The October 7 attacks fundamentally changed what it means to be Jewish, especially in the Diaspora. Antisemitism is mainstream again. Here is a personal reflection on how to fight back.
All the things my grandparents and parents experienced outside of the United States are now come home to roost. I always identified as an American and a Jew. I experienced few overt episodes of anti-semitism and they were all relatively mild. Now I look back and wonder about some other history and how my being a Jew may have affected interactions without ever knowing it was about anti-semitism.
You are correct, it's an unsettling feeling. You are also correct that we have to stand together. We must also defend ourselves. You may be past the age of military service, as am I, but we can still defend ourselves. We have no alternative. Diaspora Jews can't rely upon the IDF's presence. So physical defense is a thing to be understood and competency is to be sought. Jews have to know how to handle themselves. That's just the way it is. Survival is always a question for us unfortunately.
I still do not think most Americans ( I'll confine my comments to my home country) are virulent anti-semites. Certainly there are some on both the Left and Right, most of them are right here online. But now I am less confident in that assessment for all the reasons you point out. And I worry about my kids and what the future holds for them. But we will not be soft targets for creeps. You shouldn't be either.
Well said, well written. I am going to repost some of the themes and messages here on my substack. Thank you Nachum for your moral clarity, your willingness to fight the social media battle, and for your commitment to "Truth in Politics and Culture".
I remember well the trials of Monash University in early 1991; when idiot “political progressives” tried to justify Gulf War one. The moral relativism that enabled them to defend the actions of a brutal dictatorship of Saddam Hussein were frankly laughable. Fast forward 33 years it’s hard to imagine the verbal excrement and bile that you would need to wade through in 2024 at Monash Clayton!
Keep faith Nachum that there is still good and right. I hope that your writing will galvanise other people. The morale compass of the west has ossified. Perhaps your work can contribute to reversing this.
All the things my grandparents and parents experienced outside of the United States are now come home to roost. I always identified as an American and a Jew. I experienced few overt episodes of anti-semitism and they were all relatively mild. Now I look back and wonder about some other history and how my being a Jew may have affected interactions without ever knowing it was about anti-semitism.
You are correct, it's an unsettling feeling. You are also correct that we have to stand together. We must also defend ourselves. You may be past the age of military service, as am I, but we can still defend ourselves. We have no alternative. Diaspora Jews can't rely upon the IDF's presence. So physical defense is a thing to be understood and competency is to be sought. Jews have to know how to handle themselves. That's just the way it is. Survival is always a question for us unfortunately.
I still do not think most Americans ( I'll confine my comments to my home country) are virulent anti-semites. Certainly there are some on both the Left and Right, most of them are right here online. But now I am less confident in that assessment for all the reasons you point out. And I worry about my kids and what the future holds for them. But we will not be soft targets for creeps. You shouldn't be either.
Shanah Tovah.
Kol HaKavod! Every word. Shanah Tovah.
I restacked, but also wanted to add that this is a beautiful piece. L’Shana Tova, btw.
Well said, well written. I am going to repost some of the themes and messages here on my substack. Thank you Nachum for your moral clarity, your willingness to fight the social media battle, and for your commitment to "Truth in Politics and Culture".
I remember well the trials of Monash University in early 1991; when idiot “political progressives” tried to justify Gulf War one. The moral relativism that enabled them to defend the actions of a brutal dictatorship of Saddam Hussein were frankly laughable. Fast forward 33 years it’s hard to imagine the verbal excrement and bile that you would need to wade through in 2024 at Monash Clayton!
Keep faith Nachum that there is still good and right. I hope that your writing will galvanise other people. The morale compass of the west has ossified. Perhaps your work can contribute to reversing this.