Letters/Discussion Forums
Lack of roots prompt some Jews to hate fellow-Jews
The fallout in Israel, or conflict between Israel and Hamas perpetuated by the 500 anti-Israel Jewish signatories in a Sunday newspaper advertisement and the saga of Joshua Broomberg and his display of a terrorist hate symbol (a keffiyeh), warrant a response.
Gary Selikow
One of the most unfortunate developments in the exile was the loathsome moser (informer), the negative counterpart of the shtadlan (intercessor) who intercedes with the authorities who speak for the Jews to those in power.
The Jewish community has always been held hostage by its unhappiest members who stood to gain by serving the powers that be.
Since ancient times the Jews have always been vulnerable to betrayal by the least satisfied people in their own fold, seemingly looking to seek revenge on their people for real or imagined slights – from the collaborators who worked with the Greeks and Romans during the occupation of Israel by their empires, to the Jew-hating Jews of today with their bottomless hatred of Israel and its people and their efforts to harm Israel and encourage its genocidal foes like Hamas, Hezbollah and the Iranian regime.
Denis Prager is also vexed by the question of Jews who devote their lives hurting Jews. He points out: “Among no group in the world are there so many individuals who so single-mindedly attempt to damage the group into which they were born.”
He gives as examples Noam Chomsky who has dedicated much of his life to defending those who wish to destroy Israel, and to demonise Israel and her people, frequently comparing Israelis to the Nazis and Norman Finkelstein who lectures throughout the world , calling Israel a Nazi state and demanding its destruction.
Indeed, many Jewish ultra-leftists lead the “Burn Israel” movement, sponsoring pro-Palestinian hate rallies, leading campaigns for divestment from Israel, and demonising Israel and her people in the media and universities.
The author explains this phenomenon as being that Jewish radicals, like other radicals, lack roots, and hate Jews (such as the Jews of Israel) who do have roots and a national identity.
“The Ubermensch, which is how they see themselves, rises above such parochial identities.” Also they likely believe that if they side with those who hate Jews, they in turn will not be hated by them.
The Jew-hating Jews of the left are so determined to be liked again by their friends at work or on campus, that they lose all empathy for those who once were their own people.
Johannesburg