Once again, incredibly well said and necessary. Our lives depend on fighting the fascists, because nothing ever goes well for Jews in fascist regimes…even Jewish ones. Plus it’s the right thing to do.
I just learned of the sad news about the beating and possible hijacking of Hamdan Ballal in the West Bank by emboldened Israeli settlers. Ballal was one of the co-directors of the documentary, "No Other Land", which won this year's Academy Award for best documentary. His co-director was Israeli film maker Yuval Abraham, who together, Israeli and Arab, made a film about the systematic injustices and violence against Palestinians in the West Bank continued and ratcheted up under the Netanyahu regime.
Really horrific news. I do wonder when news like this will break through the broader Jewish communal consciousness to really drive home what is happening in our name on the West Bank.
I am a member of the San Diego Jewish Men's Choir. We are planning a concert in several weeks at Tifereth Ysraell, a conservative synagogue here in San Diego. One of our songs will be the theme from Exodus. But there was discussion tonight about dropping the song, and any singing of HaTikvah. "This land is mine, God gave this land to me." Is the contested lyric, among other passages. I can understand self-censoring this and HaTikvah for a non-Jewish audience in today's unfortunate anti-Zionist climate, but our own synagogues? I'd love to hear others comments about this. I am a proud and strong member and supporter of J-Street. I am so upset with Israel's War on the Gaza Strip. But I still love Israel and hope and pray that someday it will be wholly democratic for all citizens and live in peace and side by side with our Arab neighbors.
My advice is don't drop it. We as Jews had and have a right to a national homeland as much as Armenians, Greeks, Serbs, Bulgarians and any other nation you can think of it that lost its statehood and got it back. Hatikvah as a national anthem is no more chauvinistic than national anthems of many other countries. It is important, in my opinion, to remain committed to our right to statehood, as represented by the Israeli state, while criticizing its government. That's why I belong to and support J Street.
I so appreciate your points here, Jeremy. My problem, someone once told me, is I want to be a radical, but I want to be liked. Today, many people want to be pro-Israel, pro-Palestinian, Pro-Democracy (some of the words of a J Street sticker I have on my file cabinet). And believe me, we are often not liked, within the Jewish community, even though we are opposed to BDS but defend the right to be pro-BDS.
But 300 plus showed up for a J Street event in Cleveland and we do not all have unanimity in our views. We need to stick together, however, or we are toast.
But let's forget about being liked; we do really need to work against the endemic resentment against progressives and the left as all being antisemites. These are often our own offspring we are talking about!
Also, the other day, in a locker room, a video of AOC and Bernie was on the TV, and a derogatory comment was made. One key point I made, yes, I spoke up, is that one reason both AOC and Bernie can function to h-e-l-p lead the a politically diverse opposition to Trump/MAGA going forward is that neither of them succumbed to supporting BDS and using inflammatory rhetoric around the Israel/Gaza war, and acted with integrity, and are clearly concerned about both anti-ZionISTism and anti-Palestinianism, and about racism and antisemitism and civil liberties.
I pointed this out, and the hardliner said, "really?" and perked up: AOC invited a Jewish leader to one of the best videos about antisemitism I have seen in years and caught hell from the far left for it.
We do not all have to love AOC and Bernie and everything they say; the Jewish peace movement is a diverse lot. We can't attract young people if we have just one narrow way of thinking; on the other hand we should stick with the overall points being made by J Street and the Progressive Israel network if we want to have any incluence on US policy.
So, those of us who want to build progressive movements going forward, if we want to have any real unity, are going to have to re-think and drop their previous resentment of anyone to the left of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. The sharp criticism of Senator Michael Bennet at a recent town hall, about his vote with Schumer and about Gaza, despite his being a J Street endorsed candidate, is n-o-t how to go about building the oppostion to our common enemy.
Jeremy, you write so articulately 100 percent of what I believe and see. Hope you win the Hatikvah slate in the WZO voting. it's very difficult to talk to my Jewish friends who are not so aware and have less courage and passion we seem to have in J Street. It's hard for me to see these rifts. Then there are those Jewish friends and acquaintances who are complacent. I don't understand them either!
Kol Hakavod! That needed to be said - and repeated as required. But the question remains: How to resist Trump in this country, let alone Bibi "in the farthest East"? The courts, of course, which is being done, but they may be a slender reed. Mot of us already realize the danger, but what to do, even if we're not so fastidious regarding our allies? I hope that will be the theme of your next piece.
Thanks Paul. A few weeks back, I laid out a bit of a "pro-democracy to do list". Here's the link. https://jeremybenami.substack.com/p/fighting-fascism-one-person-can-make?r=7tj1b. No one person or organization is going to defeat this threat - it's going to be a team effort and hundreds of thousands of individuals need to ask what they each can do - it will add up to a movement. I will probably revisit this as we get to some of the large upcoming demonstrations.
Thank you for your courage and clearly explaining what is happening. I think we need to start unifying all groups that are recognizing the danger. Building such bridges is essential. One thought is to start emphasizing that this fight is about freedom and human rights for all.
Thanks, Fred, yes we have to work in coalition and at the same time, each organization needs to do its part. For instance, for J Street and for me, the challenge is defeating this pretext that they are doing these horrific things in the name of fighting antisemitism. We each have a role to day- as I said in my comment back to Paul. This battle is a team sport, and we all have a role to play.
I called sen Cornyn and Cruz to vote no on Mike Huckabee this morning Sunday 3-29-2025. Keep up your great work. We will persevere and win. Selly Belofsky Dallas
I don't understand how the Israeli Right continues to get away with claiming to provide Israelis with greater security than the Left. Under Israel's right-wing parties, Israelis have had to deal with Intifadas, endless Gaza wars, and October 7. Macho culture, I suppose. Maybe they like to fight. Or perhaps there's another agenda, and liberal American Jews who support Israel are fools.
I grew up in Los Angeles, and have had Jewish friends since grade school, who remain my friends to this day. None of them are "immigrant Jews" or children of immigrants. They are Americans just like I am.
In fact, I only know one immigrant Jew, a prominent academician and hiking partner in the past, who came to the States before World World II. To the best of my knowledge, my friends' ancestors came here in the 1800s or before, like mine did.
I have zero allegiance to the countries of my ancestors; and what happens to them is of no concern to me. My concerns, however, are that my Jewish friends or their offspring will be subject to antisemitism, which has been reaching levels not seen since World War II, with even worse yet to come.
Netanyahu has ratcheted up his butchery to stay out of prison for his many crimes. And to my dismay, Donald Trump -- whom I voted for three times -- has embraced him. I began as a Democrat, but will never vote for another one. I reject their far-Left agenda.
Once again, incredibly well said and necessary. Our lives depend on fighting the fascists, because nothing ever goes well for Jews in fascist regimes…even Jewish ones. Plus it’s the right thing to do.
Yes, well said!
I just learned of the sad news about the beating and possible hijacking of Hamdan Ballal in the West Bank by emboldened Israeli settlers. Ballal was one of the co-directors of the documentary, "No Other Land", which won this year's Academy Award for best documentary. His co-director was Israeli film maker Yuval Abraham, who together, Israeli and Arab, made a film about the systematic injustices and violence against Palestinians in the West Bank continued and ratcheted up under the Netanyahu regime.
Really horrific news. I do wonder when news like this will break through the broader Jewish communal consciousness to really drive home what is happening in our name on the West Bank.
I am a member of the San Diego Jewish Men's Choir. We are planning a concert in several weeks at Tifereth Ysraell, a conservative synagogue here in San Diego. One of our songs will be the theme from Exodus. But there was discussion tonight about dropping the song, and any singing of HaTikvah. "This land is mine, God gave this land to me." Is the contested lyric, among other passages. I can understand self-censoring this and HaTikvah for a non-Jewish audience in today's unfortunate anti-Zionist climate, but our own synagogues? I'd love to hear others comments about this. I am a proud and strong member and supporter of J-Street. I am so upset with Israel's War on the Gaza Strip. But I still love Israel and hope and pray that someday it will be wholly democratic for all citizens and live in peace and side by side with our Arab neighbors.
My advice is don't drop it. We as Jews had and have a right to a national homeland as much as Armenians, Greeks, Serbs, Bulgarians and any other nation you can think of it that lost its statehood and got it back. Hatikvah as a national anthem is no more chauvinistic than national anthems of many other countries. It is important, in my opinion, to remain committed to our right to statehood, as represented by the Israeli state, while criticizing its government. That's why I belong to and support J Street.
Thank you, Ted. Well articulated.
I so appreciate your points here, Jeremy. My problem, someone once told me, is I want to be a radical, but I want to be liked. Today, many people want to be pro-Israel, pro-Palestinian, Pro-Democracy (some of the words of a J Street sticker I have on my file cabinet). And believe me, we are often not liked, within the Jewish community, even though we are opposed to BDS but defend the right to be pro-BDS.
But 300 plus showed up for a J Street event in Cleveland and we do not all have unanimity in our views. We need to stick together, however, or we are toast.
But let's forget about being liked; we do really need to work against the endemic resentment against progressives and the left as all being antisemites. These are often our own offspring we are talking about!
Also, the other day, in a locker room, a video of AOC and Bernie was on the TV, and a derogatory comment was made. One key point I made, yes, I spoke up, is that one reason both AOC and Bernie can function to h-e-l-p lead the a politically diverse opposition to Trump/MAGA going forward is that neither of them succumbed to supporting BDS and using inflammatory rhetoric around the Israel/Gaza war, and acted with integrity, and are clearly concerned about both anti-ZionISTism and anti-Palestinianism, and about racism and antisemitism and civil liberties.
I pointed this out, and the hardliner said, "really?" and perked up: AOC invited a Jewish leader to one of the best videos about antisemitism I have seen in years and caught hell from the far left for it.
We do not all have to love AOC and Bernie and everything they say; the Jewish peace movement is a diverse lot. We can't attract young people if we have just one narrow way of thinking; on the other hand we should stick with the overall points being made by J Street and the Progressive Israel network if we want to have any incluence on US policy.
So, those of us who want to build progressive movements going forward, if we want to have any real unity, are going to have to re-think and drop their previous resentment of anyone to the left of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. The sharp criticism of Senator Michael Bennet at a recent town hall, about his vote with Schumer and about Gaza, despite his being a J Street endorsed candidate, is n-o-t how to go about building the oppostion to our common enemy.
Jeremy, you write so articulately 100 percent of what I believe and see. Hope you win the Hatikvah slate in the WZO voting. it's very difficult to talk to my Jewish friends who are not so aware and have less courage and passion we seem to have in J Street. It's hard for me to see these rifts. Then there are those Jewish friends and acquaintances who are complacent. I don't understand them either!
Thanks so much David. I wish I understood! Thanks for promoting the Hatikvah slate. Please continue to spread the word. Still plenty of time to vote - here's the link again: https://azm.castiron.votem.net/election/037548cb-4cbb-4a94-aa9a-8aef017d4ddf
Kol Hakavod! That needed to be said - and repeated as required. But the question remains: How to resist Trump in this country, let alone Bibi "in the farthest East"? The courts, of course, which is being done, but they may be a slender reed. Mot of us already realize the danger, but what to do, even if we're not so fastidious regarding our allies? I hope that will be the theme of your next piece.
Thanks Paul. A few weeks back, I laid out a bit of a "pro-democracy to do list". Here's the link. https://jeremybenami.substack.com/p/fighting-fascism-one-person-can-make?r=7tj1b. No one person or organization is going to defeat this threat - it's going to be a team effort and hundreds of thousands of individuals need to ask what they each can do - it will add up to a movement. I will probably revisit this as we get to some of the large upcoming demonstrations.
Get out and protest. Join up with Indivisible. Work on the mid-term elections :-)
Thank you for your courage and clearly explaining what is happening. I think we need to start unifying all groups that are recognizing the danger. Building such bridges is essential. One thought is to start emphasizing that this fight is about freedom and human rights for all.
Thanks, Fred, yes we have to work in coalition and at the same time, each organization needs to do its part. For instance, for J Street and for me, the challenge is defeating this pretext that they are doing these horrific things in the name of fighting antisemitism. We each have a role to day- as I said in my comment back to Paul. This battle is a team sport, and we all have a role to play.
Agree 100%
Thank you sooo much.
Thank you for putting this out there. Well said.
I called sen Cornyn and Cruz to vote no on Mike Huckabee this morning Sunday 3-29-2025. Keep up your great work. We will persevere and win. Selly Belofsky Dallas
Thank you, Selly! Keep up the fight!
You said it , with the needed sense of well-reasoned & passionate urgency! Thank you, Jeremy!
I don't understand how the Israeli Right continues to get away with claiming to provide Israelis with greater security than the Left. Under Israel's right-wing parties, Israelis have had to deal with Intifadas, endless Gaza wars, and October 7. Macho culture, I suppose. Maybe they like to fight. Or perhaps there's another agenda, and liberal American Jews who support Israel are fools.
Once again, thoughtful comments by Jeremy.
I grew up in Los Angeles, and have had Jewish friends since grade school, who remain my friends to this day. None of them are "immigrant Jews" or children of immigrants. They are Americans just like I am.
In fact, I only know one immigrant Jew, a prominent academician and hiking partner in the past, who came to the States before World World II. To the best of my knowledge, my friends' ancestors came here in the 1800s or before, like mine did.
I have zero allegiance to the countries of my ancestors; and what happens to them is of no concern to me. My concerns, however, are that my Jewish friends or their offspring will be subject to antisemitism, which has been reaching levels not seen since World War II, with even worse yet to come.
Netanyahu has ratcheted up his butchery to stay out of prison for his many crimes. And to my dismay, Donald Trump -- whom I voted for three times -- has embraced him. I began as a Democrat, but will never vote for another one. I reject their far-Left agenda.
See https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2025/03/11/is-the-trump-presidency-where-free-speech-goes-to-die/ ("Is The Trump Presidency Where Free Speech Goes To Die?")