The thing is, it has been socially acceptable for years to think it's okay to tell anyone how they feel (or should feel). I work in higher education and can't tell you how many times I've been told that I am part of a "white supremacy culture" and that I am contributing to systemic racism by virtue of existing (this is as a person who looks white, not as a Jew, although the few times I attempted to bring up my background in any of these trainings I was met with mostly blank stares). Personally, I'm pretty uncomfortable with the term "white supremacy culture" because to me it sort of softens the evil of actual white supremacists who truly do believe they are better than everyone else. Also, said people often target Jews, who they don't consider to be "white." But if I say I'm uncomfortable then I'm just a "karen" or "shedding dangerous white woman tears" or "weaponizing my power." The thought that you might want to have a conversation and learn more or display curiosity was incomprehensible to many of the people spewing these things. I also heard a lot of "well some people just aren't going to get it and we shouldn't even try." The lack of self-awareness was, and is, mind-blowing. What I see happening with antisemitism across college campuses is just an extension of this. Point is, telling people how they should feel and shutting down any attempt at dialogue or discussion and understanding has been happening for years on college campuses already. Most days, I feel like my jaw is constantly dropping out of disbelief of what I see and hear.
I hear you, and as someone who also works in the field I completely understand where you're coming from. The issue is, there's a major difference between being an ethnic minority who calls out white supremacy culture for its racism against you, and telling a completely different ethnic group how to feel about racism against their own people. When non-Jews do it to us, it's the equivalent of a white person instructing a minority how to feel about white supremacy. "They're not racist, they're just concerned about working class whites." Yet we see the same people demanding that we "check our privilege" engage in this behavior towards us. It's quite disturbing.
I would love to have a dialogue/discussion about antisemitism with non-Jews on my campus, and I would be totally open to taking questions that might offend me if it led to a better mutual understanding. The problem is lately that these people's definition of "dialogue" has to do with yelling about Hamas and an intifada. That isn't an attempt at discussion, it's just pure hate. I'm absolutely sick of it--but all I've done so far is ignore it.
Thank you for your response. I see the distinction and appreciate it. I absolutely agree with you that having dialogue would be so helpful. I have seen glimmers of people attempting this and it’s succeeding, but it’s few and far between. I’m guilty as well. While on the one hand I just said I’d love to have a conversation, on the other hand, I feel like I’m still waiting to be in the right headspace to be able to take it.
My world shrank incredibly after October 7th. I'd always known that some of my "allies" weren't REALLY allies, but the events of that day seemed to open up a veritable fountain of Jew-hatred.
None of this is ever going to stop. It's unrealistic to even expect it to I'm afraid. As long as large groups of people continue to blame their problems on the 2 tenths of 1 percent of the population that we represent, we will always have this sort of unwanted nonsense, among other problems, to deal with.
And being such a tiny part of the population makes Jews an ideal target. Most people know few if any Jews, so probably 99% of the people in their circle are not affected. Consequently, there is large upside with effectively no downside. Throw in the inertia of theological and historical baggage, and it is surprising there is not more of it.
The weird thing is that such a huge percentage of charitable American foreign aid goes to such a tiny share of the global population (it certainly isn’t about all Jews globally - it’s about the mere 7 million Jews in Israel and Palestine out of a global population of 8000 million and it’s especially about the squatters stealing land and homes that are all outside of Israel). It defies belief that such an overwhelming share of total American foreign aid goes to a population in Israel that is barely larger than the number of adherents of the Bahai Faith.
Actually, that aid is basically kickbacks to the American defense industry companies that produce the military equipment that helps Israel protect its civilians from genocidally antisemitic jihadists in the neighboring Muslim theocracy countries. And which also has been used to help support American interests in the Middle East. Would you prefer that US military aid go to jihadists who want to destroy Israel along with the rest of western civilization (you insufferable moron)?
Just want to note that one of the reasons for the incoherent, contradictory, “I don’t hate Jews, just Israel”, genocide for thee, but not for me rhetoric is that it’s all based on old Soviet smears & narrative warfare that they successfully seeded in the US via peace movements. Now those lying narratives like “anti-Zionism isn’t anti-semitism” or “Jews are white people from Europe” have been thoroughly laundered into our schools, at every level in some areas.
I should add, I’m not thrilled that suppose Jewish groups, formed for this purpose, compiled lists of which foreign Hamas protestors to target. While I found the protests appalling when I put myself in the shoes of a Jewish student at any of the schools, I hate that this is being done in my name (identity) & that it will earn us MORE scorn/blame & do nothing about antisemitism.
Oops, I ranted -sorry! Again, great piece & I’m Restacking.
A friend told me, when I said the pro-Hamas protesters were Jew-haters, that it was antisemitic "for me." I was flabbergasted. Unfortunately, the conversation ended (and yes, I was being shut down, but I wanted to save the friendship) before I could provide 2 important points: (1) would you tell a Black person that their definition of racism was only "for them", and (2) when you've reduced reality to only subjective **there are no lies!!** (from Melanie Phillips). I wanted to go further with this, and bring in rapists, etc. Maybe someday. I suspect few people figured out the lie thing (Ms. Phillips is truly amazing), and its implications, and I also suspect if they did they wouldn't care. <sigh>
Oh I forgot, but one thing that I think many of us need to understand is we have to stick together, trying to be like everyone else does not work, we have seen it for centuries. I remember stories I was told by many about how in Romania, Hungary, Germany, and elsewhere, it did not work.
Gold was right
The world hates a Jew who hits back. The world loves us only when we are to be pitied.
Good piece, Jill. Hit the nail pretty much on the head. People hate us and have since Abraham. Always will, and for many a different reasons. Just the way it is- You are right, about how GRRRR it is when people tell me how I should feel about Anti-Semitism or how I should feel about Israel right now. They usually do not like my reply.
True Donald Trump isn’t Jewish and doesn’t know firsthand what it means to be Jewish. But with Jewish antisemites like Bernie Sanders and Chuck Schumer on the left side of the aisle, who’s to say he’s completely wrong in lumping all Democrat Jews in that box? Many of them who grew up under Jewish tradition hold progressive beliefs antithetical to Zionism. I personally know more than one in that category and it burns my goy ass
Excellent essay once again, except for omitting that three of Trump's beloved grandchildren call him Bubbe, and one of his beloved daughters call him Abba.
Oh right, Muslims “welcomed the Jews back.”🙄With a welcome like that…reminds me of the ridiculous remarks Rashida Tlaib made years ago about the “calming feeling” it gave her to remember her ancestors rolling out the red carpet for the Jews after the Holocaust!
This is a conversation between Americans, not foreign nationals. Most often now it is about the 52000 plus killed in the not a genocide in Gaza and the 1700 killed in the 10/7 massacre plus the endless ongoing squatting and land theft in the illegally occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. Over 1000 indigenous Arabs plus several of our fellow Americans have been killed by squatters and the IDF in just the last few months.
For us as Americans the critical factor is that we not be complicit in the massive tribal violence via our taxes. Our concerns about the situation in Palestine are quite similar to the same concerns we had when apartheid South Africa was in the table.
Israel and Palestine have their own issues but they are secondary to the huge numbers of issues directly confronting our birthright country here in America.
The thing is, it has been socially acceptable for years to think it's okay to tell anyone how they feel (or should feel). I work in higher education and can't tell you how many times I've been told that I am part of a "white supremacy culture" and that I am contributing to systemic racism by virtue of existing (this is as a person who looks white, not as a Jew, although the few times I attempted to bring up my background in any of these trainings I was met with mostly blank stares). Personally, I'm pretty uncomfortable with the term "white supremacy culture" because to me it sort of softens the evil of actual white supremacists who truly do believe they are better than everyone else. Also, said people often target Jews, who they don't consider to be "white." But if I say I'm uncomfortable then I'm just a "karen" or "shedding dangerous white woman tears" or "weaponizing my power." The thought that you might want to have a conversation and learn more or display curiosity was incomprehensible to many of the people spewing these things. I also heard a lot of "well some people just aren't going to get it and we shouldn't even try." The lack of self-awareness was, and is, mind-blowing. What I see happening with antisemitism across college campuses is just an extension of this. Point is, telling people how they should feel and shutting down any attempt at dialogue or discussion and understanding has been happening for years on college campuses already. Most days, I feel like my jaw is constantly dropping out of disbelief of what I see and hear.
I hear you, and as someone who also works in the field I completely understand where you're coming from. The issue is, there's a major difference between being an ethnic minority who calls out white supremacy culture for its racism against you, and telling a completely different ethnic group how to feel about racism against their own people. When non-Jews do it to us, it's the equivalent of a white person instructing a minority how to feel about white supremacy. "They're not racist, they're just concerned about working class whites." Yet we see the same people demanding that we "check our privilege" engage in this behavior towards us. It's quite disturbing.
I would love to have a dialogue/discussion about antisemitism with non-Jews on my campus, and I would be totally open to taking questions that might offend me if it led to a better mutual understanding. The problem is lately that these people's definition of "dialogue" has to do with yelling about Hamas and an intifada. That isn't an attempt at discussion, it's just pure hate. I'm absolutely sick of it--but all I've done so far is ignore it.
Thank you for your response. I see the distinction and appreciate it. I absolutely agree with you that having dialogue would be so helpful. I have seen glimmers of people attempting this and it’s succeeding, but it’s few and far between. I’m guilty as well. While on the one hand I just said I’d love to have a conversation, on the other hand, I feel like I’m still waiting to be in the right headspace to be able to take it.
I hear you. Know you’re not alone - though it might feel that way much of the time.
Could not have said it better.
My world shrank incredibly after October 7th. I'd always known that some of my "allies" weren't REALLY allies, but the events of that day seemed to open up a veritable fountain of Jew-hatred.
None of this is ever going to stop. It's unrealistic to even expect it to I'm afraid. As long as large groups of people continue to blame their problems on the 2 tenths of 1 percent of the population that we represent, we will always have this sort of unwanted nonsense, among other problems, to deal with.
And being such a tiny part of the population makes Jews an ideal target. Most people know few if any Jews, so probably 99% of the people in their circle are not affected. Consequently, there is large upside with effectively no downside. Throw in the inertia of theological and historical baggage, and it is surprising there is not more of it.
The weird thing is that such a huge percentage of charitable American foreign aid goes to such a tiny share of the global population (it certainly isn’t about all Jews globally - it’s about the mere 7 million Jews in Israel and Palestine out of a global population of 8000 million and it’s especially about the squatters stealing land and homes that are all outside of Israel). It defies belief that such an overwhelming share of total American foreign aid goes to a population in Israel that is barely larger than the number of adherents of the Bahai Faith.
https://usafacts.org/articles/how-much-military-aid-does-the-us-give-to-israel/
Actually, that aid is basically kickbacks to the American defense industry companies that produce the military equipment that helps Israel protect its civilians from genocidally antisemitic jihadists in the neighboring Muslim theocracy countries. And which also has been used to help support American interests in the Middle East. Would you prefer that US military aid go to jihadists who want to destroy Israel along with the rest of western civilization (you insufferable moron)?
Self-awareness is in short supply these days…
This is anti Semitism 21st Century style
Your piece was 🔥.
Just want to note that one of the reasons for the incoherent, contradictory, “I don’t hate Jews, just Israel”, genocide for thee, but not for me rhetoric is that it’s all based on old Soviet smears & narrative warfare that they successfully seeded in the US via peace movements. Now those lying narratives like “anti-Zionism isn’t anti-semitism” or “Jews are white people from Europe” have been thoroughly laundered into our schools, at every level in some areas.
I should add, I’m not thrilled that suppose Jewish groups, formed for this purpose, compiled lists of which foreign Hamas protestors to target. While I found the protests appalling when I put myself in the shoes of a Jewish student at any of the schools, I hate that this is being done in my name (identity) & that it will earn us MORE scorn/blame & do nothing about antisemitism.
Oops, I ranted -sorry! Again, great piece & I’m Restacking.
A friend told me, when I said the pro-Hamas protesters were Jew-haters, that it was antisemitic "for me." I was flabbergasted. Unfortunately, the conversation ended (and yes, I was being shut down, but I wanted to save the friendship) before I could provide 2 important points: (1) would you tell a Black person that their definition of racism was only "for them", and (2) when you've reduced reality to only subjective **there are no lies!!** (from Melanie Phillips). I wanted to go further with this, and bring in rapists, etc. Maybe someday. I suspect few people figured out the lie thing (Ms. Phillips is truly amazing), and its implications, and I also suspect if they did they wouldn't care. <sigh>
Oh I forgot, but one thing that I think many of us need to understand is we have to stick together, trying to be like everyone else does not work, we have seen it for centuries. I remember stories I was told by many about how in Romania, Hungary, Germany, and elsewhere, it did not work.
Gold was right
The world hates a Jew who hits back. The world loves us only when we are to be pitied.
Golda Meir
Good piece, Jill. Hit the nail pretty much on the head. People hate us and have since Abraham. Always will, and for many a different reasons. Just the way it is- You are right, about how GRRRR it is when people tell me how I should feel about Anti-Semitism or how I should feel about Israel right now. They usually do not like my reply.
Good, well argued column.
Thanks for your allyship, Elwood!
No problem.
True Donald Trump isn’t Jewish and doesn’t know firsthand what it means to be Jewish. But with Jewish antisemites like Bernie Sanders and Chuck Schumer on the left side of the aisle, who’s to say he’s completely wrong in lumping all Democrat Jews in that box? Many of them who grew up under Jewish tradition hold progressive beliefs antithetical to Zionism. I personally know more than one in that category and it burns my goy ass
...I'm a Democrat Jew, as are 70% of all American Jews. Lumping us all in that "box" you mention is slanderous to say the least!
But Trump fathered a Jewish daughter who has more claim to land in occupied Palestine than do the indigenous Arabs. Go figure.
Excellent essay once again, except for omitting that three of Trump's beloved grandchildren call him Bubbe, and one of his beloved daughters call him Abba.
Good for them. It's just a shame they have a sociopath for a grandpa.
Something is very wrong if his grandchildren are calling him Bubbe! 😂
Maybe he's gender fluid now. You never know.
Haha, maybe they call him Zayde too. I understand the Kushners are Modern Orthodox.
😂
Oh right, Muslims “welcomed the Jews back.”🙄With a welcome like that…reminds me of the ridiculous remarks Rashida Tlaib made years ago about the “calming feeling” it gave her to remember her ancestors rolling out the red carpet for the Jews after the Holocaust!
This is a conversation between Americans, not foreign nationals. Most often now it is about the 52000 plus killed in the not a genocide in Gaza and the 1700 killed in the 10/7 massacre plus the endless ongoing squatting and land theft in the illegally occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. Over 1000 indigenous Arabs plus several of our fellow Americans have been killed by squatters and the IDF in just the last few months.
For us as Americans the critical factor is that we not be complicit in the massive tribal violence via our taxes. Our concerns about the situation in Palestine are quite similar to the same concerns we had when apartheid South Africa was in the table.
Israel and Palestine have their own issues but they are secondary to the huge numbers of issues directly confronting our birthright country here in America.
You are an idiot.
Are you hear to assuage your white guilt? We honestly don’t need your sheigetz BS. Maybe go hit up an encampment. I’m sure they will love you.