I begged, implored, warned, and advised us all, starting in 2005, more visibly by 2010, that we needed an Iron Dome against the anti-Zionist/antisemitic propaganda.
Bless your kind and ever-watchful heart & mind! I well remember talking my temple into inviting you to speak on “The New Anti-Semitism” — how many years ago now? Despite attempts to prevent or even rescind the invitation once it had been issued (& accepted!) — we succeeded that time! Our then rabbi told me that his congregants don’t like to hear about anti-semitism “because they feel that they are guests here!” Which tells us that habits of denial (and premature resignation) die hard.
How to get to the bottom of all this? How — somehow — to upend it? Any pretext seems as good as any other, for starting it up again! I can easily picture a world without anti-semitism. Why can’t the anti-semites envision such a world? What does it (this hatred) do for them? It’s not a beauty treatment! (They get much uglier from it.)
There’s a book I just finished reading, Trauma and Memory: Brain & Body in a Search for the Living Past by Peter A. Levine. It reports evidence that the children & grandchildren of Holocaust victims could have inherited their grandparents’ memories in a quasi-biological fashion. According to Levine, there is a treatment even for inherited traumas. He doesn’t deal with the question of whether there is such a treatment for inherited traumatizers. If there were, it would sure be worth knowing about!
Will we recognize the danger and act to repel? Probably not. The haters will continue to amplify their hatred and the rest will continue to repeat stupid statements…. No room for hate, antisemitism has no place here. It’s time to protect ourselves!
Thank you Phyllis for having seen this coming long ago!
In 2010 I actually mentioned to a friend, who was known for his conservative views, that Europe was doomed; that anti-westerners are taking over and that the hate to Jews and all Westerners, was palpable.
This man, whom I otherwise deeply respect, ridiculed me.
Please keep screaming, Phyllis. Your voice is bigger than mine. I even worry if we Jewish Americans will be invited to self deport. Our support at the top looks very thin. Call me crazy.
I'm all for that "digital Iron Dome". This is a "meme war" as much as it is a conventional, physical one.
I have done battle with misguided "anti-Zionists" and I have found this counter-attack most effective:
"If Zionism bothers you, then Islamism must drive you to distraction, right? It must have you up all night, pacing back and forth, smoking one cigarette after another. After all, the Zionists only have one tiny piece of land in the Middle East, with equal rights for all of its 10 million citizens, including its 21% Arab Muslim population, whereas Islam rules 22 countries (and is a majority in 33 others!) where minorities either don't exist, or the few that do must practice their religion at their peril."
I have found that to be a conversation stopper. I've not seen any rational response to that one.
The anti-Zionist might not "see the light" in 3 minutes, but, at the very least, they might walk away forced to acknowledge to themselves the shamefulness of their position. It' a start.
But serious introspection will probably never happen with a die-hard Muslim, which then raises the question, Why do we import so many Jew-haters? And then why do we act surprised when there is an increase in Jew-hatred?
I'm at the same spot. Rather than being imposed from above by a tyranny, antisemitism is percolating from the ground up - in the minds of millions of individuals who get only soundbites, who are suffused with anti-Zionist messages on all social media, not to mention biased educators. I don't know how we - Israel and the Diaspora - can contend effectively. It's not a question of getting "our" message out; it's a question of people not even wanting to listen.
And yet...and yet...in my own social media sources, I read plenty of support for Israel and the Jewish people. They don't scream and riot like our enemies; perhaps that's why we don't often think we have a lot of support. But they are out there. I have to keep reminding myself that not all human beings are easily brainwashed.
I too have been crying into the wilderness, or, to put it another way, preaching to the choir of the committed, as if that would change anything.
Fire must be fought with fire. The yaqiyyah used by the Jew haters need sto be countered but not with facts, truths, and verifiable evidence. That dies not work with an audience operating on individual bias, personal opinion, media prejudice, UN perversion of authority, and political opportunism.
More effective will be tried and tested propaganda techniques that invalidates the enemies' manipulations. One such strategy would be to cite, where appropriate, Quranic and Hadith verses sliming Christians and promoting Islamic world domination, as well as those calling for the wholesale laughter of Jews.
We need to tap hackers who would have no problem breaking into social media sites to disrupt their vile streams of hatred and perversions of truth.
Thank you for never giving up. I worry too but continue trying to reach friends and strangers, including to remind them that anyone wanting to harm Jewish people are our enemies too, to make it more personal. It IS personal. I continue to lose friends but then make wonderful new Jewish friends and also gentile friends who support Israel. No real Feminists are part of the anti-Semitism that is increasing, just as no real Feminists support the attacks on females by men claiming our identity. Both cults show collaborators clearly and both are deadly.
Recently, a new friend who is Jewish and the daughter of Holocaust survivors but supports Mamdani told me how good he was. I recommended she read your work here and all your other work. You are loved and revered and so needed.
Don't forget to add Mort Klein, Thane Rosenbaum and Rabbi Mark Golub of blessed memory of JBS-TV to your list of those who have been warning us for a long time.
I hope your book gets wide coverage....I expect it to be panned in NY Times, NY Review of books as too Zionist focused and without "evenhandedness" or respect for the ongoing oppression of the Palestinians and the denial of their "inalienable rights" even as our inalienable rights are trashed.....and by Jews. If I see Mandy Pantinkin and wife one more time begging on behalf of Gaza on You Tube I'll throw up. I even filled out a form why I object to seeing this....I still see it. I'll be at the parade for the first time since I was a teenager with my non Jewish Israel and Zionist supporter.
I am too (worried that is) an' since 10/8 I m'self have been hollerin' from mah hut as a keyboard warrior that Israel needs a 24/7 station--in English! de-bunkin' the lies, showin' up Pallywood fer the Hoaxery it is...etc. Plus humor & entertainment so it ain't dry (Ami Kozak's top on mah list ;-). I've been told ta hush up cuz there'z more important fish ta fry (like fightin' the war) but I kept beatin' that ol' set'a bongos sayin' Madison Avenue's JUST as important as uzis or whatever high-techerie they're usin' now-daze. Too late by half I'd say.... I think we kin be a Cassandrian Chorus an' zing the SECOND jooish national anthem which every mama knows by heart--"I told you so!!!!!" (once more with more GUILT!).
It's come ta this....(look but grab sum ginger tea first, you'll wanna settle yer stomick an' NOPE it ain't fake--O Canada!...Oy Canada!)
I'm not Jewish but I care very much about the Jewish predicament because you're 'merely' the front line. 'They' are already coming for other demographics; Christians, obviously and now white people. I've often pleaded with Jewish friends, 'why do you think this is just about you?? Can't you see that explaining/broadcasting to others that 'you're next' would surely, if communicated clearly (not 1000 word essays, please) bear fruit'. If various anti-Jewish factions are spitting lies, you ABSOLUTELY MUST counter those lies, educate people - or you/we really are doomed.
Oh, so you want US to put in all mental, emotional and educational labor to save YOU? Respectfully, there are a few problems with expecting that Jews explaining or broadcasting to others accomplishes anything. We've been playing that game for 80 years, and after all that, everyone still just wants us to not exist.
1. We are .2% of the global population. Even if every single one of us stood on our roof with a megaphone, there aren't enough of us to so much as make a dent, let alone be heard. Or for anyone to care. You REALLY believe anyone gives a crap what Jews have to say? Do you know why the number for the Holocaust was reported at 11 million having died in the concentration camps? It was because Simon Wiesenthal knew that if it was reported that it was 6 million Jews and "only" a few hundred thousand others, no one would care. He made up the other 5 million so people would pay attention. No one cares about dead Jews, so we ALREADY tell people "they're next" to try to make them care. No one listens because they're too content with just being glad they're not us, and this isn't their problem, so they think.
2. A core feature of anti-Jew racism is that Jews are not to be believed, and that everything we say is considered a lie, a form of manipulation, or we're hysterical and overreacting. Surely you have seen the responses online? "Jew detected, opinion rejected"?
3. The hatred that targets us and eventually everyone else isn't our problem to solve. Jews can't stop the racism against us, only YOU, non-Jews can do that. If you understand that this is a sign that society is collapsing, why don't YOU do something about it? Anti-Jew hate is a virus that lives in the minds of non-Jews and it is only non-Jews who have the power to influence it. You're part of the majority, we're a teeny minority. Majorities have power to make mass change, tiny minorities do not. This doesn't get fixed on our steam alone.
Stop expecting us to save ourselves and the rest of you all at the same time, when virtually no one has so much as lifted a finger to help. Guess what, we have to work, eat, sleep and take care of our families too. And we have to do that while navigating life amongst our fellow Earthlings who want to exterminate us.
Anti-Jew racism is a condition of making the Jews responsible for all of the world's ills. So if you're worried, maybe take some responsibility and do some of the heavy lifting, instead of sitting there waiting for us to solve a 2500+ year old problem. We're literally drowning, no one is throwing us a line, and you're standing on the shore asking why we're not doing more to stop it? Seriously?
Here is why you are so massively, dangerously WRONG and spectacularly negative. Many Jewish people are exceptionally intelligent, the industries in Israel incredible. There are always ways IF YOU GET OFF YOUR BACKSIDE. And you don't have a choice; either start using your intelligence to fight the lies or get wiped out. HERE'S ONE EXCEPTIONAL JEWISH MAN WITH A STUNNING YOUTUBE CHANNEL, he has nearly half a million subscribers, his latest brilliant video has had over 16,000 views in 16 hours and 3900 'likes'. https://youtu.be/oNH9PRSSqPc?si=hZkEUhi5GJfGEyhp
I AM part Israeli. I might know a little something about the industries in Israel.
How do you feel so entitled to lecture Jews on "getting off our backsides"? We're hated literally for the fact that we fight for everything, including everyone else's causes. We're hardly the "sit idly by and wait for someone else to fix it" people. Other than Iranians and a handful of others like the women who started this Substack, it's a very scant few who can be bothered to do the same. We didn't create Jew-hate. Non-Jews did. Non-Jews need to confront it.
Thanks for the heads up that we don't have a choice. As if we're not aware of our situation. I guarantee you have no concept of the level of abuse Jews are expected to just accept as normal. If you're worried about the future, why don't you feel any responsibility yourself for fighting for it? While you're clearly well-meaning, Jews are out here fighting tooth and nail, while you're sitting on the sidelines micromanaging us. So maybe get off YOUR backside and get in here and help us fight back instead of telling us we're doing it wrong.
Why are Jews expected to fight this alone and save everyone else? Stop lecturing us and take some responsibility yourself.
Oren is fantastic. One of hundreds of pro-Jewish voices we feature regularly on our website, jewswithviews.com. We HAVE gotten off our backsides and used our "exceptional" (?) intelligence to create a site with oodles of information fighting back against the propaganda against Israel and Jews.
But again - we can't do this alone. We need non-Jewish allies to help spread the word. Can we count on your support?
Of course you have my support, it's why I'm here commenting. But the thing that REALLY puzzles me, is that I have Jewish friends who seem oblivious/nonchalant about what's going on. One said to me, 'there's nothing I can do about it, so I ignore the news'. Now that's a man in his 40's with kids, his father cannot believe his mindset.
You're talking about a few clueless people who continue to delude themselves. That's not the majority of Jews. We know those people too, and we find them maddening. It's also hard psychologically for Jews to have to acknowledge we're staring down the barrel of a gun -- again. Those Jews have always existed, there were Jews who thought Nazism would blow over. A lot of American Jews are completely disconnected from their own people and reality. Many grew up with little to no identification with their Jewish heritage, they still believe they're accepted in this world. Tragically, they will find out the hard way.
But we're here telling you how it is. Your friend is partially right, there is little we affect on our own because there are so few of us. His obliviousness is another story, and we don't understand those people either. But you get it, you know there's danger ahead for Christians as well. So don't wait for him to wake up, just get in here and fight with us. He'll have to figure it out eventually.
Oren, who you shared with half a million followers -- that is a drop in the bucket. Hasan Piker has 11 million. Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson have 6 million each. There are 15 million Jews in the world. Those 3 lunatics alone have a left/right Nazi army that eclipse our entire population almost 2-fold. WE CAN'T FIGHT THIS ALONE.
From Substack:
Very dear Phyllis,
Bless your kind and ever-watchful heart & mind! I well remember talking my temple into inviting you to speak on “The New Anti-Semitism” — how many years ago now? Despite attempts to prevent or even rescind the invitation once it had been issued (& accepted!) — we succeeded that time! Our then rabbi told me that his congregants don’t like to hear about anti-semitism “because they feel that they are guests here!” Which tells us that habits of denial (and premature resignation) die hard.
How to get to the bottom of all this? How — somehow — to upend it? Any pretext seems as good as any other, for starting it up again! I can easily picture a world without anti-semitism. Why can’t the anti-semites envision such a world? What does it (this hatred) do for them? It’s not a beauty treatment! (They get much uglier from it.)
There’s a book I just finished reading, Trauma and Memory: Brain & Body in a Search for the Living Past by Peter A. Levine. It reports evidence that the children & grandchildren of Holocaust victims could have inherited their grandparents’ memories in a quasi-biological fashion. According to Levine, there is a treatment even for inherited traumas. He doesn’t deal with the question of whether there is such a treatment for inherited traumatizers. If there were, it would sure be worth knowing about!
Anyway, please stay well!!!
Will we recognize the danger and act to repel? Probably not. The haters will continue to amplify their hatred and the rest will continue to repeat stupid statements…. No room for hate, antisemitism has no place here. It’s time to protect ourselves!
From email:
Thank you Phyllis for having seen this coming long ago!
In 2010 I actually mentioned to a friend, who was known for his conservative views, that Europe was doomed; that anti-westerners are taking over and that the hate to Jews and all Westerners, was palpable.
This man, whom I otherwise deeply respect, ridiculed me.
Yet here we are; it now it is global.
And many still don't see it. It baffles me
From email:
Great image...and piece!
Please keep screaming, Phyllis. Your voice is bigger than mine. I even worry if we Jewish Americans will be invited to self deport. Our support at the top looks very thin. Call me crazy.
I'm all for that "digital Iron Dome". This is a "meme war" as much as it is a conventional, physical one.
I have done battle with misguided "anti-Zionists" and I have found this counter-attack most effective:
"If Zionism bothers you, then Islamism must drive you to distraction, right? It must have you up all night, pacing back and forth, smoking one cigarette after another. After all, the Zionists only have one tiny piece of land in the Middle East, with equal rights for all of its 10 million citizens, including its 21% Arab Muslim population, whereas Islam rules 22 countries (and is a majority in 33 others!) where minorities either don't exist, or the few that do must practice their religion at their peril."
I have found that to be a conversation stopper. I've not seen any rational response to that one.
The anti-Zionist might not "see the light" in 3 minutes, but, at the very least, they might walk away forced to acknowledge to themselves the shamefulness of their position. It' a start.
But serious introspection will probably never happen with a die-hard Muslim, which then raises the question, Why do we import so many Jew-haters? And then why do we act surprised when there is an increase in Jew-hatred?
I'm at the same spot. Rather than being imposed from above by a tyranny, antisemitism is percolating from the ground up - in the minds of millions of individuals who get only soundbites, who are suffused with anti-Zionist messages on all social media, not to mention biased educators. I don't know how we - Israel and the Diaspora - can contend effectively. It's not a question of getting "our" message out; it's a question of people not even wanting to listen.
And yet...and yet...in my own social media sources, I read plenty of support for Israel and the Jewish people. They don't scream and riot like our enemies; perhaps that's why we don't often think we have a lot of support. But they are out there. I have to keep reminding myself that not all human beings are easily brainwashed.
I too have been crying into the wilderness, or, to put it another way, preaching to the choir of the committed, as if that would change anything.
Fire must be fought with fire. The yaqiyyah used by the Jew haters need sto be countered but not with facts, truths, and verifiable evidence. That dies not work with an audience operating on individual bias, personal opinion, media prejudice, UN perversion of authority, and political opportunism.
More effective will be tried and tested propaganda techniques that invalidates the enemies' manipulations. One such strategy would be to cite, where appropriate, Quranic and Hadith verses sliming Christians and promoting Islamic world domination, as well as those calling for the wholesale laughter of Jews.
We need to tap hackers who would have no problem breaking into social media sites to disrupt their vile streams of hatred and perversions of truth.
Thank you for never giving up. I worry too but continue trying to reach friends and strangers, including to remind them that anyone wanting to harm Jewish people are our enemies too, to make it more personal. It IS personal. I continue to lose friends but then make wonderful new Jewish friends and also gentile friends who support Israel. No real Feminists are part of the anti-Semitism that is increasing, just as no real Feminists support the attacks on females by men claiming our identity. Both cults show collaborators clearly and both are deadly.
Recently, a new friend who is Jewish and the daughter of Holocaust survivors but supports Mamdani told me how good he was. I recommended she read your work here and all your other work. You are loved and revered and so needed.
Don't forget to add Mort Klein, Thane Rosenbaum and Rabbi Mark Golub of blessed memory of JBS-TV to your list of those who have been warning us for a long time.
I hope your book gets wide coverage....I expect it to be panned in NY Times, NY Review of books as too Zionist focused and without "evenhandedness" or respect for the ongoing oppression of the Palestinians and the denial of their "inalienable rights" even as our inalienable rights are trashed.....and by Jews. If I see Mandy Pantinkin and wife one more time begging on behalf of Gaza on You Tube I'll throw up. I even filled out a form why I object to seeing this....I still see it. I'll be at the parade for the first time since I was a teenager with my non Jewish Israel and Zionist supporter.
I am too (worried that is) an' since 10/8 I m'self have been hollerin' from mah hut as a keyboard warrior that Israel needs a 24/7 station--in English! de-bunkin' the lies, showin' up Pallywood fer the Hoaxery it is...etc. Plus humor & entertainment so it ain't dry (Ami Kozak's top on mah list ;-). I've been told ta hush up cuz there'z more important fish ta fry (like fightin' the war) but I kept beatin' that ol' set'a bongos sayin' Madison Avenue's JUST as important as uzis or whatever high-techerie they're usin' now-daze. Too late by half I'd say.... I think we kin be a Cassandrian Chorus an' zing the SECOND jooish national anthem which every mama knows by heart--"I told you so!!!!!" (once more with more GUILT!).
It's come ta this....(look but grab sum ginger tea first, you'll wanna settle yer stomick an' NOPE it ain't fake--O Canada!...Oy Canada!)
https://rairfoundation.com/jew-free-canada-muslim-brotherhood-linked-group-displays/?
I'm not Jewish but I care very much about the Jewish predicament because you're 'merely' the front line. 'They' are already coming for other demographics; Christians, obviously and now white people. I've often pleaded with Jewish friends, 'why do you think this is just about you?? Can't you see that explaining/broadcasting to others that 'you're next' would surely, if communicated clearly (not 1000 word essays, please) bear fruit'. If various anti-Jewish factions are spitting lies, you ABSOLUTELY MUST counter those lies, educate people - or you/we really are doomed.
Oh, so you want US to put in all mental, emotional and educational labor to save YOU? Respectfully, there are a few problems with expecting that Jews explaining or broadcasting to others accomplishes anything. We've been playing that game for 80 years, and after all that, everyone still just wants us to not exist.
1. We are .2% of the global population. Even if every single one of us stood on our roof with a megaphone, there aren't enough of us to so much as make a dent, let alone be heard. Or for anyone to care. You REALLY believe anyone gives a crap what Jews have to say? Do you know why the number for the Holocaust was reported at 11 million having died in the concentration camps? It was because Simon Wiesenthal knew that if it was reported that it was 6 million Jews and "only" a few hundred thousand others, no one would care. He made up the other 5 million so people would pay attention. No one cares about dead Jews, so we ALREADY tell people "they're next" to try to make them care. No one listens because they're too content with just being glad they're not us, and this isn't their problem, so they think.
2. A core feature of anti-Jew racism is that Jews are not to be believed, and that everything we say is considered a lie, a form of manipulation, or we're hysterical and overreacting. Surely you have seen the responses online? "Jew detected, opinion rejected"?
3. The hatred that targets us and eventually everyone else isn't our problem to solve. Jews can't stop the racism against us, only YOU, non-Jews can do that. If you understand that this is a sign that society is collapsing, why don't YOU do something about it? Anti-Jew hate is a virus that lives in the minds of non-Jews and it is only non-Jews who have the power to influence it. You're part of the majority, we're a teeny minority. Majorities have power to make mass change, tiny minorities do not. This doesn't get fixed on our steam alone.
Stop expecting us to save ourselves and the rest of you all at the same time, when virtually no one has so much as lifted a finger to help. Guess what, we have to work, eat, sleep and take care of our families too. And we have to do that while navigating life amongst our fellow Earthlings who want to exterminate us.
Anti-Jew racism is a condition of making the Jews responsible for all of the world's ills. So if you're worried, maybe take some responsibility and do some of the heavy lifting, instead of sitting there waiting for us to solve a 2500+ year old problem. We're literally drowning, no one is throwing us a line, and you're standing on the shore asking why we're not doing more to stop it? Seriously?
Here is why you are so massively, dangerously WRONG and spectacularly negative. Many Jewish people are exceptionally intelligent, the industries in Israel incredible. There are always ways IF YOU GET OFF YOUR BACKSIDE. And you don't have a choice; either start using your intelligence to fight the lies or get wiped out. HERE'S ONE EXCEPTIONAL JEWISH MAN WITH A STUNNING YOUTUBE CHANNEL, he has nearly half a million subscribers, his latest brilliant video has had over 16,000 views in 16 hours and 3900 'likes'. https://youtu.be/oNH9PRSSqPc?si=hZkEUhi5GJfGEyhp
I AM part Israeli. I might know a little something about the industries in Israel.
How do you feel so entitled to lecture Jews on "getting off our backsides"? We're hated literally for the fact that we fight for everything, including everyone else's causes. We're hardly the "sit idly by and wait for someone else to fix it" people. Other than Iranians and a handful of others like the women who started this Substack, it's a very scant few who can be bothered to do the same. We didn't create Jew-hate. Non-Jews did. Non-Jews need to confront it.
Thanks for the heads up that we don't have a choice. As if we're not aware of our situation. I guarantee you have no concept of the level of abuse Jews are expected to just accept as normal. If you're worried about the future, why don't you feel any responsibility yourself for fighting for it? While you're clearly well-meaning, Jews are out here fighting tooth and nail, while you're sitting on the sidelines micromanaging us. So maybe get off YOUR backside and get in here and help us fight back instead of telling us we're doing it wrong.
Why are Jews expected to fight this alone and save everyone else? Stop lecturing us and take some responsibility yourself.
Oren is fantastic. One of hundreds of pro-Jewish voices we feature regularly on our website, jewswithviews.com. We HAVE gotten off our backsides and used our "exceptional" (?) intelligence to create a site with oodles of information fighting back against the propaganda against Israel and Jews.
But again - we can't do this alone. We need non-Jewish allies to help spread the word. Can we count on your support?
Of course you have my support, it's why I'm here commenting. But the thing that REALLY puzzles me, is that I have Jewish friends who seem oblivious/nonchalant about what's going on. One said to me, 'there's nothing I can do about it, so I ignore the news'. Now that's a man in his 40's with kids, his father cannot believe his mindset.
You're talking about a few clueless people who continue to delude themselves. That's not the majority of Jews. We know those people too, and we find them maddening. It's also hard psychologically for Jews to have to acknowledge we're staring down the barrel of a gun -- again. Those Jews have always existed, there were Jews who thought Nazism would blow over. A lot of American Jews are completely disconnected from their own people and reality. Many grew up with little to no identification with their Jewish heritage, they still believe they're accepted in this world. Tragically, they will find out the hard way.
But we're here telling you how it is. Your friend is partially right, there is little we affect on our own because there are so few of us. His obliviousness is another story, and we don't understand those people either. But you get it, you know there's danger ahead for Christians as well. So don't wait for him to wake up, just get in here and fight with us. He'll have to figure it out eventually.
Oren, who you shared with half a million followers -- that is a drop in the bucket. Hasan Piker has 11 million. Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson have 6 million each. There are 15 million Jews in the world. Those 3 lunatics alone have a left/right Nazi army that eclipse our entire population almost 2-fold. WE CAN'T FIGHT THIS ALONE.