Great summary. No one (in particular those in power) are speaking out against the hateful pro-Palestinian marches. The core issue when it comes to Jew hate is that the majority is silent. Even those that support Israel/Jews prefer to keep a low profile. That has to change.
I really like this summary. It asks a very good question and provides an excellent survey of the way the virus of antisemitism makes itself invisible to society’s “anti racist” immune system.
Jews as a "monolith" - Lol, just liok at the Israeli society today - a very fractured one, indeed. Ironically, Israel's internal divisions could be it's greatest asset right now - a demonstration of a vibrant democratic society, that is not afraid to admit its own dysfunction and issues. What I am amazed by is how bad is the Israeli public diplomacy. It is partly a function of the current government, but also - very ironically - the apparent inability (or fatalistic unwillingness) of the country to tell its story. Jewish culture has a great tradition of story telling, where is it today?
As to defeating racism and antisemitism, we all need diligently and constantly call out the hypocrisies of every activist on pick your topic from women's rights, LGBTQ rights, etc, when these "activists" deny those same rights to Israelies or Jews in general.
I agree. Right from the beginning Israel sabotaged its own story in the world in general. In order to not desecrate the memories of the dead or compound the pain of surviving families they downplayed the facts of what happened on Oct 7. It was understandable but not very realistic. They couldn't march into Gaza and fight as they did, and justifiably so, without first starting with the truth of what happened not just on Oct 7 but for decades before!!
As a Canadian the only reason I am more aware than anyone I personally know, is due to the fact that I listen directly to middle eastern news channels, Israeli news channels and podcasts like this one. Otherwise I would be in the dark just as much as most westerners about the real situation. The mainstream media is not Israel's friend yet the powers that be left it to msm to report the 'facts'. Most of these facts came straight from the Gazan/ Hamas leadership.
By the time Israel decided to release the truth it was still only to an invited few in the media and politicians. Hence most heard a second hand rendition of the facts or nothing! Not good!
The reality had already been well whitewashed over by the pro Palestinian messaging which was much more aggressive, persistent and loud!!
But despite all of this it is obvious that Israel is fighting a losing PR battle because the media, left leaning leadership and places of higher education are at their core antisemitic. Much of the world loves to use the Jewish people as a scapegoat for all our ills. After 15 months of this war there is no doubt that antisemitism is alive and flourishing and the Islamists have done a great publicity job in seducing and brainwashing the west. Even as these terrorists destroy the very places supporting them.
Thank you so much for continuing to write!!! It seems harder and harder to influence and impact people with words, facts, history, common sense, or appeals to morality, but I am so grateful that you continue to do so. "Ya'sher Ko-ach" as we say...which means "may you continue to be strengthened"!!
You may enjoy this podcast episode with the always insightful Haviv Rettig Gur. Towards the end he talks about the core reason for antisemitism, which is that Jews are accused of being the people who prevent world redemption, starting with the early Christian fathers. It started has having to do with supercessionism, then Jew-as-scapegoat became deep in both Christian and Muslim cultures, then Marxist, Stalinist, and now the oppressor/oppressed paradigm. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/honestly-with-bari-weiss/id1570872415?i=1000679052528
A gentile indicating in response to a survey that they support Israel/Jews is nice. It means that that person is unlikely for the time being to be antithetical or hostile. But it means little more than that. It’s fickle, and given a crescendo of anti-Israel/antisemitic public sentiment validated by thought-leaders and moral arbiters like the Pope, many of these silent supporters will quite readily join hateful throngs.
Expression of active, open and committed support for Israel and/or for Jews on the part of gentiles is harder (and even dangerous). People who do this -- genuine allies, comrades and friends -- are indelibly marked in many unfortunate ways.
For these reasons, as sagely noted by Bernard Henri-Levy, Israel and Jews are really to all intents and purposes alone.
Regarding antisemitism being in the Western DNA ... this is an interesting hypothesis about the relationship between gut issues and antisemitism, and I think the author is really on to something (I've noticed that a lot of "pro-Palestine" activists I know have disrupted guts and some sort of substance abuse (alcohol and stimulants are common) and/or some kind of neurodivergence, which is indicative of gut disruption as well).
Thanks, Pat, for laying antisemitism out in 9 points--9 ways to think about why I'm hated.
Big mouth is missing. I used to think that my big mouth--speaking up--was being a New Yorker, but I wonder what came first: Jews to New York or an already blunt NYC style? But that means that I will speak up. As you note, a key issue now is how to inspire others to not be bystanders or even to think that it doesn't impact them. Not to be, as they say in Israel, rosh katan, small head.
Release the videos of October 7 on the Web. Dox the known participants. Clearly amd regularly identify the people who celebrated this event. What they said and what they wrote and where are they now. Especially polititions , academics and community leaders.
It's quite clear that Jews are damned if they do & damned if they don't. Even if they blended in with the wallpaper the hate machine would motor-on. Jews, a well educated & success driven lot, are just too much fun to abuse. In particular the outsider, they love to pull themselves up at the expense of destroying a Jew. The "proPalis" don't give a hoot about Arabs - but they sure hate Jews!
Great summary. No one (in particular those in power) are speaking out against the hateful pro-Palestinian marches. The core issue when it comes to Jew hate is that the majority is silent. Even those that support Israel/Jews prefer to keep a low profile. That has to change.
When does the silence become compliance. The allied silence was quite 'loud' in the late 1930's and early 1040's. We know the results.
I really like this summary. It asks a very good question and provides an excellent survey of the way the virus of antisemitism makes itself invisible to society’s “anti racist” immune system.
I’m so glad that I found your Substack. It is absolutely fantastic.
Jews as a "monolith" - Lol, just liok at the Israeli society today - a very fractured one, indeed. Ironically, Israel's internal divisions could be it's greatest asset right now - a demonstration of a vibrant democratic society, that is not afraid to admit its own dysfunction and issues. What I am amazed by is how bad is the Israeli public diplomacy. It is partly a function of the current government, but also - very ironically - the apparent inability (or fatalistic unwillingness) of the country to tell its story. Jewish culture has a great tradition of story telling, where is it today?
As to defeating racism and antisemitism, we all need diligently and constantly call out the hypocrisies of every activist on pick your topic from women's rights, LGBTQ rights, etc, when these "activists" deny those same rights to Israelies or Jews in general.
I agree. Right from the beginning Israel sabotaged its own story in the world in general. In order to not desecrate the memories of the dead or compound the pain of surviving families they downplayed the facts of what happened on Oct 7. It was understandable but not very realistic. They couldn't march into Gaza and fight as they did, and justifiably so, without first starting with the truth of what happened not just on Oct 7 but for decades before!!
As a Canadian the only reason I am more aware than anyone I personally know, is due to the fact that I listen directly to middle eastern news channels, Israeli news channels and podcasts like this one. Otherwise I would be in the dark just as much as most westerners about the real situation. The mainstream media is not Israel's friend yet the powers that be left it to msm to report the 'facts'. Most of these facts came straight from the Gazan/ Hamas leadership.
By the time Israel decided to release the truth it was still only to an invited few in the media and politicians. Hence most heard a second hand rendition of the facts or nothing! Not good!
The reality had already been well whitewashed over by the pro Palestinian messaging which was much more aggressive, persistent and loud!!
But despite all of this it is obvious that Israel is fighting a losing PR battle because the media, left leaning leadership and places of higher education are at their core antisemitic. Much of the world loves to use the Jewish people as a scapegoat for all our ills. After 15 months of this war there is no doubt that antisemitism is alive and flourishing and the Islamists have done a great publicity job in seducing and brainwashing the west. Even as these terrorists destroy the very places supporting them.
https://open.substack.com/pub/jewdicious/p/pick-your-hard-why-speaking-up-for?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=12nbde
Erin Molan talks about Israeli PR, among other things. ☝
Thank you so much for continuing to write!!! It seems harder and harder to influence and impact people with words, facts, history, common sense, or appeals to morality, but I am so grateful that you continue to do so. "Ya'sher Ko-ach" as we say...which means "may you continue to be strengthened"!!
Antisemitism and unconscious bias, the same wolf, just in different clothes, well illustrated in the author’s insightful piece, IMO.
Number 7 is what I call the difference between "racism" and just plain old "prejudice".
You may enjoy this podcast episode with the always insightful Haviv Rettig Gur. Towards the end he talks about the core reason for antisemitism, which is that Jews are accused of being the people who prevent world redemption, starting with the early Christian fathers. It started has having to do with supercessionism, then Jew-as-scapegoat became deep in both Christian and Muslim cultures, then Marxist, Stalinist, and now the oppressor/oppressed paradigm. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/honestly-with-bari-weiss/id1570872415?i=1000679052528
A gentile indicating in response to a survey that they support Israel/Jews is nice. It means that that person is unlikely for the time being to be antithetical or hostile. But it means little more than that. It’s fickle, and given a crescendo of anti-Israel/antisemitic public sentiment validated by thought-leaders and moral arbiters like the Pope, many of these silent supporters will quite readily join hateful throngs.
Expression of active, open and committed support for Israel and/or for Jews on the part of gentiles is harder (and even dangerous). People who do this -- genuine allies, comrades and friends -- are indelibly marked in many unfortunate ways.
For these reasons, as sagely noted by Bernard Henri-Levy, Israel and Jews are really to all intents and purposes alone.
Nu, vot's new?
Regarding antisemitism being in the Western DNA ... this is an interesting hypothesis about the relationship between gut issues and antisemitism, and I think the author is really on to something (I've noticed that a lot of "pro-Palestine" activists I know have disrupted guts and some sort of substance abuse (alcohol and stimulants are common) and/or some kind of neurodivergence, which is indicative of gut disruption as well).
https://rontimus.substack.com/p/intestinal-torment-religious-ambivalence
Thanks, Pat, for laying antisemitism out in 9 points--9 ways to think about why I'm hated.
Big mouth is missing. I used to think that my big mouth--speaking up--was being a New Yorker, but I wonder what came first: Jews to New York or an already blunt NYC style? But that means that I will speak up. As you note, a key issue now is how to inspire others to not be bystanders or even to think that it doesn't impact them. Not to be, as they say in Israel, rosh katan, small head.
Release the videos of October 7 on the Web. Dox the known participants. Clearly amd regularly identify the people who celebrated this event. What they said and what they wrote and where are they now. Especially polititions , academics and community leaders.
It's quite clear that Jews are damned if they do & damned if they don't. Even if they blended in with the wallpaper the hate machine would motor-on. Jews, a well educated & success driven lot, are just too much fun to abuse. In particular the outsider, they love to pull themselves up at the expense of destroying a Jew. The "proPalis" don't give a hoot about Arabs - but they sure hate Jews!