r/JewsOfConscience • u/AutoModerator • Oct 16 '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.

Please remember to pick an appropriate user-flair in order to participate! Thanks!

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u/myownpersonallab Jewish Anti-Zionist Oct 16 '24

Fellow Jews, how do you fortify your soul against seeing actual antisemitism in Palestine liberation spaces? I keep seeing the Protocols of the Elders of Zion and claims of being devil worshippers and it has only gotten worse this month. I have been called a Zionist shill for pointing it out. The argument that we don't want fascist white supremacist arguments in our liberation spaces is getting less and less effective. :( I am always met with.... well this is nothing compared to what Palestinians are going through.

And it's true. It's not.

I will stay involved no matter what. Palestine will be free in our lifetimes and I will not stand by. But generations of trauma in my blood is wearing away at my armor at the moment.

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u/angsty_geologist Ashkenazi Oct 16 '24

I have been dealing with similar feelings. It’s difficult. I am lucky to have a small group of anti-Zionist Jewish friends with whom I can commiserate about all of this, which helps, though venting alone doesn’t really solve this problem.

I think trauma can really bring out the worst in people. This includes bigotry. I try to be conscientious of this when interacting with people who veer into ignorant, antisemitic talking points. A lot of the concerning comments I’ve seen/heard from other organizers and activists seem like they come from a place of deep pain and despair. Maybe it is not so dissimilar from the way Jewish Zionists essentially blame Palestinians for their own very real history of trauma. Reminding myself of this makes it easier to brush off hurtful, bigoted comments.

I do believe that one of Israel’s “goals” with their ongoing genocide in Palestine (and military aggression across the board) is to increase antisemitism against Jews in the diaspora. I am pretty sure the Israeli government is hoping that diaspora Jews will settle in Israel to escape said antisemitism, helping Israel maintain a Jewish majority well into the future. So, in some way, calling out antisemitism in the Palestine liberation movement (and in broader society IN GENERAL) is a way to resist Israel’s agenda. I try to remind people of this when I hear antisemitic canards repeated uncritically. It doesn’t always work, but I try nonetheless.