Antisemitism In 21st Century America

Antisemitism is at a high level not only in the United States but around the world. It is quite scary and at times unsettling to be a practicing reconstructionist middle aged Jewish man in this climate. What really bothers me is how different groups and individuals are misusing the words “antisemitic” and “antisemitism” to fit their own narrative, which turns out to be antisemitic. It is out of control and people need to stop and take time to think because their actions are diluting a problem that is very serious.  

Jewish people have been the scape goat for the leaders of countries and empires for several thousand years from the Americas, Europe, to near Asia and the Middle East.  What is occurring today is not surprising with the rise of Trump driven fascism and white supremacy. The use of social media and encoded words in their posts, reels, and speeches has spread fascist messages at a quicker rate to a wider audience.  This is uber effective in a society that is addicted to their phones.  What is surprising is the naivety of a well-educated Generation Z, most of whom have not bothered to learn history and are quick to judge Jews in America and Israel so they can post “Gotcha” videos in return for clicks, reposts, and likes. 

Judaism is a beautiful religion that at its core is based on love, kindness, and generosity. Love of G-d, love of family, love of community, and love of your fellow human. We are a very tiny percentage of the world’s population with one Jewish State.  Our homeland of Israel is in a region where it is surrounded by Muslim Countries. The rest of the countries in the world are made up of predominately non-Jewish citizens so, please remind me again how the Jewish people are responsible for all the world’s problems for the last three millennia?

I would like to clear things up for the American Democratic Socialists and people on the far left of the political spectrum.  Just because people are either Jewish and/or Israeli and support Israel as our rightful homeland, does not mean we support the Benjamin Netanyahu government of Israel. I am an American. I love America and the freedoms that have been afforded us under the Constitution. This does not mean that I support every presidential administration, especially the current Trump Administration nor every action the presidential administrations that I did support. 

Netanyahu is a terrible human being, just as Trump is a terrible human being. In addition to Hamas, Netanyahu is one of the main people responsible for October 7. He tried to pay off Hamas in hopes that they would not attack Israel, while he worked on taking over more territory illegally in the West Bank. When Hamas attacked Israel on that fateful day, the IDF was oddly late to respond, which lead to the brutal rape, kidnapping, and murder of innocent Israeli citizens. In my opinion, relentless bombing of Gaza with no true strategy to save the hostages led to more devastation for the innocent men, women, and children of Gaza. The loss of innocent life on both sides is tragic and beyond sad. Hopefully one day, Netanyahu will have to answer to G-d, as well as the Israeli citizens and to the entire world in the court of law. 

Having compassion for the innocent people of Gaza does not mean that Reconstructionist Jews support the Palestinians should take over the entire State of Israel. It is one thing to discuss a more humane solution to the Palestinian issue i.e. a two-state solution versus Democrat Socialist Americans in their twenties chanting from “the river to the sea” at their rallies or on their social media posts. What they are chanting is the Palestinian call for the annihilation of all Israelis, where most Israelis and Reconstructionist Jews agree with Democratic Socialists regarding Netanyahu’s handling of Gaza.  This is why the Democratic Socialists actions are antisemitic. 

Benjamin Netanyahu bears copiability for the current situation on the ground in Gaza. However, over the last several decades, Hamas also bears most of the blame for the plight of the Gazan people as well as the regional Muslim countries. Hamas, an Iranian proxy, are using the money and weapons that they receive from Iran to build an infrastructure based on their ideology to kill as many Jews as possible. Sadly, there was no way the innocent Gazan population was going to see a dime of that money to help better their lives. 

On the day of Israel’s independence in 1948, the surrounding countries and the Palestinians declared war on and attacked Israel with the focus of wiping Israel and the Jews living there off the face of the earth.  When Israel won this war and the subsequent ones over the next couple of decades, the Palestinians became refugees and the nations that joined them in the attacks on Israel refused to take them in or offer little or no assistance. Israel has a right to exist and the Palestinians living today deserve a solution to their plight, which they were put in by their grandfathers, whether it is a two-state solution or surrounding countries opening their borders and welcoming them.  American Democratic Socialists need to do their research and make posts that are factually accurate before making accusations where they lack knowledge. 

It is also antisemitic for conservatives to accuse reconstructionist Jews of not being supporters of Israel’s right to exist just because they don’t support President Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu, their policies, and the policies of the far-right conservative movement controlling the Israeli government.  Compassion for and assisting people who are vulnerable and less fortunate than you are important traits to have.  Hamas is an evil organization and, in their mission, to wipe Jews off the face of the Earth, they also have abused their own citizens and continue to use them as human shields. Hiding like cowards while innocent civilians are directly in the line of fire against the Israeli Military. 

However, not supporting Netanyahu’s position to use this as an excuse to excessively bomb Gaza to rubble does not make reconstructionist Jews anti-Israel. It makes us human. It means we are following G-d’s commandments. Netanyahu does not act like he views the Palestinians as human beings. Netanyahu and Trump believe their greed justifies their actions and it does not. I find it hard to believe that the IDF can create an operation where they can remotely blow up the cell phones and kill the leaders of Hamas living in Qatar, but they have no other strategy where they can save the October 7 Israeli hostages while minimizing innocent civilian casualties except to reduce the region to ruble? 

Netanyahu’s actions clearly show that he cares for one person and that is himself and not the Israeli citizenry that he is supposed to.  Netanyahu is facing a host of criminal charges when he leaves office, hence, he will do anything he can to create situations which delays him calling for elections and leaving office. Reconstructionist Jews, who don’t support the current government administration of Israel and support a peaceful regional solution to the Palestinian crisis, can also believe in Israel’s right to exist. Far right conservatives stating otherwise is antisemitic!

Conservatives also accuse Reconstructionist Jews who don’t support President Trump are against Israel’s right to exist. This is bonkers as well as being antisemitic. President Trump claims to support Israel but he only cares about Israel because it benefits him and his family’s business ventures in the Middle East where they are profiting billions of dollars.  If Trump”s family didn’t need Netanyahu to enrich himself then he wouldn’t care about Israel. 

Trump doesn’t care about the plight of American Jews either and the increased antisemitism that we face at home. In fact, the increase in hate crimes against Jews is due to Trump’s actions and rhetoric. Trump endorses fascist conspiracies about Jews, dines with known Neo-Nazis and pardoned Jan 6 rioters and cop beaters that were led by two paramilitary groups, the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. Both groups proudly taught their white Christian Nationalist viewpoints to their followers.  Trump is not a supporter of Israel or Jewish Americans. Sorry, my conservative and orthodox brethren. Trump and his proxies are playing you and you need to wake up before it is too late. 

Where does this leave us?  The American liberal reformed Jew, at this moment in time. This is the most dangerous time to be Jewish in not just the United States, but in the western world, since the isolationist period prior to World War II.  Sometimes I feel that the hatred is coming from all sides. 

The far left or what is now called the DSA (Democratic Socialists) want to hand Israel over to the Palestinians and if you don’t agree then they will attack Jews (personally and their businesses) and post it all over social media for click bate. It would be nice if they would stop being brainwashed by social media apps and read a history book or two on the region. Then from the other side of the spectrum, reconstructionist Jews are only in favor of Israel’s right to exist if we support the policies of President Trump and the policies and military strategy of Prime Minister Netanyahu. President Trump is an antisemite and white supremacist who is only using Israel to enrich himself and Netanyahu belongs in jail for the crimes he has committed against his own citizens and the innocent Gazan people. 

Compared to the rest of the world, Jews are a small but strong and resilient portion of the world population.  We have existed for over 5,700 years and we will keep existing. reconstructionist Jews are not going to be able to change every person’s position, but we must keep trying. It starts with education. 

Meeting the young people where they get their information (social media platforms) and educate about the true history of the region by posting well thought out reels. Young people need to somehow rewire their brains and learn how to take the time to read and become knowledgeable about different world events and ignore the impulse for instant gratification by posting wrong and hurtful information on social media. The citizens of both Israel and the United States need to elect leaders who will look out for their interests (Jew or non-Jew) instead of lining their own pockets. 

Finally, reconstructionist Jews cannot and should not change their beliefs and values. Judaism is based on love and kindness. Humans are all made in the image of G-d and we need to show respect and love to our fellow humans. That is the only way to stop hatred so everyone can enjoy this precious gift of life.