularism — the unpardonable sin of Jews embracing their unique Jewish identity?

Apparently they see no irony how at the same time they are vilifying us they are celebrating and actively supporting women, Blacks, Hispanics, and Queers to name but a few communities, to develop their own particular identities?

Michael Charton's avatar

Well written. Before October 7th, I accepted the fact that I was assimilated. The Holocaust happened before the existence of modern Israel. One would have thought there would be respect with the existence of Israel, better education and people getting to know Jews as individuals. I remember the Six Day War. I was ten years old. Israel was considered the plucky underdog. I never thought that by having Israel it would make it bad for us. Can't win, can we? Then again, winning is episodic, not permanent.

The Holy Land News's avatar

Thank you Joshua for publishing this excellent essay reminding all of us how we can confront the rising global Anti-Judaism.

Below are a few suggestions in confronting the existential questions that you posted.

It requires a shift from reliance on external institutions to strategic self-reliance, rigorous documentation, and clear-eyed civic engagement.

Rebuild or reorganize Jewish Institutions and Networks

* Fund independent infrastructure: Redirect philanthropic resources away from hostile legacy institutions and into Jewish day schools, universities, and community centers.

* Create parallel networks: Establish new professional associations, legal defense funds, and academic journals where Jewish safety and scholarship are secure.

* Strengthen local security: Invest heavily in physical security infrastructure and community defense training for synagogues and community spaces.

Document and Expose the Threat

* Define antisemitism clearly: Insist on the adoption of the IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance) definition of antisemitism in corporate, legal, and educational spheres.

* Archive modern antisemitism: Systematically track, screenshot, and archive online celebration of violence and harassment to use in legal and public relation campaigns.

* Expose institutional double standards: Use litigation, (Lawfare Project) civil rights complaints, and investigative journalism to hold elite universities and corporations accountable for failing to enforce their own codes of conduct.

Recalibrate Civic and Political Engagement

* Condition allyship on reciprocity: Pivot away from coalitions that demand Jewish silence or require Jews to downplay their own vulnerability.

* Form new coalitions: Build strategic partnerships with minority groups, civil rights organizations, and political leaders who demonstrate explicit, actionable support. (The Israel Guys, PJTN - Proclaiming Justice to The Nations, CUFI ect.)

* Engage in lawfare: Use the legal system aggressively to sue institutions for Title VI civil rights violations and discriminatory practices.

Reclaim the Narrative on Success and Vulnerability

* Deconstruct the "success" myth: Educate the public on the reality that economic or educational achievement has never historically protected Jews from systemic violence.

* Refuse the oppressor-oppressed binary: Reject simplistic sociological frameworks that categorize Jews based purely on perceived privilege.

* Affirm Jewish identity proudly: Lean into historical literacy, cultural pride, and religious tradition rather than defining Jewish identity solely through the lens of victimization.

We call on Diaspora Jews to come home.

Aliyah (immigration to Israel) trends since October 7, 2023, reveal a striking divergence: a massive surge in applications and arrivals from Western nations alongside a sharp decline in overall global immigration numbers, primarily due to a drop in arrivals from Eastern Europe. [1, 2]

The Western Aliyah Surge

Driven directly by the sharp rise in global antisemitism and a renewed commitment to the Zionist cause following October 7, interest from Western democracies reached historic highs. [1, 3]

* Explosive Application Inquiries: The Ministry of Aliyah and Integration and organizations like Nefesh B'Nefesh recorded more than a 100% to 200% increase in new Aliyah files opened.

* Western European Spike: Aliyah arrivals from Western Europe surged. France emerged as the largest single contributor, with its immigration numbers more than tripling. The United Kingdom and Germany also saw massive spikes.

* North American Momentum: North American Aliyah reached a four-year high, with thousands of American and Canadian Jews executing their moves despite the ongoing wartime environment.

* Demographics: A prominent segment—roughly one-third of these Western immigrants—consists of young adults aged 18 to 35, many of whom arrived to volunteer, enter specialized absorption programs, or enlist in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). [2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

The Broader Global Context & Overall Drop

While the Western influx has been highly visible, total global Aliyah numbers actually fell compared to the years immediately preceding the war. [1, 7]

* The Russian Slump: Between 2022 and 2023, Israel saw a historic influx of immigrants escaping the Russia-Ukraine war. Following October 7, immigration files from Russia dropped by over 70%, pulling the overall international Aliyah total down significantly.

* Physical Lag: While interest and file-openings spiked globally, the ongoing physical security realities, flight disruptions, and regional conflicts caused a delay between people opening immigration applications and actually executing their physical move. [1, 5, 6, 8, 9]

Net Migration Challenges

The demographic landscape faces an unprecedented dual pressure. While Israel welcomed over 45,000 new immigrants in the immediate years following the October 7 massacre, reports from the [Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS)](https://www.timesofisrael.com/more-than-69000-israelis-left-israel-in-2025-as-population-reached-10-18-million/) highlight a net negative migration balance.

The prolonged strain of the war and economic adjustments prompted an increased number of Israelis to temporarily or permanently relocate abroad, creating a complex demographic equation for the state to manage. [8, 10, 11, 12, 13]

[1] [https://www.timesofisrael.com](https://www.timesofisrael.com/even-as-western-aliyah-picks-up-new-arrivals-replace-fewer-than-half-of-israeli-emigrants/)

[2] [https://israel365news.com](https://israel365news.com/415073/aliyah-from-north-america-rises-in-2025-even-as-israel-faces-net-emigration/)

[3] [https://www.icej.org](https://www.icej.org/blog/another-strong-year-for-aliyah-from-the-west-the-ingathering-continues-as-jews-come-home-from-every-corner-of-the-earth/)

[4] [https://www.jpost.com](https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-835250)

[5] [https://www.do-israel.com](https://www.do-israel.com/en/aliyah-investment-opportunities-2024/)

[6] [https://www.youtube.com](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQoL8QFwYrw&t=85)

[7] [https://www.haaretz.com](https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-08-13/ty-article/.premium/no-post-oct-7-aliyah-boom-defying-predictions-immigration-to-israel-plummets-during-war/00000198-a3db-d539-a5b8-ffdb3bcc0000)

[8] [https://www.timesofisrael.com](https://www.timesofisrael.com/more-than-69000-israelis-left-israel-in-2025-as-population-reached-10-18-million/)

[9] [https://main.knesset.gov.il](https://main.knesset.gov.il/EN/News/PressReleases/Pages/press211223w.aspx)

[10] [https://www.taubcenter.org.il](https://www.taubcenter.org.il/en/research/snr-2025-demography/)

[11] [https://www.taubcenter.org.il](https://www.taubcenter.org.il/en/pr/snr-2025-demography/)

[12] [https://www.facebook.com](https://www.facebook.com/wzo.official/posts/record-number-of-olim-from-the-uk-to-israel-%EF%B8%8Ffor-the-first-time-in-years-the-uk-/1153623686801069/)

[13] [https://www.facebook.com](https://www.facebook.com/TheJerusalemPost/posts/around-20000-people-have-immigrated-to-israel-over-the-past-year-including-thous/1393985389422098/)

Bless America's avatar

Indeed, the meaning of Zion is Jerusalem, and by extension, the whole of Israel. Whatever sustained the Jews through the most despicable times at the hands of Israel's " daughter" religions, contained the wholesomeness of a boundless concept of one God, the land , peoplehood and collective mores etched in Scripture. Those elements were inseparable then, and are still now.

To decry Zionism at this point, from any provenance, is simply idiotic. We should finally have the courage to stop explaining and cease to flex apologetic muscle. No one is listening. Denying the Jews their inalienable right to their land is a new form of blood libel: the accusation that the Jews stole their land from others and that, not being truly human, they are not entitled to essential human needs. Finally, the only way in which a fake history ( newly called " narrative") can succeed is in obliterating the real history. That's where we are at. We will need to invade the AI world with information.

I am a pessimist regarding human nature at this time. I see what works. Force does. We are not evolved enough yet to change our minds by reason. The State of Israel will continue to become stronger, fearsome and a deterrent to more aberrant danger imposed on it.

If the Jew-haters and detractors and anti-Zionists of all stripes only understood that the more they attack us the stronger we become, they would do the logical thing: let us be. In leaving us alone, they would be reasoning that we, who have a tough history of internal dissent, including the famous Sin'at Khinam that allegedly brought about the destruction of the Second Temple, might succeed in obliterating ourselves without outside assistance.

It's never been tried. Instead, the uncertainties of false beliefs that Israel never accepted and the rejected moral demands placed on an over-privileged civilization are the propellors guiding emotions only, looking for whom to blame for whatever turmoil sweeps the fragile minds.

They fear us already. There is something alien and supernatural about " the Jew". We must turn that into our best defense.

Robbin Close's avatar

Yes our story will continue. There is a lot of pushback here in the US. We have many allies. This is a terrible phase and insanity about our people. I believe, this too shall pass. Thank you for your excellent post Joshua. I continue to learn from you. Robbin in

California.

Joanne's avatar

No, that is not true. What’s wrong with you? You actually think that when the time comes that we need protection (that time is now) that you’re going to get a free pass because you’re not a Zionist? Our tribe came from Israel. Our religion and sacred books talk about Israel. I’m sorry for you and those around you who don’t support your religion. “Bringing calamity on the tribe “. You’re one of those Jews who will bend over backwards to be accepted. We only prevent calamity now because we have Israel. I am Canadian and I don’t know too many Jews like you, cowering in the corner, hoping no one notices you. Those days are gone, over, kaput 💪🤛🇮🇱

ryan's avatar

"Growing up in Los Angeles, I barely remember hearing about Israel or talking about Israel in Hebrew school or among my Jewish peers."

Growing up 50 years earlier than you, the same. in NYC. Today 's NYC Jews? Some are awakened to Israel....others the response is STOP THE GENOCIDE...never again FOR ANYONE. Smug celebrities like Mamaloschen Patinkin collecting for the good people of Gaza on you tube.

HE believes THEY are the true victims of Oct 7th....so do too many others. Frankly I didn't need to hear the rabbi at KOL NIDRE invoke all the poor Gazans who lost their lives as part of the Iran hamas war of choice. But it's a woke synagogue. I'll see who shows up for the Israel Parade in NYC....the yeshivot....not a single "progressive" organization will make an appearance....to get to the parade will be akin to going through the procedure for a flight at the airport. One of the hostages said there were no good people in Gaza who offered her aid.....

Dan Izenberg's avatar

You write about the return of the Zionist. The “original” Zionists did not believe in building up institutions and self-pride in the Diaspora. They believed this could only be done in Eretz Yisrael. What does the returned Zionist believe?