31 Comments
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Penny Adrian's avatar

No fear from me, just my admiration and full support.

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Dana Ramos's avatar

Another perfectly stated essay by Joshua Hoffman.

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Martin Sinkoff's avatar

As I read this perfect editorial, yet another by Josh Hoffman, I am starting to wonder if Josh Hoffman is a real person or the alias of one of the most brilliant Jewish thinkers in our midst who does not want to reveal him or herself. In any case, Josh or your alias, bravo, brava and thank you. Another great and important bullseye essay! ⭐

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Joshua Hoffman's avatar

Yes I am real. 😀

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Martin Sinkoff's avatar

Let's meet in Tel Aviv! ⭐

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April's avatar

Love this ! One of my American Jewish friends who spent much of her life in Israel and is married to an Israeli was telling me that she feels more Israeli than diaspora Jew. I’m neither but I definitely seem to have better conversations with Israelis and serious Zionists who are not afraid and don’t equivocate.

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ryan's avatar

Israel Israel makes us proud, bomb Iranian underground. Hey Hey Ho HO, Islamic fascism has got to go. From the river to the sea, Israel will be free ...of fear. And so on.

We Jews have a mighty if often tortured history. Unlike any other people, we lost our homeland through successive waves of settler colonialisms: Babylonian, Greek, Roman Eastern Greek, Arabian Muslim, Ottoman Muslim, Britiain and France.....the history perverted to cast us as illegal invaders. Jews have hurt Jewish sovereignty by infighting. One sees an echo of that today with the like of Ehud Barak, Olmert, Yari Golan making use of antisemitic tropes. The demonstrations that Iran misinterpreted as the end of Israeli society. The reservists who announced they wouldn't serve. The Jewish filmmaker of no other land Ha Aretz. Still Israel rallied and is now pounding Iran. It's Iran's vicious leadership that probably has to change quarters several times during the night now.....to try and evade Israel. The usual miscreants: the EU, Bernie Sanders DS , Most of the Democrat party. Fetterman a glaring exception and a light beacon of humanity and solidarity with the Jews. Since 67 I never thought this was going to be the outcome....a racist theocracy that Carter enabled, more terror, underground agreements with Saudi Arabia and other Arabs. And Israel now not 2 million but 10 million people. I suspect many Israelis tired of bombing and terror will seek to make new lives in America. And some Americans will replace them by aliyah. And some Jews from other Western democracies fed up with the Jew Hate. I hope this will reinvigorate the Kibbutz life....I rejected it for myself in my twenties but going back to Israel I see how this is Israel's backbone. Along with military service. The people herded into gas chambers now bombing the underground bunkers in Iran.

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Robbin Close's avatar

Yes, Joshua is a real person who was born to write these incredible essays. We are fortunate to read them almost everyday. Am Yisrael Chai ❤️🇮🇱

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David Bergsland's avatar

You have my love and respect. I ask you not to forget that Adonai has brought you back as He promised.

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Gbo's avatar

Speaking Truth to Power!!!

💙 AM YISRAEL CHAI 💙

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@isknot's avatar

There were a LOT of tough Jews prior to the founding of The State of Israel. You mentioned some. There were very tough Jews including the continum of Rabbis and Rebetzim, and Mothers and Fathers and Teachers and Jewish people out in the world doing jobs etc. By the way.... there is a fb site Team Israel. There are so many successful Israeli athletes in many fields winning and winning a lot of high level competitions. And here is an exceptional and surprising interview between two tough Jews. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgMAZCTTRDI

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Jeff Saal's avatar

Today. You spoke to my true heart. Today we don’t cower. We fight, we defend and we stand proud.

Left wing Diaspora Jews still cower afraid to show strength so they can assimilate into the “country club” life of their “friends”, who still actually hate them.

Am Yisrael Chai

Strength to Strength

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Sylvan Changuion's avatar

Joshua - what can I say? Stirring words by just stating the facts. I was only 13 years old when the the Israelis rescued the hostages and kicked arse in Entebbe, and yet my brother's words echo across the years - "Do not f*&* with Israel." It took many "regimes" to conquer and oppress the Hebrews and the only way it was accomplished was by exiling them - AWAY from their homeland. The Hebrews have returned to their homeland and their enemies should realise - Do NOT F*&* with Israel. Am Yisrael Chai!

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Diane Steiner's avatar

Bravo, Joshua and thank you for those exquisite reminders about Israelis and the Jewish people. You identified all the outstanding qualities that make Israelis who they are. The world must constantly ask themselves, "How do they do it?" You just gave them all the reasons.

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Beatrice Nora Caflun's avatar

Bravo Joshua! Another marvelous essay!......God bless you.....Am Israel Chai

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Not so young anymore.'s avatar

Jewish blood is no longer cheap

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DD🌻's avatar

This...is so needed! That's the spirit of life! What wonderful read! Thank you!

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Dan's avatar
Jun 17Edited

‘Rooted in Tradition…fluent in Torah’ you write. Certainly there is a fine military tradition in Judaism. But I was never steeped in this however, and I reacted against the illogicality of religion from a young age. I had some bad experiences with religion when I was young too. Also, my excellent secular British schooling here in The UK has been of more help in the Empirical defeat of re-emergent Nazism. But I admire the rational religious element in moderate traditions of modern Israeli Judaism. The two are not exclusive. But the religious Far Right remain dangerous, because obdurate Religion is but a step away from Stupidity.

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