Antisemitism and Our Fake Friends

Thoughts...

What is antisemitism? Any post about this topic seems to need that defined since so many people seem unaware of what actually is antisemitic and how often they tolerate, even condone, antisemitism in daily discourse and their daily lives.

Antisemitism for the sake of this post is defined by the prejudiced views of Jewish identity, Judaism as a faith and cultural aspects of Jewish communities around the world. This includes, but is not limited to, the clear hatred of any and all three aspects listed above and expressions of that hatred both verbally and physically. It entails the applied prejudices of what you expect a Jewish person to be when that view is applied to the detriment of Jewish people. This includes what could be perceived as positive views that, when applied, strip Jewish people of their agency and right to self-determination and the ability to define for ourselves what our identity means. It also includes the appropriation of Jewish identity by people who are not Jewish, regardless of the reasons given. Though all these listed, and those touched on below, are not rigid in definition since intent and context always must be applied to show the harm of the actions/words deemed to be antisemitic.

Now to illustrate some forms of antisemitism…

The Fetishized Jew

A fetish is an inanimate object to which the observer attaches meaning, attributes and meaning which otherwise do not exist without the application of the observer's views. When an entire people are turned into a fetishized object for the sake of another group it should be clear how this is detrimental to the targeted community. It can be argued that Islam and Christianity do this to Jews in the many interpretations of the two religions. The need to “branch out" from Judaism to add credibility and a sense of antiquity to the newer Abrahamic faiths has meant pigeonholing Jews into characters meant to play a secondary role to their prophets/messiahs and the adherents of the newer faiths. Jewish resentment for this behavior is then ignored or, historically speaking, punished. The roles cast for Jews in the two faiths also are less than favorable and, from the view of the fetish, insulting and dehumanizing. It should be clear to anyone that this behavior creates divisions that cannot be ignored indefinitely. Especially when those perpetrating this behavior have so often found themselves in the majority and therefore without any compulsion to stop it, let alone apologize for it.

Fetishized views of Jewish people also appear in secular culture when the “good Jew" image is applied in how society dictates what Jewish people should say, think, look like and what views we should support or oppose. The fetish is not permitted to actually live as an individual but rather expected to conform to the prejudices of the observer. Individuality is prohibited through the constant application of negative responses to it and latter enforced by outright abuse. The latest example of this is the politicized charges of antisemitism against Bernie Sanders simply because he does not fit the “good Jew" image a sizable portion of society holds.

When applied to the Orthodox Jewish community the fetishized view of them becomes even more abusive in that this time the fetish exist only as an outlet for the aggression of the observer. They can neither achieve the status of a “good Jew" or strive for acceptability once fetishized in America since the prejudices against them have no favorable application. So once applied these prejudices serve to isolate the community and enforce their segregation via the application of the observer’s prejudices and thus abuse follows. Then when the targeted community complies, the prejudices become more hostile and abuse becomes even more aggressive. This is an example of how the stripping of our humanity and replacing it with prejudiced views of what we should be often manifests and is experienced differently given other aspects of our identity. Orthodox Jews experience antisemitism differently than reform Jewish communities in the same way Jewish people of color experience antisemitism differently. Each of our diverse communities therefore experience this form of antisemitism differently.

The Evangelicals and Their Savior Complex

The image of solidarity in America is frequently portrayed far differently than it is applied in real action. After every antisemitic attack there are always Christian leaders who rush to express their undying support for us poor downtrodden Jews. It is a mad rush to speak over Jewish anger so that the images of Orthodox Jews praying can be seen in new articles and TV broadcasts as Christians talk for us. Instead of lifting up Jewish views of what drove the latest attacks on us, people like Donald Trump decide to shed some crocodile tears before thumping their chests and talking about how much they love Israel. Our blood is cheap in the eyes of those who spend their time chasing ambulances to the next synagogue massacre. 

We are not lambs to be sacrificed for the gains of Christian leaders or politicians of any party. Your support of Israel means nothing when you stand atop the graves of Jewish Americans just to shout out praise for Tel Aviv. This form of antisemitism not only cheapens the value of our lives but also places a bulls eye on our backs as you pretend to grieve. We are Americans and yet the fetish mentioned above is one that assigns us loyalty to a country to which we do not belong. It excludes us from American society while pretending to protect us. 

Solidarity is only ever achievable if both parties can shoulder the burden equally. This is impossible when the burden is applied by the Evangelical leadership in America. When your view of us hinges on stories in which we are vilified in one verse than turned to saints the next only to end with our ultimate destruction by fire, chances are you can never shoulder the burden of antisemitism but rather are a source of it. But the failure to address antisemitic passages in the Christian bible isn’t the only problem here. The overwhelming sense of needing to rush in and save us is just as damaging. 

It is impossible to pick apart the depths of antisemitic views held by large portions of Evangelicals in America. That alone could be saved for another post. But I will say this: the belief that “standing with Israel" after each attack on Jews in America is antisemitic. American Jews are not represented by some foreign government. Playing savior to us will not bring you closer to any god. When this is the motive for denouncing attacks, you can skip it. It is obvious that there is no sincerity in it. And the motive behind it is insulting, not loving.

The “Hebrew Israelites" and Other Fakes

I will address the appropriation of Jewish identity by non-Jews in the same way one would when talking about white people appropriating cultures they have historically colonized: Do not do it. It is really that simple. You can enjoy bagels, attend a Hanukkah celebration and not try to pretend to be Jewish. But really if those are the ways you are doing it then you are still not as monstrous as the next lot…

Black Hebrew Israelites and other versions of this cultish crowd are all antisemitic. All forms are potentially violent as well, regardless of what their apologists claim. There is no expression of their beliefs in which the adherent is not guided towards violent dispossession of Jewish identity from actual Jewish peoples. Their beliefs also rob actual Jewish people of color of their heritage, culture and identities by stripping them of their identity and applying it to Christians of color who fetishize Judaism. Not only do these groups not understand Hebrew or Jewish customs and culture, they refuse to admit the extent of Jewish diversity. Diversity that includes Jewish communities of Asian, Hispanic, European, African and Middle Eastern ancestry. With that in mind it is impossible to not label these groups as equally antisemitic as white nationalists movements that also target Jewish peoples with violent hate speech and dehumanizing characterizations. 

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These posts will continue as I have time to put them together. Like I have said above, antisemitism is difficult to define and there will be plenty of people who don’t like or agree with how I have used it. But it is important that society takes a long hard look at what forms of antisemitism exists and are expressed in both the mainstream and in the shadows alike.