How Anti-Semitism Threatens to End a Golden Era for Jewish Americans
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
The Atlantic’s April Cover Story: Franklin Foer on How Anti-Semitism Threatens to End a Golden Era for Jewish Americans 370 Master Feed : The Atlanticby The Atlantic1h
For The Atlantic ’s April cover story, “The Golden Age of American Jews Is Ending,” staff writer Franklin Foer reports on how the rise of anti-Semitism on both the right and the left threatens to end an era of unprecedented safety and prosperity for Jewish Americans, one that spanned the latter part of the 20th century. Foer argues that, with the first decades of the 21st century marked by conspiracy, reckless hyperbole, and political violence, the liberal order that Jewish Americans helped establish, rooted in values of tolerance, fairness, meritocracy, and cosmopolitanism, is being demolished.
The rise of anti-Semitism on the political right is well documented, with Donald Trump attracting the allegiance of white supremacists and freely borrowing their tropes. Foer reports from the Bay Area on the anti-Semitism that has spread on the American left since Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. He writes that the brand of anti-Zionism adopted in some corners of the contemporary left “doesn’t stop with calls for an end to the occupation of the West Bank. It espouses a blithe desire to eliminate the world’s only Jewish-majority nation, valorizes the homicidal campaign against its existence, and seeks to hold members of the Jewish diaspora to account for the sins of a country they don’t live in and for a government they didn’t elect. In so doing, this faction of the left places itself in the terrible lineage of attempts to erase Jewry—and, in turn, stirs ancient and not-so-ancient existential fears.”
Foer explores how these ascendant political movements on both sides of the political spectrum are dispensing with the ideals of tolerance and pluralism, and replacing them with intolerance and even violence. Foer writes, “Extremist thought and mob behavior have never been good for Jews. And what’s bad for Jews, it can be argued, is bad for America.”
Foer’s article describes in detail the golden age that Jewish writers, filmmakers, musicians, and intellectuals helped create after World War II: “As anti-Semitism faded, American Jewish civilization exploded in a rush of creativity. For a time, the great Jewish novel—books by Saul Bellow, Philip Roth, Norman Mailer, Joseph Heller, and Bernard Malamud, inflected with Yiddish and references to pickled herring—was the great American novel. Under the influence of Lenny Bruce, Sid Caesar, Mel Brooks, Elaine May, Gilda Radner, Woody Allen, and many others, American comedy appropriated the Jewish joke, and the ironic sensibility contained within, as its own.” Foer writes that Jews created new genres of Americana and in turn remade America’s image of itself, with “the folk revival popularized by Bob Dylan, Art Garfunkel, and Paul Simon; the movies mythologizing the decency of the American Everyman produced by David O. Selznick, Louis B. Mayer, and Jack Warner.”
This all ended on September 11, 2001, Foer argues: “It didn’t seem that way at the time. But the terror attacks opened an era of perpetual crisis, which became fertile soil where the hatred of Jews took root.” Foer continues, “In the era of perpetual crisis, a version of this narrative kept recurring: a small elite—sometimes bankers, sometimes lobbyists—maliciously exploiting the people. Such narratives helped propel Occupy Wall Street on the left and the Tea Party on the right. This brand of populist revolt had long been the stuff of Jewish nightmares.”
Foer writes in his conclusion, “When anti-Semitism takes hold, conspiracy theory hardens into conventional wisdom, embedding violence in thought and then in deadly action. A society that holds its Jews at arm’s length is likely to be more intent on hunting down scapegoats than addressing underlying defects. Although it is hardly an iron law of history, such societies are prone to decline … If America persists on its current course, it would be the end of the Golden Age not just for the Jews, but for the country that nurtured them.”
“The Golden Age of American Jews Is Ending” published today in The Atlantic . There will be an event to discuss the cover on March 18 at Sixth & I, in Washington, D.C., and online, with Foer joined in conversation by Yolanda Savage-Narva , the vice president of racial equity, diversity, and inclusion for the Union for Reform Judaism, and others, in a dialogue led by Sixth & I's Senior Rabbi, Aaron Potek . Tickets are available via Sixth & Ihere.
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This is a summary of a far longer article , which is much too long to post in its entirety here.
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antisemitism has existed for centuries and is a blight in the human race. I don't doubt it all there always been some on the political left who grew up anti semites. I think anti-Semitism has always been so prevalent in American culture that it would span political ideologies.
I think that a lot of Americans have always mainly looked at Israel as an underdog country that came to being after the Holocaust ,so there has always been a large base of goodwill towards Israel in America. American mythology loves the underdog.
As Israel has politically turned to the right it has become relatively easy to see Israel as no longer ,the underdog ,rather in some ways as the oppressor. There have just been too many examples and instances of Palestinians being mistreated by the Israeli government. Within Israel itself there is a sizeable group of critics of the government's policies on the West Bank and Gaza. The argument has been made that this current war is costing Israel the good will of an entire generation of young people around the world.
There should have been a two state solution a long time ago.
As has always been the case over the centuries. Younger generations don’t know what they don’t know yet.
Impossible. Not until one of the “states” involved, renounces their stand on wanting to destroy the other. Not that hard to understand if one is really paying attention.
We've been over this before. Hamas and the Palestinians have never wanted or would have accepted a so called two state solution.... only the elimination of Israel and the Jews. [deleted]
You gave me two violations for the same exact comment. Please remove.one
The wasn't any Palestinians to govern a state.
it is only one ticket
On the political right ????
In what universe is the Atlantic in?
What universe are you in
A fairly predictable universe. Whenever the left is caught doing something (like the antisemitism on campuses, liberal cities and Dem congress) they try to use it to try and convince people it is the right that is doing it. This is nothing more than bothsiderism on steroids.
A pile of gaslighted garbage.
It's humorous to watch Newstalkers right wing take offense at this article under the presumption that is attacking the right.
They must have guilty consciences, either themselves or for their fellow right wingers.
the article is not an attack on the right at all.
C’mon man …. This article clearly tries to equate the right and left on rising antisemitism. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Simple observation clearly shows that most of the recent growth comes from the left.
Clearly.
This is another article trying to blame Trump and the right for the leftist behavior towards Jewish people, just like the left has embraced foreign invaders over American citizens they have embraced Hamas terrorists over the Jewish people.
I will put this as simply as I can, you have to be a fucking retard to believe that Trump is antisemitic with his favorite child and grandchildren being Jewish. Another failed deflection by antisemitic racists to point fingers at the right for their behavior.
Certainly! Here are some examples of right-wing anti-Semitism :
White Supremacist Acts :
Republican Politicians and Media Figures :
Historical Context :
Global Perspective :
Remember that intolerance can emerge from various ideologies, and addressing anti-Semitism requires vigilance and education.
This appears to be destined to be another hijacked article on Newstalkers.
The article is not an attack on the right, it shows the anti-semitism coming from all ideologies.
Any antisemitism by the right is pretty much committed by fringe groups with limited numbers of members.
The left, as a whole, on the other hand, believes that Israel is an oppressor and needs to be destroyed.
If you are looking for a one sided discussion there are better locations for this article. I suggest one the echo chambers designed for and by my friends on the left. Some great one way “discussions” over there.
Here …. You’ll get more than that …
yeah, i'll get blatant ignorance
Opinions do vary
For fuck's sake! Didn't you people even read the article?
Have you?
The rise is on the left. White supremacy has always been there and no more than a liberal dog whistle attempting to cover for the rise in left wing antisemitism. Look no further than college campuses for proof of that fer fucks sake ……
It is amazing how they continue to try to blame the boogieman trump for their actions, the left has taken antisemitism main stream and somehow a couple hundred white supremist with an IQ of 60 collectively are to blame.
OMG, Do you people read? The truth is in the article. The truth is (and I would know) is that both the right and the left are feeding into rise of anti-Semitism. Long before the Oct 7th attack, my synagogue had a full time staff of security and they would tell us who was the problem. It was the neo nazi and skinhead groups. Now we have double the problems.
Walk a mile in my shoes.
I asked the same question and got a comment that pretty much showed that they didn't bother to read my comment
And around the world in mine. The anti-Israel bias is not limited to right-wing and left-wing America, it is universal. The article scares me for good reasons as the R.A. is aware. I just shake my head when I read the comments here with members trying to defend their particular political leanings when the issue is so far beyond that pettiness - can't NT members address the issue rather than their particular political leanings?
Buzz,
Anti-Israel is an old thing. Just check out the UN's Security Council's number of resolutions against Israel and compare it to say.... Iran.
It's a joke.
Don't I know it? How many times have I posted on NT that I wished that the Manhattan UN building would be bulldozed into the East River?
Pre-outrage? Isn't this just hype to boost ticket sales for a public event on March 18th? The discussion is less than honest for the purpose of elevating Franklin Foer's point of view which he will be selling on March 18th. In the end, it's all about the money. That shouldn't be too surprising since the Atlantic magazine is published in Washington D.C. The Atlantic magazine really is more of a neoliberal publication than a liberal publication; honesty is often thrown under the bus to sustain ideology.
A lot of the narrative falls apart when one remembers that it was President Trump who moved the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Just imagine that; the alleged chief white supremacist actually agreeing with Israel instead of the political left. Also remember that there are more Palestinians, Muslims, and Black anti-Semites in the United States than there are white supremacists left in the US. Like it or not, white supremacy is on the wane in the US. It's the minorities who are becoming the majority so the bigotry by those minorities will become dominant in US society. White supremacy is being supplanted by minority supremacy; a natural consequence of the political left's efforts. All the old gaslighting rhetoric about evil white culture becomes foolishly idiotic as the minority population becomes the majority.
Maybe just hype in your opinion, but the issue of the rise of antisemitism is real, and maybe you don't see it or feel it, but there are many others who DO feel it and see it and are scared because of it. So put it down, it's your privilege, but hype isn't the issue.
The rise of anti-Semitism ain't coming from damned white supremacists or fucking Nazis. The United Nations has become unapologetically anti-Semitic. White supremacists and Nazis haven't taken over the United Nations.
There aren't enough white supremacists and Nazis in the United States to rival 300,000 people at a Palestinian protest. How could Foer miss President Trump moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem? Foer just ignores those inconvenient truths to sell the tired old trope of white supremacists and Nazis being the problem. So, yes, Franklin Foer is selling hype just to make a buck.
Do you know what percent of the American population is Muslim?
Well, I did have to look it up. The internet says there are between 3.5 and 4 million Muslims in the United States. (I couldn't confirm that Nation of Islam is included in that estimate.) Google also says there are about 7.5 million Jews in the US.
Do you know how may white supremacists and Nazis are in the US? Google wasn't very helpful. Even the Copilot AI couldn't provide a cogent answer. Both cited the Southern Poverty Law Center, which is a joke, to provide a number of white nationalist groups (not the same thing as white supremacists) and even drifted off into events in New Zealand to make a political point.
Since there is so much white knuckled liberal terror about white supremacists, Nazis, and even white nationalists, you'd think there would be some sort of WAG about the size of the problem. Either the powers that be don't know or they're deliberately hiding the facts from the American people. IMO there are not 4 million white supremacists and Nazis in the US but I couldn't find any data to confirm or refute that speculation.
a bunch of nonsense
This is my opinion, both the left and the right have their fair share of anti-Semitism. Just take a look at our history. Some very prominent names pop up as anti-Semites including Henry Ford, Charles Lindberg, Ezra Pound, T.S. Elliott and Richard Nixon all anti-Semites.
Mostly old examples. Few people today know about or admit to, a very active Nazi movement in the USA in the 30’s. Much of it centered around the east coast. Antisemitism was much more pronounced prior to WW-2.
No one is saying antisemitism doesn’t still exist on the right but rather that the increase has been more pronounced on the left in recent years. Saying simply that antisemitism exists on the left and right is attempting to obfuscate that fact IMO.
Some here accept this article at face value. I do not.
The Bund was also active in the midwest with Camp Hindenberg located in Wisconsin. I think that antisemitism was more in the open before WWII it's just as high now it simply hasn't been as visible until recently.
I know there is a lot of this side that side is more anti-semitic I don't know if there have been any polls or studies done on it but IMO it infects both sides just like any other racism. The one thing that has changed is that younger people tend to side with Palestinians more than the Jews which being a result of years passed since the Holocaust and they are seeing Israel not as the underdog any longer but as the bully on the block.
The youth are not just blind to The Holocaust, but to the REAL reasons the Palestinians have always refused the 2-State solution that was offered to them at least a few times, and prefer to maintain their animosity. For example, the youth doesn't give a shit that the P.A. uses the aid money donated to them to reward their terrorists who kill Jews. I was in Israel to witness a bus bomb in Jerusalem that murdered innocent women and children, I had to run and hide in a bomb shelter when I was on a kibbutz, I toured the bombed-out reception room in the Park Hotel in Netanya just a few days after the "Passover Massacre". Here is the image of what happened to two young IDF soldiers who got lost in the West Bank - that is a West Bank police station window and the blood on the Palestinian's hands is that of the 2 soldiers being shown to the cheering crowd of Palestinians below.
As sad or traumatic as they are, personal stories or anecdotes do not explain everything
there is a lot of material online about mistreatment of Palestinians some of it coming from testimony by soldiers in the israeli defense force
I hope it's not too late for Israel to regain the goodwill of the world's young people because if they don't it will be a tragedy
Do you think that I'm not aware of all of that, Buzz? I am and a lot more. I believe and I've spoken to some younger people and what I stated is pretty much what they told me.
So what do you want done, kill every Palestinian in the ME or the world, it's not going to happen, Buzz.
We didn't kill every German in the world after the WWII and the Holocaust and it seems that worked.
Nakam or the Avengers planned to kill six million Germans after Germany lost the war as vengence, they were stopped by an informant as they were very close to poisoning the water supply of Nuremberg. David Ben-Gurion and Zalman Shazar both later became leaders of Israel were very opposed to the plan and were afraid if they succeded that there would be no state of Israel.
So Buzz, was Ben-Gurian and Shazar correct or should they have supported the plan and ended up killing six million Germans? If they did and it killed milliions of Germans what would have happened to the proposed state of Israel?
Sometimes it's "payback".
I know you're aware of it. Did I argue with you, criticize you, say you were wrong? All I did was add to your comment what my personal feelings were. I never said all Palestinians were bad. I met some wonderful Palestinians who were the doctors, nurses and admin staff at Laniado Hospital in Netanya. A lot of Palestinians are suffering not because of the Israelis, but because of their own leaders, and the prime example of that is Gaza today.
Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) appears to be in deep trouble after a comment he made on social media on Sunday.
Collins, who caused a blowup on the social media site X in February follo wing a post in which he suggested immigrants should be given rides on " Pinochet Air ," responded to a post from what one reporter deemed an anti -Semitic account.
The right - wing New York Post promoted an article suggesting that a Washington Post reporter said "shoplifting not a big deal because US built on 'stolen land.'" An account by the name of "Garbage Human" shared that article, adding, "In case you were wondering, yes she is ."
ALSO READ: ‘Leave the drama to them:’ Mother of Lauren Boebert’s grandson speaks out
The lawmaker on Sunday morning responded to that post, saying, "Never was a second thought."
Jacob Rubashkin, deputy editor for Inside Elections, reported the news:
"Georgia Rep. Mike Collins (R) responding approvingly to a very rac is t and anti semitic Twitter account’s tweet that’s pretty clearly about a reporter being Jew is h," Rubashkin wrote .
That led to some pretty instant kickback.
Former Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) said, "Hey Mike what is she? Sincerely, Your former colleague."
Atlanta-based defense attorney Andrew Fle is chman also added, "Wait, what is she?"
National security attorney Bradley P. Moss wrote, "Say it to our face, Congressman."
Column is t Molly Jong-Fast asked, " Anti - semitism , what does it look like?"
Former Obama admin is tration official Brandon Friedman pointed out that the comment serves as a much larger warning.
"Th is serves as an important reminder that literal neo-Naz is with actual leg is lative power represent a far greater threat to Jews than college kids who are angry with Is rael," he added.
A number of commenters also celebrated the alleged attack on Jew is h people, and others suggested Collins m is takenly thought he was agreeing that the reporter was clearly a "garbage human" after seeing the name of the account that posted the piece.
And there it is. That is the problem I have with the article which is trying to claim that the antisemitism is all the same. The fact is that it is now being taught at the university and has been growing within the ranks of the left for quite a few years now. It is now the main source of antisemitism. That is what your article needed to say.
Exactly, the left is doubling down on this “whataboutism” to gaslight the truth. But but but white supremacy …..
Antisemitism is currently a growth industry in their caucus. Any unbiased thinking person can see that.
Any …
2020
Poll: Nearly 7 in 10 US Jews think Republican Party holds anti-Semitic views | The Times of Israel
When exactly did Republicans stop being anti-Semitic ?
Where did anyone say antisemitism doesn’t exist on the far right?
Stop being disingenuous.
Why have the majority of Jews voted Democratic for so many decades now?
Because they have considered the alternative
Why did you avoid answering my question to your comment.
www.mediamatters.org /diversity-discrimination/100-plus-examples-republican-politicians-embracing-antisemitic-media-2021
100-plus examples of Republican politicians embracing antisemitic media since 2021
8-10 minutes
The Republican Party has an antisemitism problem that’s reflected in its support of antisemitic media. Media Matters found more than 100 examples of Republican officials and campaign nominees embracing and promoting antisemitic media figures and outlets in 2021 and 2022.
Republicans have promoted and embraced people who have said that “we don't want people who are Jewish”; stated that Jewish people should “get the fuck out of America”; smeared Jewish people as “deceivers” who “plot,” “lie,” and “do whatever they have to do to accomplish their political agenda”; claimed that there was a “Jew Coup” against former President Donald Trump; and wished for “a total Aryan victory.”
Former President Donald Trump, who is running again for the White House, recently met with two virulent antisemites and admirers of Hitler: Ye (formerly Kanye West) and Nick Fuentes. House Republicans are also set to reinstate the committee assignments of Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA) and Paul Gosar (AZ), who have both frequently advanced antisemitism.
Antisemitic media figures and outlets
The following antisemitic media figures and outlets are referenced multiple times in this guide:
Nick Fuentes . Fuentes is a streamer who uses his platform to forward white nationalist and antisemitic views. He is a Holocaust denier who has said that he wants “a total Aryan victory”; claimed that Jewish people have too much power; and stated that Jewish people should “get the fuck out of America.”
Andrew Torba and Gab . Torba is the CEO of social media platform Gab , which is a haven for white nationalists, neo-Nazis, and antisemites. Torba has said that he wants to exclude Jewish people from American political life, stating : “We don't want people who are Jewish. … This is an explicitly Christian movement because this is an explicitly Christian country.” He claims that Jewish people have too much power and “we're not bending the knee to the 2% anymore.”
Vincent James Foxx and Daily Veracity . Foxx is a streamer who heads the white nationalist site Daily Veracity. Foxx is a Holocaust denier who has also said that “the Holocaust is weaponized” against white people. He's claimed that Jewish people supposedly “not only control Hollywood, congress, and the media, but they control social media as well.” And he's alleged that the impeachment of former President Donald Trump was “The Jew Coup.”
Allen and Francine Fosdick . The Fosdicks host a streaming program and organize a yearly conference. They have promoted conspiracy theories alleging Jewish people, led by the Rothchilds, have been manipulating events such as wildfires through “space weather” and lasers; aim to subjugate the human race; and perpetuate evil “bloodlines” with other prominent Jewish people.
TruNews . TruNews is an antisemitic outlet led by Rick Wiles. TruNews has claimed that there was a “Jew coup” against former President Donald Trump and that “seditious Jews” were “orchestrating” his “impeachment lynching.” Wiles has said of Jewish people: “They are deceivers, they plot, they lie, they do whatever they have to do to accomplish their political agenda. … You have been taken over by a Jewish cabal.” He’s also claimed that “the American people are being oppressed by Jewish tyrants.”
Jarrin Jackson . Jackson is a streamer who unsuccessfully ran for the Oklahoma state Senate. He said that he “largely” agrees with the conspiracy theories that Jews are “taking over the world” and that they are attempting to get rid of white people through immigration and miscegenation. He’s also stated that he’s “not beholden to Jews” and listed “the Jews” as evidence that “evil exists.”
Republicans embracing and promoting antisemitic media from 2021-2022
Across multiple months
2021
January
Robert Regan, who would later become a Michigan state House nominee (unsuccessful), wrote a Facebook post that promoted a piece on the fringe right-wing website American Digital News accusing Jewish people, led by the Rothschild family, of causing global problems for their financial benefit.
February
Paul Gosar was the keynote speaker at Fuentes’ America First Political Action Conference. (Gosar and Fuentes met at a restaurant after the event.)
March
April
Paul Gosar, as CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski and Em Steck reported , took a trip to the border with Greyson Arnold.
May
June
July
Wendy Rogers appeared on TruNews.
August
Many groups Jews supported have turned against them
They keep supporting candidates who clearly don’t have their best interest in mind, they get what they deserve.
You lie down with dogs you get up with fleas.