gonnauseanomdeplume

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If you read nothing else on my blog at least read this:

Jewish survival is beautiful, and amazing.

I know times right now are absolutely awful, and it can feel like the world is against us. We're seeing the Nazi marches, the targeting of Jewish businesses, harassment of religious Jews, and so much more at a much more severe rate than many of us have seen within our lifetimes.

But we've survived this before.

The most dangerous thing right now is to lose hope. To lose hope of a better future, to lose hope of any future. We have survived the pogroms, the Holocaust, the Inquisition, the many Middle Eastern anti-Jewish genocides and attacks, various expulsions and so much more.

I've reblogged someone else's post saying this before but I'm going to say it here again: every single Jew alive right now is a miracle.

So here's one thing I want to ask of you: Live.

Do it out of love for your fellow Jews, do it out of spite towards our enemies, do it so that there will be more miracles in the future.

Living is the greatest form of Jewish rebellion.

Living a proud Jewish life is even more so, but at the very least, please live.

Please please please don't give up on life right now. If you feel alone, reach out. Reach out to your fellow Jews, find non-Jewish allies to stand by your side, seek out supportive communities.

As a Jew, you are never truly alone. You have people who will love you like family if you just reach out, because we are one. One family, one nation, one soul. And we all care for each other.

Am Yisrael Chai 💕

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Almost every single white person for 2000 straight years: filthy Jews should go back to the middle east and stop polluting our European purity. Let's do another genocide about it

Also white people approx 70 years ago: Jews are privileged white people and are not allowed to claim prejudice. They're actually the most privileged white people, on account of controlling all the banks

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Despite the fact that I've understood that Jews aren't really white for a long time, it's been a much more recent perspective shift to understand that I'm not a "white Jew" but rather a white-passing Jew.

Because even though I would express my views on "Jews aren't white" to people, I'd frequently be told I'm wrong, or they'd listen but then in the next conversation simply forget all about it and made it clear they didn't agree or didn't care.

And so, for a very long time, I allowed goyim to define what it means to be Jewish for me.

But would I let anyone tell me who I am in relation to any other identity? Or was I just so conditioned to treat my Jewishness as something for society, not me, to define?

My Jewishness isn't just my religion. Whether or not I keep shabbat, I'm still Jewish. If I cook mac-n-cheese in a pot and then make chicken soup in the same pot, I'm still Jewish. Even if I wear pants and a tank top, I'm still Jewish.

Because being Jewish isn't just being in a religious category. For me, and a majority of Jews (not forgetting about converts, love y'all), being Jewish is in our DNA.

You can take the Jew out of Judaism, but you can't take the Judaism out of the Jew. (It seemed better before I wrote it.)

We are Jewish not because of a religious category, but also an ethnic category. And the world has only very recently decided we are white. But even now, we aren't treated as such.

You know, my perspective shifted due to a conversation about arm hair with my dad and sister.

We were sitting in a restaurant and my sister was wearing a t-shirt, showing her arms. At this point, I still thought of us as "just white" and my "Jews aren't white" views were of the "well I don't get to claim that for myself" (idk why to be honest). This conversation changed everything.

Anyway, my sister was complaining, as middle schoolers do, and mentioned her very fuzzy arms. My dad responded, "Well of course, you're Middle Eastern."

I was shocked.

I knew my parents are from Eastern Europe, and that we don't look Eastern European, and I just thought of myself as "generic white" even though I knew I was 100% ethnically Jewish.

That changed.

I wasn't "generic white" but rather I was a white-passing Jew. I look white, I know that. But I still have some traits that, when taken on their own, aren't typically European at all. They're Middle Eastern.

It was my first time really hearing a Jew define being ethnically Jewish in this way, as opposed to a goy, and it was world-changing.

Finally, I let myself take my feelings about antisemitism seriously.

Do you understand why society forcibly defining all of us as "just white" is so dangerous? It lets people easily dismiss antisemitism. Because we live in a society where "anti-white racism doesn't exist" is accepted as a common fact. (I am offering no opinions on this, only stating it as a societal observation.) So if Jews are white, how can antisemitism exist? How can it really be serious?

That's why we need to define being Jewish ourselves. If we let the world do it, not only does it harm us personally (as it did when I would constantly dismiss my own feelings and gaslight myself into thinking I was making a big deal out of nothing) but it also harms us on the community scale. It's dangerous.

Jews define what it means to be Jewish. Jews define antisemitism. Jews define Judaism.

The world deserves no role in this except to listen and accept it, as they'd be expected to do for any other minority.

Jews aren't white. There are white-passing Jews, sure, but even we deal with antisemitism.

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A lot of people need to hear this right now.

#bookblr #jumblr #jewish #jew stuff #judaism #actually jewish #antisemitism #israel #writeblr #bookstagram #booktok #booktube #Instagram

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The Political Racialization of Jews

I think we have all seen the people calling Zionism "white supremacy" and Jews "white colonizers" in order to politically justify hating us.

But, what about the Pittsburgh Tree of Life shooting? Were we white then, when that white supremacist barged in and killed our people?

But, what about the worst killing of Jews ever, the Holocaust? Were we white when Hitler systemically slaughtered us in order to preserve his white Aryan race?

But, what about our time in Europe (where we, in fact, do not originate from)? Were we white when we were made to live separately from the actual "white Europeans"? Were we white when we were routinely and systemically attacked in pogroms? Were we white when laws were passed, prohibiting us from buying and selling certain things (ask me where bagels come from)?

But, what about America, where "no dogs and no Jews allowed" was written on businesses. Were we white when Leo Frank was falsely accused of murder, then taken out of his prison cell and lynched when his sentence was reduced? And the university/employment quotas against us? Were we white then?

Were we white any of the times we were hated and discriminated against for being "other" and different from those who were white?

In those days, we were racially categorized as being not white, because being white was seen as "moral" and desirable.

But now, what is the easiest way to strip someone of any right to consider themselves a minority or marginalized group? What is the easiest way to encourage people to disregard one's experiences of hate and oppression? What is the group society considers most privileged, and thus least qualified to define morals and ethics?

White.

We are called white, because the same people who call us white say that anti-white racism doesn't exist. So, how can hate against Jews exist, if we are white?

We are called white, because the same people who call us white view being white as a form of moral taint.

We are called white, because calling us white makes them believe that it is justifiable to strip us of our heritage and deny the fact that we are indigenous to the land they claim we are colonizing.

We are called white, even though according to FBI data, Jews are the most targeted minority group per capita in the US.

We are called white, even though our experiences are vastly different from white non-Jews.

Throughout history, we have been forced into racial categories that made oppressing and hating us easier.

And so that is why, as a Jew, I refuse to align myself with any racial category. Because I know that, depending on which way the political wind blows, no category will be safe or accurate. And because I know that those categories have been used, and will continue to be used, as an excuse to hate me.

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Today I had someone who I’ve met once because she was in charge of my work orientation come up to me since she was visiting the branch of the library I work at and ask me if I could teach her Hebrew because and I quote “she’d like to read the Old Testament in the original language so she can feel closer to Jesus” and this woman is the head of the diversity committee 🤦‍♀️

#jumblr #jewish #jew stuff #judaism #jewish life #actually jewish

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There is a version of “Free Palestine” that is simply a call for Palestinian Independence—no more expansionist settlements, an end to sanctions & blockades, a renegotiation of borders between Israel & Palestine, international recognition of Palestine, water rights, unfettered access to energy & other utilities, freedom of movement, etc.—and I think this is what a lot of Anti-Zionists have in mind when they say it.

There is another version which imposes on Israel-Palestine a framework that characterizes any and all Jewish presence “from the river to the sea” as an occupation, and the entire region’s population of Jews as “settler-colonizers”. I think this is a very dangerous way of characterizing Jewish existence in the Levant, because if any and all Jews in the region are inherently “Zionist colonizers”, then any “decolonization” will de facto just be dejudification—the removal or death of Jewish people and Jewish culture. This would be, at best, an ethnic cleansing—at worst, a genocide.

“From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” is a slogan that really seems to presuppose the latter framework and makes little sense outside of it; thus, it’s hard to hear as anything other than a call to either ethnically cleanse or genocide Israeli Jews.

This is why many Jews are scared right now—even ones who are not Pro-Israel and who’ve been highly critical of Zionism for a very long time (hi that’s me). Because we are seeing our neighbors sign onto the goal of dejudification, and repeating slogans that call for the ethnic cleansing & genocide of our people.

And many Anti-Zionists will be quick to push back against this by saying “Well, no, we don’t hate all Jews, just Zionists”. The problem with that is that many of y’all are labeling all Israelis “Zionists”, any Jews outside of Israel who mourn their deaths “Zionists”, any Jews who point out antisemitism or make any criticism of anyone but Israel “Zionists”, any Jews who acknowledge that Jews are indigenous to the Levant or that pogroms were a huge motivating factor in Zionism “Zionists”; there are almost definitely going to be people reblogging or commenting on this post to call me a Zionist. Even if you just pare that down to only Israeli Jews, that’s about half of all Jews on the face of the planet you believe deserve to be ethnically cleansed.

“I don’t hate all Jews, just most of them” and “I hate 7 million+ Jews, but not for being Jewish, just for being part of a distinctly Jewish ideology” is not the progressive take you think it is. It is, in fact, just antisemitism.

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Funny how in Europe Jews weren’t recognized as European and always told to go back to where we came from yet when we do that’s suddenly when we are “accepted” as European. Funny huh. Seems like there might be something deeper at work here. What could it possibly be? Oh I don’t know maybe antisemitism?!?? To antisemites we will always be the face of what they think is evil and now that has taken the form of white European settler colonialism so that is what they paint us as. We’ve been crying out about this form of antisemitism on the left for years and now see where it’s taken us. There is an utter disregard for Jewish lives.

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Funny how in Europe Jews weren’t recognized as European and always told to go back to where we came from yet when we do that’s suddenly when we are “accepted” as European. Funny huh. Seems like there might be something deeper at work here. What could it possibly be? Oh I don’t know maybe antisemitism?!?? To antisemites we will always be the face of what they think is evil and now that has taken the form of white European settler colonialism so that is what they paint us as. We’ve been crying out about this form of antisemitism on the left for years and now see where it’s taken us. There is an utter disregard for Jewish lives.

#jumblr #jewish #jew stuff #judaism #jewish life #actually jewish #antisemitism #israel

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ooh controversial opinion incoming ooh

a lot of people have granted Jews conditional whiteness to invalidate violence committed against them.

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the amount of supposed "woke" people cheering for a terrorist organization that has stated, many times, with absolute clarity, that their main goal is to exterminate jews has been eye opening to say the least

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I feel as a writer, librarian, and a Jew that I have to call out what I’ve been seeing in the bookish community over social media. I’ve seen a lot of posts like the following:

Being used to endorse what Hamas did in Israel. Make no mistake, Hamas is a terrorist organization and what they did is not resistance, is not freedom fighting and is not justice. Books are so powerful and I love the type of books that they are using against my people, to slander them as colonizers and non indigenous to our ancestral homeland. But remember these are books. They should not be used to justify what is going on. Real people are suffering, have their lives at stake and these people are treating it like entertainment instead of the complex issue it is. If you are using this type of media to somehow logic your way into saying what Hamas is doing is the same as the rebel protagonists in your favorite books you have completely missed the point.

#jumblr #jewish #jew stuff #judaism #jewish life #actually jewish #israel #antisemitism

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Uhm Jews actually aren’t white and if you think that Jews talking about antisemitism are just white oppressors playing at being oppressed then you may have an antisemitism problem.

#jumblr #jewish #jew stuff #judaism #jewish life #actually jewish

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Some people out there acting as if white supremacy is the only form of antisemitism. For instance, Christian antisemitism is far older than white supremacy and while they are entwined it is possible to perpetuate Christian antisemitism without being a white supremacist or even white. Antisemitism even predates Christianity and there are forms of antisemitism that are not connected to Christianity at all. It goes to show that antisemitism is complex and multifaceted. It can show up in many forms and it’s important to learn about the different ways it can show up. Anyone can be antisemitic and attributing antisemitism only to white supremacy is harmful and only tackles one part of the issue.

#jumblr #jewish #jew stuff #judaism #jewish life #actually jewish

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Telling Jews what is and isn’t antisemitism isn’t cool. People who are saying how could we possibly interpret Jamie Foxx’s words as invoking an ancient antisemitic trope, isn’t it so obvious he’s just talking about fake friends as if Jewish people haven’t been called fake friends, backstabbers, snakes for ages. I understand that Jamie Foxx didn’t actually mean anything antisemitic and believe the apology is genuine. When speaking to an audience that isn’t just those who are from your own culture it’s important to be sensitive to how words can impact other marginalized groups. I also understand that the phrase means something different to black people and that many black people were ignorant of how this phrase has been used in antisemitic ways but just because you personally haven’t experienced it as antisemitic doesn’t mean it isn’t. Black Christians may have disconnected it from the antisemitic origins but those origins still exist and it isn’t an attack to point it out it is education. There should be some grace in understanding why Jews felt hurt by it since it’s a harmful trope that’s been around since the inception of Christianity. We are not just crying antisemitism. And listening to what Jewish people have to say isn’t centering whiteness nor are we trying to police black language. The response to this entire event has stirred up a lot of antisemitism and anti blackness. There needs to be more cultural awareness and sensitivity on both sides.

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Telling Jews what is and isn’t antisemitism isn’t cool. People who are saying how could we possibly interpret Jamie Foxx’s words as invoking an ancient antisemitic trope, isn’t it so obvious he’s just talking about fake friends as if Jewish people haven’t been called fake friends, backstabbers, snakes for ages. I understand that Jamie Foxx didn’t actually mean anything antisemitic and believe the apology is genuine. When speaking to an audience that isn’t just those who are from your own culture it’s important to be sensitive to how words can impact other marginalized groups. I also understand that the phrase means something different to black people and that many black people were ignorant of how this phrase has been used in antisemitic ways but just because you personally haven’t experienced it as antisemitic doesn’t mean it isn’t. Black Christians may have disconnected it from the antisemitic origins but those origins still exist and it isn’t an attack to point it out it is education. There should be some grace in understanding why Jews felt hurt by it since it’s a harmful trope that’s been around since the inception of Christianity. We are not just crying antisemitism. And listening to what Jewish people have to say isn’t centering whiteness nor are we trying to police black language. The response to this entire event has stirred up a lot of antisemitism and anti blackness. There needs to be more cultural awareness and sensitivity on both sides.

#jumblr #jewish #jew stuff #judaism #jewish life #actually jewish