Thank you for honoring Yom HaShoah. I am a proud Jewish Zionist. I wear my “Jew bling” loud and proud. I raised my kids to love and appreciate the US and Israel. We had a Shabbat dinner every Friday night and hubby and I continue the tradition even tho we are empty nesters. I bake a challah and we say the prayers over the bread, candles and grape juice. (We don’t really drink wine anymore.) I highly recommend it. I’m glad you are looking for ways to deepen your connection. It’s so important now more than ever. If you lived in our area I would invite you and Debbie for a Shabbat experience. We look forward to it all week.
I probably should have mentioned that we sent our three kids to a Jewish Day School and that when they were younger we had Shabbat dinner with them. I studied the Torah pretty intently, partly because I wanted to stay ahead of the kids' knowledge base. They got their Challahs from school, which would be stuffed at the bottom of their backpacks. Already very doughy, compacted in that additional way, they had the consistency of cement and could be used as lethal weapons.
It was our responsibility to raise them with their heritage. But ever since they left home, we've celebrated a few holidays with them, but we've slacked off in terms of ritual.
That’s fantastic. It’s so important for Jewish parents to give their kids that foundation. Our kids went to a Jewish day school in elementary and middle school but the HS was too expensive. You will laugh when I tell you where they spent their HS school years. Dylan went to an all boys Jesuit school and Samantha went to the Newman IB school. (Named for cardinal Newman.) They had a great education and the kids were loving, accepting and curious about their Judaism. Dylan’s flag football team called themselves the Hebrew Nationals in honor of Dylan’s religion.
I appreciate the thoughtfulness of this post and your dedication to honoring Jewish history through study and applying its ethics. However, I was taken aback by one of your opening statements: "Assimilation does not mean an abandonment of my Jewish identity. Rather it means an ease, a lack of friction, a membership among mostly other Jews in what seems to be the dominant culture of the milieu I inhabit and the people I know." Jews who assimilate are abandoning their Jewish identity, or perhaps they were never given it to begin with, which is often the case. And even the most assimilated Jews today are most definitely feeling the friction as they are cancelled, questioned as to whether they are "Zio" or not, and even assaulted on campuses or on the streets. This is hardly a time without friction for Jews, and it will spread even into the most cocooned and wealthy enclaves. Jewish ethics are in fact unique because they were so radical when they were introduced. Why not give credit where credit is due? Judaism is a lived experience, not only through studying Jewish historians but studying and applying the lessons of our holy books: the Torah, Prophets, and the brilliant commentaries that help us glean invaluable insights about what it means to live as a Jew. This includes very specifically how to be the most morally and ethically upright people we can. The reason we have so many, many laws and rules is because they deal with nuances of personal and business life. For example, when is it appropriate to share negative information about another person? Who is responsible for property damage under various circumstances? What level is charitable giving appropriate and necessary? Etc. Throughout history, we have survived because we have defied our enemies (sadly, we are never short of them) by living proud and commited Jewish lives, which includes active and consistent following of our mitzvot (positive commandments). Today, in light of the worst antisemitism we have seen since WWII, many other assimilated Jews are beginning to learn what our traditions are all about. They are lighting Sabbath candles, perhaps keeping some form of the kosher laws, and more. It is active commitment to learning and growing that keeps us an eternal people. By the way, I grew up attending a Conservative synagogue but realized as a young adult I knew almost nothing about what Judaism actually taught. For more than 35 years I have been trying to grow in knowledge, commitment, and practice. It is a beautiful journey.
I appreciate your point. And I am aware of most of the ritualistic mitzvot I do not observe. I have not experienced anti-Semitism. Knowing our people's history, of course I'm wary of what's going on. And I'm proud to be a Jew and not at all shy about proclaiming my Judaism publicly to my readership.
So I think we're using the word assimilated in different ways .The ease and the lack of friction comes from being mostly with other Jews.
I wish by the way that I was more spiritual in my Judasim but I haven't found a way in yet.
I was never a spiritual seeker, a point I made in my first memoir, "The Skeptic and the Rabbi: Falling in Love with Faith." Praying has never come naturally to me. I first felt true spiritual uplift in synagogues where the singing was emotional and heartfelt. I began to feel glimmers of it when I was listening to Torah classes and realized (to my shock, at first) how relevant these narratives from thousands of years ago were today, in modern times. I found this not only moving, but it nudged my spiritual meter a bit higher up. Raising children to be religiously focused from birth also truly built my spiritual muscles, and it has taken a long time, but the very effort makes the reward that much sweeter.
As a twenty-year-old WASP student studying Comparative Religion, Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi allowed me to take one of his grad courses on Liturgy for undergrad credit. Professor Schacter--Zalman--tasked me with reading aloud and by myself from the Siddur--the Jewish book of prayer--for an hour.
So I went off to a darkened nook in the synagogue, and began to read aloud. The ancient words honoring God, even translated into English, over time began to taste like honey, and I became increasingly intoxicated. One hour became two; and I eventually concluded the exercise marinated in a sort of rapture that lasted the rest of the day.
My point is that Jewish mysticism is real; and that like other systems of mysticism, it is a contact sport, accessed by doing. Which was the whole point of Zalman's teaching, and why he is still considered one of the most influential American Rabbis.
Like another commenter here, I was raised Unitarian Universalist. My grandmother, when she arrived in DC from North Carolina, had decided the Southern Baptism of her youth no longer made sense to her. She attended a different church every Sunday in DC, along 16th Street NW, until she stumbled upon All Souls Unitarian and the Reverend A. Powell Davies. My grandfather was also drawn to the Reverend's homilies, and they met and were later married in that church in 1952. As an undergraduate at Georgetown, I drove across the bridge every Sunday to take my grandparents to church. Every Sunday, my grandfather loved standing up during "Joys and Sorrows" (a part of the service typically used to announce births, deaths, calls for support...) to announce his joy was that his granddaughter, Alicia Kenworthy, was with him at church. And she attends Georgetown and speaks fluent French. And then he would ask me to stand so the congregation could identify me (in case they'd already forgotten from the Sunday prior!) I always turned beet red and wanted to disappear into the ground, but I look back on those days and smile now. When I go back to that church on occasion, people still remember my grandfather's weekly boasting.
My grandmother always described the UU faith as "freedom of belief with social responsibility." She participated in boycotts and protests during the Civil Rights movement; I think I've probably mostly carried on the UU tradition with my own activism re: criminal justice reform.
My mom always found something was slightly missing from the UU church. It can be a little "intellectual," depending on the congregation, sometimes to the detriment of spirituality. (Some reverends are hesitant to ever mention God.) She always felt more drawn to the African American Christian churches in communities where she volunteered. Of the major religions, like others have mentioned, I always felt the most drawn to Judaism and Jewish culture. Many of my closest friends growing up and in college were (are still!) Jewish. On a superficial level, we always commiserated on "Christmas culture" being a bit much. And I've always loved Jewish humor and intellect and community.
I appreciate reading you, David, and I especially appreciate your clarification re: why "From the River to the Sea" is anathema to you. I am doing my best to better understand the existential fear many of my Jewish friends are feeling in this moment, and I admit I've probably fallen short in knowing how to name it and acknowledge it and show up while also expressing my own political beliefs and values honestly -- a strong belief that all human beings, ergo both Jews and Palestinians, have a right to self-determination. Like many people, I grieve the innocent lives lost on October 7th. I also grieve for the Palestinian experience, the brutality of life under military occupation, and for the relative silence they've faced from the international community for decades.
I hadn't yet considered the chant from that specific perspective, though I've gone down a rabbit hole of reading and listening to different perspectives on it -- including, like another commenter noted, similar phrasing in the Likud party platform. So much of what's heartbreaking about the current moment -- although, well, I suppose this is always true of humanity -- is how differently words sound depending on who's speaking and who's receiving them. I read your explanation and I empathize with your reaction. I hear the same phrase from my Palestinian friends here in DC and it brings tears of hope and joy to my eyes, because I know their hearts and how they, at least, intend it -- not against the Jewish people, but for the liberation of their own.
I appreciate your comment very much, both the background on your church experience–––love your grandfather's contribution to the weekly sermon!–––and your comments about how words can sound differently to people based on their experiences and backgrounds.
I'm not necessarily fearful but I do have anger at Hamas because they have made no secret of their goal. Hamas does want to eliminate Israel and kill Jews. And tragically for everyone involved, Hamas is still in charge in Gaza and still holding hostages. So, in addition to Judenrein, the fact of Hamas is context to what I hear when I hear the chant.
That makes sense. Thank you for being so open with your own perspective and being open to respectful exchange!
As a related aside, have you seen the “The Green Prince”? One of my good friends met the “Son of Hamas” at a yoga retreat, and he introduced her to his friend in Haifa, who showed us around when we visited Israel together in 2016. I don’t know why I hadn’t ever actually watched the documentary until this weekend (well, I guess it makes sense I’m thinking of him now — I caught a clip of his recent appearance on Piers Morgan.) Regardless of where one stands on Israel-Palestine, his is an absolutely fascinating (and at times tragic) story.
My heritage is Christian in the evangelical Baptist tradition, which tends to be exclusive. I now have an appreciation for the wider Christian community and I have completely rejected the 'culture war' mentality of the current evangelical political mindset (yes, even
Canadian evangelicals have been affected by the American ideology). I remain a Christian and love the observances of Advent and the Incarnation at Christmas and the Resurrection at Easter and the regular observances of Communion (the Eucharist) throughout the year.
My great aunt married a German Jewish refugee who had been arrested the day after Kristelnacht and who was tortured in Buchenwald - as it was early days, before the Final Solutions, he managed to escape and flee the country, but his remaining family later perished. My aunt married a man who was rescued from Germany as a boy thought the Kinder transport - his mother died in Aushwitz, his elder brother made his way to the British Palestinian Protectorate and took part in the founding of Israel. His sons, my cousins, remember their paternal grandmother every Holocaust Memorial day. Both uncles converted to Christianity by personal conviction but retained a deep concern for their ethnic people that they passed on to our extended family.
On the Gaza protests, I have studied the history of the modern Middle East, so I have some understanding of the complexities involved, including the fact that Nazi anti-Semitic rhetoric has been recycled by Palestinian militants. October 7th was truly heinous, and the perpetrators of Hamas and the other Islamic militant groups should be brought to justice.
I am also aware of the bloody history of violence toward Palestinians that the Likud party of Netanyahu is associated with, including its founder Menachim Begin's involvement with Irgun, which perpetrated the massacre of the Palestinian village Deir Yassin in 1948 and the West Bank Qibya massacre of 1952 led by Ariel Sharon who later was forced to resign in 1983 as defense minister for his role in allowing the Sabra and Shatila Palestinian refugee camp massacres in Lebanon. The original party platform of Likud in 1977 stated "between the Sea and the Jordan there will only be Israeli sovereignty", rejecting the idea of a Palestinian state. I fear very much that the starving and displaced civilians of Gaza, including an estimated 1.1 million children and a tinyl community of Palestinian Christians long persecuted by Hamas but now victims of IDF bombings and sniper attacks, are being targeted by Likud and the other right wing elements in Israel, using revenge for October 7th as a cover for their long declared purpose.
I'm very uncomfortable with the current Israeli government, with Netanyahu, and with the zealots he's had to include to maintain his majority. And yes, Israel cannot claim clean hands when it comes to the history of all the violence and wars.
The conundrum is how to end the war given that Hamas is in control of Gaza and still holding hostages. I don't think any Israeli govt. would find that ending acceptable.
This is an illuminating interview with Yair Lapid, the opposition leader. essentially he supports the war, but is anti-Netanyahu.
I was travelling yesterday (Paris-London), so didn't have time to respond.
I am unattached to any real cultural heritage - both parents unreligious and I was never baptised, which was VERY unusual in 1942. I never missed it until I went to college where I was a Goldschmidt (my maiden name) from NYC and by chance (or rather by natural interests), all my friends were Jewish. Indeed, virtually all my boyfriends (but not my husband) were Jewish, much to the concern of many a mother. I longed to be Jewish and felt very much an outsider. Indeed, a few years ago, I wrote a post called 'On not being Jewish' but I never published it because I thought it might be taken the wrong way.
In c 2001, after both parents had died, we found an old memoir from my father's father (of German background) who said that his father came from a Jewish family that chose to convert in the interests of a better education in the place they lived. I know that doesn't make me Jewish at all, but It was a wonderful discovery. All my friends from that period stated simply "We always knew you were Jewish!" I continue to feel a bit of an outsider, but such is life.
That story about Ezra was so simple but it demonstrated the idea that education can, at times, change everything. My parents were staunchly anti-religion while respecting any and all choices in others unless they were based on hate. They tithed to a stunning number of causes, the native schools, civil rights, planned parenthood, etc. There were times I longed for a simple answer to the evil in the world but they refused to provide one instead urging me to keep reading and treat others with respect and kindness.
When my younger son was in college, we had fierce debates about whether there was absolute evil or whether everything was relative. I took the position that some limited set of actions were absolutely evil. He took the other side. A few years ago, I heard him debating this with someone and he had adopted my POV. We never debated the why of evil. Nine of these questions have a simple answer!
Thank you, David, for another excellent essay, lucid and honest as always. I wasn't brought up in any religious or intellectual tradition, so I don't have anything in particular to honour in that sense. But I'd agree on the need to learn from history and to honour those people who fought for the rights and resources we enjoy now.
The part of your essay that stood out for me was about the migrant workers struggling to survive amidst the grandeur of the Hamptons. I applaud your efforts, and those of others, to help them. But what a sorry indictment it is of the poltical and economic system that this kind of brutal inequality should exist at all.
It is an indictment, Jeffrey. Once seen, it's something you can't unsee, which is a good thing. So much of the issue is housing availability, which is a very tough problem to solve. I look forward, however, to playing some part in a solution.
Volunteering time to teach English to Mexican immigrants in the community was often a bit of resistance against the prevailing attitudes, but also helped learners better their lives and navigate the community more easily. Also, a woman in a shawl ministry I joined assembled bags of infant necessities for new Moms who had nothing. The ministry's hand-knitted blankets went to these, as well as shawls for sick people, and caps for cancer patients. It was an honor to be part of both of these projects.
This is also time to remember the million plus non-Jews who were targeted by the Nazis because of their sexual orientation, for being disabled, etc. Over half a million Romi (gypsies) were segregated and detained across eastern Europe and later sent to the Concentration Camps to be murdered in the gas chambers. May all who were the victims of pure evil and the survivors
David this is a beautiful reflection that gives voice to a perspective I feel, as well. Thanks you for sharing and Rona- thanks for your reference to Hasidic Tales from the Holocaust which I have just ordered on Amazon Best Michael
I do believe I can be against what is going on in Gaza without being anti-Semitic or even anti-Israel. In the same way I could be against the Iraq war without being anti-American.
I was at a duelling protest yesterday, by chance as I was going to the bakery. But I did stop to watch and listen. It was civil, and separated by a street. On one side there were the flags of Israel and chants of 'Bring them home.' On the other were flags of Palestine and chants of Liberation. And both were right.
I absolutely with your statement: "I do believe I can be against what is going on in Gaza without being anti-Semitic or even anti-Israel. In the same way I could be against the Iraq war without being anti-American."
I was trying to express how for me the Jewish history and the Holocaust resonate when i hear the rhyme ending with "free." My footnote three:
"For Jews and others who understand the long sweep of Jewish history, the chant of “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” is anathema. Consider the notorious and infamous Nazi phrase of “Judenrein,” free of Jews, which meant at first the exclusion of Jews from most aspects of German life and then eventually became the one word mission statement of the Final Solution."
Is it not ironic that a people persecuted for over a millennium in Europe and elsewhere has, in effect, created from another branch of the semitic tree a new tribe of Jews? Confined to ghettos, denied full access to free enterprise, and now subjected to a slow death from starvation because...because their religion and cultural identity is "other."
What Hamas did was truly evil; but if the food blockade is not lifted soon, it will result in a mass-fatality cascade that will forever stain the soul of Israel. And by extension the entire Diaspora.
What a meaningful and heartfelt post....thank you for writing. In response to your query as to how I honor my heritage....
Imagine being adopted knowing only the heritage of those who adopted you. Imagine being curious and to have that curiosity stoked by being given the gift of being raised Unitarian, (much to the horror of Catholic relatives) - where the doctrine of the church is love and studying the origin and architecture of all religions was required so we could learn to understand and respect others even if we didn't share their beliefs.
Imagine being aged nine or ten - in a town of 20K people with 9 churches and no synagogues - and telling your BFF that you felt as if the Jewish religion fit you better than any others studied. You don't know why you had this conversation or what your friend's reaction was but it was profound enough that you remembered where you were when you made the statement and, obviously, the fact that you made it.
When you were single almost all the men you dated seriously were Jewish. Some people said it was because Jewish and Italian cultures are similar, (maybe they - maybe they aren't), and others said it because was you were in the entertainment biz in LA and the dating pool contained more men who happened to be Jewish and were more your dark-haired, brainy, funny, curious "type".
Imagine being in your early 30's and discovering, via a non-identifying report, that you are 50% Ashkenazi and 50% WASP, (0% Italian as it turns out!).
This happened to me and in the revelation of this knowledge I felt strangly at peace, as if I had come home. It's a very grounding thing to have had happen and although I have never felt the need to become more religious than I am, to join a synagouge or a different church, knowing my heritage is profound in ways I don't understand.
With respect to religion - what I believed then - and now - is that it is the mesh of our collective humanity that unites us - it sits lightly, like a delicate fairy veil, over our shoulders and when we let it envelope and nourish us we take actions like sending someone's lost wallet back to them with $$ added and no return address, like taking care of those in the Hamptons, and elsewhere, who need the kindness of being recognized as human and helped as we would want people to help us. When we remember we are human we are at our best irrespective of our religion. To not care for others, and worse, to intentially harm them, is a crime against us all and it hurts me on a soul level.
To me - organized hatred is fear and ego wearing the body armor of politics and it guts me. We all have the potential to be better than that. To me - my heritage is "the doctrine of this church is love" and I honor that - or try to - in the business I'm manifesting and in every action I take. I am not perfect but I am perfectly aware I have choices and I try to make the right ones 80% of the time.
Thank you David for your words of gratitude for your Jewish heritage and "ethics." Reading your article, the Yiddish word "mensch" came to mind - "Be a mensch is a reminder of the impact that kindness, humility, integrity and personal responsibility can have on the world – small acts that can make a better society, one person at a time. Be a mensch is a call for the lessons of history to inspire humanity and empathy.
A mensch, in Yiddish, is a person of integrity, morality, dignity, with a sense of what is right and responsible.
But mensch is more than just an old Yiddish adage. It is relevant now, across the world, more than ever…"
I am not Jewish and live in San Diego in Southern California - not exactly a hotbed of Jewish community. But, I am aware of the disproportionate amount of philanthropy and charity that local prominent Jewish families have donated in support of the community. They are primarily, like yourself, secular, assimilated Jews who willingly share their success and proud ethics will all of us. These individuals and families faithfully live their ethics and are happy to share their success and gratitude with the entire community.
Western civilization emerged from a Judeo-Christian ethos. Half of the Christian Bible is the Jewish Torah. Islam does not stray far from this common heritage. We all have a common calling to aspire to be a mensch - a good person of refined conduct or breeding, of graceful actions, and nobility. Hopefully these attributes and ethos are not limited to only Jews.
A nicely written exposition of your heritage. I think it's ironic, admitting that you "forgot" Monday was Holocaust remembrance day (admitting that you are not as observant as you could be), and yet at the same time, feel entitled to be offended by what you call "Jewish persecution" in the form of global protests and calls for the Israeli government to stop its systematic ethnic cleansing of a Semitic race, indigenous Palestinians who claim Abraham as their father as well as yours.
I quote something you wrote toward the end of the essay: "At this particular moment of Jewish history, Jewish persecution is more evident than at any other point in my lifetime. The protests, the vitriol against Israel, and the October 7th attack make me angry." Jews are not being persecuted!
Palestinians have been systematically persecuted by Israeli Jews since the occupation began in 1948. That's what these "protests and vitriol against Israel" are: nothing more or less than a perfectly normal and natural human response to the suffering and mass murder of innocent civilians.
Media bias is at fault here, but so much more is going on.
These protests and vitriol against the Israeli government's refusal to follow Jewish ethics - as you said, quoting Micah, -to "Do justice, show mercy, and walk humbly before God" are being organized by JEWS. How can they be anti-semitic? Jewish Voice for Peace and Not in Our Name are Jewish organizations. The most outspoken opponents of Israel's actions are Jewish scholars, rabbis, journalists -- and students.
In fact, these protests are PRO-Semitic. Indigenous Palestinians are historically of Semitic origin.
Oddly, most of the Israeli government and many in the IDF would not check out as Semitic in a DNA test - European Jews originate from Japheth. The term, "anti-semitic" is a misnomer.
Continuing to wave this "antisemitic" card is going to create real antisemitism if Jews do not begin uniting amongst themselves to live out the ethics they so proudly celebrate. We other humans also cry out for justice, mercy, and humility -- which is exactly what the student and faculty protests are about.
You can see this for yourself, if you'd like to watch some unbiased news and be willing to open your mind to other perspectives. We need dialogue, not simply more of the same genocidal fever.
I quote a recent interview of an Israeli journalist (on Al Jazeera, now banned in Israel). This Israeli, living in Israel, admits: "The Israeli narrative is based entirely on lies."
When Jewish friends tell me "you don't know our history," they are only revealing to me their lifetime of indoctrination into this false narrative.
I do know history.
Israel's Zionist policies toward Palestine since 1948 have been cruel, sadistic, and racist.
We who protest are simply crying out for sanity!
"Please, stop the needless killing of innocent people!" Continuing this genocidal fever (the term of the Israeli journalist) will only result in Israel's status as a rogue state and create a spiral of insecurity.
Jews have no right to silence a majority of people across the globe.
Especially when Jewish rabbis are the ones speaking out most loudly for peace. They are the ones living out the true Jewish ethic you mention.
Thanks to Israel's bloodthirsty offensive on Gaza -- and the West Bank, and East Jerusalem-- We have now become aware of what has been going on in Palestine since the Nakba.
We are simply calling for the killing to stop.
Please, "do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly." And may I remind you of the Prophet Ezekiel's warnings to Israel. Jews are those people who DO righteousness. God is watching.
Sincerely,
Constance Foss, a former Christian Zionist (Israel has lost another ally)
The term “antisemite” was created for the expressed purpose of referring to Jews. It first appeared after the German reforms of 1871 that gave Jews civil and political rights in Germany – where they were identified as, restricted because of, and disliked for being Semites. The phrase was coined by Wilhlem Marr in an anti-reform pamphlet he published entitled “The Victory of Judaism over Germandom”. His purpose in coining the phrase was to replace the commonly used “Judenhass” (hatred of Jews) with a more scientific term as to emphasize that the Jews were not just a different religion, but a different race – the semitic race. It was later adopted by Jews to describe those that hated/hate them. It is worth noting that “Ashkenazi” is a specific reference to German lands - so it was these Jews in those German lands – the semetic outsiders – for whom the phrase "antisemite" was first used. I do take your point that the term has become somewhat muddied, which is why more and more we hear the term “Jew-hater” – an attempt to clarify that muddiness. Of course, it remains difficult to say who is a Jew hater and who isn’t. Ignorance, being caught up in a mob mentality, a desire to fit in , or simply being misguided can also explain the unfortunate way some people think, speak, and act.
Ironic that *anti-semitic* can now also be semantically applied to another oppressed branch of the semitic tree; even if the context is somewhat dissimilar.
Oppressed and persecuted because of their adherence to another religion, only time will tell if the cauldron of endured suffering will produce the same flowering of culture and brilliance in the Palestinians as it has in the Jewish people.
"Palestinians have been systematically persecuted by Israeli Jews since the occupation began in 1948."
Yes, that is one way of viewing the history of the region, but it is a bit more nuanced than that. The local Arabs have a long history of antisemitism and many still deny Israel the right to exist. Palestinians are so indoctrinated with neo-fascist Islamist ideals that they have been expelled and banned from Jordan, Egypt, and Lebanon. Radical Palestinian Arabs have been rightfully "persecuted" because they spread chaos and hatred in the region. https://johnhardman.substack.com/publish/post/140106193?back=%2Fpublish%2Fposts
I wish people would read a history book. My friends who are educators are exhausted. Some are willing to learn facts, others refuse. I try to educate where possible. It’s not fun when people have hatred in their hearts.
Levi should be required reading
Thank you for honoring Yom HaShoah. I am a proud Jewish Zionist. I wear my “Jew bling” loud and proud. I raised my kids to love and appreciate the US and Israel. We had a Shabbat dinner every Friday night and hubby and I continue the tradition even tho we are empty nesters. I bake a challah and we say the prayers over the bread, candles and grape juice. (We don’t really drink wine anymore.) I highly recommend it. I’m glad you are looking for ways to deepen your connection. It’s so important now more than ever. If you lived in our area I would invite you and Debbie for a Shabbat experience. We look forward to it all week.
I probably should have mentioned that we sent our three kids to a Jewish Day School and that when they were younger we had Shabbat dinner with them. I studied the Torah pretty intently, partly because I wanted to stay ahead of the kids' knowledge base. They got their Challahs from school, which would be stuffed at the bottom of their backpacks. Already very doughy, compacted in that additional way, they had the consistency of cement and could be used as lethal weapons.
It was our responsibility to raise them with their heritage. But ever since they left home, we've celebrated a few holidays with them, but we've slacked off in terms of ritual.
BTW I’ve been hearing from many Jewish thought leaders lately that it’s important to invite non Jews to Shabbat dinners and Passover.
That’s fantastic. It’s so important for Jewish parents to give their kids that foundation. Our kids went to a Jewish day school in elementary and middle school but the HS was too expensive. You will laugh when I tell you where they spent their HS school years. Dylan went to an all boys Jesuit school and Samantha went to the Newman IB school. (Named for cardinal Newman.) They had a great education and the kids were loving, accepting and curious about their Judaism. Dylan’s flag football team called themselves the Hebrew Nationals in honor of Dylan’s religion.
I appreciate the thoughtfulness of this post and your dedication to honoring Jewish history through study and applying its ethics. However, I was taken aback by one of your opening statements: "Assimilation does not mean an abandonment of my Jewish identity. Rather it means an ease, a lack of friction, a membership among mostly other Jews in what seems to be the dominant culture of the milieu I inhabit and the people I know." Jews who assimilate are abandoning their Jewish identity, or perhaps they were never given it to begin with, which is often the case. And even the most assimilated Jews today are most definitely feeling the friction as they are cancelled, questioned as to whether they are "Zio" or not, and even assaulted on campuses or on the streets. This is hardly a time without friction for Jews, and it will spread even into the most cocooned and wealthy enclaves. Jewish ethics are in fact unique because they were so radical when they were introduced. Why not give credit where credit is due? Judaism is a lived experience, not only through studying Jewish historians but studying and applying the lessons of our holy books: the Torah, Prophets, and the brilliant commentaries that help us glean invaluable insights about what it means to live as a Jew. This includes very specifically how to be the most morally and ethically upright people we can. The reason we have so many, many laws and rules is because they deal with nuances of personal and business life. For example, when is it appropriate to share negative information about another person? Who is responsible for property damage under various circumstances? What level is charitable giving appropriate and necessary? Etc. Throughout history, we have survived because we have defied our enemies (sadly, we are never short of them) by living proud and commited Jewish lives, which includes active and consistent following of our mitzvot (positive commandments). Today, in light of the worst antisemitism we have seen since WWII, many other assimilated Jews are beginning to learn what our traditions are all about. They are lighting Sabbath candles, perhaps keeping some form of the kosher laws, and more. It is active commitment to learning and growing that keeps us an eternal people. By the way, I grew up attending a Conservative synagogue but realized as a young adult I knew almost nothing about what Judaism actually taught. For more than 35 years I have been trying to grow in knowledge, commitment, and practice. It is a beautiful journey.
Judy,
I appreciate your point. And I am aware of most of the ritualistic mitzvot I do not observe. I have not experienced anti-Semitism. Knowing our people's history, of course I'm wary of what's going on. And I'm proud to be a Jew and not at all shy about proclaiming my Judaism publicly to my readership.
So I think we're using the word assimilated in different ways .The ease and the lack of friction comes from being mostly with other Jews.
I wish by the way that I was more spiritual in my Judasim but I haven't found a way in yet.
I was never a spiritual seeker, a point I made in my first memoir, "The Skeptic and the Rabbi: Falling in Love with Faith." Praying has never come naturally to me. I first felt true spiritual uplift in synagogues where the singing was emotional and heartfelt. I began to feel glimmers of it when I was listening to Torah classes and realized (to my shock, at first) how relevant these narratives from thousands of years ago were today, in modern times. I found this not only moving, but it nudged my spiritual meter a bit higher up. Raising children to be religiously focused from birth also truly built my spiritual muscles, and it has taken a long time, but the very effort makes the reward that much sweeter.
As a twenty-year-old WASP student studying Comparative Religion, Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi allowed me to take one of his grad courses on Liturgy for undergrad credit. Professor Schacter--Zalman--tasked me with reading aloud and by myself from the Siddur--the Jewish book of prayer--for an hour.
So I went off to a darkened nook in the synagogue, and began to read aloud. The ancient words honoring God, even translated into English, over time began to taste like honey, and I became increasingly intoxicated. One hour became two; and I eventually concluded the exercise marinated in a sort of rapture that lasted the rest of the day.
My point is that Jewish mysticism is real; and that like other systems of mysticism, it is a contact sport, accessed by doing. Which was the whole point of Zalman's teaching, and why he is still considered one of the most influential American Rabbis.
Like another commenter here, I was raised Unitarian Universalist. My grandmother, when she arrived in DC from North Carolina, had decided the Southern Baptism of her youth no longer made sense to her. She attended a different church every Sunday in DC, along 16th Street NW, until she stumbled upon All Souls Unitarian and the Reverend A. Powell Davies. My grandfather was also drawn to the Reverend's homilies, and they met and were later married in that church in 1952. As an undergraduate at Georgetown, I drove across the bridge every Sunday to take my grandparents to church. Every Sunday, my grandfather loved standing up during "Joys and Sorrows" (a part of the service typically used to announce births, deaths, calls for support...) to announce his joy was that his granddaughter, Alicia Kenworthy, was with him at church. And she attends Georgetown and speaks fluent French. And then he would ask me to stand so the congregation could identify me (in case they'd already forgotten from the Sunday prior!) I always turned beet red and wanted to disappear into the ground, but I look back on those days and smile now. When I go back to that church on occasion, people still remember my grandfather's weekly boasting.
My grandmother always described the UU faith as "freedom of belief with social responsibility." She participated in boycotts and protests during the Civil Rights movement; I think I've probably mostly carried on the UU tradition with my own activism re: criminal justice reform.
My mom always found something was slightly missing from the UU church. It can be a little "intellectual," depending on the congregation, sometimes to the detriment of spirituality. (Some reverends are hesitant to ever mention God.) She always felt more drawn to the African American Christian churches in communities where she volunteered. Of the major religions, like others have mentioned, I always felt the most drawn to Judaism and Jewish culture. Many of my closest friends growing up and in college were (are still!) Jewish. On a superficial level, we always commiserated on "Christmas culture" being a bit much. And I've always loved Jewish humor and intellect and community.
I appreciate reading you, David, and I especially appreciate your clarification re: why "From the River to the Sea" is anathema to you. I am doing my best to better understand the existential fear many of my Jewish friends are feeling in this moment, and I admit I've probably fallen short in knowing how to name it and acknowledge it and show up while also expressing my own political beliefs and values honestly -- a strong belief that all human beings, ergo both Jews and Palestinians, have a right to self-determination. Like many people, I grieve the innocent lives lost on October 7th. I also grieve for the Palestinian experience, the brutality of life under military occupation, and for the relative silence they've faced from the international community for decades.
I hadn't yet considered the chant from that specific perspective, though I've gone down a rabbit hole of reading and listening to different perspectives on it -- including, like another commenter noted, similar phrasing in the Likud party platform. So much of what's heartbreaking about the current moment -- although, well, I suppose this is always true of humanity -- is how differently words sound depending on who's speaking and who's receiving them. I read your explanation and I empathize with your reaction. I hear the same phrase from my Palestinian friends here in DC and it brings tears of hope and joy to my eyes, because I know their hearts and how they, at least, intend it -- not against the Jewish people, but for the liberation of their own.
Hi Alicia,
I appreciate your comment very much, both the background on your church experience–––love your grandfather's contribution to the weekly sermon!–––and your comments about how words can sound differently to people based on their experiences and backgrounds.
I'm not necessarily fearful but I do have anger at Hamas because they have made no secret of their goal. Hamas does want to eliminate Israel and kill Jews. And tragically for everyone involved, Hamas is still in charge in Gaza and still holding hostages. So, in addition to Judenrein, the fact of Hamas is context to what I hear when I hear the chant.
That makes sense. Thank you for being so open with your own perspective and being open to respectful exchange!
As a related aside, have you seen the “The Green Prince”? One of my good friends met the “Son of Hamas” at a yoga retreat, and he introduced her to his friend in Haifa, who showed us around when we visited Israel together in 2016. I don’t know why I hadn’t ever actually watched the documentary until this weekend (well, I guess it makes sense I’m thinking of him now — I caught a clip of his recent appearance on Piers Morgan.) Regardless of where one stands on Israel-Palestine, his is an absolutely fascinating (and at times tragic) story.
I'd like to watch it and will look it up. Thanks Alicia.
My heritage is Christian in the evangelical Baptist tradition, which tends to be exclusive. I now have an appreciation for the wider Christian community and I have completely rejected the 'culture war' mentality of the current evangelical political mindset (yes, even
Canadian evangelicals have been affected by the American ideology). I remain a Christian and love the observances of Advent and the Incarnation at Christmas and the Resurrection at Easter and the regular observances of Communion (the Eucharist) throughout the year.
My great aunt married a German Jewish refugee who had been arrested the day after Kristelnacht and who was tortured in Buchenwald - as it was early days, before the Final Solutions, he managed to escape and flee the country, but his remaining family later perished. My aunt married a man who was rescued from Germany as a boy thought the Kinder transport - his mother died in Aushwitz, his elder brother made his way to the British Palestinian Protectorate and took part in the founding of Israel. His sons, my cousins, remember their paternal grandmother every Holocaust Memorial day. Both uncles converted to Christianity by personal conviction but retained a deep concern for their ethnic people that they passed on to our extended family.
On the Gaza protests, I have studied the history of the modern Middle East, so I have some understanding of the complexities involved, including the fact that Nazi anti-Semitic rhetoric has been recycled by Palestinian militants. October 7th was truly heinous, and the perpetrators of Hamas and the other Islamic militant groups should be brought to justice.
I am also aware of the bloody history of violence toward Palestinians that the Likud party of Netanyahu is associated with, including its founder Menachim Begin's involvement with Irgun, which perpetrated the massacre of the Palestinian village Deir Yassin in 1948 and the West Bank Qibya massacre of 1952 led by Ariel Sharon who later was forced to resign in 1983 as defense minister for his role in allowing the Sabra and Shatila Palestinian refugee camp massacres in Lebanon. The original party platform of Likud in 1977 stated "between the Sea and the Jordan there will only be Israeli sovereignty", rejecting the idea of a Palestinian state. I fear very much that the starving and displaced civilians of Gaza, including an estimated 1.1 million children and a tinyl community of Palestinian Christians long persecuted by Hamas but now victims of IDF bombings and sniper attacks, are being targeted by Likud and the other right wing elements in Israel, using revenge for October 7th as a cover for their long declared purpose.
I'm very uncomfortable with the current Israeli government, with Netanyahu, and with the zealots he's had to include to maintain his majority. And yes, Israel cannot claim clean hands when it comes to the history of all the violence and wars.
The conundrum is how to end the war given that Hamas is in control of Gaza and still holding hostages. I don't think any Israeli govt. would find that ending acceptable.
This is an illuminating interview with Yair Lapid, the opposition leader. essentially he supports the war, but is anti-Netanyahu.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/27/magazine/yair-lapid-interview.html?searchResultPosition=1
The information from the war front is hard to rely upon. Propaganda is at play on both sides.
Reading Primo Levi is a fine way to observe the day.
I was travelling yesterday (Paris-London), so didn't have time to respond.
I am unattached to any real cultural heritage - both parents unreligious and I was never baptised, which was VERY unusual in 1942. I never missed it until I went to college where I was a Goldschmidt (my maiden name) from NYC and by chance (or rather by natural interests), all my friends were Jewish. Indeed, virtually all my boyfriends (but not my husband) were Jewish, much to the concern of many a mother. I longed to be Jewish and felt very much an outsider. Indeed, a few years ago, I wrote a post called 'On not being Jewish' but I never published it because I thought it might be taken the wrong way.
In c 2001, after both parents had died, we found an old memoir from my father's father (of German background) who said that his father came from a Jewish family that chose to convert in the interests of a better education in the place they lived. I know that doesn't make me Jewish at all, but It was a wonderful discovery. All my friends from that period stated simply "We always knew you were Jewish!" I continue to feel a bit of an outsider, but such is life.
If you email your unpublished post to me, I will keep it strictly confidential!
That story about Ezra was so simple but it demonstrated the idea that education can, at times, change everything. My parents were staunchly anti-religion while respecting any and all choices in others unless they were based on hate. They tithed to a stunning number of causes, the native schools, civil rights, planned parenthood, etc. There were times I longed for a simple answer to the evil in the world but they refused to provide one instead urging me to keep reading and treat others with respect and kindness.
Hi Molly,
When my younger son was in college, we had fierce debates about whether there was absolute evil or whether everything was relative. I took the position that some limited set of actions were absolutely evil. He took the other side. A few years ago, I heard him debating this with someone and he had adopted my POV. We never debated the why of evil. Nine of these questions have a simple answer!
Thank you, David, for another excellent essay, lucid and honest as always. I wasn't brought up in any religious or intellectual tradition, so I don't have anything in particular to honour in that sense. But I'd agree on the need to learn from history and to honour those people who fought for the rights and resources we enjoy now.
The part of your essay that stood out for me was about the migrant workers struggling to survive amidst the grandeur of the Hamptons. I applaud your efforts, and those of others, to help them. But what a sorry indictment it is of the poltical and economic system that this kind of brutal inequality should exist at all.
It is an indictment, Jeffrey. Once seen, it's something you can't unsee, which is a good thing. So much of the issue is housing availability, which is a very tough problem to solve. I look forward, however, to playing some part in a solution.
Volunteering time to teach English to Mexican immigrants in the community was often a bit of resistance against the prevailing attitudes, but also helped learners better their lives and navigate the community more easily. Also, a woman in a shawl ministry I joined assembled bags of infant necessities for new Moms who had nothing. The ministry's hand-knitted blankets went to these, as well as shawls for sick people, and caps for cancer patients. It was an honor to be part of both of these projects.
Thanks for the comment Sue. Those sound like incredibly impactful grass roots projects.
This is also time to remember the million plus non-Jews who were targeted by the Nazis because of their sexual orientation, for being disabled, etc. Over half a million Romi (gypsies) were segregated and detained across eastern Europe and later sent to the Concentration Camps to be murdered in the gas chambers. May all who were the victims of pure evil and the survivors
Absolutely Sharon. Jews were not the only victims. Good reminder.
David this is a beautiful reflection that gives voice to a perspective I feel, as well. Thanks you for sharing and Rona- thanks for your reference to Hasidic Tales from the Holocaust which I have just ordered on Amazon Best Michael
Thanks so much Michael. I'm looking forward to dipping into it.
I do believe I can be against what is going on in Gaza without being anti-Semitic or even anti-Israel. In the same way I could be against the Iraq war without being anti-American.
I was at a duelling protest yesterday, by chance as I was going to the bakery. But I did stop to watch and listen. It was civil, and separated by a street. On one side there were the flags of Israel and chants of 'Bring them home.' On the other were flags of Palestine and chants of Liberation. And both were right.
I absolutely with your statement: "I do believe I can be against what is going on in Gaza without being anti-Semitic or even anti-Israel. In the same way I could be against the Iraq war without being anti-American."
I was trying to express how for me the Jewish history and the Holocaust resonate when i hear the rhyme ending with "free." My footnote three:
"For Jews and others who understand the long sweep of Jewish history, the chant of “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” is anathema. Consider the notorious and infamous Nazi phrase of “Judenrein,” free of Jews, which meant at first the exclusion of Jews from most aspects of German life and then eventually became the one word mission statement of the Final Solution."
Is it not ironic that a people persecuted for over a millennium in Europe and elsewhere has, in effect, created from another branch of the semitic tree a new tribe of Jews? Confined to ghettos, denied full access to free enterprise, and now subjected to a slow death from starvation because...because their religion and cultural identity is "other."
What Hamas did was truly evil; but if the food blockade is not lifted soon, it will result in a mass-fatality cascade that will forever stain the soul of Israel. And by extension the entire Diaspora.
What a meaningful and heartfelt post....thank you for writing. In response to your query as to how I honor my heritage....
Imagine being adopted knowing only the heritage of those who adopted you. Imagine being curious and to have that curiosity stoked by being given the gift of being raised Unitarian, (much to the horror of Catholic relatives) - where the doctrine of the church is love and studying the origin and architecture of all religions was required so we could learn to understand and respect others even if we didn't share their beliefs.
Imagine being aged nine or ten - in a town of 20K people with 9 churches and no synagogues - and telling your BFF that you felt as if the Jewish religion fit you better than any others studied. You don't know why you had this conversation or what your friend's reaction was but it was profound enough that you remembered where you were when you made the statement and, obviously, the fact that you made it.
When you were single almost all the men you dated seriously were Jewish. Some people said it was because Jewish and Italian cultures are similar, (maybe they - maybe they aren't), and others said it because was you were in the entertainment biz in LA and the dating pool contained more men who happened to be Jewish and were more your dark-haired, brainy, funny, curious "type".
Imagine being in your early 30's and discovering, via a non-identifying report, that you are 50% Ashkenazi and 50% WASP, (0% Italian as it turns out!).
This happened to me and in the revelation of this knowledge I felt strangly at peace, as if I had come home. It's a very grounding thing to have had happen and although I have never felt the need to become more religious than I am, to join a synagouge or a different church, knowing my heritage is profound in ways I don't understand.
With respect to religion - what I believed then - and now - is that it is the mesh of our collective humanity that unites us - it sits lightly, like a delicate fairy veil, over our shoulders and when we let it envelope and nourish us we take actions like sending someone's lost wallet back to them with $$ added and no return address, like taking care of those in the Hamptons, and elsewhere, who need the kindness of being recognized as human and helped as we would want people to help us. When we remember we are human we are at our best irrespective of our religion. To not care for others, and worse, to intentially harm them, is a crime against us all and it hurts me on a soul level.
To me - organized hatred is fear and ego wearing the body armor of politics and it guts me. We all have the potential to be better than that. To me - my heritage is "the doctrine of this church is love" and I honor that - or try to - in the business I'm manifesting and in every action I take. I am not perfect but I am perfectly aware I have choices and I try to make the right ones 80% of the time.
Laura,
What a beautiful comment. I admire your commitment to love and peace, and you are definitely honoring your heritages in the best way possible.
Humbled...thank you.
Thank you David for your words of gratitude for your Jewish heritage and "ethics." Reading your article, the Yiddish word "mensch" came to mind - "Be a mensch is a reminder of the impact that kindness, humility, integrity and personal responsibility can have on the world – small acts that can make a better society, one person at a time. Be a mensch is a call for the lessons of history to inspire humanity and empathy.
A mensch, in Yiddish, is a person of integrity, morality, dignity, with a sense of what is right and responsible.
But mensch is more than just an old Yiddish adage. It is relevant now, across the world, more than ever…"
https://sydneyjewishmuseum.com.au/be-a-mensch/#:~:text=A%20mensch%2C%20in%20Yiddish%2C%20is,be%20calm%20in%20troubled%20times.
I am not Jewish and live in San Diego in Southern California - not exactly a hotbed of Jewish community. But, I am aware of the disproportionate amount of philanthropy and charity that local prominent Jewish families have donated in support of the community. They are primarily, like yourself, secular, assimilated Jews who willingly share their success and proud ethics will all of us. These individuals and families faithfully live their ethics and are happy to share their success and gratitude with the entire community.
Western civilization emerged from a Judeo-Christian ethos. Half of the Christian Bible is the Jewish Torah. Islam does not stray far from this common heritage. We all have a common calling to aspire to be a mensch - a good person of refined conduct or breeding, of graceful actions, and nobility. Hopefully these attributes and ethos are not limited to only Jews.
Thanks John for your comment.
Actually, over 75% of the Christian Bible is Jewish.
And the actual words of Jesus--Yeshua bin Miriam--are only a tiny portion of that non-Jewish portion.
A nicely written exposition of your heritage. I think it's ironic, admitting that you "forgot" Monday was Holocaust remembrance day (admitting that you are not as observant as you could be), and yet at the same time, feel entitled to be offended by what you call "Jewish persecution" in the form of global protests and calls for the Israeli government to stop its systematic ethnic cleansing of a Semitic race, indigenous Palestinians who claim Abraham as their father as well as yours.
I quote something you wrote toward the end of the essay: "At this particular moment of Jewish history, Jewish persecution is more evident than at any other point in my lifetime. The protests, the vitriol against Israel, and the October 7th attack make me angry." Jews are not being persecuted!
Palestinians have been systematically persecuted by Israeli Jews since the occupation began in 1948. That's what these "protests and vitriol against Israel" are: nothing more or less than a perfectly normal and natural human response to the suffering and mass murder of innocent civilians.
Media bias is at fault here, but so much more is going on.
These protests and vitriol against the Israeli government's refusal to follow Jewish ethics - as you said, quoting Micah, -to "Do justice, show mercy, and walk humbly before God" are being organized by JEWS. How can they be anti-semitic? Jewish Voice for Peace and Not in Our Name are Jewish organizations. The most outspoken opponents of Israel's actions are Jewish scholars, rabbis, journalists -- and students.
In fact, these protests are PRO-Semitic. Indigenous Palestinians are historically of Semitic origin.
Oddly, most of the Israeli government and many in the IDF would not check out as Semitic in a DNA test - European Jews originate from Japheth. The term, "anti-semitic" is a misnomer.
Continuing to wave this "antisemitic" card is going to create real antisemitism if Jews do not begin uniting amongst themselves to live out the ethics they so proudly celebrate. We other humans also cry out for justice, mercy, and humility -- which is exactly what the student and faculty protests are about.
You can see this for yourself, if you'd like to watch some unbiased news and be willing to open your mind to other perspectives. We need dialogue, not simply more of the same genocidal fever.
I quote a recent interview of an Israeli journalist (on Al Jazeera, now banned in Israel). This Israeli, living in Israel, admits: "The Israeli narrative is based entirely on lies."
When Jewish friends tell me "you don't know our history," they are only revealing to me their lifetime of indoctrination into this false narrative.
I do know history.
Israel's Zionist policies toward Palestine since 1948 have been cruel, sadistic, and racist.
We who protest are simply crying out for sanity!
"Please, stop the needless killing of innocent people!" Continuing this genocidal fever (the term of the Israeli journalist) will only result in Israel's status as a rogue state and create a spiral of insecurity.
Jews have no right to silence a majority of people across the globe.
Especially when Jewish rabbis are the ones speaking out most loudly for peace. They are the ones living out the true Jewish ethic you mention.
Thanks to Israel's bloodthirsty offensive on Gaza -- and the West Bank, and East Jerusalem-- We have now become aware of what has been going on in Palestine since the Nakba.
We are simply calling for the killing to stop.
Please, "do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly." And may I remind you of the Prophet Ezekiel's warnings to Israel. Jews are those people who DO righteousness. God is watching.
Sincerely,
Constance Foss, a former Christian Zionist (Israel has lost another ally)
(PS: Don't worry -- I will unsubscribe now.)
The term “antisemite” was created for the expressed purpose of referring to Jews. It first appeared after the German reforms of 1871 that gave Jews civil and political rights in Germany – where they were identified as, restricted because of, and disliked for being Semites. The phrase was coined by Wilhlem Marr in an anti-reform pamphlet he published entitled “The Victory of Judaism over Germandom”. His purpose in coining the phrase was to replace the commonly used “Judenhass” (hatred of Jews) with a more scientific term as to emphasize that the Jews were not just a different religion, but a different race – the semitic race. It was later adopted by Jews to describe those that hated/hate them. It is worth noting that “Ashkenazi” is a specific reference to German lands - so it was these Jews in those German lands – the semetic outsiders – for whom the phrase "antisemite" was first used. I do take your point that the term has become somewhat muddied, which is why more and more we hear the term “Jew-hater” – an attempt to clarify that muddiness. Of course, it remains difficult to say who is a Jew hater and who isn’t. Ignorance, being caught up in a mob mentality, a desire to fit in , or simply being misguided can also explain the unfortunate way some people think, speak, and act.
Ironic that *anti-semitic* can now also be semantically applied to another oppressed branch of the semitic tree; even if the context is somewhat dissimilar.
Oppressed and persecuted because of their adherence to another religion, only time will tell if the cauldron of endured suffering will produce the same flowering of culture and brilliance in the Palestinians as it has in the Jewish people.
"Palestinians have been systematically persecuted by Israeli Jews since the occupation began in 1948."
Yes, that is one way of viewing the history of the region, but it is a bit more nuanced than that. The local Arabs have a long history of antisemitism and many still deny Israel the right to exist. Palestinians are so indoctrinated with neo-fascist Islamist ideals that they have been expelled and banned from Jordan, Egypt, and Lebanon. Radical Palestinian Arabs have been rightfully "persecuted" because they spread chaos and hatred in the region. https://johnhardman.substack.com/publish/post/140106193?back=%2Fpublish%2Fposts
Sorry to lose you as a subscriber as I welcome a diversity of views
Respectful debate is very important to me
I wish people would read a history book. My friends who are educators are exhausted. Some are willing to learn facts, others refuse. I try to educate where possible. It’s not fun when people have hatred in their hearts.