Opinion: American Jews start to think the unthinkable

[mahatmakanejeeves]

-->Superb by
@milbank
: American Jews start to think the unthinkable

washingtonpost.com
Opinion | American Jews start to think the unthinkable
The fear of exile has become common as Jews see the unraveling rule of law.

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Opinion | American Jews start to think the unthinkable

By Dana Milbank
Columnist

October 28, 2022 at 1:49 p.m. EDT

On the holiest night of the Jewish year earlier this month, my rabbi looked up from his Kol Nidre sermon — a homily about protecting America’s liberal democracy — and posed a question that wasn’t in his prepared text: “How many people in the last few years have been at a dining room conversation where the conversation has turned to where might we move? How many of us?”

He was talking about the unthinkable: that Jews might need to flee the United States. In the congregation, many hands — most? — went up.

The sermon included a quotation from the Jewish scholar Michael Holzman: “For American Jews, the disappearance of liberal democracy would be a disaster. … We have flourished under the shelter of the principles behind the First Amendment, and we have been protected by the absolute belief in the rule of law. Without these, Jews, start packing suitcases.”

The fear of exile has become common as Jews see the unraveling rule of law, ascendant Christian nationalists and anti-Israel sentiments turning antisemitic on the far left. Wondering where Jews might move “is among the most frequently asked questions that I get,” Jonathan Greenblatt, head of the Anti-Defamation League, told me.

{snip}

Opinion by Dana Milbank
Dana Milbank is an opinion columnist for The Washington Post. He sketches the foolish, the fallacious and the felonious in politics. His new book is “The Destructionists: The 25-Year Crackup of the Republican Party” (Doubleday). Twitter https://twitter.com/Milbank

[secondwind]

1. This is frightening............

[llashram]

11. think 1933 Germany

Last edited Sun Oct 30, 2022, 10:26 AM - Edit history (2)

and the years leading up to the 1939 invasion of Poland...and the roundup of the Jewish people

skip to here in the 21st century Ukraine is a proxy of the RW former Potus, Hitler 2.0.
Hitler 2.0 gave Putin the go-ahead thinking he was going to have 4 years more. One of the reasons for his 'Big Lie'. Wanted to stay in Putin's good graces by not helping Ukraine in any manner. And having Putin's help in subduing American forces arrayed against TFGPOS.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

2. Next on the Agenda...Anyone NOT White Anglo Saxon Protestant and MALE...

Combined, we outnumber the the Neo-Fascists who would deny us our rights as declared in the US Constitution.

We cannot allow that to happen. For whites are predicted to become a Minority within a generation.

[3auld6phart]

23. Not only' WASPs

I see many Irish , in positions of power to mould and change people
minds. Too many to name. . I’m sure their ancestors would be ashamed
of them. That is so sad to what is happening in your country. But,it
seems the whole world is going Right Wing..

[niyad]

3. This is frightening indeed.

[twodogsbarking]

4. They are right to be afraid. They are threatened and Trump contributes.

[Justice matters.]

5. Obviously mentally-disordered "ye" is the "far left"??

What about the obviously mentally-disordered "far-right" inciter hair furhair??

[karin_sj]

6. Frightening and heartbreaking

It's unbelievable and depraved. Our democracy is hanging by a thread. But I continue to believe we will win big in November. I know that most Americans don't share these disgusting beliefs.

[Farmer-Rick]

7. Well a lot of the richest of the rich Jews supported Trump and the GOP

Sheldon Adelson was called the kingmaker by GOP leaders. He was Jewish and very involved in promoting anti democratic GOPers and fascism. Maybe if the billionaires helped fund pro democracy organizations, or anti Federalist Society groups, the poorer Jewish folks wouldn't have to be worrying about fleeing.

When Israel's government leaders joined arm and arm with Trump, they should have checked his Nazi credentials. But they joined in with the anti democracy movement with glee. And this is what we end up with.

My sister, a very sweet girl who converted to a very conservative form of Judaism, is a huge Trump supporter. Her and her husband are very rich and give a lot of money to the GOP. She seems blind to his and the GOP's Nazism.

Seems to me the richer you are the more likely you are to support antisemitism if you are Jewish. It makes no sense. But perhaps it's about class and Not religion.

[mtngirl47]

10. This.

But perhaps it's about class and Not religion.

It's about money and how much they can keep. (Same with all the wealthy people who throw their money at republicans)

[Zambero]

17. Adelson figured by the time any bad shit happened he'd be dead

In the meantime, he threw obscene amounts of money at the party whose policies increased his bottom line at the expense of everyone and everything else. Half of his expectations have now been fulfilled.

[CanonRay]

36. His wife continues to give millions to the GOP

[paleotn]

18. That's more to do with economic class than ethnicity or religion.

The German industrialists liked much of what they heard from the Nazis and figured they were dumb buffoons who could be control from behind the scenes. That is until the monster started calling the tune. That's the thing about coopting monsters. One minute they're controlling it, the next it's controlling them. One minute they're reaping the benefits, the next they're getting pogromed despite their wealth.

https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/how-big-business-bailed-out-nazis

https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/04/30/the-german-industrialists-who-aided-and-abetted-the-nazi-regime

[Beastly Boy]

38. Let me get this absolutely clear: antisemitism has nothing to do with class or religion.

Jew haters hate Soros, Adelson and a random Brooklyn yeshiva kid equally. They love rich Kanye and a broke lone loser shooting up a synagogue equally. A so-called Evangelical Zionist is unlikely to save a single Jew. On the contrary, it is dead Jews, not the living ones who figure prominently in their religious narrative of Armageddon and the Second Coming. Being pro-Trump or anti-Trump will not save a single Jew when the shit hits the fan. Adelson's support of Trump did not start, and his hypothetical rejection of Trump would not stop antisemitism, nor will it spare him from the violence of Jew haters.

Tying antisemitism to either economics or ideology is just a distraction. Antisemitism transcends economics and ideology. We have plenty of historical precedents to have learned this lesson over and over again. And throughout history, exile has been the only alternative to extermination. When Jews begin to seriously consider leaving a country, they sense with their centuries-old sixth sense that shit is about to hit the fan.

[Farmer-Rick]

40. So, you are saying

Antisemitism is like a disease floating in the air? And you catch it or get converted to it. But why and how?

Why do rich Jewish people support antisemitism? Why do religions decide to support antisemitic ideology? Like the lie about who killed Jesus.

And why are there times when this virus gets nowhere. There are lengthy periods of history where antisemitism is considered disgusting and abusive with No support from powerful and rich people.

So if it's not related to religious ideology or economics, is it a virus you catch in the air? Why do people embrace it? Something sets the stage for it's development and spread. What is it?

[Beastly Boy]

46. These are pretty complicated questions, so my response will by definition be incomplete

I would say that antisemitism is a societal, sometimes dormant, but always present virus, especially as it relates to Euro-centric societies. This doesn't preclude periods (which are not at all lengthy or frequent) of antisemitism not being outright evident. But then... Take 15th century Spain as an example: in less than 100 years, it went from totally accepting Jews as distinct but otherwise equal members of its social fabric to inquisitions and forced exile or conversion (or worse) of all of Spain's Jews. It took a cataclysmic change to the Spanish society, but that will be addressed later.

I am not aware of a single Jew who lends any support to the lie about who killed Jesus, or the blood libel lie, or the totally fabricated Protocols of the Elders of Zion, or any other such nonsense. There is a phenomenon of a self-hating Jew, but those instances are exceedingly rare and not any more common to rich Jews than the poor ones.

How does one catch it? What triggers antisemitism? It is usually the same scenario that has played itself, again and again, from the peak of Byzantine Empire to the fall of Nazi Germany. When any particular country or society is internally stable, the virus of antisemitism remains dormant or at least suppressed. But when stability becomes unsustainable, the best and historically most reliable way to distract the masses from the effects of the turmoil that follows is to find a common enemy which other elements of society can unite against. In this respect, Jews have proven to be a very convenient target: as a requisite of their survival as a nation in diaspora, their religious and cultural values demanded they remain somewhat separate from the rest, and, as part of this survival strategy, they have remained traditionally non-violent. They were easy to identify and just as easy to exterminate.

Unless they manage to escape before it is too late.

[Farmer-Rick]

48. I see what you mean

Yeah, antisemitism has a long history.

I guess hate of others comes along when society and economics become unstable.

I wish it were simpler and then I could talk my sister out of her support for the GOP.

[TigressDem]

55. What I heard is, "Antisemitism" is hatred of Jews. The rest is justification, distraction...

The Jews have been around a long time and often they are put up for one reason or another as the whipping race.

But because their culture was evolved long before many countries were even around, they can't exactly be called "less than" but their motives and success can be called into question.

Those Jewish who are rich and embrace the Antisemitic Racists are not saving themselves or any of their people.

There isn't a valid reason for racism or antisemitism. No justification.

Those with brains that function properly, who deal with facts, understand that all people have the potential to behave in a positive or negative manner and who take responsibility for their own actions, are not anyone who is a threat to Jewish people.

BUT when any country begins to spawn these MAGA thoughts, Jewish people have a history they can't ignore.

They think about leaving a place that is no longer safe for them because if irrationality is allowed to rule and they are already being blamed for things they are NOT doing, how many steps to another Holocaust?

[JudyM]

45. "The rich Jews" have brought this on themselves, they are at fault here? Not a trope?

[Farmer-Rick]

47. No they have not brought it on themselves

No more than Kanye's, Clarance Thomas or Mrs Walton are bringing racism and misogyny on themselves and others like them.

Maybe it's a class issue where the rich feel antisemitism, racism or sexism aren't a threat so much as they are tools? Or maybe they feel this hate and abuse only affects the poor because their wealth will protect them?

I'm just wondering why some very rich people would support such awfulness when they could support good things instead of hate.

What's the cause of taking political stances and supporting issues that could literally hurt you or your family?

[Irish_Dem]

8. The GOP is going after Jews, women, LGBT, POC, Dem leaders, election workers, teachers, doctors.

Public health officials.

The list keeps getting longer.

[Farmer-Rick]

12. But yet.....

Last edited Sun Oct 30, 2022, 01:24 PM - Edit history (2)

The majority of the filthy rich no matter their religion or sex (Most of the Walton wealth is in the hands of women.) Support the GOP and their anti democratic goals and agenda.

Is this hate more about wealth and class?

Sheldon Adelson, a Jewish man, supported the GOP.
I wonder if It's the wealth distribution that matters?

I think it might to some extent.

[Irish_Dem]

14. American oligarchs want what Russian oligarchs have in Russia.

Total power/control and access to all of our country's financial assets.

GOP leaders want total and permanent control of the government.

The voters want a white, male, christian minority rule.

The wealthy oligarchs bribe GOP politicians who lie to the voters.

[llashram]

13. and at

the right time will go after all non-whites. 'Homelands" anyone...if the nazis on the right have their way and win important local and national elections. The consequence to American democracy is terrifying.

[Irish_Dem]

15. Yes it looks like a sizable chunk of the American electorate will vote out democracy.

And install white, christian, male minority rule.

[Rebl2]

27. I don't

understand why the GOP are going after the Jewish people. They have always backed Jewish people and Israel.

[Irish_Dem]

30. It is a Putin talking point.

Putin is using antisemitism to crush opposition to the Ukraine war.


https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/2022-03-24/ty-article-opinion/.premium/putin-revives-soviet-era-antisemitism-to-crush-opposition-to-his-war-on-ukraine/00000180-5bb3-d615-a9bf-dff3f6d70000

[RainCaster]

9. I'm Christian and I ask the same question

The evil that has taken over the GOP is not the Christian faith that I know and love. It is certainly not what Christ taught us. Where will I go if this continues? I have no answers, only questions.

[nightwing1240]

22. I too am Christian and fear for our Jewish friends and minorities

Years ago, when W was POTUS, I was quite troubled with the direction or nation was headed. This was in the midst of 911 the illegal war, torture, tax cuts for the rich etc. Closing my eyes, I was praying that God help all of us through this horrible time in American history and please show me that better days were coming. After a few moments, I glanced up eyes still closed and I saw the nazi flag to which I said, oh god please no! To see what has been happening over the past few years, wow

I have shared this with others and been ridiculed mostly by atheists. That is why I rarely post here though been a member of Democratic Underground from the beginning. I understand being scoffed at for a vision but not for my faith.

[Lonestarblue]

16. If I were in my 30s, I would be searching for another country.

But I’m long retired and not looking to start a new life elsewhere. Democracy is hanging on by a thread, and if Republicans wins the presidency and control of Congress in 2024, that thread will be severed, perhaps permanently. It breaks my heart to see the potential and energy of this country being wasted on culture wars, fake religion, and repression of nonwhite and non-male people instead of building green energy suppliers, providing accessible healthcare for all citizens, investing in science to better serve the future, creating the best public education system in the world, ensuring that people are paid well enough to afford housing rather than living on the streets. Our needs are many, but we have one political party and a whole host of media forcing the focus to personal rights and issues rather than what’s needed to build a strong country where everyone’s rights are protected, not just those of the white oligarchy.

[paleotn]

19. Even if you're not in your 30's, a plan B is always a useful thing to have.

[Susan Calvin]

25. It's a lot more difficult

If you're not young and don't have scads of cash.

[Timeflyer]

20. Atheist, but live in FL--and packing to move to West Coast if/when DeSatan wins another term.

It's not all about him and his collaborators, but that's a huge part. I don't physically fear the strutting little Proud Louts and Moms for Shutting Down Public Education, but the trend in this state is openly anti-democratic. Michael Flynn and his bros are settling in here, greedy GOP politicians have control of every branch of local and state gov't from school board members to Governor. And cruelty appeals to their base. Fighting the trend here is exhausting and dispiriting. For years I've been active, volunteering, marching, making calls, writing letters, but swimming against the tide here isn't working.

[Jon King]

24. Yup, Florida is gone.

When we moved here it was basically a swing state. DeSantis won by .4%. Now its long gone. Sadly the BS narrative that Florida did better during the pandemic turned enough swing voters Republican that Florida is now a deep red state. The reality is that because our weather was warm, many suburbanites were able to get outside and still function during the pandemic despite DeSantis bungling it.

But Florida is gone now. The Hispanic males have mostly gone Republican now which along with the retirees, have made this a radical red state.

[Mister Ed]

44. Florida's a radical red state with an aging population...

...and is likely to be half-submerged by the end of the century. I wonder how all of that plays out, and what the implications are? I can scarcely even speculate.

[paleotn]

28. Come to New England....

Lots of jobs. Virtually zero unemployment over most of the region. Economically, we need transplants desperately. Crappy Winters, but politicians you an actually be proud of. What's not to like?

[Texin]

21. I am not Jewish, but the collapsing of laws and essentially a hostile takekover

by evangelicals and Catholic dogma have made me want to find somewhere else to live olther than America. Right now, Costa Rico and Canada look pretty good to me.

[Texin]

37. This isn't fundamentally about religion. It's about white power.

They believe they if they can permanently control power by oppression of women and the minority population, they can create an American apartheid to rule forever. Force white women (and girls old enough to conceive and survive pregnancy/birth) to make white babies (that good ol' "domestic supply" of "adoptable" infants (but only the white ones), then beggar and oppress the black and brown minorities by creating working wage slaves in crap jobs, they can emotionally and physically beat people into submission forever and they can reign forever.

The big problem with that belief system, is the fact that there is an explosion of younger Americans who no longer believe in organized religion or are outright atheist or agnostic, which was reported recently to be as high as about 30% of the population and growing. That's a pretty significant segment of the population who wouldn't view this as copacetic. Add to that, the majority of this christofacism movement are old white men (and some women) who will be dead soon and replaced whether they like it or not.

[paleotn]

26. We need to understand it in context, but also squash it before it becomes a bigger problem....

Overall, according to the Anti Defamation League, antisemitism is at an all time low in the US.

Nonetheless, there was positive news as the findings showed that the level of Americans who hold pernicious and pervasive anti-Semitic attitudes has remained at decades-long historical lows: The majority of ADL’s surveys over the last 25 years have indicated that between 11 and 14 percent of Americans intensely harbor anti-Semitic attitudes.

https://www.adl.org/news/press-releases/anti-semitic-stereotypes-persist-in-america-survey-shows

Social media, however, makes them sound and seem far larger than they really are, making for a different and potentially dangerous dynamic that didn't exist back when far more Americans held antisemitic views. It appears that much smaller group of anti semites are more apt to act out of their irrational hatred than in past generations. Thus, they need to be identified and squashed wherever they raise their ugly heads. Much of West's net worth walked away due to his latest evil. We need more of that. Bankrupt the evil bastards!

[303squadron]

33. Antisemitism is at an all time low?????

https://www.adl.org/research-centers/center-on-extremism

[paleotn]

41. Reading comprehension is your friend. Cultivate it.

Nonetheless, there was positive news as the findings showed that the level of Americans who hold pernicious and pervasive anti-Semitic attitudes has remained at decades-long historical lows: The majority of ADL’s surveys over the last 25 years have indicated that between 11 and 14 percent of Americans intensely harbor anti-Semitic attitudes.

https://www.adl.org/news/press-releases/anti-semitic-stereotypes-persist-in-america-survey-shows

[303squadron]

42. Oh I get it now

Antisemitism is only confined to opinions.

My bad!!!!!!!!

[paleotn]

43. You're arguing with the Anti Defamation League's opinion. You do know that. Right? Right?

It's not mine. It's ADL's research. Holy crap.

[303squadron]

56. Yes, but here is the problem.

Opinions are not actions. Actual actions in the real world indicate that antisemitism is increasing in the US. Opinions are like thoughts and prayers - they don't do Jack shit. I find little to no comfort in decreasing antisemitic opinion in the face of rising antisemitic actions. I wonder what the over 50 people murdered in Auschwitz who bore my mother's maiden name thought about "opinion."

[Behind the Aegis]

49. You are conflating two things.

Anti-Semitic beliefs remain low, but anti-Semitic acts have routinely increased and are at all time highs. In your clip, you left out the first sentence:

Amid the worst outbreak of anti-Semitic violence in decades, a new survey released today from ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) found more than half of American adults (61 percent) polled agree with at least one or more classic anti-Semitic canards.

So, even if "attitudes" aren't that prevalent, real-world consequences are. Besides, 61% agreeing to one or more anti-Semitic attitudes is still not all that great.

[paleotn]

50. I know. That's my thought behind this sentence.....

It appears that much smaller group of anti Semites are more apt to act out their irrational hatred than in past generations.

While the number of unabashed haters is much lower than previous generations, the current crop appear to be more violent. That certainly seems the case with the number of violent acts recently.

[Behind the Aegis]

51. On this, we agree.

My fear is seeing people exposed to anti-Semitism and not even realizing its anti-Semitism. Talk about "grooming"! I see any number of people who have very fluid opinions of Jews and this recent shit could get even uglier in the coming days and weeks.

[paleotn]

53. Exactly. That's where social media is a real problem....

The free flow of information unfortunately includes some very malignant ideas.

[Chainfire]

29. It cost tens of millions of lives to remove the shitstain of the Nazis from the face of the earth

less than a eighty years ago. We apparently didn't learn a damn thing from the experience, so we may be required to repeat the lesson.

It breaks my heart to see how far we have fallen.

[judesedit]

31. I'm not Jewish, but find myself aaking the same question

Costa Rica keeps coming to mind. It's a sad day in America. I am not a white male

[hlthe2b]

34. I remember once accidentally getting caught in a KKK demonstration at a major Woodstock, GA

intersection (north of Atlanta) several years ago. I might not have looked like any of those that KKK would normally target, but I was absolutely terrified--perhaps only slightly less so than if I was...

Most will not find it easy to leave the US but if your very life (or at least well-being) depends on it, how can you not at least consider it? If it gets to that point, I can only say that I will hope to join them.

[Pepsidog]

35. Good question to ask Murdoch.

[nycbos]

39. What the Trump years made me realized was...

...I would have been one of those comfortable German Jews in the 1920s. "Hitler is a clown, a buffoon, there is no way he could possibly take over a civilized nation like Germany. We fought in the war for the Kaiser, how dare anyone say we are not German." I really thought there was something special about our nations institutions, that we have this peaceful transfer of power for over 200 years and there was no way it could happen here. The fact that our institutions have been operating on pretty much the honor system for 200 years was a horrifying reality.

My relationship with Judaism is complicated. I'm a non-observant secular Jew. I identify with the culture not the faith. I don't believe in god. I don't keep kosher On one hand there's a big part of me that believes religion itself has a negative impact on humanity. But on the other hand my great grandfather came here fleeing antisemitic programs in Poland. And my grandfather went to medical school in Scotland because medical schools in America a quota on the number of Jews they would accept. So it's still important for me to identify as Jewish because one it's middle finger to the people who have been trying to kill us for 5000 years. It's a message we're still here.

I am worried because I know full well that the Nazis did not make the distinction between the observant and non observant. And I don't know where I could go if things got bad including Israel.

[Solly Mack]

52. K&R

[Mr.Mystery]

54. Yet, oddly, a lot of vociferous right-wingers are of Jewish ethnicity

c.f., Roy Cohn

Sheldon Adelman

Jared Kushner

54 percent of Orthodox Jews voted for him . . . https://religionnews.com/2017/09/13/most-us-jews-oppose-trump-but-the-orthodox-stick-with-him/

On edit-- Farmer Rick posted some of this info up-thread.