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Steven Brizel's avatar

Black anti Semitism reared its ugly bead in the 1968 teachers strike in NYC and resurfaced in the riots in Crown Heights in 1991 for the reasons stated in this article

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Former Jersey Girl's avatar

In their memoirs, both Marty Peretz and David Horowitz cite the extreme antisemitism of the Black activist movements they supported , like the Panthers, as the one of the reasons for their leaving the left in the 70s. Jews who speak longingly of the old black-Jewish alliance never acknowledge that it was a one-way alliance, on behalf of the blacks. A recent Pew survey (2024?) showed that antisemitism in the US was greatest in the black community, at over 40%.

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James Beaman's avatar

And isn’t it sad, considering the alliances of the past which did so much good? Unfortunately, today’s “intersectionalists” are not interested in alliances. Rather, they spend their time fomenting division in the name of “equity.”

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Daniel Goldfine's avatar

Thank you, James, for sharing this story and your perspective. As someone who visibly dresses as a Jew every day and lives in the metro NYC area, I tend to pay close attention to stories like this. I’m sorry for your pain and trauma. May G-d bless you with a speedy and complete recovery. I only want to add a comment that unlike other “races”, to which people cannot convert, many Jews are converts or the descendants of converts. In the last week alone, I attended weddings of two established couples (one of whom, interestingly enough, was a white man and black woman) who become Jews by choice. What these people did to you was very, very wrong and you are fulfilling your part in our mission to be a “light unto the other nations”. May you go from strength to strength.

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James Beaman's avatar

Thank you for this. Let's continue to be that light.

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Hāns's avatar

Thank you for THIS.... "Let's continue to be that light"

It's hard amongst the pain and fear.... I've been reflecting on developing the practice of stoicism, which I'm simplifying to - not having an opinion..... interchangeably with a mind photograph of the Earth from outer space, calmly reminding myself.... "zoom out, G-d's got this..."

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Clarity Seeker's avatar

A third rail of sorts for progressive jews. A very needed article that hopefully is read by many. Especially NYC voters whether Jewish or not. I often ask what is the word that best describes a person who hates another person solely on the basis of the second person's race. Usually no response. Even when I give them a hint it starts with an "R."

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James Beaman's avatar

Indeed. It’s important that people understand the difference between a faith and a race. Unfortunately, to most ignorant folks race = skin color.

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Clarity Seeker's avatar

James i am a vocal and constant critic of stereotyping because every person should be evaluated on an individual basis. History proves the danger of stereotyping. You personally experienced that danger. There are no exceptions based on race or color. Those who stereotype should be called out every time they do it. Again no exceptions.

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Chrissy Knott's avatar

I hope you heal well and that you’re not left in fear. May the Gd of Israel protect you and yours.🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱

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James Beaman's avatar

Thank you. And thank you, Future of Jewish, for featuring my story.

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Dana Ramos's avatar

When it comes to Black crime--whether Black on Black, Black on Asian, Black on Jews, Black on law enforcement--it has become forbidden to mention or discuss the facts of the numbers and reality. Mentioning the truth about Black crime is considered "racist."

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MR's avatar

I appreciate your article very much. I also think it is important that we Jews acknowledge that white people are targeted unfairly for their “privilege” and that we not support any of the DEI policies, platforms, and programs. It is not enough for us to say we aren’t white as if we should get to benefit from the poisonous intersectionality and DEI victim paradigm.

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James Beaman's avatar

You're right and I would never defend DEI which is totally wrong-headed and destructive. Making the distinction that Jews aren't white is by no means intended to demonize whites by inference. I'm merely pointing out the ways that Jews are lumped in with the so-called oppressor class.

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MR's avatar

Good to hear. We need to not lend credence to the notion of the “oppressor class.”

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Excellent article. I didn’t vote for Obama because I couldn’t get past the fact that he sat in a church and listened to Reverend Wright say G-d dam America and the Jews— for 20 years!

Oct 7 unleashed and emboldened the Jew haters. I’m so sorry you were first physically hurt then endured questioning of your experience.

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Robin Alexander's avatar

I didn’t know that about Obama; not surprised.

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Sarah's avatar

It has struck me that both Barak and Kamala are Arabic names. I'm not saying that that holds any significance, just that it's something which I had been wondering about.

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shoshanna's avatar

Well, it was bound to happen in the USA... I am sorry for the assault.

The United States of America is showing her racism /Jewhatred again, on BOTH sides of the aisle. I am speaking up loudly as I am a Jewish American/Israeli citizen and grandmother, and I do it in blessed memory of my paternal grandparents and hundreds of both maternal and paternal aunts, uncles, cousins living (complete families) in Germany, France, Romania, and Silesia/Poland who were murdered as Jews between June 1940 and March 10, 1944.

Forget the fact that Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel zt"l was left out of the movie Selma and JEWS were murdered in Mississippi during the CORE Days... We Jews are now (yet again) the villians.

Wait until the White Christian Nationalist Project 2025 group takes over, and it has already started. They found a good candidate in Trump, as he is pushing their insidious agendas.

HISTORY of Anti Zionism

From 1975 antisemitism from the black community started in earnest when the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3379, adopted on 10 November 1975, "Determines that Zionism is a form of racism and racial discrimination" with 72 votes in favour, 35 votes against, and 32 abstentions. It was revoked by Resolution 46/86, adopted on 16 December 1991 with 111 votes in favour, 25 votes against, and 13 abstentions. The vote for Resolution 3379 was held nearly one year after the adoption of Resolution 3236 and Resolution 3237: the former recognized the "Question of Palestine" and invited the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to participate in international diplomacy; and the latter designated the PLO as a non-member Assembly observer following the "Olive Branch Speech" by Palestinian political leader Yasser Arafat.

Summer of 1976

I was visiting my parents in 1976 from Israel with my oldest son, in Ohio. I attended a party - of 24 - 30 year olds (old enough to remember Richie Havens at Woodstock) chatting with a group of friends from HS - one of whom asked me when I arrived from Israel, all of a sudden I was called a "Racist Zionist B****" by a good looking /intelligent black man who I did not know. This was from the the weed smoking peace - love intellectual crowd. I was stunned, especially having endured the Yom Kippur War in 1973, pregnant with my oldest son.

Jewish American aquaintance shared her story with me...

She went through a divorce with a WHITE gentile "cop" . During the divorce proceedings. he called her a "greedy b**** Jew" - she was married to this man for 15 years, she went from sweetheart to greedy b**** JEW - overnight. He was angry that she was entitled to a portion of his pension. She said "I can handle the acrimomius divorce part, and even the "greedy b****" but the fact that he inserted the word JEW? That was too much.

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james rose's avatar

That black community was very much a focus of Soviet inspired Antisemitism with Black civil rights groups to legitimatimize the Palestinian cause. Placing Arafat next to Jesse Jackson, Malcom X, Mandela etc was a means to associate the Arab cause with racism. Those are the roots that eroded a once constructive Black Jewish relationship into hate.

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Jeffrey Kaufman, M.D.'s avatar

No one should seek unfair advantage. Unfair advantage should neither be taken nor given, neither bought nor sold. The taking of unfair advantage has become accelerated by certain groups of late and given by governments. Taking unfair advantage is a form of stealing as it does not belong to those trading in it. Once civil rights became protected by US law in the 1960's the playing field was leveled by force of law. Instead of the middle ground being sought, politicians quickly began doling out unfair advantage. Obama resurrected the practice in the US by policy, afterwhich it has become painfully damaging to our social order in many iterations.

How did privilege become a dirty word? I couldn't wait to attain driving privileges.

How did being "white" become a scorned race? The concept has morphed such that young white children feel guilty being born with certain genetic coding.

As Mr. Beaman noted, Jews are not a skin color. It is immaterial to being Jewish. Jews are all skin colors.

Jealousy and greed play a big role in the problems our world faces. We do well as a people to remember the 10 Commandments, especially the 8th - 10th, as these guide us to be satisfied with what G-D gives us, to avoid being jealous of what others have been given and earned, to not misrepresent that which belongs to another as belonging to us (even in our minds), nor to take what is not ours. Rights, concepts and feelings are included in these guidelines, which do not apply only to physical objects. Commandments 1-5 guide us to develop character traits and behavior practices that stand us in good light before G-D and our parents. Its our job to make them proud of us by how we show love to ourselves and to each other.

Great article, Mr Beaman!

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James Beaman's avatar

Many thanks!

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Helen Rauch-Elnekave's avatar

Well said. Kudos for addressing an issue most everyone else is avoiding.

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Russell Gold's avatar

My understanding is that Black antisemitism owed much to a calculation by Jesse Jackson and others that Jews were competition for the jobs and positions Blacks hoped to get, and therefore it would be advantageous for them to knock Jews down.

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James Beaman's avatar

See: Jackson's coining of the term "Hymietown" in the 80s.

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GARY B KATZ's avatar

I've met many blacks who are friendly towards Jews and Israel. I've seen countless videos of other blacks who are antisemitic and anti-Israel. All I can say is, the former tend to be a lot happier than the latter. The latter are angry, frustrated people. Which is the cause and which is the effect, I can't say. Take it for what it's worth.

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Dan's avatar
11hEdited

Please also be aware of ‘The Narcissism of Small Differences’. What has driven the hatred against Jews this time around is the Identity Politics of holding these views as a Luxury or Vanity Belief. These Anti Semitic views are held to gain social qudos amongst the intellectually mediocre, as a shared Identity or social value. Thus Hatred clothes itself and hides itself in many ways, including to the Hater. This Left-hate then becomes useful to the Far Right, the Left as useful idiots once again.

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James Beaman's avatar

Good assessment. Vomit inducing but a good assessment.

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Dan's avatar
10hEdited

Thank you. James, you open up a little bit about your sexuality on this site. I have been subjected to continuous voices and dreams by state equipment designed by highly placed Antisemites in the security services of The State here in the UK, which I can prove and which I can substantiate. This program is designed to attack Jews as we are growing up. Have you had the same?

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James Beaman's avatar

I’m not sure I understand what you’re saying here.

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Dan's avatar
9hEdited

I ask a tangential question, about this different subject. My apologies. Many Jewish people are attacked in childhood and adolescence like I was, by the State and its spooks using subliminal tech, and full hazing techniques including abuse. This site, amongst many others, has our reports. I was wondering if you have had these experiences. Best wishes.

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James Beaman's avatar

I don’t think so, but that’s wild. I never knew about it.

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Robin Alexander's avatar

Very illuminating. I have long suspected “envy” but so interesting to read Baldwin’s take. Two things: 1) Jews are 2.4% of US population; 0.2% worldwide. 2) went into a Mercedes dealership in West Palm Beach about four months ago. All customers except us were black families. Noteworthy I thought. —- so sorry this happened to you!!!

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