To think that antisemitism now needs to be tackled in the strongest possible way?

I don’t believe a single word you said.

I've noticed that the people who prattle piously about how criticism of Israel isn't antisemitism never engage with discussions of actual antisemitism. The most they will ever say is "antisemitism is bad" followed by a "but Israel".

They are indeed two different things. The issue is when Jews raise antisemitism (ie the first thing) we are dismissed and shouted down with the by now trite phrase that criticism of Israel is not antisemitism (ie the second thing). Ie the implication is either we’re inflating levels of antisemitism when really it’s just legitimate criticism of Israel / or we’re using antisemitism claims to deflect from blame on Israel.

I have lost track of how many times over the last couple of years I’ve openly said that fair and proportionate criticism of Israel is not antisemitism, and it fell on deaf ears.

also it’s not just criticism of Israel really is it - another incident the other day when a Jewish couple in America opened their gift wrapped chanuka pyjamas from Bloomingdale’s and there was free Palestine scrawled on the Bloomingdale’s card tucked inside the package. I mean is that fair criticism of Israel? Does that count as antisemitism?https://x.com/stopantisemites/status/2000688445929181461?s=46

This is so beyond ignorant. You sound like some old racist saying 'before the Civil War blacks and whites got on fine.'

It was great if you didn't mind having no rights under the law, the ability for your family to be robbed and murdered with impunity, run out of your home, not allowed to serve as a legal witness, not able to participate in society. Jewish people were servant class and routinely abused.

My family are Middle Eastern Jewish people. After the formation of Israel, all the Middle Eastern Jews that weren't killed either fled or were exiled there. Finally a place where they could live and exist free from harm - from their own government, obviously, they still had to defend themselves against constant terror attacks from the surrounding states, just like the ones you cheer for.

This is the case for many groups, but especially for Jewish people : meaning, two groups moving in different worlds. Many Jews have evidently been living in a world of constant security threats long before the recent terrible intensification of anti Semitism, and for far too long most non Jews have been at best, unaware, at worst, apathetic.

That's standard for any event at a synagogue. My non Jewish friends were shocked to have to walk past security at the synagogue during our wedding.

Thank you. I'm not Jewish myself, my grandmother visited this school because she was teaching RS then. I'm also a strong ally of the Jewish people. We must do everything we can to ensure no one has to fear for their life because of being Jewish- it's disgusting this kind of violent prejudice is spreading in the 21st century.

Exactly what I mean

It certainly wasn’t saying that commenting that Netanyahu and co are war criminals is antisemitic so no idea why you felt to say that it isn’t.

No it really didn’t

Thank you for asking.
My suggestion is that you call out antisemitism when you see it in others. Racists give themselves away because they’d believe many others agree with them. If they think their hatred is unacceptable then they’ll shut up and the cycle will decline.

Think it flew right over your head.

Yes I did.

I don't think you actually read/engaged with my point.

I think the current Israeli government are dangerous war criminals. I think Hamas are dangerous war criminals. This does not make me anti semitic nor anti Muslim.

There's a lot of disingenuous people who say, 'if we criticise Israel we're called anti-semitic', and who take absolutely no trouble to consider why that might be. Robust criticism of the Israeli government could be entirely normal. As a non-anti-semite I might criticise the Israeli state in the same way I criticise the USA or India. And sometimes that is genuinely what people are doing.

But often, it's not just criticism. It's a nasty, visceral hostility that is very familiar to anyone who has experienced racism. It's calling for the complete eradication of the only Jewish state. It's the left's single-minded obsession with Israel. It's calling for intifada (attacks against Israeli civilians). The people who say there nothing problematic going on here are either complicit in anti-semitism or just blind.

Antisemitism is fundamentally wrong. No question.

Criticizing the actions of a government that you feel is acting unacceptably is not wrong.

They are 2 different things.

I am u following this thread as its just an echo chamber with no debate.

This is really sad and shocking, and also perfectly illustrates the point. In this case, two men were literally going around chanting 'Jews, remember when you all got slaughtered by Mohammed's army' and the jury did not convict.

This is not 'criticising Israel', this is a clear anti-semitic threat just being treated as acceptable.

The CST are a great organisation to donate to if that is something you wish to do.

www.cst.org.uk

I’m Jewish and I am so upset by the anti-semitism creep that has been tolerated in this county. My grandmother is in her late 90s - still alive and very much with it. Her father was killed at Auschwitz and she escaped to the UK on the Kindertransport -one of the last living Kindertransport children here. And here she is, living through an uprising of Jewish hatred again, having people throw things at the window of her Jewish care home and shout threats outside. Almost a century of being hated for her race and religion. Reading this thread just shows that anti-semitism is going nowhere

This.

Personally, when people who are not Jewish speak up, it means so much. We’re a very small minority, and the more orthodox you get on the spectrum of religious observance, the less likely to have any kind of online vocal presence, meaning even fewer overall numbers of Jews who can stand up and call out antisemitism. And some are frightened; generational trauma lends itself to a culture of keeping your head below the parapet and not calling attention to yourself. When allies speak up, you lend your voice and your strength, and it makes us much less isolated.

Yes. Believe us. Teach the next generation. Donate to a Jewish cause that speaks to you. Show up at a public Chanukah event to lend your support. I wouldn’t want to presume to suggest specific donations but there are many.

mostly though just speak up when people say something stupid. I would like to believe it’s often ignorance and those are the people I try to reach.