A clue to all these statements is whether you find the word "Hamas" anywhere. This letter does not mention Hamas, which at minimum bears a great deal, if not most, of the responsibility for the tragedy that has befallen the people of Gaza.
October 7th happened. It was a willful act by Hamas completely consistent with their long-stated goals. You can't remain honest or intellectually serious and pretend otherwise.
I have a headache, so skimmed this, as reading would make my head hurt more. But I've seen this play a million times before. People with no connection to Judaism bar an accident of birth appropriating (I use the identity politics term deliberately) the language of religious Judaism to attack fundamental principles of Judaism: the right to self-defence, the right to Jewish autonomy in the land of Israel and, implicitly, the obligation of Jews to care for one another and to defend them against antisemitic attack.
No, Judith Butler, "tzedek" does not mean the right to murder and rape because you have hurty feelings over the fact that someone else has a state (the Palestinians have *refused* a state of their own six times, so that's clearly not the issue). No, "pikuach nefesh" does not mean you can hide behind children to avoid the consequences of your crimes. They never did mean these things and they never will. A real Jew -- a Jew who wasn't ashamed of who she is -- would know this.
The only way these people can blithely say "There is no antisemitism problem" is because they do not publicly identify as Jewish. Those of us who are visibly Jewish (which is most of all Orthodox Jews who wear notably Jewish garb such as kippah, tzitzit and distinctive female head coverings, but also anyone who wears a Star of David necklace or a hostage dog-tag) know that antisemitism is real and dangerous. Judith Butler and co are simply the equivalent of 1950s WASPs saying there is no such thing as racism from the comfort of their whites-only country club, probably while bad-mouthing their black servants for being uppity and not knowing their place any more.
No mention of the hostages or of Hamas. Repeats the mantra of the left - that only right-wing whites are capable of anti-Semitism. Non-whites and leftists are inherently pure and incapable of Jew-hatred. Sad to see Brooten on this list. She is a real scholar.
It pains me to see the names of people I (used to) highly respect. One of them is Charles Manekin.
I was once told that, in some cases, people don’t even pay attention to what they’re asked to sign, especially when the request comes from friends.
A former colleague of mine signed a highly inflammatory letter, and when I asked her why, she said that she was asked by a person she respects and didn’t take the time to read the actual petition.
In other cases, people are simply trying to protect themselves.
But whatever the reason, it pains me to witness how fractured the Jewish scholarly community has become.
In moments of uncertainty, people often cling to perceived alliances or reputational safety. That doesn’t excuse their actions, but maybe it explains why intelligent, thoughtful individuals sometimes suspend their own judgment. This fracture is not only intellectual; it is emotional as well.
A clue to all these statements is whether you find the word "Hamas" anywhere. This letter does not mention Hamas, which at minimum bears a great deal, if not most, of the responsibility for the tragedy that has befallen the people of Gaza.
October 7th happened. It was a willful act by Hamas completely consistent with their long-stated goals. You can't remain honest or intellectually serious and pretend otherwise.
I have a headache, so skimmed this, as reading would make my head hurt more. But I've seen this play a million times before. People with no connection to Judaism bar an accident of birth appropriating (I use the identity politics term deliberately) the language of religious Judaism to attack fundamental principles of Judaism: the right to self-defence, the right to Jewish autonomy in the land of Israel and, implicitly, the obligation of Jews to care for one another and to defend them against antisemitic attack.
No, Judith Butler, "tzedek" does not mean the right to murder and rape because you have hurty feelings over the fact that someone else has a state (the Palestinians have *refused* a state of their own six times, so that's clearly not the issue). No, "pikuach nefesh" does not mean you can hide behind children to avoid the consequences of your crimes. They never did mean these things and they never will. A real Jew -- a Jew who wasn't ashamed of who she is -- would know this.
The only way these people can blithely say "There is no antisemitism problem" is because they do not publicly identify as Jewish. Those of us who are visibly Jewish (which is most of all Orthodox Jews who wear notably Jewish garb such as kippah, tzitzit and distinctive female head coverings, but also anyone who wears a Star of David necklace or a hostage dog-tag) know that antisemitism is real and dangerous. Judith Butler and co are simply the equivalent of 1950s WASPs saying there is no such thing as racism from the comfort of their whites-only country club, probably while bad-mouthing their black servants for being uppity and not knowing their place any more.
Very eloquently argued, Daniel!
Thanks!
No mention of the hostages or of Hamas. Repeats the mantra of the left - that only right-wing whites are capable of anti-Semitism. Non-whites and leftists are inherently pure and incapable of Jew-hatred. Sad to see Brooten on this list. She is a real scholar.
It pains me to see the names of people I (used to) highly respect. One of them is Charles Manekin.
I was once told that, in some cases, people don’t even pay attention to what they’re asked to sign, especially when the request comes from friends.
A former colleague of mine signed a highly inflammatory letter, and when I asked her why, she said that she was asked by a person she respects and didn’t take the time to read the actual petition.
In other cases, people are simply trying to protect themselves.
But whatever the reason, it pains me to witness how fractured the Jewish scholarly community has become.
In moments of uncertainty, people often cling to perceived alliances or reputational safety. That doesn’t excuse their actions, but maybe it explains why intelligent, thoughtful individuals sometimes suspend their own judgment. This fracture is not only intellectual; it is emotional as well.
Yes, it’s a very hard time. One has to put a lot on the line - alliances, opportunities, reputation - in order to stand with Israel.
Feels lonely.
Yes