“Let me get this straight: You’re facing immigration crises, financial and environmental crises, and a war-like Russia on your doorstep, and your harshest debates are about Israel?”
Ironically, a Europe that was more Christian and nationalistic would be better for its Jewish population. These aren't the people that are threatening Jews in Europe. These aren't the people that are in power in European governments. European governments are being run by those who ARE secular left-wing and support open borders. I don't quite understand why the author of this article is trying to make the case for a more secular, liberal borderless Europe open to African and Middle Eastern immigrants when that is precisely what is causing the current surge of antisemitism.
"Was it still liberal, secular, and borderless or reverting to its previous nationalistic, Christian, and territorial form? Would the continent be open or closed to African and Middle Eastern immigrants, would its nation-states remain bonded in the European Union or reassert their economic, diplomatic, and cultural independence"?
Even when you accept Race as a governing reality, Ashkenazi Jews are white, with both Slavic (from Russia), Saxon (from Northern Europe) and Latin (From Southern Europe) blood in our veins. Even most British people have Celtic blood (from Wales, Scotland, and Ireland) too. So the idea of 'pure blood', as the Genotype, is a chimera. But I sound a note of Caution: Non of this is true when the Scandinavian and Slavic and Celtic Genotypes are without Jewish (or Celtic, Latin or Saxon) Genetic markers. Do Get over it. Race is a reality. But it remains true that the Racists are very often the worst of specimens. Goebbels, Hitler, Himmler and Goering were runts!
Well, Michael Oren I only wanted to thank you and offer an extra angle on the 'mirror' image that you present. But - lo and behold - Jumpin' Jehoshaphat y'all seems to 'ave 'it a nerve in a few nervous Commentators here:):) In a sense, it seems that one of the nerves you hit is one of the elephants in one of our numerous Jewish rooms. That nerve is the chutzpadicky one whereby 'The We' Jewish persons feel that above all others that our own individual viewpoint is the right one. Another elephant in an other Jewish room is that 'The We' can not handle the historical fact that one way or another we stem from The Wanderers, and The Pre-Wanderers, and the Receivers and/or Creators of the Torah and Tanach and their volumes of erudite, diverse, antagonistic, explanations. As I like to repeat these days "We have thrown the baby out with the bathwater". Realignment with our Cultural Sources, our Historical Heritage in its varied and misaligned streams is likely The Big Lesson we are being called and culled to reach for 'with all your heart, all your soul, and all your resources' as the Shemai succinctly guides us. Now, to 'the mirror'. As Shakespeare put it, in a different context "... the purpose of playing, whose end, both at the first and now, was and is, to hold, as 'twere, the mirror up to nature; to show Virtue her own feature, scorn her own image, and the very age and body of the time his form and pressure.... ". Perhaps one of the roles of a Jewish person is to be a mirror of the human. Both Jew/Human like the Torah and its Prophets suggests that we/Humanity may benefit from understanding ourselves with a 'warts and all' wisdom. Which the Torah and its Parashot and classic explanations via Talmud and Friends offers continually i.e. accept and learn from one's own and others' warts and all.
Jews took diametrically opposed lessons from the Holocaust.
Israeli Jews basically decided Hitler was right. Jews needed a strong ethno-state of their own. Sure, it would be different in character then Nazi germany in important ways, but it would be an explicit *Jewish* state. I don’t mean this as a perjorative, I like Israel.
Diaspora Jews decided that universalism, human rights, and open borders was the solution to the problem of the holocaust. The idea of an explicit ethno-state is a complete anathema to this approach.
This tension has been at the heart of both Jews and the west since. Both in relation to Israel and the broader universalist vs particularist debate.
Further tension comes from the fact that Jews are financially and culturally powerful, but they lack the demographic heft to steer western democracy or achieve final victory in war.
I see a lot of discomfort and disagreement in these comments, but if you’re right, that would make sense. To me, your words have the ring of truth. It’s obvious that Americans are projecting our own issues onto Israel/Palestine and, b/c most Americans are ignorant of history and geopolitics as well, they make it about white supremacy and colonialism, which is admittedly embarrassing. I’ve been calling it a projection, but I like your “mirror.” Why such a small minority should take on the burden of all of our cultural unrest is beyond me, but you’re right: it simply isn’t going anywhere.
This is the first time I have come across this concept of "the mirror." It explains a lot. But like a two-year-old, there is always another "but why" question hovering around the corner. Still, it takes us deeper into the psyche of non-Jews than I have previously seen. Thank you for that.
Michael Oren’s right-wing lens distorts reality and even history. He bizarrely refers to America’s founders as “Leftists” and questions whether America’s very existence has been “malign”. He amplifies the importance of Jews to an absurd level in France, the US, and now the rest of Europe.
I agree 100% with you analysis, though I wouldn't put the current zionism vs anti-zionism between universalism vs free market and nationalism, but between master vs slave morality. I also like to believe Nietzsche would have been an ardent zionist beause in zionism the jewish people overcome slave morality (wich Nietzsche himself attributed to the jews) and converge to master morality.
Ironically, a Europe that was more Christian and nationalistic would be better for its Jewish population. These aren't the people that are threatening Jews in Europe. These aren't the people that are in power in European governments. European governments are being run by those who ARE secular left-wing and support open borders. I don't quite understand why the author of this article is trying to make the case for a more secular, liberal borderless Europe open to African and Middle Eastern immigrants when that is precisely what is causing the current surge of antisemitism.
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"Was it still liberal, secular, and borderless or reverting to its previous nationalistic, Christian, and territorial form? Would the continent be open or closed to African and Middle Eastern immigrants, would its nation-states remain bonded in the European Union or reassert their economic, diplomatic, and cultural independence"?
Even when you accept Race as a governing reality, Ashkenazi Jews are white, with both Slavic (from Russia), Saxon (from Northern Europe) and Latin (From Southern Europe) blood in our veins. Even most British people have Celtic blood (from Wales, Scotland, and Ireland) too. So the idea of 'pure blood', as the Genotype, is a chimera. But I sound a note of Caution: Non of this is true when the Scandinavian and Slavic and Celtic Genotypes are without Jewish (or Celtic, Latin or Saxon) Genetic markers. Do Get over it. Race is a reality. But it remains true that the Racists are very often the worst of specimens. Goebbels, Hitler, Himmler and Goering were runts!
Well, Michael Oren I only wanted to thank you and offer an extra angle on the 'mirror' image that you present. But - lo and behold - Jumpin' Jehoshaphat y'all seems to 'ave 'it a nerve in a few nervous Commentators here:):) In a sense, it seems that one of the nerves you hit is one of the elephants in one of our numerous Jewish rooms. That nerve is the chutzpadicky one whereby 'The We' Jewish persons feel that above all others that our own individual viewpoint is the right one. Another elephant in an other Jewish room is that 'The We' can not handle the historical fact that one way or another we stem from The Wanderers, and The Pre-Wanderers, and the Receivers and/or Creators of the Torah and Tanach and their volumes of erudite, diverse, antagonistic, explanations. As I like to repeat these days "We have thrown the baby out with the bathwater". Realignment with our Cultural Sources, our Historical Heritage in its varied and misaligned streams is likely The Big Lesson we are being called and culled to reach for 'with all your heart, all your soul, and all your resources' as the Shemai succinctly guides us. Now, to 'the mirror'. As Shakespeare put it, in a different context "... the purpose of playing, whose end, both at the first and now, was and is, to hold, as 'twere, the mirror up to nature; to show Virtue her own feature, scorn her own image, and the very age and body of the time his form and pressure.... ". Perhaps one of the roles of a Jewish person is to be a mirror of the human. Both Jew/Human like the Torah and its Prophets suggests that we/Humanity may benefit from understanding ourselves with a 'warts and all' wisdom. Which the Torah and its Parashot and classic explanations via Talmud and Friends offers continually i.e. accept and learn from one's own and others' warts and all.
Jews took diametrically opposed lessons from the Holocaust.
Israeli Jews basically decided Hitler was right. Jews needed a strong ethno-state of their own. Sure, it would be different in character then Nazi germany in important ways, but it would be an explicit *Jewish* state. I don’t mean this as a perjorative, I like Israel.
Diaspora Jews decided that universalism, human rights, and open borders was the solution to the problem of the holocaust. The idea of an explicit ethno-state is a complete anathema to this approach.
This tension has been at the heart of both Jews and the west since. Both in relation to Israel and the broader universalist vs particularist debate.
Further tension comes from the fact that Jews are financially and culturally powerful, but they lack the demographic heft to steer western democracy or achieve final victory in war.
I see a lot of discomfort and disagreement in these comments, but if you’re right, that would make sense. To me, your words have the ring of truth. It’s obvious that Americans are projecting our own issues onto Israel/Palestine and, b/c most Americans are ignorant of history and geopolitics as well, they make it about white supremacy and colonialism, which is admittedly embarrassing. I’ve been calling it a projection, but I like your “mirror.” Why such a small minority should take on the burden of all of our cultural unrest is beyond me, but you’re right: it simply isn’t going anywhere.
This is the first time I have come across this concept of "the mirror." It explains a lot. But like a two-year-old, there is always another "but why" question hovering around the corner. Still, it takes us deeper into the psyche of non-Jews than I have previously seen. Thank you for that.
Michael Oren’s right-wing lens distorts reality and even history. He bizarrely refers to America’s founders as “Leftists” and questions whether America’s very existence has been “malign”. He amplifies the importance of Jews to an absurd level in France, the US, and now the rest of Europe.
It’s a strange and slanted piece.
Very interesting historical concept and a poignant new understanding for the term "The Chosen People."
Great essay. Thank you.
I agree 100% with you analysis, though I wouldn't put the current zionism vs anti-zionism between universalism vs free market and nationalism, but between master vs slave morality. I also like to believe Nietzsche would have been an ardent zionist beause in zionism the jewish people overcome slave morality (wich Nietzsche himself attributed to the jews) and converge to master morality.