Antisemitism Still Exists, You Know

[kosher-salt]

that's it that's the post

[short-wooloo]

I think I know what this is talking about but I am not sure

[afurioushawk]

Jordan was carved from British Mandate Palestine, just like Israel, when it became a country in 1946, but nobody in the Free Palestine movement says it should be dismantled.

[short-wooloo]

So it is (part of) what I thought it was

Is it not also true that Jordan has and has pretty much always had a VERY large population of people who are considered/considere themselves to be Palestinians? Like a decent chunk of the country’s population, in effect making Jordan a de facto Palestinian state

[kosher-salt]

You get an A+

Jordan was in fact founded to be the Palestinian state (as much as anything could be before "Palestinian" was invented as movement identity, much less discrete and exempt culture. Palestinian meant anyone hanging out in the British Mandate, usually Jews. The other present cultures included flavors like Levantine Arab.)

It's a slight oversimplification maybe, but the reality is that in the 1940's the entire issue was not framed as it is now, which makes it especially egregious when people talk about it as if it's been Israelis vs Palestians since '48. Those just weren't the 2 involved parties, it's a major fallacy.

The wild thing about Jordan is that if everyone were being honest, if there wasn't a scam being run, is that the Israeli Palestinian conflict would hardly exist. I stand by that.

[the-orion-scribe]

To give a bit of nuance, it's also more that the British gave the land to an Arab royal family (the Hashemites) to rule over. The Hashemites did once rule over a kingdom. So it's a bit like if some Imperial power decided to allocate a piece of land for a deposed German duke family (there's many from the former Holy Roman Empire) to rule

[kosher-salt]

Yep. But if you say "hey y'all were literally installed by a colonial power" it doesn't go over well from what I hear

[kosher-salt]

@illegitimatetenenbaum I'm dragging you out of the tags because this elephant should be addressed, too

Like people want to pretend Israel has not been trying to shake these territories off for decades. They never wanted to exert control in the first place because they never wanted to be responsible for a population that doesn't seek Israeli citizenship. You know, because they aren't a colonial power. And Jordan won't take them now, under any offer (including Jordan simply annexing the West Bank.) It's established they don't want to be Israeli, and despite the free PR ignorant people do for them, the current parties in control don't want to establish a state, either. Perpetual war is probably the goal. I literally don't blame current Jordan, and concur it's not a simple answer *today.* However, peace in the region will 100% have to include their involvement.

[spacekike]

As an example, the PLO was founded pre-'69 as an anti-Jordanian group.

[chutzpahchesed]

Israel's Far Right Did Mamdani a Favor

The far-right ministers who crashed the parade handed Israel's critics a gift and its friends a reason to stop showing up.

[hillsofspices]

this was literally published in a polish-jewish studies journal by the polish government's institute of national remembrance

[shofarsogood]

Fuck all the way off, you lying bastards.

[spacekike]

The countdown to "Oświęcim was a work camp for Poles, some of whom were Jewish" ticks down another digit.

[hillsofspices]

this was literally published in a polish-jewish studies journal by the polish government's institute of national remembrance

[shofarsogood]

Fuck all the way off, you lying bastards.

[queer-scots-geordie-dyke]

The crazy thing about Noah Wyle and the hate is that he reposted more than one instagram stories about ceasfire for palestine, open letters that ask the government to do something..

He could be the most all in, balls to the wall pro palestine, global intifada "activist" on the planet but he would still be viewed with suspicion and hostility by the "antizionists" because he's Jewish and cares about his Jewish identity and family. They can pretend all they like it's not antisemitism but they show their arses every single time.

[chutzpahchesed]

^^^ unless he posted about how exhilarating he found 10/7 and was in favor of the eradication of half of the Jewish people to the point that they could tokenize him, he’d never be acceptable. the fact that he’s pro-ceasefire and likely pro-two state solution, while he’s also mentioned grief/trauma about a horrific terrorist massacre and the effect it had on his Jewish identity, and has mentioned Israel by name (in a totally neutral context btw, discussing the fact that their medical professionals have expertise dealing with mass casualty events), makes him an enemy that they’ll slander as a genocidal oppressor. there’s no one they’ll accept if their peaceful stance includes being against antisemitism and mass murdering terrorist organizations.

[spacekike]

This. I deplore Netanyahu (wrong brother died), his government, their tactics in Gaza and now Lebanon, the expansion of the (illegal under Israeli law!) West Bank settlements, and the violence by the settlers in the West Bank. I am in favor of a robust two-state solution, with more sovereignty and territory for Palestine than that stance usually entails.

I will never be anything but a genocidal Zionist madmen to the hard-core activists. Nothing short of the removal of all Jews from the river to the sea is an acceptable position anymore. We're down to one-drop Zionism, where believing anything other than "Jews will be safe and have civil rights in a future Palestinian state it'll be fine" constitues a call for a Jews-only megastate from Suez to Damascus to Beirut.

[chutzpahchesed]

Rome Pride bars Jewish LGBT group from parade over Gaza stance - AOL

ROME, May 28 (Reuters) - Rome Pride has barred Italy's only Jewish LGBT group from joining its annual parade, saying Keshet Italia had faile

Jewish LGBTQ groups barred from Rome Pride float over refusal to condemn Gaza 'genocide'

Keshet Italia accuses organizers of antisemitism and double standards, says members faced attacks at last year’s march and urges Rome offici

Italian Jewish LGBTQ group banned from Pride for refusal to denounce Israel | The Jerusalem Post

Keshet Italia slammed Roma Pride as antisemitic in a Tuesday press release, and the "unprecedented exclusion" of the only Italian Jewish LGB

Rome Pride bars Jewish LGBT group for not ‘distancing itself’ from Gaza ‘genocide’

Organizers say all groups that want to be formally recognized with float in parade must sign onto political platform that includes condemnat

Rome Pride bans Italy’s only Jewish LGBT group from attending unless it ‘condemns’ Israel - The Jewish Chronicle

Organisers claimed Keshet Italia had failed to ‘distance itself from the ongoing genocide’

A decision by Rome Pride to ban Italy’s only Jewish LGBT group unless it condemns Israel’s actions in Gaza, has been called "madness" by the organisation’s president.

Organisers of the festival, which is set to take place on June 20, announced that Keshet Italia, as well as Keshet Europe, would not be allowed to have an official float on the day unless they express “a clear and unequivocal stance condemning the genocide perpetrated by the Israeli government”.

"Anyone who shares the founding values of our movement and our community can join us in the streets,” read a statement from organisers.

“Participation of a float in the Roma Pride therefore presupposes — regardless of the sexual orientation, identity, religion, ethnicity, or nationality of those aboard — a clear and unequivocal stance condemning the genocide perpetrated by the Israeli government.

"We are fully capable of distinguishing between the Israeli government and the Jewish community, made up of both LGBTQIA+ and non-LGBTQIA+ people, and we could never attribute to the latter responsibility for the criminal acts of war carried out by a genocidal government.

"We do, however, hold Keshet Italia responsible for having failed, and continue to fail, to distance itself from the ongoing genocide in Gaza.”

Keshat Italia condemned the threat, saying: “There is no Pride if minorities are excluded. Pride has become an ideological tribunal that expels minorities and has lost its soul. We do not accept lessons in rights from those who practice identity-based exclusion.”

The group also said that it was being subject to a political test to prove it is “worthy” of attending.

Ariel Heller, the president of Keshet Italia, told Israel’s public broadcaster Kan: “As Jews, we are not responsible for everything that the government of another country does.

“This was just a way for them to remove our organisation and our community. This is Europe in 2026, and Jews still have to fear taking part in a Pride parade in Italy. It is madness.”

Combat Antisemitism Movement’s (CAM) executive director of European affairs, Shannon Seban, also commented on the move by Rome Pride, saying: “We strongly condemn the exclusion of Jewish [LGBT] groups Keshet Italia and Keshet Europe from the Rome Pride parade.

“When Pride excludes Jews, it betrays Pride itself.

“No community should be forced to renounce its identity or its connection to its homeland in order to march in a Pride parade. Jewish [LGBT] individuals have every right to participate without censorship or ideological loyalty tests.”

[spacekike]

It's time to destroy the Arch.

[notaplaceofhonour]

it’s really annoying and frankly stupid how Kahanists act like anyone who isn’t as extreme as them is ignorant or disconnected from Jewish History when their entire argument for why “Kahane was right” is his belief that the Arab leadership would not make peace with Jews, and the need for Jewish self-defense—which, if you are even slightly familiar with Jewish History, the history of the Zionist movement, or Kahane in particular, is one of the least unique or specific aspects of his ideology, that practically half of all other Jews were also saying, the vast majority of them without being a wildly racist terrorist piece of shit thug like Meir Kahane.

[notaplaceofhonour]

if Meir Kahane is the first time you heard the idea that Jews have to defend themselves against people who don’t want peace, you are severely disconnected from the diversity of Jewish thought, and that naivety is being weaponized against you to dupe you into a violent, extremist hate movement founded by a convicted terrorist.

don’t be a dupe.

don’t allow yourself to led around by detestable thugs.

[disfiguredgrace]

if you described the state of israel in a vacuum (using different names and words to describe jews, etc.) leftists would defend and openly admire it with unprecedented passion

[the-orion-scribe]

Let me try:

For thousands of years, this people endured exile under successive imperial powers that conquered their homeland. Wherever they fled, they faced persecution, expulsions, massacres, and systemic discrimination. These centuries of suffering culminated in the largest genocidal campaign ever directed against them, convincing many that no degree of assimilation would ever guarantee acceptance or safety. As such, a movement for self-determination emerged, seeking the re-establishment of a nation-state in their ancestral homeland.

The founders of this new state pledged that it would be inclusive and open to all its inhabitants. Yet many descendants of the settlers who had established themselves in the land opposed the return of this displaced people, pressuring the colonial authorities to restrict immigration and resettlement. Eventually, the last colonial power chose to withdraw despite repeated mediation efforts. Upon its departure, neighbouring states allied with these settlers in an attempt to destroy the newly declared nation-state. They failed.

Today, this democratic state remains largely secular. Some descendants of those settlers not only hold full citizenship, but also occupy prominent positions within government, law, academia, and public life. In the interest of regional stability and coexistence, the state has even continued to prioritise the religion of these settlers in the administration and access arrangements surrounding one of the region’s most sacred holy sites.

[iswearbyalltheflowers]

We don’t have to speculate, they did in fact do so

— The Arc of a Covenant: The United States, Israel, and the Fate of the Jewish People

[daughterofstories]

Not entirely true.

If they could recognize that Jews are indigenous to Eretz Yisroel and Arabs are descendants of colonizers, a lot of leftists would be pretty unhappy that Arab Israelis have equal rights.

[gay-jewish-bucky]

this was submitted as a one sentence horror story, but it feels like it could be an old jewish joke, like the one about the two rabbis proving g-d doesn't exist or the saying 'people plan, g-d laughs'

[sal-absinthii-deactivated202311]

This is a thousand times better as a dry Jewish joke than it is as a fake-deep edgelord ‘horror’ story

[18kgold]

Even more, it sounds like the beginning -- the set-up -- of the joke. Can’t you hear Carl Reiner opening a bit with this line, or Shalom Aleichem using it to kick off a story?

[captain-acab]

Well I'm not quite an old Jewish man just yet, but let me give it a shot...

Losing confidence in Himself, G-d became an atheist. He decided to go down to Earth, to walk among humans and see how they found meaning.

He wandered the world until he came to a town, where he happened upon a pastor. "Come to our church this Sunday!" said the pastor. But G-d shook his head. "I don't believe in G-d anymore," he told the pastor sullenly. "And besides, I really shouldn't be working weekends." . . .

He continued wandering, and as night fell, he realized he had no money for a hotel. Walking down the darkening sidewalk, he passed many shivering folk, some young and thin, others old and worn and grizzle-bearded, looking not unlike himself. Just as the rain began to fall, he happened upon a priest. The priest looked him up and down, and said, "You look cold, my son. We're hosting a men's shelter at the church tonight; you can sleep there, and come to Mass tomorrow." This time G-d agreed. He slept well and was warm, and in the morning sat for Mass. They blessed him in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, but he felt beside himself and decided to leave.

By this time G-d was quite hungry. He stopped by a deli, but still had no money, so all he could do was watch the fresh steaming bagels be made. On a bench outside the deli, a man was eating a bagel with lox. As he finished eating, G-d noticed there were still some scraps of food on the waxpaper. Unable to help himself, he asked if he could have the scraps, before the man threw it away. "Please sir, I'm so hungry. I'd just like that crumb of bagel there, and that little shred of lox. I think I could make a bisl of fish last quite a while." The man shook his head. "I cannot in good conscience give you my trash," he said, "But come inside, I'll get you your own bagel. I'd offer to get you coffee—but that's trash too."

So the man bought G-d some breakfast and sat with him on the bench. "Thank you so much," said G-d. "How can I ever repay you?" But the man just shrugged and said, "I'm a rabbi. Buying bagels I don't get to eat is part of the job description."

G-d thanked the rabbi again, and ate in silence. "Rabbi, can I ask you a question? I feel I haven't been on this Earth too long, but already I've seen much misery. How do you do it? How do you still believe in G-d?"

The rabbi pondered this. "I believe in joyful things. I believe in kindness, and people choosing to help each other. And isn't that a kind of godliness?" (G-d suspected there was a bit more to godliness than that, but he let it slide.) The rabbi continued: "I've prayed to G-d every day for the last 30 years, and I will every day til I die. And if He answers my prayers, all the better! But tell me, my new friend, what's your name?" G-d hesitated and said, "It's a little hard to pronounce..." The rabbi chuckled and said, "No matter. Say, it won't be anything like Shabbos dinner, but my wife is baking a delightful fig pie today, and I'd like to have you over for dinner to enjoy it." G-d nodded. "I do like figs..."

That evening, G-d sat for dinner with the rabbi, the rabbi's wife, and their four children. The meal was delicious, the rabbi's family was incredibly welcoming. Their conversation was friendly but never prying, and the children laughed and played with each other. Several times, the youngest child tugged on G-d's sleeve for his attention before her father motioned for her to go play with her siblings. G-d began to see what the rabbi had meant about the joyfulness of life.

At the end of the night, G-d stood up to leave, and felt renewed. The rabbi said, "My friend, don't leave us so soon!" And G-d replied, "I will always be with you, for I am the Lord Your G-d." And they understood it to be true.

He had done this sort of thing a few times before and generally knew how it went. As expected, the rabbi and his family fell to their knees, weeping with joy and awe. He did not expect the youngest child to walk right up and tug G-d's sleeve again. He smiled graciously down at her, and she looked up with the wonderful bright eyes of a child who understands nothing but the urge to play. In a high voice, she said, "Knock knock!" G-d couldn't help but laugh. "Who's there?" He replied cheerfully.

Suddenly from across the room, the rabbi swore loudly and rudely. Dismayed, G-d asked, "What troubles you?" He saw the rabbi was trembling, half in rage and half in embarrassment. "I'm sorry Lord! Thank you for this, thank you so much for gracing us with your light, Baruch Atah and so on, it's just..." The rabbi swore again. "Thirty years of daily prayer, Lord, and a KNOCK-KNOCK JOKE is what you'll answer?"

[pusheenthenerdcat]

hey captain-acab, this is the highest compliment i can bestow: it would not have surprised me had i found that story in a book of traditional fables in the shul library

[animatedamerican]

Look, someone has to be the first to make up any traditional Jewish story, why not @captain-acab? If we all keep telling it, then in a generation or two it'll be traditional.

[bobemajses]

Ceiling of the synagogue in Szeged, Hungary.

The emancipation of Hungarian Jews in the 1860s manifested itself in many synagogues built at the end of the century, which constituted sacred centres of the empire. Such were the great synagogues of Budapest, Pozsony/Bratislava (Slovakia), Nagyvárad/Oradea (Romania) or Szeged, whose Moorish/ Oriental style refer to the thousands of years of Jewish history. Or the impressive synagogues of the great Hungarian plains, Hódmezővásárhely, and, above all, Szabadka/Subotica (Serbia), which used the motifs of the “Hungarian Art Nouveau”, devised by the architects of Budapest, for the expression of their identification with the Hungarian nation.

[status-quo-hater]

I think one of the funniest abortion stances I've heard was from my parents neighbor. He's a like, hard-core libertarian viking larper guy who is very tall and very fat and very bald.

He believes a fetus is human with a soul, but also its "basically attacking the woman's body" so if she wants to get rid of it, that's "basically self-defense". He compared it to shooting a home invader. So he supports abortion not as healthcare, but as killing a baby in self-defense

[spacekike]

This is essentially the Jewish position (modulo the intermediate status of the fetus between a "drop of water" (after 40 days) and a person). A fetus endangering the health of the mother, including her mental health, is a pursuer, and the law is clear.

[iswearbyalltheflowers]

House candidate Maureen Galindo pledges to send 'American zionists' to internment camp

Maureen Galindo is running as a Democrat to represent Texas' 35th Congressional District. Controversy-tarred congressional candidate Maureen

[iamnmbr3]

And now the anti-Zionists want to put Jews in concentration camps, . but they’re totally not antisemitic right? is there anything that will outrage people? And by the way, vote blue no matter who does not apply to Nazis. The whole point of that was to keep out racist extremists. It’s more important than ever to make sure that the Democratic Party remains a force for liberalism since MAGA is already past saving. If not, Nazis will run as Democrats too then we will just have two Nazi parties.

[maimonideznuts]

Can we say "we fucking told so" yet? Anti-zionism is not distinct from the classical Antisemitism that inspired the Nazi Party.

[shelvesofsiddurim]

"or with those advocating for the existence of a Jewish state in their ancestral homeland"

so. Jews.

Her ultimate issue is with Jews because, by and large, we're the ones advocating for a Jewish state in our ancestral homeland.

Also, there's a pretty significant Jewish population in San Antonio with multiple shuls that would identify themselves as Zionist shuls, which makes her remarks even more concerning

[spacekike]

It's important to note that she has zero institutional support from Dems and her primary funding is a GOP-affiliated ratfucking PAC called Lean Left.

So: register Dem, vote in your primary, stop these freaks from getting pushed on us.

Platner, though, there is no excuse for.

[judgeitbyitscover]

The Memoirs of Lady Trent by Marie Brennan

Cover illustrations by Todd Lockwood

A Natural History of Dragons (2013)

You, dear reader, continue at your own risk. It is not for the faint of heart—no more so than the study of dragons itself. But such study offers rewards beyond compare: to stand in a dragon's presence, even for the briefest of moments—even at the risk of one's life—is a delight that, once experienced, can never be forgotten. . . . All the world, from Scirland to the farthest reaches of Eriga, know Isabella, Lady Trent, to be the world's preeminent dragon naturalist. She is the remarkable woman who brought the study of dragons out of the misty shadows of myth and misunderstanding into the clear light of modern science. But before she became the illustrious figure we know today, there was a bookish young woman whose passion for learning, natural history, and, yes, dragons defied the stifling conventions of her day. Here at last, in her own words, is the true story of a pioneering spirit who risked her reputation, her prospects, and her fragile flesh and bone to satisfy her scientific curiosity; of how she sought true love and happiness despite her lamentable eccentricities; and of her thrilling expedition to the perilous mountains of Vystrana, where she made the first of many historic discoveries that would change the world forever.

A Tropic of Serpents (2014)

Attentive readers of Lady Trent’s earlier memoir, A Natural History of Dragons, are already familiar with how a bookish and determined young woman named Isabella first set out on the historic course that would one day lead her to becoming the world’s premier dragon naturalist. Now, in this remarkably candid second volume, Lady Trent looks back at the next stage of her illustrious (and occasionally scandalous) career. Three years after her fateful journeys through the forbidding mountains of Vystrana, Mrs. Camherst defies family and convention to embark on an expedition to the war-torn continent of Eriga, home of such exotic draconian species as the grass-dwelling snakes of the savannah, arboreal tree snakes, and, most elusive of all, the legendary swamp-wyrms of the tropics. The expedition is not an easy one. Accompanied by both an old associate and a runaway heiress, Isabella must brave oppressive heat, merciless fevers, palace intrigues, gossip, and other hazards in order to satisfy her boundless fascination with all things draconian, even if it means venturing deep into the forbidden jungle known as the Green Hell . . . where her courage, resourcefulness, and scientific curiosity will be tested as never before.

The Voyage of the Basilisk (2015)

Devoted readers of Lady Trent’s earlier memoirs, A Natural History of Dragons and The Tropic of Serpents, may believe themselves already acquainted with the particulars of her historic voyage aboard the Royal Survey Ship Basilisk, but the true story of that illuminating, harrowing, and scandalous journey has never been revealed—until now. Six years after her perilous exploits in Eriga, Isabella embarks on her most ambitious expedition yet: a two-year trip around the world to study all manner of dragons in every place they might be found. From feathered serpents sunning themselves in the ruins of a fallen civilization to the mighty sea serpents of the tropics, these creatures are a source of both endless fascination and frequent peril. Accompanying her is not only her young son, Jake, but a chivalrous foreign archaeologist whose interests converge with Isabella’s in ways both professional and personal. Science is, of course, the primary objective of the voyage, but Isabella’s life is rarely so simple. She must cope with storms, shipwrecks, intrigue, and warfare, even as she makes a discovery that offers a revolutionary new insight into the ancient history of dragons.

In the Labyrinth of Drakes (2016)

Even those who take no interest in the field of dragon naturalism have heard of Lady Trent's expedition to the inhospitable deserts of Akhia. Her discoveries there are the stuff of romantic legend, catapulting her from scholarly obscurity to worldwide fame. The details of her personal life during that time are hardly less private, having provided fodder for gossips in several countries. As is so often the case in the career of this illustrious woman, the public story is far from complete. In this, the fourth volume of her memoirs, Lady Trent relates how she acquired her position with the Royal Scirling Army; how foreign saboteurs imperiled both her work and her well-being; and how her determined pursuit of knowledge took her into the deepest reaches of the Labyrinth of Drakes, where the chance action of a dragon set the stage for her greatest achievement yet.

Within the Sanctuary of Wings (2017)

After her adventure in the mountains of Vystrana, and her exploits in the depths of Eriga, to the high seas aboard The Basilisk, and then to the deserts of Akhia, the Lady Trent has captivated hearts along with fierce minds. This concluding volume will finally reveal the truths behind her most notorious adventure - scaling the tallest peak in the world, behind the territory of Scirland's enemies - and what she discovered there, within the Sanctuary of Wings.

[prof-grace-aspen]

You know that’s bitterly funny? There are zero Iranian scam bots. Because gullible leftists don’t give a fuck about Iranians. Because the only reason they gave a fuck about Gazans was because they hate Israel.

[buddhistmusings-deactivated2025]

I think part of what is so upsetting about some people's participation in activism related to I/P is that many have framed the conflict as a binary choice between two opposing teams.

What if I genuinely want the best for everybody involved? What if I believe violence against anybody on the basis of their nationality/ethnicity/religion is wrong? What if I see both Israelis and Palestinians as fully human, worthy of dignity and respect, undeserving of violence directed at them?

[frizox]

Then you play into the oppressor’s narrative of holding themselves as equal to the people they’ve oppressed.

Maybe the best thing Zionists could do is stop the process of colonisation, which they actively support by EXISTING in Palestine, and go back to the countries where their grandparents still own properties 🥰

[buddhistmusings-deactivated2025]

This is antisemitic Holocaust denial. You're minimizing the impact of the Holocaust on Jewish victims.

It's also denial of the genocides experienced by Jews in the Middle East.

All human beings are equal and deserve life, shouldn't be displaced, and shouldn't face dehumanization.

Your rhetoric is horrific.

[buddhistmusings-deactivated2025]

I've blocked them but holy shit... where their grandparents still own properties is so antisemitic....

Their grandparents are very often victims of the Holocaust, and the many efforts to displace Jews across the Middle East.

Jewish people experienced displacement at the hands of Europeans and Middle Easterners.

I've heard this so many times. That after the Holocaust Jews were supposed to move back in? To the homes where their neighbors ratted them out? The properties that were confiscated from them?

And none of this horrific bullshit is helping Palestinians, who, again, are being deeply harmed on basically all sides. This rhetoric harms Palestinians and appropriates the symbols and movements that are supposed to be part of making them more safe and free and misuses them for antisemitic purposes.

[buddhistmusings-deactivated2025]

They even say the quiet part out loud. That what they oppose is a certain kind of human being being allowed to exist.

[thequeeranachronism]

My grandparents were warned not to return because others who’d done so had been murdered. I don’t know anyone who “owns property” in the countries we were expelled from.

[maimonideznuts]

Tripolitanian Jews are famous for our mansions in Libya (obvious sarcasm). Lol no, if we ever set foot back in that country we would be murdered.

[the-library-alcove]

"their grandparents still own properties"

*snort*

This is Targowa 67, in Lodz, Poland. It was my paternal grandmother's family bakery and apartment.

My great-uncle was sent to the gulag by the Soviets when he tried to reclaim it after the Holocaust, and when we tried to reclaim it in the 1990s--as we had the paperwork still--the city government, which owns it now, threatened our lives. "You would have to come here to press the suit, and we would not be able to guarantee your safety" was what they said.

But hey, ignoring all of the history and stuff stolen from the Jews who then had to flee to other countries, while their oppressors got rich off of what they stole is just easier and gives a better sense of superiority, doesn't it?

Bigot.

[squeeful]

Approximately 40+% of Baghdad was Jewish before the Iraq government (with the gleeful participation of the Muslim citizens) ethnically cleansed the country of Jews, seizing the modern equivalent of billions of dollars in property, businesses, and bank accounts. Much of the modern state of Iraq is built on that economic seizure.

The French embassy in Baghdad resides, rent free, in such a property. France’s official stance is that such “abandoned property” is forfeit to “finder’s keepers”. But only if the owners are Jews.

[nonasuch]

I think most people don’t realize how much of Jewish diaspora history consists of our being used as a sort of ‘break in case of emergency’ slush fund by whoever controlled the territory.

Like, I didn’t fully understand this either until fairly recently! But it is so convenient for a ruling power to have a population of people who are literate, exempt from religious prohibitions on certain kinds of financial transactions, and incredibly easy targets for resentment and hatred.

So much of the last 2000 years of Jewish history involves Jews being 1) allowed to move to a region, 2) barred from most occupations, 3) steered (or forced) into fields that allow them to build up some degree of wealth and success while 4) serving as an involuntary meat shield between the peasantry and the ruling class.

And then when there’s famine or war or plague or social unrest or revolution, it’s so easy to aim all the blame at the Jews, who were doing pretty okay for themselves up to that point.

We take the fall for whatever has gone wrong, get killed or expelled, and conveniently are forced to leave behind the homes and businesses and wealth that we’d managed to build despite our deliberately limited options. Whoever’s now in charge gets the spoils, and those of us who survived have to go start over somewhere else.

This is an old, old pattern. It has happened to someone in the family of just about every single Jewish person alive, usually more than once. In my direct family tree, it happened to all my great-great grandparents, who left the Pale in the midst of the 1880s wave of pogroms. Hell, I have an uncle by marriage who had to flee Iran as a teenager in the 70s — that’s the 1970s, to be clear — and his family left behind homes and farms and bank accounts. Everything but what they could carry.

I feel like we talk a lot about how antisemitism persists in a culture and manifests in individuals across the political spectrum. But it’s also helpful, sometimes, to take a higher-level view of why antisemitism is useful to ruling powers in a given region, because that usefulness is also a big part of why it persists.

[qaraxuanzenith]

seconding the last uh... 2-8 additions on this post, and peer-reviewing @nonasuch's tags

but ALSO, it cannot be understated that the existence of the state of Israel is a rare example of a successful decolonization project on the world stage.

Jews are indigenous to Israel. This is not a statement about the indigeneity or lack thereof of any other group that lives there or claims to have roots there. I am not speaking about anyone else's experience here. I am just saying: Jews are indigenous to Israel. This whole discussion about anti-semitism and expulsions and pogroms throughout 2000 years of Jewish diaspora exists because for 2000 Jews have been living in diasporic communities after our homeland, where we had been existing in for approximately 1500 uninterrupted years prior to that, was colonized by Rome and most of its Jewish inhabitants forced into exile. It changed hands from Rome to various other colonizing powers, down to the Ottoman Empire and then the British Empire, before successfully decolonizing and gaining independence and Jewish self-determination in 1948.

[mariacallous]

[afurioushawk]

In case you're wondering the state of the left right now, they've started turning on AOC in favor of MTG.

[slyandthefamilybook]

oh would you look at that, it's everything we've been screaming about for the past 2+ years. all that talk about how "anti-Zionism isn't antisemitism!" and "stop conflating Jews and Israel!" was just about giving people a get-out-of-jail-free card for their bigotry. accused of antisemitism? Just criticize Israel and you'll have people tripping over their own dicks to defend you!

[i-can-kazoo]

Nothing says "I'm not an antisemite" like *checks notes* slurs, rootless cosmopolitan and khazar theory, classic Protocols rhetoric, and denial of jewish indigeneity!