Antisemitism in America - A Closer Look

Shoshana Friedman is the executive editor of Mishpacha Magazine. She writes a biweekly column that often deals with the trials and tribulations of her job as an editor. But she also frequently opines on the state of world Jewry.

An American who now resides in Israel - where religious politics often define who you are, Friedman does not seem to bend to the political winds of the world she inhabits. Friedman is sharp, articulate, concise, and gets right to the heart of the matter very quickly. That is my impression after reading her columns which I rarely miss, and with which I rarely disagree.

This week she struck a particular chord with me. And, as usual, I agree with her. Remarking on the recent discovery of extremely antisemitic rhetoric by young Republicans, here is what she said:

I noticed a disturbing story in the news. Politico had obtained and published a private Telegram chat. Its members were young Republicans — aspiring future leaders and politicians — and their conversation was a noxious brew of racial slurs, violent language, and Nazi references.

When one member promised that the group would vote for the most right-wing person to lead the organization, a member responded, “Great. I love Hitler.” The response: a smiley face.

Friedman goes on to wonder if this is some sort of trend of the right or just a bunch of young Republicans saying stupid things online they don’t really mean. Either way they paid a price for it.

But then says some of the very same things I have said. That although in the past antisemitism was mostly found on the fringes of society, those fringes were on the right. The KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and the like were found solely on the extremist fringes of right-wing politics. There was nothing comparable on the left.

But as Friedman also notes, the antisemitic fringes of the right have been marginalized to the point that few of us felt threatened by them. The American body politic had largely rejected their version of right-wing politics.

Now, the greater danger comes from the left. The left actually inspires real fear among Jews living in areas where it now dominates public discourse. Here is how Friedman puts it:

We didn’t view those radical fringes as immediate and as dangerous as the radical leftist sentiment that swept toward the moderate mainstream, bringing havoc to cities and hatred to campuses as it muzzled intellectual discourse, educators and thinkers, and even individual liberties.

That being said, it seems that antisemitism on the right is no longer as unacceptable as it was just a couple of years ago. Now there are voices on the right that are far more mainstream than your typical white supremacist. As Friedman further notes:

Now the voices on the radical right — Fuentes, Owens, Carlson, among others — have been getting louder. The voices on that leaked chat are nowhere near as resonant, but they serve as a troubling harmony to those influential choruses. Extremes always exist and are never a healthy place for us. The question is whether their influence remains limited to the fringes. On ideological, social, religious, and political issues, we’ve seen the radical ideas of the Left influence, tilt, and sometimes even overtake, the views of the moderate faction. Are we seeing the same trend take root on the other side? Are those young Republicans the future of the party? Are their violent pro-Nazi statements a harbinger of more hate to come?

I would add Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene to the list of radical voices on the right. Friedman’s concern should not go unnoticed. It’s one thing when fringe groups like white supremacists spew antisemitic hatred. But when mainstream figures with millions of devoted followers start making antisemitic noises… when a powerful right-wing member of Congress starts doing the same… it ought to make our ears perk up and pay attention.

We cannot afford to be complacent and focus only on the left just because the right had been relegated to the fringes. Because now, antisemitism is being echoed by some on the mainstream right. We need to be concerned and do whatever we can to fight this trend.

That being said, I do not see the Carlsons and Taylor Greenes of the world having much influence on the vast majority of congress on both sides of the political aisle. And perhaps more importantly, on the attitude of the current administration. The president has proven its pro-Israel and pro-Jewish bona fides time and again. Both during his first term and his second. I say this knowing full well there have been instances some point to where the president seemed to ‘dog whistle’ to the fringes on the right or otherwise appear less than favorable to Israel or the Jewish people.

But one has to look at the big picture. Not isolated incidents open to interpretation. If one does that, one can see a lifetime of support for the Jewish state that existed long before he ever thought about running for president.

This is what I look at. Some remain cynical about his support and say that he is neither pro-Israel nor pro-Jewish—that he is only pro-Trump and will abandon both Israel and the Jewish people if he sees profit in doing so.

I don’t think so. Abandoning the Jewish people would mean abandoning his own daughter, and I don’t believe he would sell her out for some ulterior motive.

I also do not see the American people abandoning Israel or turning on their fellow Jewish citizens. The decline in support for Israel is a direct function of media bias in reporting Israel’s conduct in the Gaza war. A media that sees Palestinians as the oppressed and Israelis as the oppressors will always slant its reportage in favor of the oppressed. Regardless of context or fault. The war in Gaza only magnified that perception.

But now that the war is over and Palestinians in Gaza begin to restore their lives, my hope is that Israel will once again be seen as it once was. As an example of what a Jewish democracy can accomplish and contribute to the world.

And with that, opinions from the likes of Carlson and Taylor Greene will once again be relegated to the fringes of public opinion, and eventually to the trash heap of history where they belong.

What about the ascendancy of the left? If my hunch is right, if Mamdani is elected mayor of New York, he will prove to be a massive failure and will be replaced in the next election by a more mainstream, pro-Israel leader.

Bottom line for me - things may look bleak right now. But I am an optimist and I don’t think they will stay that way.