The golden age of American Jews is ending

[Anonymous]

Any questions or pointing out of anything related to being Jewish is immediately labeled as antisemitism. Doesn’t make you sympathetic to be honest.
The constant oppression Olympics participation is tiresome as well. Hatred towards URMs is also something not very pleasant.
At least that’s what I observe in ex USSR Jews of whom I know many.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This article and the comments here (and on other threads here) are disheartening. People can never seem to say: antisemitism is wrong and American Jews should not be targeted. Same on instagram. It's always "but what about Gaza, what about evil zionost colonizers?" even on a simple post about someone being called a dirty Jew or assaulted.

This is such a disingenuous argument that is implicitly trying to shut down any real discussion. OF COURSE antisemitism is wrong and Jews should not be targeted. My understanding is that we are all starting from that assumption, although I guess you believe that other people think antisemitism is hunky dory.

If someone here wrote “I think my husband is cheating on me,” do you think the discussion should be 15 posts of “cheating is wrong and men shouldn’t cheat” before we ask why she believes that?

Your understanding is wrong. Right now as a Jewish woman, in this context, I assume people are slightly antisemitic unless they've expressed otherwise. I absolutely would assume you are based on what you've posted in this thread, and I'd back away irl. As for your analogy, I am sure some people would actually flame that poster and make her feel like shit and tell her it's all in her head. Probably the same people who deny antisemitism is a valid concern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any questions or pointing out of anything related to being Jewish is immediately labeled as antisemitism. Doesn’t make you sympathetic to be honest.
The constant oppression Olympics participation is tiresome as well. Hatred towards URMs is also something not very pleasant.
At least that’s what I observe in ex USSR Jews of whom I know many.

Whiny Jews complaining about antisemitism is why people don't like Jews, then? Great circular logic (that would actually have also been right at home in the Soviet Union, since you brought it up!).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a long time, extremist Jewish organizations in the United States could hide behind mainstream Judaism to promote pretty horrific stuff in Israel. Any criticism of extremism would be attacked as antisemitism. Much like how the extremists in the Republican Party burned it to the ground, Jewish extremists have reached a tipping point with Israel.

If being against genocide makes me an antisemite, so be it.

Most American Jews are Democrats, and have always supported progressive causes. It's interesting you are focusing on a minority to justify your antisemitism to yourself.

The Democratic Party has long accepted the premise that Israel can do whatever it wants in the region. You want to pretend that supporting Israeli atrocities is a minority position, but it’s not.

The extremists won.

You just proved my point. You cannot just say, like it pains you to say it, that antisemitism is wrong, that punching a Jew is wrong, that drawing swastikas is wrong. This is why US Jews cannot engage in dialogue, there is always that insidious current underneath. You absolutely always must make it about more.

What are you even talking about???

The entire point of the comment is that it’s now mainstream to paint anyone who is against genocide as antisemitic.

You can’t say that genocide is wrong without a caveat that U.S. Jews are dealing with swastika graffiti and bigotry. Seriously?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This article and the comments here (and on other threads here) are disheartening. People can never seem to say: antisemitism is wrong and American Jews should not be targeted. Same on instagram. It's always "but what about Gaza, what about evil zionost colonizers?" even on a simple post about someone being called a dirty Jew or assaulted.

This is such a disingenuous argument that is implicitly trying to shut down any real discussion. OF COURSE antisemitism is wrong and Jews should not be targeted. My understanding is that we are all starting from that assumption, although I guess you believe that other people think antisemitism is hunky dory.

If someone here wrote “I think my husband is cheating on me,” do you think the discussion should be 15 posts of “cheating is wrong and men shouldn’t cheat” before we ask why she believes that?

Tell me you’re not Jewish without telling me you’re not Jewish. If you can say this with a straight face, you have zero understanding of antisemitism in our current society and need to sit down. I can’t do anything but laugh hollowly at your confident assertion that of course everyone agrees that antisemitism is wrong, and that it is a starting shared premise. Do you also think that we live in a postracial society?

I only wish we lived in the world you imagine. Instead, we live in the world where ANY discussion of antisemitism is immediately deflected into criticism of Zionism. Where an article that contains a limited and historical discussion of Israel, and that is primarily about antisemitism in America, swiftly turns into BUT GENOCIDAL ZIONISTS.

Do you at leasat admit that the inverse is also true? That any criticism of Zionism is immediately deflected into accusations of antisemitism? That's what is happening now, in the United States, because of current events. Any statement other than an Israeli flag and "I stand with Israel" on your social media begets accusations of antisemitism, only to have the naivety of willingness to engage in good faith exploited back on the interlocutor with "WHY ARE YOU MAKING THIS ABOUT ISRAEL??" If you can't see that then there will never be any benefit to attempting this conversation. It's just two sides saying "I know you are but what am I" at each other, over and over, into infinity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any questions or pointing out of anything related to being Jewish is immediately labeled as antisemitism. Doesn’t make you sympathetic to be honest.
The constant oppression Olympics participation is tiresome as well. Hatred towards URMs is also something not very pleasant.
At least that’s what I observe in ex USSR Jews of whom I know many.

Perhaps you could give an example of the “pointing out of anything related to being Jewish” that you feel is unfairly being labeled as antisemitism, and that is preventing you from doling out any sympathy towards Jews. Just wondering.

[Anonymous]

I wrote I am Jewish So Maybe You Hate Me Because I Am Jewish on my Substack, Isha Yiras Hashem.

I think it is a pretty good framing of the situation and would be happy to engage here on DCUM or there. There may be some delays in responding due to real life things taking priority.

[Anonymous]

Current events have me wondering, does the Jewish community in the U.S. consider it antisemitic to not support Israel?

If a gentile disagrees with Israeli foreign policy are they by definition antisemitic?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just watched the DC episode of Better Feed Phil. I think we all need to watch that and take the messages to heart. Focus on the vision of how you want things to be.

What messages?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wrote I am Jewish So Maybe You Hate Me Because I Am Jewish on my Substack, Isha Yiras Hashem.

I think it is a pretty good framing of the situation and would be happy to engage here on DCUM or there. There may be some delays in responding due to real life things taking priority.

How is the article a good framing? The girl gets upset because students are protesting Israel and the author goes on to equate Zionism and Judaism. That's equivalency that AIPAC spend decades and millions trying to prop up and now that it is falling apart, there is a doubling down that not supporting Israel equals antisemitism

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't see the anti-semitism from the right. Most fundamentalist Christians hold Jews are the Chosen People because it says that in the Bible.
Even though we are not really that religious we had to pull out our son from public school and the only private school we could afford was a Christian School. The vast majority of the families and almost all the teachers were MAGA republicans who supported Trump. My son had so many Bible lessons on the history of the Jewish people. My son had to map how Abraham (after having his name changed from Abram) moved from Ur to Canaan (located in present day of Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. My son only heard of Jewish people being spoken to in terms of respect. He is back in a public high school that is filled with progressive families and since he started he has heard a bunch of Anti-Semetic comments even before this past October.

There is a lot of anti-Semitism if you aren’t the right kind of Jew in the eyes of evangelical Christians. It’s similar to needing to be the right kind of Black or Asian person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't see the anti-semitism from the right. Most fundamentalist Christians hold Jews are the Chosen People because it says that in the Bible.
Even though we are not really that religious we had to pull out our son from public school and the only private school we could afford was a Christian School. The vast majority of the families and almost all the teachers were MAGA republicans who supported Trump. My son had so many Bible lessons on the history of the Jewish people. My son had to map how Abraham (after having his name changed from Abram) moved from Ur to Canaan (located in present day of Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. My son only heard of Jewish people being spoken to in terms of respect. He is back in a public high school that is filled with progressive families and since he started he has heard a bunch of Anti-Semetic comments even before this past October.

I guess you already forgot Charlottesville. https://www.brandeis.edu/jewish-experience/jewish-america/2021/november/replacement-antisemitism-sarna.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Current events have me wondering, does the Jewish community in the U.S. consider it antisemitic to not support Israel?

If a gentile disagrees with Israeli foreign policy are they by definition antisemitic?

No, most American Jews do not think that criticizing Israel is in and of itself antisemitic. Here's a good article by a rabbi who is, herself, extremely critical of Israel on how to oppose Israeli policy without also sounding like you just oppose Jews: https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/how-to-tell-when-criticism-of-israel-is-actually-anti-semitism/2018/05/17/cb58bf10-59eb-11e8-b656-a5f8c2a9295d_story.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Current events have me wondering, does the Jewish community in the U.S. consider it antisemitic to not support Israel?

If a gentile disagrees with Israeli foreign policy are they by definition antisemitic?

No.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't see the anti-semitism from the right. Most fundamentalist Christians hold Jews are the Chosen People because it says that in the Bible.
Even though we are not really that religious we had to pull out our son from public school and the only private school we could afford was a Christian School. The vast majority of the families and almost all the teachers were MAGA republicans who supported Trump. My son had so many Bible lessons on the history of the Jewish people. My son had to map how Abraham (after having his name changed from Abram) moved from Ur to Canaan (located in present day of Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. My son only heard of Jewish people being spoken to in terms of respect. He is back in a public high school that is filled with progressive families and since he started he has heard a bunch of Anti-Semetic comments even before this past October.

Yes, but some Christian fundamentalists who love to study the story of Abraham also believe that Christianity has perfected Judaism's covenant with God and have a very particular interest in supporting Jews in the Holy Land (we play a key role in Armageddon). Sometimes philosemitism can be problematic, too.