Sometimes at services, when we were bored, my husband and I would randomly open up the Bible and read passages. What always struck us was how practical Jewish laws are. They were about taking care of each other and the community, taking care of the land, etc. I believe this is one of the main reasons Jews have survived for so long. Rabbi Iggy has also done this in his wonderful guest essay about Tshuva. Now if only people would take a breath, stand back and listen.
"For the Democratic Party, this would mean a commitment not only to reject antisemitism but to embrace and respect the full complexity of the Jewish experience, including its deep connection to Israel." As a non-Jew, I am continually appalled by the strident,self-righteous voices of Jews who continually deny Israel and its right to exist. This just adds a huge amount of antisemitic fuel to the fire and gives permission to the Jew haters to continue. So yes,Rabbi Iggy, remorse is the very best start.
I'm not going to get into Reb Iggy's wheelhouse. This is not necessarily a top-down issue that can be imposed on the Party. Our political parties are quite unlike the ones from other post industrial democracies (if we can keep them). The people who are active in the parties rule. See e.g., participation and voting in primaries. I gave money to defeat Cori Bush and Jamal Bowman.
An edict from the DNC is not worth much. Will there be loyalty oaths and training in pluralism, or someone yelling get your heads out of your asses and stop hating Jews if you want to be a candidate? I'm the same Democrat who raised $25 for Hubert Humphrey in 1968 by selling cool political buttons to my classmates. The party has morphed, as has the GOP. Wm. F. Buckley, Jr. is spinning in his grave, as is Burke at what "Conservatives" are called. But that's another issue.
Party activists have embraced a culture of shaming and victimhood and adoption of idiotic and hateful causes because that's what people who participate want and get. Yes T'shuva can start by turning around. I don't think that will happen en masse no matter what the DNC does or says. It'll be called Virtue Signaling.
The observations are excellent; I despair at the odds of it happening. Of course, things can change. Democrats of 1866 were not Democrats like LBJ of 1966, who said as he signed the Civil Rights Act, said: "There goes the South for a generation." We'll see.
Another concern is demographic change. In Canada there are now more Muslims than Jews. Many Muslims see Israel/Palestine in tribal terms. They’re with their tribe, end of story. That even motives someone like Ralph Nader, of Christian Lebanese descent.
In the US, there are still more Jews than Muslims, for now.
Thank you for your voice. October 7th changed everything for me. I was being brainwashed by the pprogressive echo chamber that denied rapes and justified oct 7th. Aabsolutely insane and eye opening.
I couldn’t read this entire piece out of frustration with the concept of Jews remaining Democrats. That party is no longer what it once was, its leaders having given it over to the far left, woke, anti- semitic fringe. Any Jew who can’t see that it’s time to switch parties is stubbornly denying reality. The left- even in Israel- is dangerous to the health of Israel as a nation and the Jewish people.
Why do Jews need to redeem the Democrat political party? Last time I checked, “Democrat” was not a branch of Judaism. I haven’t seen a synagogue labeled Democrat Congregation. Nor do I remember any biblical reference to Democrats. Though there was something about Moses’ family riding upon donkeys. The Republicans would like to have you/us. And frankly right now, Republicans are more aligned with working people and Israel than Democrats. They also like freedom and America, two of my favorite things. I am politically independent, but conservative. I frankly don’t understand the emotional attachment to a political party. Politicians of any stripe are not typically the most virtuous of people. Nor are political parties without caprice as Jews and biological women and working people of color are learning. Yes I like and support Trump. I’m kvelling with his victory. Sorry, not sorry.
When somebody starts talking like these Democrats are talking about Jews, I’m thinking about body armor and self defense, not kumbayah and rugalach. Stop being so nice. Please. It’s a terrible idea. It’s dangerous. Do not cozy up to this. This has been cooking for quite a while and we’re just seeing it unveiled. The only way to get reform, if that’s what you want, is to walk away. Democrats understand power. As long as you act like you still want to be in the club, you’re going to be in an abusive relationship. These people just threw Jews down the stairs. Pack your bags and leave. It’s not your fault, and they aren’t going to change.
Enough already. You might find that the other alternatives are not what you think. (And now here come the irrational rants..)
I don’t know who you are but I platformed a friend of mine who is a Democrat, not to look good or to “be nice”, but to offer perspectives outside of my own. Last time I checked, Jewish people debated ideas in a healthy way. We’ve lost that and while I understand - and share - much of your perspective, I’d also ask that you’d not jump down my throat for offering another one.
I think you’re sincere. I like almost everything what you write. You’re certainly entitled to invite anybody to say anything you like. It’s your space. I apologize if you think that I’m jumping down your throat here. It’s not my intent. I just think it’s dangerous for Jews to be so enamored of a political party that right now is encouraging and in many cases funding groups that are overtly antisemitic and encouraging violence against Jews around the world. We saw this in Germany in the 1930’s. Jews couldn’t believe it was happening to them in their country. It was deadly. I see people here making the same type of mistake. That’s all I’m concerned about. I hope that makes sense.
Eve, you're such a bad ass warrior I all but missed your soft side until now. My bad. Unfortunately, my world is so black and white I'm at great risk for missing the lovely shades of gray. All the best.
Can you point out an issue other than Israel where the Democratic Party has championed a perceived underdog that so clearly is opposed to everything the party stands for? And of course there are shades of support that range from Rashida Tlaib's blatant racism to President Biden's minimally tempered full throated support for the Jewish state.
The US is a two-party state that is left with one party that supports social justice for every nation except one and another that is authoritarian and autocratic but supports that one state. I often wonder how the Republicans would view Israel if its leader were of the same persuasion as the Founders of the Jewish state rather than the venal mindset of their current leaders. We know that President Biden's philosophy has a deep moral foundation while President-elect Trump is on sale to the highest bidder.
The Democrats do indeed need to search deep within themselves to overcome the troubling antisemitism that is now endemic in parts of the Party. But what about the victorious Republicans, whose hubris leads them to claim a mandate where there is none, and whose leadership class is rife with criminals and sex abusers from the President, to the Supreme Court, and down?
Sometimes at services, when we were bored, my husband and I would randomly open up the Bible and read passages. What always struck us was how practical Jewish laws are. They were about taking care of each other and the community, taking care of the land, etc. I believe this is one of the main reasons Jews have survived for so long. Rabbi Iggy has also done this in his wonderful guest essay about Tshuva. Now if only people would take a breath, stand back and listen.
"For the Democratic Party, this would mean a commitment not only to reject antisemitism but to embrace and respect the full complexity of the Jewish experience, including its deep connection to Israel." As a non-Jew, I am continually appalled by the strident,self-righteous voices of Jews who continually deny Israel and its right to exist. This just adds a huge amount of antisemitic fuel to the fire and gives permission to the Jew haters to continue. So yes,Rabbi Iggy, remorse is the very best start.
I'm not going to get into Reb Iggy's wheelhouse. This is not necessarily a top-down issue that can be imposed on the Party. Our political parties are quite unlike the ones from other post industrial democracies (if we can keep them). The people who are active in the parties rule. See e.g., participation and voting in primaries. I gave money to defeat Cori Bush and Jamal Bowman.
An edict from the DNC is not worth much. Will there be loyalty oaths and training in pluralism, or someone yelling get your heads out of your asses and stop hating Jews if you want to be a candidate? I'm the same Democrat who raised $25 for Hubert Humphrey in 1968 by selling cool political buttons to my classmates. The party has morphed, as has the GOP. Wm. F. Buckley, Jr. is spinning in his grave, as is Burke at what "Conservatives" are called. But that's another issue.
Party activists have embraced a culture of shaming and victimhood and adoption of idiotic and hateful causes because that's what people who participate want and get. Yes T'shuva can start by turning around. I don't think that will happen en masse no matter what the DNC does or says. It'll be called Virtue Signaling.
The observations are excellent; I despair at the odds of it happening. Of course, things can change. Democrats of 1866 were not Democrats like LBJ of 1966, who said as he signed the Civil Rights Act, said: "There goes the South for a generation." We'll see.
Another concern is demographic change. In Canada there are now more Muslims than Jews. Many Muslims see Israel/Palestine in tribal terms. They’re with their tribe, end of story. That even motives someone like Ralph Nader, of Christian Lebanese descent.
In the US, there are still more Jews than Muslims, for now.
I now adore Iggy too. Thanks for sharing
Aw I love Iggy. Small world, Eve!! 💙
Very.
This duo🙌🏼
Thank you for your voice. October 7th changed everything for me. I was being brainwashed by the pprogressive echo chamber that denied rapes and justified oct 7th. Aabsolutely insane and eye opening.
I couldn’t read this entire piece out of frustration with the concept of Jews remaining Democrats. That party is no longer what it once was, its leaders having given it over to the far left, woke, anti- semitic fringe. Any Jew who can’t see that it’s time to switch parties is stubbornly denying reality. The left- even in Israel- is dangerous to the health of Israel as a nation and the Jewish people.
That’s not very productive. You want all Jews to proscribe to the same political party? Come on.
Iggy isn’t denying reality. He’s a remarkable human being. Things aren’t so black and white.
Why do Jews need to redeem the Democrat political party? Last time I checked, “Democrat” was not a branch of Judaism. I haven’t seen a synagogue labeled Democrat Congregation. Nor do I remember any biblical reference to Democrats. Though there was something about Moses’ family riding upon donkeys. The Republicans would like to have you/us. And frankly right now, Republicans are more aligned with working people and Israel than Democrats. They also like freedom and America, two of my favorite things. I am politically independent, but conservative. I frankly don’t understand the emotional attachment to a political party. Politicians of any stripe are not typically the most virtuous of people. Nor are political parties without caprice as Jews and biological women and working people of color are learning. Yes I like and support Trump. I’m kvelling with his victory. Sorry, not sorry.
When somebody starts talking like these Democrats are talking about Jews, I’m thinking about body armor and self defense, not kumbayah and rugalach. Stop being so nice. Please. It’s a terrible idea. It’s dangerous. Do not cozy up to this. This has been cooking for quite a while and we’re just seeing it unveiled. The only way to get reform, if that’s what you want, is to walk away. Democrats understand power. As long as you act like you still want to be in the club, you’re going to be in an abusive relationship. These people just threw Jews down the stairs. Pack your bags and leave. It’s not your fault, and they aren’t going to change.
Enough already. You might find that the other alternatives are not what you think. (And now here come the irrational rants..)
I don’t know who you are but I platformed a friend of mine who is a Democrat, not to look good or to “be nice”, but to offer perspectives outside of my own. Last time I checked, Jewish people debated ideas in a healthy way. We’ve lost that and while I understand - and share - much of your perspective, I’d also ask that you’d not jump down my throat for offering another one.
I think you’re sincere. I like almost everything what you write. You’re certainly entitled to invite anybody to say anything you like. It’s your space. I apologize if you think that I’m jumping down your throat here. It’s not my intent. I just think it’s dangerous for Jews to be so enamored of a political party that right now is encouraging and in many cases funding groups that are overtly antisemitic and encouraging violence against Jews around the world. We saw this in Germany in the 1930’s. Jews couldn’t believe it was happening to them in their country. It was deadly. I see people here making the same type of mistake. That’s all I’m concerned about. I hope that makes sense.
Iggy is not enamored, in fact the opposite. He is trying to shake his natural allies to wake up and rid the party of its terrorism pandering.
Eve, you're such a bad ass warrior I all but missed your soft side until now. My bad. Unfortunately, my world is so black and white I'm at great risk for missing the lovely shades of gray. All the best.
Sadly, this is hard to read because there are so many errors in punctuation and sentence structure. Meaning is often lost. Do you need a good editor?
Can you point out an issue other than Israel where the Democratic Party has championed a perceived underdog that so clearly is opposed to everything the party stands for? And of course there are shades of support that range from Rashida Tlaib's blatant racism to President Biden's minimally tempered full throated support for the Jewish state.
The US is a two-party state that is left with one party that supports social justice for every nation except one and another that is authoritarian and autocratic but supports that one state. I often wonder how the Republicans would view Israel if its leader were of the same persuasion as the Founders of the Jewish state rather than the venal mindset of their current leaders. We know that President Biden's philosophy has a deep moral foundation while President-elect Trump is on sale to the highest bidder.
The Democrats do indeed need to search deep within themselves to overcome the troubling antisemitism that is now endemic in parts of the Party. But what about the victorious Republicans, whose hubris leads them to claim a mandate where there is none, and whose leadership class is rife with criminals and sex abusers from the President, to the Supreme Court, and down?