https://www.jpost.com/American-Politics/American-Jewry-and-the-Trump-impeachment-611504
Many were the Jews in America who certainly applauded the decision to impeach Trump on Wednesday. Many, as well, are the Jews concerned – as Jews have been throughout history in times of crisis and change – about how this will impact on antisemitism and on the Jewish community.
And, as the Ami poll showed, there are also Jews in the US – an integral part of the fabric of the American Jewish community – who think differently. American and Israeli Jews are not the only ones divided on Trump. There is a split – though by no means an equal one – on the matter within the US Jewish community as well.
The first mistake Chareidi and many RWMO Jews make is assuming that being Jewish means something to non-religious Jews.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't. For most non-religious Jews it means the same thing as being Italian means to my buddy Guido. It's a nice ethnic thing, it's a chance to boast about cuisine and once in a while attend a religious celebration for cultural reasons but it does not identify their values and core beliefs.
The majority of non-religious Jews believe that Judaism is secular liberalism with latkes. Therefore Trump, as an enemy of the left, is an enemy of Judaism. Anything pro-Jewish Trump does is evidence of his anti-Semitism. Any support for Israel is actually an attack on it. Because otherwise they'd have to admit they've got their Jewish identity on backward and they wouldn't do that.
maybe in America that is the case, but in Europe, and in Israel, I don't think it's true. At least not for those who don't intermarry. Perhaps that is why there is support for Israel in these places - because they still hold to the memory of the Shoah or further, even the Torah.
ReplyDeleteIn UK, the Jews rejected Mr Corbyn and his Labour party becasue it was anti-zionist (semitic). I wonder if they will do the same for Bernie Saunders?
Europe is different in that it has old cultures the US lacks. Bottom line: an Indian can claim to be 3rd of 4th generation in England, an Algerian can be the same in France but they really are never truly English or French. Jews therefore remain Jews.
ReplyDeleteMaybe English Jews or French Jews, but Jews.
America, on the other hand, absorbs anybody from anywhere. Jews in the US therefore face a choice that those in Europe do not - American Jews or Jewish Americans.