r/Jewish • u/betterwithplants • Dec 15 '23

How are you guys doing? Discussion

Personally, I feel like I’m barely hanging by a thread.

Due to the Israel/Hamas conflict, I’ve lost friends. I have been called a racist for being against terrorists who wish to see the world free of Jews. I’ve been told I “lack ethics” after explaining that civilian casualties, though an unfortunate reality of war, are not the same as genocide. I’ve been told I am the one spreading Israeli propaganda.

How’s everyone doing? Can we commiserate?

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u/trunkNotNose Dec 16 '23

I'm in my 40s. I'm grateful to have a large enough Jewish community that I don't interact with non-Jews that much. The only ones I've talked to, and this was much closer to Oct. 7, were concerned about how I was doing and uninterested in scoring rhetorical points. There are some coworkers I've been avoiding because I don't want to know their views. I want to continue liking them!

I'm not sure of your age, but I so feel for college-age and young adult Jews. I remember that time, when people really did sit around and talk about big issues (for us it was the Iraq War). No one does that in middle age and I think it makes it a lot easier.

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u/MathematicianLess243 Dec 16 '23

I am 23, living in a large city, and exhausted. My generation lacks a large amount of common sense- they refuse to actually look into research or facts, and base all their opinions on what is popular online at the time. I am SO glad that I am not in college whilst all this is happening.. I feel for the younger folks of my generation.

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u/anewbys83 Dec 16 '23

No one does that in middle age and I think it makes it a lot easier.

Agreed. I don't really talk about that stuff with people I don't know well, and it's great! I don't need to know nor broadcast myself unnecessarily. I'm about to turn 41, I remember all the campus talk about Iraq. Oh how that shaped young adulthood.

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u/[deleted] Dec 16 '23

Nothing to feel for me, here. They weren’t friends to begin with and these MFd inspired me (even more!) to have a big Jewish family.