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Jewish Contributors to Antisemitism

Jewish led anti AIPAC rally in NYC Antisemitism is up in this country. No question about it. But what makes its current incarnation different from antisemitism of the past is that, in some ways, there are Jews contributing to it. Though not in the way one might think. In the past, it didn’t help matters when a few of our people - some of whom were outwardly very devout - were caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Cases of government fraud by seemingly devout Orthodox Jews have surely contributed to antisemitism, making it easier for antisemites to generalize a supposed propensity for fraud to all Jews, especially the most devout among us. While incidents of that kind of fraud seem to have decreased, antisemitism has nevertheless increased. Much of that increase is due to closet antisemites who have long lived among us but were relatively quiet about expressing their views. Since the war in Gaza and accusations of genocide, however, they seem to feel they have been given ‘permission’ to voice their true feelings. Often disguised as anti-Zionist or anti-Israel sentiment. The problem is that a growing number of Jews are now saying many of the same things. Accusations of genocide are no longer uncommon. These are often framed as criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rather than of Israel as a whole. But that framing ignores the reality that, with few exceptions on Israel’s far left, Netanyahu’s conduct of the war has been broadly supported in the Israeli Knesset. That distinction is therefore invalid. Making matters worse, prominent self-identifying Jews in high office have joined the chorus of Israel-bashing by proxy - using AIPAC as their primary target. AIPAC is a lobbying group that advocates support for Israel regardless of which political party is in power, both in the United States and in Israel. Yet it has now become increasingly toxic within the Democratic Party. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin have repudiated their connections to the group. So has Daniel Biss, the heir apparent to the congressional seat in my district, whose grandparents were Holocaust survivors. Then there is J Street, a group of progressive Jews that has become one of the most vocal critics of Israel. (In my view, its policies are both anti-Jewish and harmful to Israel. But I digress.) And we cannot ignore Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, perhaps the quintessential Jewish anti-Zionist, at least in terms of any kind of Zionism rooted in Judaism. Meanwhile, mainstream left-leaning institutions like the DNC are piling on. For example, a recent DNC resolution singled out AIPAC for condemnation over so-called ‘dark money’ in elections. Although the resolution was ultimately defeated, the fact that it was seriously considered adds fuel to the fire. So do accusations of Israeli genocide made by serious candidates for high office in several states—for example, Analilia Mejia, who is running in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District and has been endorsed by her former rival as well as by J Street. Academia, heavily influenced by left-wing progressives, has also turned sharply against Israel—especially as Israel has moved away from its socialist beginnings toward a free-market economy, a shift many progressives view as a grave sin. Many academics now align themselves closely with Palestinians and fully accept their grievances against Israel and US support for her. Nor should we overlook Hollywood elites, whose Judaism is often defined primarily through progressive values and who frequently express strong anti-Zionist views, reserving most of their compassion for the Palestinian cause. With all of these forces at work in our culture, it should come as no surprise that antisemitism has increased in what feels like exponential terms. On the plus side, Tucker Carlson appears to have lost considerable momentum in his anti-Israel crusade. While he was once a powerful voice on the right - perhaps the most influential during his time at Fox - he now seems largely sidelined. Mainstream conservative Republicans, for the most part, still view Israel and the Jewish people in a generally positive light. The broader concern is political. Because of the war with Iran and its impact on the U.S. economy, the prospect of a Democratic return to power in the House is strong, and the Senate could be at risk as well. That would not bode well for Israel. It could cement an anti-Israel bias in Congress for the first time in decades—further fueling antisemitic trends among too many Americans. I’m not sure what can be done about all this, but I am not feeling very confident about what might happen in the next congressional election. I can only hope that the war concludes with a satisfactory outcome for all involved, restoring the American economy to where it was before. That, in turn, might give supporters of Israel a chance to maintain their majority in both houses. I hope and pray that happens. Emes Ve-Emunah is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.