I have witnessed so much antisemitism everytime I go online it's starting to become worrying. I see non Jewish leftists say that antisemitism isn't a real problem for Jews in America, usually being boiled down to "most Jews are white, rich, and have never experienced antisemitic violence physically". Yet antisemitism is rising and is a real problem that we should still consider in this time of jewish identity being weaponized and the jewish supremacy that is enacted in Occupied Palestine. Stating "most jews are white" seems harmful and also just false. Also Jews have always been hesitant to be apart of surveys so it's hard to find legitimate info on these things. Am I alone in this?
EDIT: I am not talking about any specific statistics or surveys. This is based on what I've personally seen scrolling on social media. I understand/agree there isn't a clear way to see that based on largely pro zionist orgs. EDIT PT 2: I am not saying that Pro Palestinian sentiment is antisemitism. I am talking about LEGITIMATE antisemitism. This is not a post talking about false accusations of antisemitism based in Zionism.
The problem is that mainstream Jewish institutions are lumping together the vast majority of Palestine activism in with the genuine antisemitism, making statements like “antisemitism is rising” difficult to really analyze. These people insist that saying “free Palestine” or “from the river to the sea” are statements of genocidal, intent, so remember that when you hear people talking about a massive increases in anti-Semitic incidences. That kind of headline serves a purpose. Zionists use these declarations of rising antisemitism as a way of deflecting criticism from themselves and to justify their actions, and they’ve always done this. Zionism is an ethnic supremacy movement that requires its believers to feel like they are in constant threat of persecution everywhere, except for Israel.
I totally agree with this, I'm mainly asking do other jews feel like there is more real antisemitism (also I thought I had already implied this) sorry for edit pt 2 but I am personally seeing a mass influx of comments like "Hitler was right", "this is why they are hated", etc
Yeah, I've also seen an increase in posts on my social media pages highlighting blatanly antisemitic things said by commenters. I would argue that basing your idea of the levels of antisemitism by what the algorithm puts in front of you to drive engagement might not give you an accurate idea, either, especially since we know that Facebook and Instagram were actively censoring pro-Palestinian posts and manipulating feeds to support Israeli propaganda efforts.
Yes, but pointing out the rising anti-Semitism on the right gets lost in the cacophony of accusations of anti-Semitism from Democrats and Zionist groups that accuse anyone supportive of a Palestine of being anti-Semitic. This conflict has really muddled the waters on being able to be critical of real anti-Semitism because of how anti-Semitism is being weaponized to defend Israel.
Yes I agree with you. Actual antisemitism has been on the rise since 2016 but now it’s hard to study bc people are pointing to anti-genocide protests as antisemitism. Additionally it’s become really easy for people to hide their antisemitism in “anti-Zionism”. I’m wary of goyim who put that label on themselves precisely because most of my interactions with folks like that have ended in just straight up antisemitism.
For my own experience, the only people who I trust that give themselves the label anit-Zionist are either Jews or Palestinians. Jews because it is an political ideology originating in our community and Palestinians because the application of that ideology has directly harmed them for decades. Anyone else who says I am specifically anti-Zionist I do not trust for the simple reason that they are making a distinction between Zionism and other forms of nationalism that are utilized for settler colonial projects. That to me is a clear distinction between those who are fighting for liberation from all forms of nationalist oppression and those who care about one form of nationalist oppression. I won't go as far as to say that it is automatically anti-semitism, but it is an uneven application of that oppossition.
Is there any way to be against zionism, being critical of the establishment of Israel by occupying the homes and lands of people who lived there without reparations, without being called antisemite?
Yes, I believe you can be. I don't believe that people who are against the idea of a Jewish nationalist state that oppresses the Palestinians in favor of ethnic, cultural, and political dominance are automatically antisemitic and Israel's weaponization of it is not only foolish and wrong but will likely allow antisemitism to spread more.
The point I was making was that being against zionism is not enough, and if that is the only nationalist enterprise that you are against and think must be dismantled, then you have to ask why is it this one that you care only about. Nationalist violence animates an enormous amount of conflict in the world, from Palestine to France(what else is it that fuels France's constant crackdown on the culture of Muslims, Arabs, Africans if not nationalism), to Myanmar, to Ethiopia.
Take South Africa for example. A country that has challenged the Zionist narrative around security and violence on an international scale. But ask S.A. politicians about the ongoing genocide of Uyghurs in China, a conflict that has been going on for decades, well, that is a different story. You will hear words like security and terrorism tossed around to justify China's actions. Why? Because it is strategically beneficial for that genocide to be swept under the rug. So is it about freedom from genocide for all, or just for those who are suffering at the hands of people that are strategically against our own interests? Where is the ICJ case for that?
i think Israel gets more attention because it demanded and got reparations from Germany, other European nations, and the US which continually provides arms and funds in order to establish itself as a powerful ally of advanced nations that are democracies. That it has turned into cruel repressor and oppressor of the Palestinian people was not expected. Much more was expected of a nation that itself was a home created for the oppressed Jews, to be a true Democracy. Nobody expects anything of China and China does not care. Israel does, or did. Israel is unique.
Well, first, I am not sure what other countries you are talking about when it comes to reparation payments to Israel. Unless I am missing something, that is definitely not true, so not a good start, considering that the list of countries that received reparations from Germany is about is somewhere near 20, including New Zealand and Australia (you know, countries that exist because of mass genocide of native populations).
Second, I find your description of more was expected of Israel and that is the justification for increased scrutiny to be problematic. Oppression isn't some magical lesson that teaches people to be kind and to oppose forms of oppression. It's psychological effects are complicated and it can create the opposite effect of what you think. Pedagogy of the Oppressed.
Israel is unique is a dangerous statement. Unique how? Creating a home for oppressed Jews does not automatically translate into an open, pluralistic society. In fact, it is most likely to create the opposite. How is it logical that more should be expected of Israel than say France, who killed 1.5 million Algerians, the U.K. which killed hundreds of millions of indigenous peoples, or China, which had an equally brutal history of colonial control and violence acted upon it by outsiders.
Holding communities who have been victimized by oppression and violence to a higher standard than others is a dangerous concept. I hold Israel to the same standard as anyone else when it comes to oppression, genocide, and violence.
Israel is absolutely unique, no other state has this level of impunity, no other state is able to carry out atrocities like this and not only not face repercussions but continue to be presented as the victim.
There is no where near this level of censorship when criticising any other state - the empire and its vassals are prepared to deploy increasing levels of violence against their own populations when it comes to criticising Israel. What other state gets that?
The Holocaust victims and their families receive reparations from countries other than Germany and including Germany to this date, and it is well they should for the crimes committed against them and for the looting of their properties. Then when Israel turns around and creates an apartheid state where the Gaza residents don't even have clean water, treated like criminals, hounded out of their homes, then wreaks collective punishment on 42 thousand+ civilians and , a high percentage of them children, then yes Israel gets called out, like President Carter and others have done. Israel had a lot of support from western nations, themselves colonizers. In that respect, yes Israel is unique. THis does not mean other countries have not committed atrocities.
Still not sure what the Reparation payments have to do with proving the uniqueness of Israel's genocide. You know the USSR received reparations from Germany? The same USSR that genocided millions of Ukranians ten years before.
You trust ever Jew who use the anti zionist label? Like the ones who equalize the occupied with their occupiers? Please find Jewish circles that aren’t ifnotnow or jvp (jvp’s u of michigan chapter innocent!). Unfortunately many Jews who call themselves “anti zionist” are really just liberal zionist. (I’m a Jew, for reference)
Personally, I haven't noticed such things. Maybe one or two people that I've seen shift from blatant dogwhistles ("they are indoctrinating your children into Marxist gender ideology!") to full mask-off shit. If anything, I've seen zionists and anti-zionists alike become more solicitous of my comfort and safety as a Jew.
On the other hand, I live in Manhattan, and Judaism in general is rather more mainstream here than it was in, say, California.
When people purporting to be anti-colonial allies say shit like that, I immediately suspect it’s actually a Zionist trying to stir up shit. On Reddit, we can go look at comment history and it usually proves to be a troll.
y'all may not have noticed the troll army spewing zionist talking points on reddit, but nothing stops the deployment of 'agent provocateurs' on SM either. From either side honestly (antisemites and zionists).
The FBI database has an increase in anti-Jewish hate crimes in October and November of last year, followed by a slight decrease in December. They haven't released figures for 2024 yet.
How can you say with a straight face that antisemitism is a problem but “from the River to the Sea” is fine? From what river to what sea? A large contingent of people who use this phrase want to eject the Jews in Israel and replace them with Palestinians.
You don’t know what river and what sea it’s referring to? Then maybe you shouldn’t be going around telling people what the phrase means, since you don’t know the first thing about it?
No, it’s not a call to get rid of every Jew in Israel, it’s a call for freedom everywhere in Israel, for Palestinians who are currently living under apartheid. You do not get to displace and murder millions of people and then speak for them. Considering that Zionists are completely unashamed of their desire to eliminate Palestinians from the land, it seems to me like you’re just doing psychological projection to try and assuage some of the guilt you must be feeling for supporting a new Holocaust.
You know, the Nazis also justified their atrocities by claiming that it was an act of self-defense. I guess what Israel is doing is less of a holocaust inversion, and more of a sequel.
The vast majority of Pro Palestine people are not advocating for all of the Jews of Israel to be expelled, and you know very well that there is absolutely no chance that Hamas would be able to actually threaten Israeli territory. You have to make up imaginary scenarios where you’re the victim because in the real world you’ve killed hundreds of thousands of people, and you’ll go down in history as villains in the same category as Nazis.
This is very racist. I'm sorry to see that you have this mindset of assuming all Palestinians are as aggressive and genocidal as the Israeli state they're currently dying under. It's wild that you can watch a genocide that is actually occurring, and your main response to it is "well that's sad, but imagine a world where the opposite was happening?? Imagine if those savages Hamas Palestinians went and killed ALL their colonizers, in a way that's literally never happened in history, but I'm vividly imagining? Despite them being impoverished, badly armed, and malnourished versus the highly militarized and wealthy state of Israel? Wouldn't that be horrible? Let's condemn the student protestors against the genocide before doing anything else, just so that the picture I'm making in my mind is always addressed before anything else!"
Hopefully you can reflect on why you see Palestinians as so inherently violent. Or just assume the worst about everyone, always. Up to you.
Zionist institutions are making antisemitism nearly impossible to honestly address and therefore provides wide cover for antisemites. Meanwhile their dogged conflations leaves Jews worldwide vulnerable to violence. In addition, these organizations do actual violence to Jews just because of their political stance. I 100% blame Zionist institutions for this rise of violence and they should be absolutely ashamed of their behavior
Lebanese-American here. (Christian, if that matters)
This popped up on my feed and I want to say that I have nothing but respect for you guys. I mean, for me, being against Israel and Zionism is a no-brainer. For you, it’s going against many of your own family, friends, bosses, colleagues, and so on. Standing up for what’s right and good even when it strains or breaks those important relationships takes real guts.
I can also tell you that most Arabs feel the same way. In Arab circles I never hear anyone bad-mouth Jews as a whole or the Jewish religion, just Israel. Even when someone slips up and refers to Israel as “the Jews”, the rest make sure to correct him and stand up for you. They’ve seen just how many Jewish people are protesting for them and standing up for them, and genuinely want to return the favor and defend you.
That said, I think that you’re on to something, and it’s not unexpected, but if I may offer my opinion here (for whatever it’s worth) I don’t think it’s going to be a lasting problem for you.
You see, contrary to the propaganda coming out of my side of this conflict, Arabs did become anti-Jewish for a while. It’s hard to pinpoint the exact date it ended but it was from the nakba in the late 1940s up until around the late 1980s. It was very much a reaction to Israel, as a case of “we have no way to tell which of the Jews can be trusted and which can’t, so let’s not take any chances”. But since then, especially with the advent of the Internet and being able to see the events of the world uncensored and unfiltered, Arabs by and large are now able to differentiate and thus they do. They now know that even in Israel there are good people with a conscience, even though from what we can tell it’s a small minority.
The thing is, Arabs have known what Israel really is for a very long time now and thus have had time to process and learn and figure out the details - many even going as far as reading the Torah and Talmud to understand you better. But most Americans and even many Europeans have only found out the truth about Israel this past year. They’re still in the reactionary phase and need some time, only today with the Internet I don’t think it’s going to take anywhere near as long as it did with the Arabs, and I’d be surprised if it continues long after a resolution to the war is reached. For whatever it’s worth, I think the best thing you can do is just continue being the normal, cool, chill people that you are, and keep being active in and contributing to your communities. The more people see and are reminded of the positive side of the Jewish community - even while Israel is being Israel - the more they will relax around you and even forget that they were anxious to begin with.
I really wish you all the best of luck, and I hope that by the time this is all said and done, we can all build better and stronger relationships with each other.
Just wanna say that I second this person’s comment in terms of the respect for anti-zionist Jews. You have opened yourself up to an immense amount of harassment and alienation from your community since birth and many of your allies recognize this. This is another one of those points in history where those who are right side of history are being called the villains. I also want to say, that I love you all from the bottom of my heart, and that I will NEVER stop defending anti-zionist Jewish people from malicious antisemites and ignorant mfers.
Well said. With regards with antisemitism in the Arab world, I would say that your characterization is correct. Arabs aren't generally antisemitic because they are bigots. Their antisemitism stemmed directly from Israel and the actions taken by the Jewish terrorists in the 20s and later the Jewish state after 1948.
Same goes for Palestinians specifically. The majority of Palestinians within Palestine have only interacted with Jews in an occupier capacity, and so their image of Jews in general is pretty negative. Imagine the only Jew you ever interacted with had a gun and humiliated you at checkpoints and killed your family members. Is it wrong? Of course, but it's completely understandable. I'd like to think that I'm personally better than that and can differentiate but honestly, were I in their shoes, I'd probably have the same feelings about Jews.
I also echo your statement about the courage it takes for Jews to speak out. They have to go against the tribe so to speak, which is difficult to do.
With regards the rise in antisemitism, statistically speaking, I think part of it is BS and not real. Have you seen what qualifies as antisemitism these days? Much of it is nonsense.
That said, my personal feeling and perception is that there is a rise in antisemitism. I am not Jewish so I am personally unaffected, but I see in my city vandalism and attacks against Jewish institutions. That stuff was never on the news before, but it is now. I don't think previous incidents went unreported, so it must be an increase of such incidents.
I wish you well and hope you never have to feel unsafe because the Jewish state across the world is committing atrocities in your name, even though many Jews never asked for this.
Antisemitism has been a rising problem since before October 7 tbh. Friends and family have noticed an uptick in abuse since post pandemic, especially those who are visibly Jewish. Violent cases of antisemitism which are from Nazis and who don’t have anything to do with Palestine are increasing but nobody cares because people think antisemitism is a watermelon symbol and a keffiyeh.
Ally here, I’ve seen a fair amount of it, I have been calling it out and giving a lesson about how we can’t equate Judaism with Zionism. I will usually also remind them of Jewish figures from history and from present day who have fought and died for the cause of anti-fascism.
There's a very interesting documentary from 2009, by Israeli filmmaker Yoav Shamir, called "Defamation", and it's on YouTube in full here: https://youtu.be/CTAjc1OSrmY
In it he challenges a lot of these notions of "rising antisemitism", how the numbers are inflated and obscured, and other issues with it. Not least because it actually makes real antisemitism difficult to measure, and signs of real or sudden rises would be missed. He meets with the ADL leadership and many other people related to this.
I'd be very interested to hear thoughts about what he learns, and how you see this now, 15 years later.
The problem is that so-called antisemitism watchdogs like the ADL etc are just weaponizing antisemitism to demonize pro-Palestine advocacy and spread Islamophobia. Yesterday was the anniversary of the Tree of Life massacre and the only thing the ADL posted about was how Francesca Albanese is “antisemitic” because she criticized Israel. When Jewish institutions cry wolf about antisemitism, people are going to be desensitized to actual antisemitism and not know how to recognize it.
Antisemitism is 100% on the rise. I’m not gonna point to any data cuz i know that the orgs that collect it usually have strong pro israel ideological biases that impact the data heavily, but as someone who’s been on the internet for the past year, 100%. Even this sub has hosted a good amount of antisemitism, just the other day a non Jew posted that they were offended a show had jews in it and didn’t discuss palestine. Ppl who deny this are not our allies, it’s an absolute reality especially for jews who use the internet
I believe the moment needs the courageous and moral leaderships, sadly all we got in the west are bunch of morally bankrupt cowards who can't do the right thing.
I truly do not see a way out of the political and societal quagmire beside rooting for the global majority outside the western establishment to rise up and redefine a better world order.
I'm a multiracial antizionist jew living in a large US city with a significant jewish population. Over the last couple of weeks I've noticed a serious uptick in the number of swastika tags around my neighborhood (in addition to a lot more gang related tags in general). It freaks me the fuck out and I feel like I don't have people to find comfort in because I don't want to seem like I'm conflating antisemitism with zionism or make this about me when I'm not a practicing jew.
Also some people I am close to have said some deeply questionable things about judaism/jewish people that starts to fringe towards antisemitism... I don't really know what to do other than to just deflect and try to move on but it's really starting to weigh on me.
I was on Twitter the other day looking at some Israeli posts and was shocked when I saw people saying things like that Hitler was right and specifically blaming jews for what's happening to Palestinians. It was pretty shocking and reinforced why I initially left Twitter when Elon took over. I only have an account now so I can read tweets and their responses when people use Twitter as a source.
You have to remember that much of the moderation went out the window w/Musk. If you haven't been around since the takeover, you'll have the rise due to no moderation + the additional due to Palestine.
The only thing I can say is if you've been around unmoderated spaces, you learn to ignore it (I'm a minority albeit not Jewish) and saw plenty directed at my side. It doesn't make the abuse right but half the time it's just reactionary trolling due to anonymity.
I feel like everyone here is saying 'oh it's ok because we Jews deserve it because Zionism' . Every ethnic group that's tied to a nation has toxic nationality. And we collectively understand not to blame that group or community as a whole - except when it comes to the Jews. I wasn't raised Jewish so I'm not familiar with any Zionist propaganda. However - I am ethnically Jewish and I am very aware of the jew hate spewed my way that everyone is so justified in because they view Jews as the powerful oppressors. Jews have been viewed this way for centuries. It is not new. It has a new name but it is the same. I am longing and hoping the Jews on the left and anti Zionist Jews start to call this stuff out. It is dangerous and it will get worse. People are being attacked and killed for being Jewish. And often when ppl can't get to the Jews they go after ethnic groups.
So please - please let's start calling this out when we see it. And no more lumping Jews as good Jews bad Jews. I was called a Zionist long before I new what the word meant. And I'm often asked. It is clear to me that the two words, Jews and Zionist, are becoming interchangeable.
To fight what we really hate - nationalism and ilthe spread of imperialism - it will be helpful to use specific language. Zionism is too broad and means too many things to too many ppl. I know this take won't be popular here. I plead that you all consider it - before things get worse - consider calling people in.
We're humans. We deserve the same empathy as everyone else.
*go after other ethnic groups I meant to say. So, even if ppl can't have empathy for Jews - being aware of and stoping Jew hate is needed for the safety of everyone.
Right after 10/7 I made a post about all of the blatant antisemitism I have experienced living in rural America for over a decade. There are almost no Jews where I live. It is just as prevalent as other racism, misogyny, homophobia, etc. And all those antisemites support Israel. I was trying to let my remaining Jewish friends know who they are aligning with when they stick with Zionism. It's the same people whose children are drawing swastikas up at the school, or who think Jews control all the money and media. Antisemitism has always been here, but many Jewish folks won't see it like this unless they come somewhere like this. I can't say it's gotten worse, just more mixed with Zionism.
I think online antisemtism has always been an issue. And in some spaces, worse than others. The majority of antisemtism I experience online is just the simple micro-aggression of "antisemitism doesn't exist anymore because Jews are white" or "only visibly jewish people experience it"
Yesterday was the tree of life shooting anniversary and someone online had the audacity to say "yes I guess when white supremicists can't find a black or brown person or their local mosque, sometimes they settle for other white people"
Can you elaborate on what you mean by “leftists”? Because I have to push back a bit and say that I have seen very little actual antisemitism by the left spaces I’ve been in. Certainly nothing so dismissive as to say that Jews face no bigotry. But even the specific comments you describe seem more like incidental ignorance than serious hate. I’m also suspecting what you’re seeing comes more from radlibs than any principled Communist, socialist or anarchist. Or maybe they’re trolls. Sometimes I see a baby leftist reposting bigoted grifters like Jackson Hinkle or Candace Owens but I usually give them the benefit of the doubt that it was innocent. I always comment to note that these are not voices to be platformed or trusted, and frankly I see tons of similar pushback in the commentary. What I really don’t see is any truly antisemitic commentary that isn’t immediately countered by those actually on the left.
I’d also point out that for the most part the whole notion of “rampant” antisemitism on the left is a reactionary invention by Zionists (Jewish and Christian) and many other right-wing elements to discredit the left more broadly when certain politicians or activists start to be seen as becoming actually effective. See Jeremy Corbyn for a perfect example. See Ilhan Omar for another. Even Bernie Sanders was accused of antisemitism in his presidential campaign and is accused again now.
The problem is that Jewish feelings are being centered in a genocide that is happening to Palestinians. The other problem is that zionists include any criticism of israel as “antisemitic” when they want to talk about a rise in antisemitism.
Bad Empanada made a video a couple weeks ago where he made those exact same points. Jews are rich and white, and therefore antisemitism isn't a real problem. I think this comes from the fact that he is a pretty big communist and is engaging in a straightforward argument reeking of class reductionism, so it was still an utterly shit take. He verbatim said that the worst thing most Jews in the US experience is a misspelled name on a starbucks cup. There were a couple people in the comments who tore him a new asshole (and these comments have seemingly since been removed), but the vast majority of people seemed to agree with him.
This is mostly a vibes based observation but I think a lot of those comments are bots or something.
I've also noticed a distinct uptick in anti-semitic comments all over social media, however I only frequent leftist spaces and I have yet to see a single example of actual anti-semitism go unchallenged without being torn to shreds/downvoted/hidden by other leftists. In fact many leftists are persistent and aggressive in rooting out anti-semitic thought that crops up in these communities/threads because of this uptick in agitators.
And then the bigger media sources I use like youtube there are way more racist/anti-jewish comments that go unmoderated on leftist videos, lots of "a painter from austria warned us about this.." etc., pretty disgusting. But seeing it so suddenly makes me think that it's bots/astroturfing.
I think it's most likely a mix of racist agitators trying to poison the well in leftist spaces as well as actual Hasbara spread by the Israeli government/US bot farms. It benefits Zionists for anti-semitism to spread and become mainstream.
I don't feel there's been a material increase in antisemitism since 10/7.
"most jews are white" seems harmful and also just false.
Harmful? sure. Racist? yes. Antisemitic? I don't think so.
Of course a sizable portion of the Jewish population is non-white. They experience racism within the Jewish world and without it by nature of being racialized. Ultimately, we live in a world of contradictions. Obviously an Iranian Jew may not be white-passing, but white supremacy facilitates zionism and zionism looks to homogenize all Jews together in order to weaponize the greater settler population against the indigenous Palestinians; so in a way, an israeli Jew of colour is benefiting from the global white supremist apparatus by nature of their "jewishness". Race is a tenuous man made concept, but white supremacy is also a man made concept and it presently governs our reality.
I am not saying calling all jews white is antisemitic. I am stating that it is harmful to state that all jews are european or "white" since thats just false at this point in history.
I'm not going to lecture on what people ought to take offense over but this seems to me like a "harmless comment"? I think what passes as 'white' in the US at least is very different than what used to pass as white 50 yrs ago. Brunette & black haired Italians, Greeks, they're considered white now despite it not being the case when they first arrived. IOW, if you're not visibly bi-racial or brown, being white-coded (if I'm using the right term here) will get labeled 'white'.
I'm genuinely curious as I hope to offer perspectives that perhaps are meant as harmless but could be considered anything but.
If I am being blunt, I think the trauma that Jews have experienced may also be used during 'conditioning/indoctrination' so have personally wondered if there's not some hypersensitivity to some of this stuff.
Tl;Dr: it's rising in the imperial core due to stresses on capitalist neoliberlism and the capitalist's response to these stresses in the use of their attack dog, fascism.
Antisemitism, and petty chauvinisms of all kinds, are structural characteristics of class society. They are inseparable and necessary for the existence of class society. They are exacerbated by members of the capitalist class when their position is threatened, either by members of their own class, or rising class conflict.
The ruling class of all historical class societies have significantly invested in, invented, promulgated, and rewarded these chauvinisms in order to exploit oppressed classes against the other. The billions of dollars the Biden administration has invested in policing the US populace is this structural imperative at work.
As Trump as US president felt free to trade in Jewish stereotypes and casual anti-Jewish hate speech, his followers and those unwillingly influenced by him were emboldened and became wrapped up in it. That's how we get mainstream news barely and blandly apologizing for anti-Jewish propaganda, reproducing the "research" of the likes of the ADL.
But how have things changed? Where is the anti-Jewish genocide?
Anti-Jewish ideas depict Jews these days less as sub-human, as were primarily depicted in the 20th and prior centuries, but rather as equal and dangerous "anti-humans.". This gives Zionism its special place in the capitalist imperialist world order. It's an important aspect of the justification for the colonization of Palestine for regional domination and, "as a treat," Christian eschatological cataclysm. In this perverse and malignant ideology, the power of the anti-human Jew is directed by the Christian world against the sub-human brown hordes of West Asia. Some in the West assert that they are seduced or blackmailed into this, others say it's a willing plan. In any case these are a group of ideas frequently reproduced in Western society.
Why less in the Arab world?
As West Asian (not just Arab) nations resisted US-led Imperialism to various levels and measures of success in the 1970s, the tool of these petty chauvinisms as part of the imperialist toolbox became well understood and debunked by the intellectual leadership. It was mostly short-lived, but the social impact of anti-chauvanism in West Asia can still be measured today. Witness the China-assisted rapprochement of Iran and Saudi.
In addition to what others have added, it’s important to look into statistics because numbers lie. For example what constitutes a hate crime might be something like u/beardeddragron1917 said where a simple phrase like free Palestine can be considered genocidal intent.
However, there are other factors we can use to analyze if antisemitism is on the rise.
There’s an analysis that can be made about late stage capitalism devolving into fascism. America being a dying empire that sees China on the horizon & in its final push sees a strategy to use Israel as a destabilizing force in the region as a means to further its imperialist objectives, which means full-throated support of further war & turmoil in the Middle East, exacerbating these issues. It can be argued capitalists run social media companies where we see a lot of antisemitism. These capitalists want Trump and republicans in office because they cut taxes for the rich and so on. Thus the ideology of the people in charge tends to be right wing (an example is Zuckerberg who assisted in the 2013 Rohingya genocide, recently, short of an endorsement supported Trump, Elon Musk who is breaking laws with his vote bribery situation and will be in Trumps cabinet, etc, etc)
An analysis that America, Canada & other “western” nations are foundationally white supremacist. Where whiteness is a construct based on an in-group that grows to include more people who previously weren’t considered white (some latinos and Arabs are considered white or Caucasian today but in the 18th century, Benjamin Franklin considered Germans to be “swarthy”) but once it attains control, it ultimately cannibalizes itself.
An analysis of governments around the world shifting right, such as in America where the right wing racists, fascists, conspiracy theorists & anti-intellectual crowds are growing & doubling down on their beliefs while the Democrats move more to the right by running with trump’s 2016/2020 foreign policy & border policies.
There’s an argument to be made that the hasbara conflation of antizionism with antisemitism leads people who otherwise know nothing about the Middle East, the diaspora, the cultures or religions, to then blame all Jews when they see Palestinian children burning or with their skulls hollowed out.
There’s also an analysis to be made regarding Chomsky’s 5 filters of mass media & the constant platforming of zionist perspectives while suppressing antizionist voices, using passive voice in the news, burying the lead, lies by omission, not reporting certain news at all or outright lying.
All of these are essentially different ways fascism is festering which along with other things has historically been antisemitic.
So I would say taking all that into account with my own anecdotal evidence of social media devolving into nazi cesspools, especially Twitter & Reddit, yes, there indeed is a rise of antisemitism.
For that reason, I think it’s imperative to distinguish between antisemitism & antizionism, and zionism & Judaism and to fight like hell for a better world for everyone because no one is free until we are all free.
I should add in case it wasn’t clear, my belief/analysis that there is a rise in antisemitism comes with my belief in the rise of all forms of racism & bigotry. (Ie: the prison industrial complex & the continuous exercising of the 13th amendment, the military industrial complex & its role in destabilizing other countries which results in refugee crises, roe v wade, anti trans & other culture war issues)
Something else I didn’t mention because before rereading your post it seemed like you addressed but after rereading & reading through the comments it appears you didn’t.
That is there is an ongoing genocide so within that context, whether you realize it or not, couched in your concern of rising antisemitism is a potential underlying accusation & placement of blame toward Palestinians & antizionists or a cause & effect linking between Palestine & the rise of antisemitism. I think if your intention was not to imply that link, you should have stated it or at some point communicated it & would have avoided the disagreements in the comments, thats what was missing from your replies.
In my opinion, you are right that there is likely a rise in antisemitism, unfortunately, when antisemitism is used to defend any and all criticism against Israel or Zionism, it loses it's meaning. Being called anti-Semitic pretty much has no value... This inclusive Jewish community would be considered anti-Semitic. Anyone, including Jews who criticize literally any action by the Israeli government is now considered a self-hating, antisemitic Jew... That is the sad reality today.
I see non Jewish leftists say that antisemitism isn't a real problem for Jews in America, usually being boiled down to "most Jews are white, rich, and have never experienced antisemitic violence physically"
I feel like this is a strawman. As a Jewish person who grew up in and lives in the United States, I have never faced any systemic discrimination or even microaggressions due to my Jewishness. Obviously this is just my anecdotal experience, and there are certainly folks who have, but I think its a valid point that antisemitism is closer in character to Asian hate than anti-black racism-- there is rhetoric against us by certain groups, but there isn't discrimination entrenched in systems that reduces our career opportunities, for example.
Im Jewish and believe we deserve some valid criticism for failing to stop the genocide of Palestine. Im embarrassed by the lack of critical thinking of so many community members who supposedly spend so much time engaged with a text representing a divine moral code. I grew up learning about the holocaust in school each year and was always painted a picture of how we Jews stand with other oppressed groups and are supposed to lead by example for other "nations" as we are "chosen" for that responsibility. When the time actually came to condemn the unspeakable, many doubled down or deflected, and chose tribalism over humanity. I hate that the last passover dinner at my parents house I had to listen to them blabber about the symbolism of an orange representing the hostages, with no self awareness of the irony of them dipping bitter herbs in "tears" to remember not to gloat about the deaths of the Egyptians. It would have been "dayenu" (enough) for god to just free us, etc. When will it be "dayenu" for the Palestinians? Are you going to be surprised if 10 plagues hit Israel? Zero self reflection from way too many of us. The ability of the label "antisemitism" to dismiss criticism has basically run out, regardless of the intention of the critic. We have to confront the aspects of our culture/faith which promote superiority, and if there is not a version of Judaism which can exist without the corruption of a superiority/chosen/purity mentality then I am ok with letting the faith wither and die in favor of a secular humanistic set of principles, personally.
Nobody is saying that we as an entire community don’t deserve criticism for Zionism since the majority of the community is Zionist. This doesn’t negate the fact though that there is actual old fashioned Jew hatred being spread by opportunistic Neo-Nazis and white supremacists on the internet. A few weeks ago Neo-Nazis were spreading a conspiracy theory that Jewish FEMA administrators were misusing government money to send to Haitian immigrants, which is Great Replacement theory. This is a real problem. Six years ago Jewish people were massacred by a shooter who believed in Great Replacement theory. Antisemitism does exist outside of the context of Israel. Anti-zionist Jews should not be thrown under the bus because of Zionist Jews.
Sure, and I would argue "who cares" since we are not in a position where antisemitism affects our material conditions. We do not get disproportionately shot by police, we do not get different hiring practices, we do not get redlined, we do not get systemically attacked the way other groups do. I don't see the issue of anti-zionist jews being thrown under the bus as a serious threat because that bus isnt even moving, theres just some crazy people trying to stuff themselves under its wheels and unless you're an idiot you're not going to end up like them. All you have to do as a jew to avoid supposed anti-semitism is show compassion for Palestinians and acknowledge that apartheid ethnostates are always bad. Nobody is out here asking for anything more.
If anti-semites can come up with conspiracy theories about us, surely some of us are also making up conspiracy theories about them, and its important for us to call that out rather than remaining silent otherwise things continue escalating.
One thing I think this analysis is missing is that antisemitism is often used to hide the real perpetrators of these actions: billionaire capitalists. Antisemitism is misinformation that only leads to more suffering not only because of Jews suffering but because it is a major wedge that brings people into fascist movements. The more people see that the oppressors are the billionaire class, the more people can unite and overthrow it. But meanwhile we are losing so many people to conspiratorial thinking because... we are worried that caring about pointing out antisemitism is going to somehow hurt Palestinians?
Also I do not liken my pain to even 0.1% of what the Palestinians are going through but I actually have been targeted for being Jewish. I would prefer not to speak about it because it's traumatic. But even one piece of hate in this world is too much. I will not make it a big deal because ending the genocide is my focus. But I don't think invalidating what is real is going to help anyone.
the way OPs comment comes across is not that pointing out antisemitism is going to hurt Palestinians but more that Jews don't deserve to talk about it because some Jews are committing a genocide in the name of Judaism
Agree. It makes me really uncomfortable. The idea that people can dictate whose suffering matters is the same logic that Zionists use to weaponize the Holocaust. We can certainly point out the scale of differences (there is a real existential threat to Palestinians) but it feels like a strange self-injury to present it in the way it was presented.
And it legitimizes Zionist complaints that we are self hating kapos that excuse antisemitism. On principle, we should never feed the Zionist narrative about anti-Zionist Jews. Like how the fuck is it okay for you to respond to “Jews were murdered six years ago because of Great Replacement Theory” with “who cares?”
Yes. It is dehumanization and a weak political understanding of why any of this is happening. In my experience, anyone who would show disregard for the life of another in this way is the first to re-perpetuate the fascism we are fighting against within a new society. I don't know if this is unprocessed guilt or if it is intense dissociation but it does not belong in a liberation movement.
When Palestinians and allies have spent so much time proving that anti-Zionism is not antisemitism and an anti Zionist Jew comes along and says “who cares about antisemitism? I’m ashamed of being Jewish” it completely undermines them.
Started typing this in response to a deleted comment by the time i was done, and wanted to keep it here:
I reject the idea that our fear and discomfort deserves more time and attention than the genocide happening in our name. The fact that there is so much Islamophobia and dehumanization of Palestinians in this country and we are still pissing ourselves over the potential for our body to be in even slight danger by some phantom menace is why I am to ashamed of us right now.
Nobody but Zionists are saying that our fear and discomfort deserves more time and attention than a genocide is happening in our name. *Fighting Zionism and stopping the genocide, abolishing Israel is the number one priority.\* But pretending antisemitism doesn't exist is overcompensating for this fact and gives fuel to Zionists who say that we hate ourselves or that we excuse antisemitism to be "good jews"
Anyone who says jews are white (and they definitely are talking about ashkenazi jews, even if they don't say it) doesn't understand that whiteness is a social construct and not an actual color scale. So jews can be called white passing but if you ask people likely to do antisemitic violence (the kkk for example) they will tell you that jews are not white. There was a time Italians were not considered white, or the Irish. So even if some consider jews white now, we know that can change. So why should we be called white when it depends on who you ask and the climate of society.
The other thing I wanted to mention is that some people say, "oh you can ignore antisemitic words. You're not actually being hurt." yes but words preceed actions and that's what we're worried about. The antisemitism I've seen online lately is more warped conspiracy stuff than I've ever seen before. They are actually pulling stuff out of the talmud to make jews look bad. I didn't know most gentiles had heard of the talmud.
The way I view it is: the people in Gaza and the lives in Lebanon that our fellow Jews in Israel are causing to suffer, or die, is nothing compared to the "rise in antisemitism". As Jews we need to do better.
And sadly I have and it sucks. Also most Gazans I'm in direct contact with are never antisemitic towards me/in general. Most of the time it's fellow Americans of various backgrounds.
That goes without saying. The problem is Zionists are out there saying how 80% of Jews are Zionists and when people see Israelis butchering Palestinian kids in the name of "zionism" and the press keeps harping "Israel has a right to defend itself" and every Jew they see represented on TV, and the press, and up on the hill & the WH chirping the same pro-IL talking points, it becomes difficult for the common folk to reach the right conclusion.
Pro-Palestinian Jews are hardly on the popular zeitgeist (Sam Seder comes to mind plus another half dozen maybe). I don't think I need to tell you how Palestinian protests let alone pro-Palestinian Jews are represented on the media.
Gee, I think anti- German sentiments, anti- Nazi, were “on the rise” when they were the ones forcing innocents into concentration camps, engaging in ethic cleansing of innocents, and committing atrocities all over the world, big surprise! Cant have it both ways with a straight face. Antisemitism has been a very grave problem for generations, not something to warrant genocide against other races and faiths. Just because good people care both about humanity at large and respect Judaism, not “Zionism”, doesn’t warrant character slurs to hide behind.. It’s anti-Semitic to accuse others of it, when they, themselves don’t care about the feelings of Holocaust survivors, anyway. Read.
Antisemitism is centered around Jews but Israelis are made to believe they are superior to Arabs (racist schooling). Antisemitism is projection based on how Israelis have been brought up to feel towards Arab people. That said people are upset with Israel not Jews (or wrongfully so). Bad things have been done recently in the name of Jews (by design) but it’s just to escalate violence and justify the unjustifiable. If you are a Jew and you are upset you are facing an ism then you are bearing the brunt of a teaching opportunity and you can say you do not agree with Zionist ideologies and are being made to be a scapegoat of escalation. Zionism is very similar to nazism.
"If you are a Jew and you are upset you are facing an ism then you are bearing the brunt of a teaching opportunity and you can say you do not agree with Zionist ideologies and are being made to be a scapegoat of escalation."
This only make sense if all anti-Jewish bigotry relates to zionism which is not the case.
I think when another commenter said that it feels like it has been rising since 2016, and from an American perspective, I would agree. Trump took the lid off the bigotry box, and Elon Musk made sure bigots have a mainstream platform.
I think both your original comment and the edited version of your response are putting too much responsibility on Jews for the bigotry they face. It's equivalent to saying "if you're an African American facing an ism you don't like, it's a teaching opportunity to let them know you don't engage in violent crime."
I think anti-Jewish hatred has increased because of Israel's actions, but the rise is not only due to that and I think you're giving anti-Jewish bigots way too much credit when you imply they're largely motivated by humanitarian concern.
Yes there was some precursors… escalation with Israel was likely expected / planned. When 10/7 happened the wheels started running on the antisemitism train full throttle.
“It’s equivalent to saying “if you’re an African American facing an ism you don’t like, it’s a teaching opportunity to let them know you don’t engage in violent crime.””
Yikes… almost the same but I disagree with how you worded it. You’re trying to inform them so here try something like; how black communities have been persecuted in America. Also how crime reports largely disfavors the black population. Such as black people being sentenced much more harshly for the same crime.
"Yes there was some precursors… escalation with Israel was likely expected / planned."
You're really making it sound like all or almost all anti-Jewish sentiment ties to Israel, including bigots who looked in their crystal balls and saw Israel's future actions. I grew up with constant kkk vandalism of my syanagogue, would you blame zionism? In first grade, a classmate told me I killed Jesus, was that a missed opportunity to educate him about Jewish anti-zionism? Was Hitler just looking ahead to save the Palestinian people? Were Tzarist pogroms carried out by people with great foresight and concern for future Palestinians? "Some precursors" indeed!
Unfortunately, I have a busy morning so I won't be able to continue this conversation at this time.
Sorry to have offended you. Now you’re just making shit up. Netanyahu is a problem I blame the leadership not the people. People just need more discourse and information. You’re a bit extreme.
I hope when you say I'm making shit up, you mean my interpretation of your argument is bad and not that I made up the incidents from my youth because that is all real.
I don’t know why you’re overcomplicating everything. Leadership is the problem and brainwashing is real. It is a natural reaction for populations being oppressed by the land central to Judaism to find fault in Judaism when it’s being reasoned as their right to the land. Israels agenda is so openly obvious and gross / live-streamed. Just like Israel’s booms the racism that returns is all over the place. Antisemitism / Jew hate just fuels their reasoning. Leadership is manipulating generational trauma of Jews. Things need to eli5 for the masses and not go down history lane thousands of years to explain why Jews are experiencing racism not pertaining to Zionism.
It is a natural reaction for populations being oppressed by the land central to Judaism to find fault in Judaism when it’s being reasoned as their right to the land.
I invite you to re read the original post, because this is supposed to be a conversation about the rise of anti-Semitism in America, that's the conversation I've been having. Despite your desire to not "overcomplicate" things with my lived experience as a Jew in America, anti-Jewish sentiment here is a multi-faceted entity that is not solely about Zionism or Israel.
Back on a quick lunch break, I missed the edits on this comment before but I think there's more to respond to now.
Yikes… almost the same but I disagree with how you worded it. You’re trying to inform them so here try something like; how black communities have been persecuted in America. Also how crime reports largely disfavors the black population. Such as black people being sentenced much more harshly for the same crime.
I think there's more wrong with your original statement and my reworking.
First, presenting bigotry as a teachable moment assumes the bigotry comes in the form of speech and ideas. I have experienced anti-Jewish hatred in the form of vandalism and bomb threats which are not an opportunity for dialogue. Black people may experience anti-Black racism as, for instance, wrongful arrest or lynching, also not an opportunity for dialogue and education.
Second, in giving a one-size-fits-all response to bigotry, you are assuming you know what kind of bigoted statement was made. Your statement assumes that if a Jew experiences anti-Jewish bigotry, it is a conversation about Israel and Zionism, but they might be saying I killed Jesus or that all bad things that happen to Jews are divine punishment (both sentiments I have encountered IRL). Similarly, my example assumes we're talking about black crime for some reason when anti-black bigotry isn't necessarily about that in any way. In proposing a Jew who is experiencing bigotry should respond by talking about Zionism, you are basically giving the kindest possible guess to why a person hates Jews.
Third, "you can say you do not agree with Zionist ideologies and are being made to be a scapegoat of escalation" to me implies a kind of "don't hate me, I'm one of the good Jews, it's the other Jews you want" attitude that rubs me the wrong way; I wouldn't expect a Black person to justify anti-black bigotry and frame themself as "one of the good ones."
I think a real life example can show the shortcomings of the "People just need more discourse and information" idea when it comes to bigots, so here's a tweet from last year:
I would call this anti-Jewish bigotry and not only is it not about Zionism, but beyond that I don't see this as a teaching opportunity. Has nobody told them that there is not a Jewish conspiracy to undermine white people? Highly doubtful. If I wanted to disprove the idea through discourse and reason, what kind of evidence would I use? How do you prove a negative to show that it isn't real? Why would I expect someone who believes in anti-Jewish conspiracies to believe me or any source I would cite? For people who have the patience to try, more power to them, but I think it's wrong to insist that the victims of bigotry view it as an opportunity for dialogue and education when it is often far from it.
Antisemitism is a term coined by proto-Nazi German journalist Friedrich Wilhelm Adolph Marr in 1881 (pre-Zionism) to describe Judenhass or Jew-hatred and make it sound scientific. At this time in history racists were obsessed with trying to scientifically justify their racist beliefs. He wrote about how Jews were an inferior race that were a threat to civilization. Today, this term has been completely distorted and weaponized to delegitimize pro-Palestine advocacy and shield the state of “Israel” for its atrocities, but actual antisemitism is still a very real phenomenon and a cornerstone of white supremacy and Nazi ideology.
I agree with you that anti-Zionist Jewish people do have a special responsibility and burden to educate about Zionism and dezionize Jewish people and institutions because of how Zionism is Jewish supremacism and because of how Zionists are commiting genocide in the name of Judaism. We need to hold ourselves accountable for the violence of our community. But that doesn’t negate the existence of actual antisemitism, as I defined it above in its original meaning. Which by the way I argue that anti-Zionist Jews are more vulnerable to antisemitism because we’re victims of it by both Zionist Jews and Neo-Nazis/white supremacists.
Just a few weeks ago Neo-Nazis were spreading a conspiracy theory on Twitter that Jewish FEMA administrators were misusing government money to send to Haitian immigrants, which is Great Replacement theory. Six years ago Jews were massacred in the US because the shooter believed in Great Replacement Theory. Antisemitism does exist outside of the context of Zionism.
Also I like to argue that the ideology of Zionism is also inherently antisemitic because of Christian Zionists wanting to kill or convert us, because of how Zionism destroys and denigrates Jewish diaspora culture, because of how Yemenite Jews were forcibly moved to occupied Palestine in a joint US-“Israel” operation in which many died and had their babies stolen by the israeli state, and because of how Palestinian Jews were murdered and expelled during the Nakba by European Zionists.
I thought it was coined by a Jewish historian of semitic studies in defense of Arab-semitic peoples corresponding w/another semitic historian who saw said Arabs as inferior. Then the nazis appropriated the term to refer to Jews?
racism is a rising problem. Antisemitism certainly exists and is probably on the rise, but it seems disingenuous how much it's emphasized considering what other marginalized groups (such as arabs) are currently going through
Why do people keep saying this? You can be against genocide and antisemitism. It feels like a lot of jews just have internal guilt from this and I don't blame you but I don't think it's deserved if you are truely anti/non Zionist.
There's basically no proof of antisemitism being on the rise.
And at the moment at least half of outrageously anti-Semitic comments one can see on social media are written by troll farms in Russia (for destabilisation) or in Israel to feed the "Arab bad"-narrative.
At least 25% of the rest are poorly educated people confused by the Israeli/Zionist narrative "Jew=Israel". I can understand it's unfortunate but how can we blame them since all power structures in Western countries, in Israel repeat this narrative all day long followed by the most proeminent Jewish institutions in every single country in the world.
As a Quaker, not Jewish, but most definitely an Ally, I may not fully share your direct observations, but I also notice the rise in anti-Semitism in the media
The genocide in Palestine and growing awareness of historical injustices in the middle east seem to be exacerbating this issue, particularly due to inaction regarding Israel and the IDF. I want to reassure you: you are not alone in recognizing this troubling trend, nor in your objections and concerns.
///Note///
Because I'm autistic and I recognize my own struggles with communication I have started to explain a little bit more about what I mean so here is that explanation not because you don't understand but because I feel it helps to know my intent:
The text conveys a sense of empathy and solidarity, acknowledging the complexity of perspectives regarding sensitive issues such as anti-Semitism and the ongoing conflict in Palestine. The speaker identifies themselves as a Quaker, which implies a commitment to peace and social justice, and states that they are not Jewish, indicating an awareness that their understanding may differ from that of someone directly affected by the issues at hand.
By recognizing the rise in anti-Semitism and linking it to the genocide in Palestine and historical injustices, the speaker reflects a nuanced awareness of the interconnectedness of these issues. This connection suggests a deep concern for justice and human rights, highlighting the emotional weight of these discussions. The mention of "inaction regarding Israel and the IDF" further implies frustration with the current state of affairs, suggesting a desire for more proactive measures to address these injustices.
The speaker seeks to reassure the recipient that they are not isolated in their feelings of concern and objection, fostering a sense of community and shared awareness. This affirmation can be comforting, indicating that there is a recognition that many people share similar worries about these societal issues.
Overall, the emotional tone of the text leans towards compassion, solidarity, and a call for awareness of broader systemic injustices, while also acknowledging differences in perspective. It conveys a respectful and open approach to dialogue on complex social issues, aiming to bridge understanding and foster a sense of connection in the face of troubling realities.
The idea that there is a White race and a Semitic race, and the two don't overlap with each other is part of what I oppose regarding the Nazis' racial theories. I wrote this because the topic of Whiteness came up in the original post.
when ppl use the word antisemitism they aren’t saying that they believe in nazi race science. Its a term with a long historical meaning, ppl r not endorsing an idea of a “semitic race”
I was more responding to the op's statement that it's problematic to consider "most Jews White." What that implies is that there's a racial cut off somewhere around the Mediterranean sea when the truth is that people are all mixed.
I think theyre moreso referring to ppl considering most jews ashkenazi european pale white. I do think there’s a broader discussion about trying to racially categorize arabs/middle easterners to be had, but generally when ppl talk abt the whiteness of jews they r not including arabs in their definition of white when a lot of jews, particularly in israel, r not ashkenazi european
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u/BeardedDragon1917 Oct 28 '24 edited Oct 28 '24
The problem is that mainstream Jewish institutions are lumping together the vast majority of Palestine activism in with the genuine antisemitism, making statements like “antisemitism is rising” difficult to really analyze. These people insist that saying “free Palestine” or “from the river to the sea” are statements of genocidal, intent, so remember that when you hear people talking about a massive increases in anti-Semitic incidences. That kind of headline serves a purpose. Zionists use these declarations of rising antisemitism as a way of deflecting criticism from themselves and to justify their actions, and they’ve always done this. Zionism is an ethnic supremacy movement that requires its believers to feel like they are in constant threat of persecution everywhere, except for Israel.