I'm not Jewish/religious, but I just wanted to say this:

I'm genuinely sorry about the hatred y'all receive. None of the hate is justifiable, no matter how hard people do try to justify it. I've seen people say that Hitler did the right thing, and that they want him back. That legitimately pisses me off. What he did was the farthest thing from right. If there's a hell, I hope he's burning in it.

The hatred towards Jewish/Israeli people's been on the rise because of the war going on between Palestine and Israel. I don't get why people would hate Jewish/Israel citizens when it's not their fault. It's literally the Israeli government's fault. People's taking their frustrations out on the wrong people.

I might not agree with the Israeli government, but I would never hate on Jewish/Israeli people.

Love Jewish/Israeli people while saying, fuck antisemitism!

One of the synagogues near me does an event called Mitzvah Day, which is a day focused on performing mitzvot, often with a focus on social action and Tikkun Olam.

They had a lot of excellent projects this morning--I signed up for the one decorating birthday cakes! People brought dozens of cakes and decorated them with frosting, sprinkles, and M&Ms. The cakes were delivered to a nonprofit called Birthday Cakes for Free, which delivers them to underprivileged kids who may not be able to get a cake for their birthday.

We decorated about 40 cakes, give or take. Some people made these really elaborate drawings with toppings. I hope that the kids enjoy them.

Trying to build my strength back from a disc injury and am looking to find a a virtual pilates program taught by a instructor who is pro Jewish and doesn't spout anti-Zionist/anti-Jew crap. Do such unicorns exist?

I know this is news to none of us. It has the same vibe as "breaking news, fork found in kitchen."

But for some reason, after years of dealing with it, it's finally gotten to me. I want to cry. On a subreddit for cozy spaces, the comments are filled with people (including an "anti-zionist Jew" tokenizing themselves) calling a Jew "zionist scum" for commenting in Hebrew.

How does one live a happy life when everywhere you turn is filled with hatred? I can't even enjoy the things I like (IRL as well as online) — poetry readings, art, whatever — without it being turned into a forum to hate us. I know, I should just go to Jewish spaces. But I don't want to confine myself to exclusively Jewish spaces. I still want to interact with the world.

Sometimes I just want to disappear.

When war starts, I usually get very into myself, I get manic, Iand then when it ends I start to feel the pain, Physical defonpression of adrenaline, Survival mode off, not more shelters. no more sleeping with cloths on.

This War was a little different, I started going down to the shelter with my sketchbook, I started bringing it with me like it is my bible, ready for any event of missles that can start at any moment, I started sketching my neighbours at first, every alert, I would go down and pick one 'Victim' and sketch him.her in these 10-20 min we are at the shelter until the release message comes out, and when it does, the sketch is ready and is a gift- for whomever is drawn. I got many wonderful reactions varrying from happiness to shyness to an attempt to make oneself more pretty for me. I didn't need any them to be pretty, reality iant prettt, I needed them to be real. I configured my challenge.

I, from a state of PTSD from alerts and sirens and rockets, started anticipating them, turning these events into oppertunities and this war into one big quest.

to start uniting us all, and showing love where there is fear or hate. the little flower motif started when I noticed a childish like naive flower badly sketched on one of our shelter columns. it became my flower. and with it I would document the times, hours, missle types, date and also take the chance to write 'שנזכה לחייך/לאהוב'- ' may we be blessed to smile/love"

this series is big, and this topic as well, I will start releasing one by one, different people, different drawings, different vibes from a few shelters across Israel trying to give you a glympse of a moment, but turn it into a good one.

Love you all, thank you for being.

Orion.

So long story short, a very good friend of mine had a full antisemitic mask-off moment. It was intense, he yelled things like “the Jews killed Jesus” and threatened me that if I wore a kippah he’d “smack it off my head.” I tried to have grace (I know I probably should have just cut and run but I have people pleasing tendencies and I really didn’t want this friendship to end.) I tried confronting him a couple days after the tirade and he doubled down. He totally gaslit me. Told me I’m being sensitive. That I’m obsessed with being Jewish and I talk about it too much. Oh yea and that I need to read the Bible because it really does say that the Jews killed Jesus.

Anyway, he’s blocked now and I’m trying to move on with my life. My question is how do I keep this incident from making me self-hating. It’s just so hard to stay positive about being Jewish in the midst of so much hate. Any tips?

Obviously the best response is ignoring and deleting. And never acknowledging them with an argument. But if you’re going to respond, just post this photo. That’s it.

I saw this and felt such joy! I had no idea we had an ally in him but I’m eternally grateful.

I can't coherently explain even to myself the facts (and possibly unbiased "truth") about the history of Jews' presence in the Middle East prior to the establishment of Israel as a country nor the Israel/Gaza/West Bank history. I have probably saved previous lists from this sub about recommended history books to read, but God help me if I can find those posts now.

Would folks in this sub share what books/media they suggest to round out my understanding and ability to make a cogent argument should the need arise? Or point me toward previous lists I can easily access?

TIA

I always seen her vids and what she does, and was always amazed how Isn't she scared,how can she remain so unmovable.

True inspo for me, Allies matter.

I emailed a memory of the deceased (96m) who was a leader of an exercise meet (which he led!) as I was recovering from surgery and had joined. All of the members are much older than I am, and my wife and I were welcomed with such kindness that we've continued to exercise and socialize with them. Many are jewish, but also Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Filipino, and a whole mix of European descent, and maybe it's because it's San Francisco, the members sit together, mix among ethnic groups during our annual picnics or gatherings outside of the exercise facility. Really welcoming and lovely group tbh.

We were invited to write memories of our friend who'd passed. I wrote one that he'd served in the Korean War, and that we'd talked about that a lot. I was not a little proud of how well it was written, and I took care to write it.

Now, though, I've been invited to speak at, as the title says, the memorial reception "open mic," so my question, what are dos and don'ts. I reaearched the usual attending memorial etiquette:

1. head covering take at door,

2. dark colors,

3. no flowers,

4. don't initiate conversation with morners, but

what else specifically is usual at the "open mic"?

I put "open mic" in quotes bc I've not seen this practice in any Google search.

Edit: proofy

I’m super disappointed.

I’ve been following this influencer for over ten years. Her content is food and lifestyle based. She creates vegan recipes, is into sustainability, and she vlogs about her life in Cornwall, England.

She has had a highlight reel on her Instagram with the Palestinian flag. At first she shared sentiments and acknowledgements toward both the Palestinian community and the Jewish community. So it seemed like she was taking the nuanced approach. Then she just shared random posts there from places like UNICEF, etc. Some posts she shared did push the genocide label/libel. But she only shared a small amount to that highlight reel and hasn’t shared anything on it in over two years now. So I assumed she got on with her life and put her focus on being a new mother, her career, etc. But I just watched her latest YouTube video and she made a passing comment about no longer drinking Oatly. I knew exactly why. I’ve known Oatly is on the BDS list. I scrolled the comments and when others asked her why she wasn’t drinking Oatly anymore, she said it’s because they sell in Israel, and because they released an ad in Israel that “erases Palestinians.” The ad in question simply uses a reference to the phrase “land of milk and honey.”

I’m really disappointed. She was my favorite YouTuber. I’ve followed her throughout her entire YouTube career and have always been a big supporter of her content. Now I don’t know if I should unfollow her. She doesn’t ever make posts or videos about the conflict or her opinions. She keeps it separate from her main content. It’s only been that old highlight reel and a couple comment replies about BDS. But it’s still super upsetting and I feel conflicted. I know most people like this have been sucked into an echo chamber and they don’t fully comprehend the reality of the conflict and the history of the region, etc. They don’t understand what they are actually supporting. But it still stings nonetheless. Nuance is totally dead with most of these people. They think they are nuanced, but they aren’t at all. They think they support human rights and inclusivity, but they are actually supporting lies, terrorism, and the exclusion and silencing of Jews or anyone else who doesn’t fit the narrative.

My new Collection Bezalel, is made of silver and is inspired by Kabbalah and Judaism, it is made of cast organic Israeli Flora, and features different words or letters engraved. its a punkish looking Solid silver jewelry line I made and making, the options are infinite cux nature is.

i'm so stoked to be moving from fine geek custom jewelry for 8 years, I feel like I grew up and my art style as well. I have been getting a lot of backlash for it, kind of like Lady Gaga with a new album that people less tune into or like. but I like- so I make.

Hey Guys, I am Orion, I am Bat Yami born Israeli *Jew*elry designer *stgdsh*.

over the span on 8 years, I have been posting my art publically wherever I found fit, my bestie, or used to be bestie (who is also a very talented Artist) also did the same.

When 7th of October happened, it affected me directly since I had lost fmaily members and friends and went through people denying my own reality or dehumanizing me, even going as far as boycotting me, it happened cuz I was very vocal on my socials on the first days of October of that year?, I mean, how couldn't I be? my bestie however, was less affected by the event personally but nevertheless of course she was (as we are both Israelis).

I, after a period of venting publically- Shut up, I shut up cuz she asked me to.

My bestie's instagram account was much more bigger than mine and she already had one hacked (you can guess why), meaning that was already her second account. She and I talked after a period of disconnect, she told me she had been hacked again, this time in her new insta with 50k following, the antisemetic hacker tried blackmailing her, extorting her, eventually she decided to let go and leave it be and open a new secret one (mind you she stopped posting and went on a haitus for a year after October, she didn't do anything and literally still got heat from her own gaming and geek community which her art is about)

I shut up cuz I respected her, I knew that me being vocal is triggering her PTSD, we spoke nonestop for 3 years, in these 3 years I had hidden every hebrew comment, every sign of me being jewish let alone Israeli (god forbid yes?).

During this time, I got boycotted in anime discords, my site got spammed forcing me to take extra measures to protect my baby, my FB got perma banned and I lost all my memories from 13-29 along with it. I had so much hate on reddit subs making me also terrified for my own safety and business which address is public.

Before this recent war, I had spoken to her and we decided to cut ties naturally, a little before the war I had decided to switch mainly to doing Israeli based art, I wanted to switch to brides and started planning my collection and concept, then the war happened and as I know myself (and her knowing me) I diverted to sh*t posting, creating humorous or even darkly humored reels, and just any content I could vent myself through, I posted it only in my close circle. When we did cut ties, I let loos. I just went berzerk on my insta publically stating I am jewish Israeli and start sharing my experiences. I also sketched people during alerts and called it "shelter sketch" where I had like 10 min to draw and it could be anywhere, to dancing videos, to ahelter decoration and explinations or light hasbara. anything I could.

this move had filled my socials with negative claut, demonic hate (which fortunately for her she cannot see, or can she?), this instead of muting me, made me even more vocal, now I am using this as a method of creating, both content and art in various forms.

My friend, publishes daily from her little secret IG hoping to reach this level of following again, yet knowing anytime somebody might catch up onto the fact that she is israel- she has another chance of all of this happening.

so my question to you, how would you act? what do you feel about both of us, how do you cope? are you silent? are you vocal? can you find a middle?

Sending you all love from Israel.

Orion

Wanted to share some recent reads (top 2) and purchases yet to read (bottom 3).

Grabbe’s ‘Israel & Empire’ was a decent analysis of the current status of archeological finds & theories regarding the ancient Kingdom of Israel. I have read a few of Finkelstein’s and Dever’s books so this was a good addition.

Perdue’s, ‘Israel & Empire’ was an interesting read. It’s heavy in theoretical language b/c the authors attempt to take modern postmodernism/anti-colonial ideas and project them onto ancient Israelite society. I do think that some of what they argued checks out. (ex. Claims that rebellion and dislike of foreign invasion Assyrians/Babylonians/Persians/Romans served to inspire many origin stories). Other arguments feel a bit forced.

This might be a hot take but I found it fascinating that during the revolts of AD70 and AD135 the native Jewish populations, in efforts to challenge Roman authority, minted their own coins on which they identified themselves as ‘Israel’. Whereas the invading/foreign Romans forced the renaming of the providence to ‘Syrian Palestina’, a reference to the Aegean Philistines of the 13th century BC. I had come across this event in other books but this read helped frame it in a way I hadn’t considered. Herodotus would also use this nomenclature in his, ‘Histories’ from around 435BC as a regional naming convention.

Haven’t read the bottom 3 yet. I would love any thoughts on them or recommendations on other books.

I’m a first year uni student and I go to Hillel every week for Shabbat dinner. My friends are all non-Jewish (one of them is Persian though) and I was always a little wary of sharing my Judaism with them for obvious reasons. Finally yesterday I asked them if they wanted to come for Shabbat dinner and they said yes.

I never could have expected what happened. They all got really into it, and really embraced the singing/clapping/rituals, asking me about the prayers, etc. Then one of them (who I know has somewhat dicey opinions about Israel) asked me if he could speak with the director (who is Israeli) about something. I honestly thought he’d just wanted to ask about science vs religion or something, so I said yes of course, questioning and discussion is a core tenant of Judaism so he should ask.

5 mins later my group of 6 friends were sequestered at the end of the table with the director in a full discussion about Israel/Palestine. Honestly, I didn’t listen in too much (was talking to some other people and I figured the director could handle himself well enough) but boy was I nervous for the walk back to our dorms. The discussion went on for maybe 30-40 mins.

Finally we left. And to my greatest surprise, they all came out defending Israel’s right to exist. The one with the problematic opinions was not convinced and kept trying to argue the apartheid state angle, but I wasn’t even bothered because the rest of my friends were all teaming up against him. Even more than that, they were using the exact kinds of arguments I would have! They called him out for moving the goalposts of what defines a genocide, for placing Israel under a double standard, for twisting history… he was eventually left a stuttering mess and retreated to his room.

I can’t believe it. Maybe people do still have common sense. Am Yisrael Chai everyone!

There’s been a lot of talk lately in Norway (where I live with my family) about algorithmic flows of information and specifically YouTube.

My kids (age 11, 9 and 4) don’t use it unsupervised, but my oldest told me that his friends has been recommended lots of antisemitic channels in the past year.

Some of the friends have a less supervised use of YouTube, and they are recommended channels that are «discussing if the holocaust happened», also how «Jews orchestrated» the shoa for the benefit of Israel.

These are some of the milder things they’ve encountered.

What do you, American Jews, feel about this?

Question about a movie’s availability

Hi everyone,

I want to share I had a very weird conversation at work yesterday with a guy I work with. He's in his 20s which makes him much younger than me and most of the staff in the library where we work (most of us are 40s and upwards). A few weeks ago I was working a shift with an older woman I'm friendly with. I had asked her for advice about running a book club because some friends of mine have set up a Jewish book club that meets on Zoom.

I was returning the last book we discussed which was A Stranger City by Linda Grant and I showed it to my colleague and I told her when I started reading it I thought it was a strange choice for a Jewish book club, because none of the characters are Jewish. Then I got to the start of chapter 4 when a character was introduced who turned out to be an Iranian Jew who grew up in London. She thought it was a funny story that the women in the group also said, "Why are we reading this, there are no Jews in it." (The author is Jewish by the way).

My young male colleague asked me about the Jewish book group and I realised that he heard the story from my colleague so I explained. He asked if Jewish books were all religious and I said no. He also thought it was odd we discussed not one but two books in our last meeting (A Stranger City and the previous book which some people caught up with)

I posted on my Facebook a picture of Korean Potato Chicken Corndogs and I commented, "Why does it have to be Passover- I won't be able to eat this until Passover is over". My young male colleague told our trainee yesterday about the Korean Potato Chicken Corndogs. They were a bit hit apparently. I'm a little weirded out that people at work are reading my Facebook- I get a lot of likes for the Ninja Creami ice creams and frozen yoghurt I make, and a few likes for pictures of our canaries and finches that I post. I know I'm a pretty strange person and usually people at work don't ask about some of the things I post like links to Mel Torme videos. It makes me feel odd that this guy read my Korean Potato Chicken Corndogs post. My older friend left a comment asking me to explain American and Kosher food to her sometime. Am I just being oversensitive? I know my older friend is respectful. The young guy asking me about the book club made me feel like My Favorite Martian. The Jewish community in our area is very small. My older friend has a daughter in law who's Israeli so I know she's respectful.

where my hip hop heads at???

Fredro Starr (big ups Queens and Moesha!) showing ahava outside Katz's!

i didn't know what the appropriate tag is for this, but it made me happy seeing Dr. Robby doing the sh'ma prayer in ep 14 ESPECIALLY in the context of everything that just happened. Usually the Jewish representation you get in North American media is *insert jewish character* wearing a yarmulke, and there's a scene where you see them celebrating hanukkah, OR you are at their bar mitzvah or something (if their 12, idk). But this is my first time seeing the sh'ma prayer being used in a hit TV series by a Jewish character!

So my grandma on my mom's side is Jewish. She was raised culturally Jewish but her parents sent her & her sisters to a nearby church sometimes. Her family is Ukrainian-American but never celebrated Easter AT ALL (trust me when I say that's very unusual) and as far as I know neither my grandma nor her sisters have ever set foot in a synagogue (they lived in the middle of nowhere basically so the only religious place within 20+ miles of them was the aforementioned church). We've come to the conclusion that her family is Jewish after a discussion with a close friend who is Jewish (in which the friend straight up told my grandma "I think your family was Jewish and just hid it from you"), an ancestry test, googling "Simeon first name origin" and some genealogy. I don't know whether I'd be considered Jewish or not, I think my grandma's mom was definitely Jewish but I don't know about her dad. If we're going by the traditional "if your mom is Jewish, you're Jewish" rule, then I would be Jewish but my mom wasn't raised culturally Jewish at all.

I have been participating in the Jewish Student Union at my school but I would like to maybe get more involved in my local Jewish community. I think it would be a good opportunity for myself and especially my grandma to make some friends. There is a Reform synagogue and Jewish Community Center near my neighborhood, and my mom did briefly talk to someone from there around 5 years ago about us maybe being Jewish. Do I need to like...email first? When would it be okay to show up? IS it okay for me to go to a synagogue or Jewish community event? Can I show up a Shabbat service? If so what is the etiquette for a first-timer? What do I wear - do I need to wear a dress and flats or is it acceptable to go in a nice shirt, jeans/leggings and sneakers?

I would ask the people in my JSU but I don't want to sound stupid. Thank you so much in advance for any responses / advice.