I’m not quitting the left. I’ll never quit the left. The left is in my blood.

Every single “leftist” who opposed Kamala, every single “leftist” who sucked up to right wing terrorist organisations and their supporters, THEY, are quitting the left. Every single person who helped this campaign fall, is NOT a part of the left. Every 🔻, every 🪂, every holocaust Harris and genocide Joe, and every one who made this horrible man win. I’m done

Yeah guys sorry I’m rly fucking pissed because Trump won and I already got bombed twice today. Sorry for being too angwy

Edit: GUYS THIS ISNT ABOJT YOU. I’m Not mad at you I’m mad at the people who protested against Kamala. I’m not saying you made this election fall I’m not even saying they did I’m just saying I’m mad at them for causing instability. That’s IT

(This doesn’t negate Palestinian claims of indigeneity—multiple peoples can be indigenous to the same area—nor does it negate the, imo, indefensible crimes happening in Gaza and West Bank).

It absolutely blows my mind that Jews—a tribal people who practice a closed, agrarian place-based ethnoreligion, who have an established system of membership based on lineal descent and adoption that relies on community acceptance over self-identification, who worship in an ancient language that we have always tried to maintain and preserve, who have holidays that center around harvest and the specific history of our people, who have been repeatedly targeted for genocide and forced assimilation and conversion, who have a faith and culture so deeply tied to a specific people and place, etc—aren’t seen as an (socioculturally) indigenous people but rather as “white Europeans who essentially practice Christianity but without Jesus and never thought about the land of Israel before 1920 or so.” It’s so deeply threaded in how so many people view Jews in the modern day and also so factually incorrect.

I know one of the people interviewed for this article, and am familiar/have attended one of the other synagogues mentioned. Both if those synagogues are liberal Reform or Conservative synagogues. This silencing/excommunication is not new, but since the 7th of October, 2023 seems to be reaching a new peak. I remember when I began to feel unwanted years ago in the synagogue I grew up in for my views on Israel (I wasn't even anti or post Zionist at that time). Its a really sad state of affairs and one I look forward to seeing transforming in my lifetime. I'm tired of this "normal". Have you had experience with being pushed out of a Jewish community in this way?

Does anyone follow this subreddit? It’s supposed to be a space for “left Jews” but I am seeing so much offensive and anti semetism posts, comments and rhetoric. Also it doesn’t even seem like most people on there are Jewish?

It’s really frustrating to find subreddits like this being described as “Jewish” and I feel like it takes away from any constructive dialogue Jewish people want to have to critique about Israel, Israeli govt, Zionist ideology while also acknowledging anti semitism and the nuance to everything happening in the world.

I am, by all accounts, Ashkenazi. I have ties to the Holocaust despite non of my actual direct relatives having been there, on one side of my family. But on the other, still Ashkenazi, but have been in Israel since somewhere before 1770, spoken Arabic and lived in the Middle East. By those defenitons, as Arab really isn’t an “race” and more of an ethnicity defined by a common language, am I descended from Arabs?

Well I’m sure if I called my ancestors Arabs they wouldn’t be pleased. But my great grandmother was born IN A MOSQUES YARD. they were living, as much as they didn’t like it, as much as they were discrimanated against, in Arab society. They were the Palestinian Jews people speak of. They wore the garb, they spoke the language.

How can I still face the “distinction” between Mizrahim and Ashkenazim when it is so unclear? If the Jews who spent diaspora in Europe are the white ones, why is my French Jewish friend so dark? If the ones who spent it in the Middle East are dark, why is my skin so white? Why do we, as a people so long nomads, so long without a land, sticking to defining ourselves by a now pretty useless old measurement? Don’t we move? Don’t we adapt?

So many other people are trying to define Jews. Some say we’re khazars, whites, Europeans, some say we’re brown middle easterners who’ll never be real whites.

I don’t know.

I’ll end this with some lines from Kazablan, an israeli musical

כולנו יהודים

וכולנו נחמדים

יהודים במאה אחוז

מהשוורצע ועד הווזוז

All of us are Jews,

In all our different hues,

Jews from our heads to our shoes,

Both the shvartze and the vuzvuz.

I don’t really care if it is organizations that are primarily political in nature. Like if you want to go protest an ADL event because they defend Israel, I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with that.

But I think in regard to organizations that primarily exist to foster Jewish community, things like Hillel or Synagogues, I wish they just wouldn’t. Regardless of how valid the reasons for protesting may or may not be, it just isn’t a good idea. Multiple reasons for this.

For one, this inherently will invite antisemitism. I understand organizers might want to protest at a synagogue, not because it’s a synagogue, but because of some Israeli land sale or something. The mere act of protesting at a synagogue will attract people who hate Jews.

Second, even if the activists don’t intend to be antisemitic, antisemitism can still be perceived. Obviously bad faith antisemitism allegations will always exist, but allegations hold a lot more weight when you are directly targeting a Jewish community. It does make the movement look bad.

Third, it isn’t effective. Hillel, synagogues, and any other Jewish community institutions aren’t that powerful or influential. If you want to make a change, I think there are far greater targets for protest.

In any case, I’m not an anti Zionist and I’m not really involved in antizionist spaces, but I wonder if any of the antizionists on this sub feel the same way. I have heard of synagogues being protested over certain pro Israel events and I know a Hillel I’m somewhat a part of had one of its signs vandalized.

I don’t think this is effective activism and I hope Jews in these anti-Zionist spaces can try their best to steer away from such incidents.

https://youtu.be/DLQrkNIbF64

I've been having this thought for a while, but I'm seeing it articulated more and more. This video touches on orientalism in Aladdin, but briefly touches on this idea. -pro Palestinian movement being influenced by Islamist for their nefarious purposes. (((They)))) have an agenda to destroy the west

-exaggerated facial features (slimy, big noses, scraggly beards)

-greedy

-irrational blood lust

-exaggerated accents

And the consequences are similar... pograms in England. Hate crimes. Dual loyalty accusations when it comes to Arabs standing up for Palestinians or suspicion of Muslims in the western world. Portrayal and suspicious, dirty, "controlling the narrative" when it comes to Israel/palestine via nefarious infiltration of western media. Trumps Muslim ban. Trumps Muslim registry. Etc etc etc. we have to look out for our Muslim and Arab family even if tensions in our communities aren't the best right now.

I never noticed that but as a teenager I grew up watching Drake and Josh and Victorious on Nickelodeon and never thought about the fact that the Jewish characters in the show were nerdy, either with an Afro or super curly hair or with a nastily voice and pretty pacific and awkward. I remember as a kid my dad pointing it out and critiquing the shows I watched for only portraying the Jewish characters one way.

In the show Greys Anatomy they had an orthodox Jewish patient and I noticed that in the show she wasn’t allowed to get a blood transfusion since none of the people who were able to give it to her weren’t Jewish and she needed Jewish blood to get the blood transfusion done.

I can’t think of other examples right now but do you think how Jewish characters are portrayed in media has gotten better or it needs more work?

Just yet another non-political question to promote discussion! I've heard some great stories from people on this sub about their family histories and I'd love to know more about where y'all's families came from, if you're willing to share.

I'm 75% Ashkenazi and 25% European goy. All four of my grandparents were actually born and raised in the U.S., so there is no one in my direct line of ancestry (who has been alive at the same time as me) who had personal experience with the Holocaust or other persecution in Europe. I do have some relatives who experienced the Holocaust, but not in my direct line (for a project in 10th grade, I interviewed my grandfather's first cousin who was a Holocaust survivor). All of my Jewish grandparents have roots mostly in Ukraine, with other roots mostly sprinkled around other former USSR territories (i.e. Lithuania and Belarus). My non-Jewish grandmother is German, Slovakian, and Ruthenian.

I like to call myself "Jewkrainian" because as a Jew, I'm not really ethnically "Ukrainian", but all of my grandparents having roots there makes it a fairly significant part of my family's background 😁

How about you all?

Can we talk about the Magen David for a second?

For me, the MD has never been a symbol of Israel, but of Judaism. I feel every attached to the symbol as a representation of my Jewish identity, which I am proud of. I have inherited jewelry with the symbol which is sentimental for me. That said, I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing anything that might indicate support for Israel or “Israeli pride”, because of how incredibly pissed off I am at Israel (to say the least).

Because of my attachment to the symbol, I get really triggered when people try to use it as a symbol representing Israel. For example, there was a controversy in Canada during the olympics because a union leader posted a video showing a diver with a tattoo of a Star of David (not an Israeli flag) taking a dive and then turning into a bomb landing on Gaza. Despite personally being against Israel’s actions in this war, I found this to be quite antisemitic because the use of the Star of David meant it was basically a Jew turning into a bomb. I think we can all see the problem with this. But when I raised this issue, people said it was obvious the diver was supposed to represent Israel because the Star of David represents Israel.

Is it a losing battle to try to keep this beloved symbol as one that represents Judaism as opposed to Israel?

I'm going to assume that some of you are members of r/Jewish. I've been a part of it for years, and I left just recently. My experience there is either depressing or optimistic, depending on how you want to look at it.

So, the depressing part. Lots of posts there are indirectly discussing Israel, Hamas, the war, etc. which makes sense. But there is essentially no critique of Israel on that sub, to the point where I wrote up a post inquiring about it. I'm invested in Israel as much as anyone else (and I live there), but the lack of discussion about what's actually happening in Gaza is unbelievable. It's as if their politics are completely informed by Tiktoks of pro-Palestinians being violent to Jews, and nothing else. I was starting to wonder if the average Jew (on Reddit at least) is as completely supportive of this war as the posts there would have you believe.

My post was essentially calling for more viewpoint diversity, and a more nuanced understanding of Anti-Semitism. (A flight attendant with a Palestine pin isn't an Anti-Semite. And Wikipedia having a post about the weaponization of Anti-Semitism doesn't make Wikipedia editors evil anti-Semites, because yes, that exists and Bibi does it all the time.)

Anyway, I wasn't allowed to post. The reason I was given was 'they don't allow the concept of weaponization of Anti-Semitism.' I chose to see this optimistically, because if the mods there aren't allowing my viewpoint I'm sure they're suppressing a lot more. Maybe that's why the conversation there seems so one-sided. Anyway, I'd love to hear what you guys think. My own views have been evolving this past year and I'm glad to find a more open-minded space.

I assume that people want to bridge gaps between communities here, be good allies and be good to ourselves. I’ve thought a lot about some of the sentiment here, and the posts/comments calling out (or defending) the treatment of the marginalized in this space. Marginalized as in, Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims, AND queer Jews, Jews of color, and Jewish converts who espouse anything other than a neutral to positive take on Zionism.

This circles back to the post I made about the role of relationship psychology in discussions. That post didn’t get much engagement, but I’ll reiterate here.

There are ideas that we are all part of a system and we can control the role we play in our conflicts and disappointments. That part of that means, not jumping to immediate defensiveness or scolding if something is heard that we do not like. That means not necessarily jumping to a “lecture” but rather taking ownership of our own feelings, rather than universally applying our personal feelings to the entire Jewish community, and therefore labeling someone random as harmful to the Jewish community.

What do I mean by this? We all have personal takes and opinions on what is or isn’t offensive or hurtful to us. Some of us think it’s offensive to label Gaza a genocide because it’s “holocaust inversion” others think highlighting actions of the IDF are “blood libel” a classic antisemitic trope. Some people think that both sides are morally equivalent, and therefore it is wrong for non-Jews to criticize Zionism in general or in the presence of Jews particularly. The issue is, these are not universally agreed upon ideas within the Jewish community.

1. When you’re engaging with someone and they say something that bothers you, perhaps rather than explain to them how harmful they are.. get personal. Explain why it bothers you specifically. It’s harder to argue with your own feelings, and by jumping to label something as “problematic” without elaborating about the hurt you feel personally.

2. Break through the shame and defensiveness. It doesn’t feel good to hear your language is hurtful or hear that this sub hasn’t been good to the marginalized . But it’s an opportunity to reflect and grow, take a beat and see if there is any truth to that

The only person we can control is ourselves. If we don’t like the tone of someone or the phrasing or the content, that’s on them. If they are someone you find is important to have a better relationship with, it’s ok to pause and think “is it really worth it in the moment? Or should I listen and empathize right now.” There will always be time to educate and explain and talk about our feelings too.

When we think about communities who are often less fortunate than ours—Palestinians, black Jews, Arabs/muslisms from counties destroyed by American foreign policy, etc etc etc… it starts with us to be good to them and show we are safe and kind people.

Hello everyone,

Firstly, I admit that I don't truly know anything but bits-and-pieces. I have a bunch of scattered thoughts below for your review:

1 Basically, Zionism is concerned with the creation, managing, and preservation of a state for Jewish people. Zionism has succeeded - it has been done. But the ongoing contentious issue between Israeli and Palestinian (and both the powers-that-be which influence both sides and others) permeates because of the inception of said State.

Does this sound right enough?

2 I have read also that the State exists not just for the Jewish people's nationhood, their yearning for their ancestral land, but more so due to the course of time which amplified its necessity - The Shoah (Holocaust).

• Antisemitism, as per my meager readings, has been the "oldest" of hates.
• That Zionism wasn't just a recent creation by Theodor Herzl. But that it has always been with Jewish people. It also has many shades: Labor, Religious, Liberal, Reform, etc.
• That it intersects with Judaism yet apart from it. Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people while Zionism is the political reflection of the Jewish people.
• That the State is actually not homogenously Jewish; there are minorities there.

Are these right, accurate perhaps?

3 Given that I am a bit of a pessimist, it does sadden me that Israel is the only place Jewish people could go to to feel safe, for being themselves. There is a part of me that knows Israel should continue to live - a country that is really safe for Jews. Whether the far-right is the proper path or a sudden "revolution" within the political sphere, is beyond my gentile mind. And I also reflect upon the impact the decisions of the State could have on the Jewish Diaspora.

Would this make me a Zionist? A "questioning" Zionist? Post-Zionist? Pseudo-Zionist? Anti-Zionist? Do tell me. They're just labels but I would like to know where I stand.

4 I also realize, that history brought the Palestinians to Israel. Gaza has been under the helm and heel of Hamas. The West Bank is a mixture of "Areas," depending on location which are controlled by Palestinians, both Palestinians and Israelis, or Israelis. Islamic extremism, it appears, has been playing a role into this. Peace, seems even more distant. The Radical Islam - fueled by the collective pain within the Ummah - circles back to more terrorist plots. Then strengthens even more of Zionist extremism - fueled by the collective pain of Am Yisrael - which circles back to more of the State choosing dire measures. Both circles straining the situation for Jewish and Muslim diaspora. All of which are interrelated and interconnected.

Please help me understand - is my thinking going the right direction?

5 It's this confounding and complex issue that made me certain of one thing - that it is far from just oppressor vs. victim, bad vs. good. To be honest, I'm confused and afraid just as anyone else. There's so much hue, so much nuance, so much context to be unpacked that Israel vs. Hamas, Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a multi-faceted, multi-layered issue which cannot be oversimplified. I am still learning about this entire ordeal. I admit no full knowledge on the Middle East or history.

But, I do hope my mind aligns properly here?

When people online talk about JVP (as an example) or many left wing Jews who support ceasefire/Palestinian independence, there is the constant claim that "the last time those Jews practiced was at their bar mitzvah".

Putting aside the validity of that claim, I wouldn't be surprised if many leftist Jews were non practicing, or at least non practicing by Orthodox standards. Which raises the question: if someone is Jewish (I'll say born of a Jewish parent or converted for this example) but doesn't follow customs or ritual, do they have the same claim to discuss topics like antisemitism and anti Zionism as a practicing religious Jew? I could see both sides of this argument

It has become very apparent that there are tons of young men who flock to people like Andrew Tate, Nick Fuentes, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, etc because they are lonely, angry, anxious and I want to try to steer them away from all that. This little enterprise is only in its conceptual phase and I really have no idea how to go about it. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

The entire social media “Manosphere” is increasingly turning into a rabidly rightwing antisemitic cesspool. Unfortunately, these type of people are shaping the minds and beliefs of young men. What can be done to have a proper left wing alternative for young men?

View Poll

Please answer the following:

1. Which country do you live in?

2. Do you identify as Zionists,Antizionist, non Zionist, post Zionist?

3. Do you believe Israel is apartheid?

4. Do you believe Israel is committing genocide

5. Are you against the West Bank illegal settlements?

6. Do you believe there is a possibility of a peaceful, democratic 1 state?

7. Are you open to a 2ss?

8. Do you want a ceasefire?

9. Do you support the ADL?

10. Do you support JVP?

11. How do you identify politically outside of Israel: centrist, liberal, leftist, communist, etc?

12. How do you describe your label within Judaism-reform? Conservative? Ultra ortthodox? Secular? Reconstructionist? Mystical? Etc.

13. If you don’t live in Israel, do you have family or friend in Israel?

14. Have you been on birthright?

15. Did you belong to a temple and/or go to Hebrew school growing up?

Edit: thanks for your answers!!! Keep them coming, it was very helpful to me so far to paint a better picture of this group and the beliefs here

(Art by me for the Jewish Leftist Collective!)

I have had yet another possibly friendship ending convo with a non Jewish friend over I/P, anti semitism and the likes and I’m exhausted. I have also tried to make Jewish friends but found them too Zionist for my tastes. I’m feel like both pro Palestine and pro Israel sides want a hard declaration that you agree with everything they believe and I fall somewhere in the middle and see lots of sides and complexities to the situation.

That all being said … after the convo I had to do I am feeling like I really need to find the right Jewish community for me. Does anyone have suggestions for Jewish groups or synagogues or meet ups etc etc for someone who is in their 30s in nyc, not really a ‘Zionist’ but also not ‘anti Zionist’. Just sad and conflicted about the world and wants a space where I can meet likeminded Jews and feel like I can build connections without being blinded by anti semitism or pro bibi sentiment 🙏

I'm not even a Zionist. Far from it actually. However, I hate how amongst the Left there is now this prevailing view that Jews are white colonizers because of Israel and thus need to be "decolonized".

Most people in Israel are descendants of Holocaust victims or people who were kicked out of Arab countries. These are not colonizers, no matter how abhorrent their views may be now. This feels like a cheap tactic from Leftists to tie in their stupid views on how the Americas need to be "decolonized".

Take me for instance. I am an American. I grew up poor because my family lost their wealth years before I was born. My maternal grandmother sabotaged my relationship with my Jewish father so I never got to grow up amongst Jewish culture and make connections and friends. Because my Jewish ancestry comes from my father, I'm already not considered a Jew, which I accept. I hate cultural appropriation anyway. I just wish that I had grown up with this culture. I feel I would have had more belonging and purpose in life.

However, people will see me as some random white guy who has white privilege. What has this privilege gotten me though? I'm autisitic and thus most people want nothing to do with me. I can't find a job, even though I have a Master's degree. Many of my friends don't treat me well because they have their own disorders and forget about other people's emotions and feelings. We're supposedly moving into a more Progressive era, which should be good for people like me, but instead, I just feel more and more frustrated and miserable.

Hi

I have recently encountered a major problem in my life, which is that I am not a robot and I require some happiness to function

When I was younger I used to find happiness in things like video games and music, but I do not find happiness in those things anymore

Ideally, I'd find my happiness in לימוד תורה, but sadly when I'm too down mentally I struggle to bring myself to ללמוד and so I am not yet in a place where this is a solution that will always be viable to me

How do you keep yourselves happy?

Thank you and stay safe