Confessions of a "Self-Hating Jew"
I have been reading this criticism from some Jewish sources- that those of us ( Jews ) who have been calling out the fascist actions of trump and his republican cheerleaders are somehow "overreacting." Some go as far as to say that to do so is to demean the memory of the victims of the Holocaust.
The word nazi, they say should be reserved for hitler, the third reich and "the final solution." Any other use of that word
(regardless of the evidence that there are actual nazis in our midst) is somehow a betrayal of Jewish history.
"Self hating Jews," these other Jews call those of us who disagree with them. It's the go-to criticism of American Jews who speak out against Netanyahu's government and their actions in Gaza which have killed tens of thousands of innocent people. Somehow they believe that calling out the Nazi-friendly and downright anti-Semitic Nazi-like words and deeds of trump and musk, along with noting their family history of support for Nazis and white nationalist is somehow anti-Semitic.
That makes no sense.
Recently when my 12 year old grandson, preparing for his Bar Mitzvah was asked by his rabbi what he loves about Judaism, he said, "I love that anyone can participate in interpreting the Torah, that things are not set in stone." He was in the process of writing his own D'Var Torah -- a talk that each bar mitzvah young adult gives after reading the designated Torah portion. At his young age, he is invited - no, EXPECTED to think deeply about this passage, what it might have meant historically and what significance it has for his life today. It's a thoughtful process that involves some research and deep personal reflection to create meaning.
Judaism is a religion steeped in inquiry, debate, scholarship, argument, interpretation and continuous evolution of meaning.
Unlike some churches where the leaders determine what their members should believe, Judaism does not do that. Yes, there are core values like "the golden rule" and "tikkun olam." Many of us were taught the story of rabbi Hillel, when challenged to teach the entire Torah while standing on one foot he said, "“What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah; all the rest is commentary”
That line expresses what could be seen as a paradox. Yes. The "golden rule." is at the core of Judaism. But that last line ... the one about commentary -- is what makes this religion vibrant, alive, complex and adaptive. And in my humble opinion, it's been a factor in the religion's nearly four thousand year history, including centuries of the Diaspora.
There is no one organization or person that speaks for all Jews.
Which means that as a Jew and as a human being living in a (still) free country, I can express my views, based on my knowledge, research, lived experiences and willingness to keep questioning.
So yes. I and many others see clear similarities of political behavior between trump and musk and project 2025 and the lead up to the tragedy of the Holocaust.
Oh and one more thing I will explore further for a later post -- this whole mess in the Middle East? It was caused by centuries' old European anti-Semitism, expulsion and genocide. The Europeans, on the right and the left, have a vested interest in wiping Jewish and Arab blood off of their own hands and blaming both the Jews and Arabs for the bloodshed in the Middle East. In addition to scapegoating the Jews and denying the Holocaust, they demonize Arabs who have immigrated to their countries to escape the mess the Europeans left when they carved up the spoils of colonialism and war.
One Jew does not get to tell another how to be a Jew, what we should believe or who we should support politically. But we can research, educate ourselves, engage in ethical dialogue with others and come to our own interpretations which also can continue to evolve as the situation changes and our understandings deepen.
So talk to me about what I might be missing in my interpretation. Share your thinking process with me. Engage in open inquiry like the rabbis of the Talmud.
Like my twelve year old grandson, ethical dialogue and intersubjective meaning making are what I love about Judaism.
