r/JewsOfConscience • u/AutoModerator • Jul 31 '24

AAJ "Ask A Jew" Wednesday

It's everyone's favorite day of the week, "Ask A (Anti-Zionist) Jew" Wednesday! Ask whatever you want to know, within the sub rules, notably that this is not a debate sub and do not import drama from other subreddits. That aside, have fun! We love to dialogue with our non-Jewish siblings.

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u/peachplumpear333 Non-Jewish Ally, Anti-Zionist Jul 31 '24

how could i make amends with a zionist (ex)friend who now believes me to be antisemitic for expressing solidarity with palestine?

in october, a very close mentor/friend of mine (he is a zionist and jewish) saw one of my posts on social media expressing solidarity with the palestinian people after the israeli military retaliation that followed oct 7. he and i were very close and had been friends for years. he responded to this post stating he believed he had "failed me as a mentor," and promptly unfriended me, and no longer talks to me at all.

this experience has been horrible: knowing that someone who once cared about me/respected me now hates me and thinks of me as evil. i empathize with those of you who have lost community/family/friends for your beliefs, though i can only relate on a small level. i think about reaching out to him often and trying to explain myself. has it been possible for any of you?

how do you cope, if this is your experience? big hugs if you can relate at all.

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u/yungsemite Jewish Aug 01 '24

I think that unless you’re willing to come around to a non-Zionist position, rather than anti-Zionist, I probably wouldn’t reach out. I also don’t know what you posted and whether or not it was antisemitic or not sensitive or simply anti-Zionist.

I think most Jewish Zionists truly believe that anti-Zionism is antisemitism. That the rejection of a Jewish national movement is simply antisemitic.

I doubt that someone who went so far as to block you when they were close to you is going to receptive to being friends with someone who identifies as anti-Zionist. Especially if this was shortly after Oct 7th and he knows people who were affected.

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u/peachplumpear333 Non-Jewish Ally, Anti-Zionist Aug 01 '24

thank you for answering! yes, i think you're probably right. he believes that antizionism is antisemitism, and has said as much many times since oct 7. and this position has not changed as of now.

as for what i posted: i reposted a photo of a man holding a palestinian flag following the initial israeli air raids of gaza/the food and water blockade, about a week after oct 7 (i do think that this could have been seen as insensitive, which i understand and regret in hindsight).

i really appreciate your answer. i think i have been in denial about the reality of losing our friendship, but i think you're right that it's unlikely he'll even be receptive to me.

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u/yungsemite Jewish Aug 01 '24

It’s not something that I would have been bothered by, but for him I’m sure it would be the same as you posting in support of an enemy nation directly after they attacked unprovoked or due to antisemitism. Sorry.

I think if you do ever get to the point where you’re not set on the end of the state of Israel as the only solution, then you could reach out, but otherwise, almost certainly not worth it.