Is the main reason for antisemitism that Judaism is good and Jews are cool?
Call me crazy, but I look at Jews I know of, both in history and those contemporary with myself, and I see a pretty damned good cool-person-to-uncool-person ratio. Antisemitism is wrong, it seems, not only because it's wrong to be against peace loving, law abiding people of any profile, but because it's wrong to be against good.
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…the Holocaust has certainly left its mark.
In 1939, the estimated global Jewish population was 16.6 million.
By 1945, the estimated population was 10.4 million.
Today, we’re at 15.5 million.
“A Natural Act of Vengeance”: Settler Violence and Two Types of Jewish Fundamentalism
https://www.sourcesjournal.org/articles/a-natural-act-of-vengeance-settler-violence-and-two-types-of-jewish-fundamentalism
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Post-Mamlakhti Hardal
The most prominent spokesperson and ideological strategist for post-mamlakhti Hardal is also its political leader, Israel’s current finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich. I will use his thinking as a framework to elucidate this group’s agenda and sensibilities. After growing up in the West Bank settlement of Beit El, Smotrich now lives just outside the official borders of the Kedumim settlement, also in the West Bank, in a house that was built illegally. He is the father of seven and a longtime political activist. He was arrested as part of the resistance to the Disengagement Plan from the Gaza Strip in 2005, later organized the homophobic “Beast Parade” in opposition to Jerusalem’s Pride Parade, and, before entering politics, was one of the founders of Regavim, an NGO that attempts to monitor and halt illegal construction of settlement houses by Palestinians and Israeli Arabs. Yes, the irony is completely lost on him.
In 2017, Smotrich presented his master plan for resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In his Decisiveness Plan (or Subjugation Plan, the Hebrew title can be translated either way), he proposed to offer Palestinians—both those who are citizens of Israel and those who live in the occupied territories—three options: surrender and agree to become residents with reduced voting rights; emigrate elsewhere; or resist and be subjected to the full force of the IDF. His essay uses practical and utilitarian language to present its case and to claim that this is the only realistic path that Israel can take. What it does not mention is that Smotrich’s plan is based not on geo-political assessments but on an ancient Talmudic text. This can be learned from a speech he gave a year in August 2016, in front of an audience of like-minded Hardal Religious Zionists. In this speech, Smotrich refers to a rabbinic narrative according to which, when Joshua came to conquer the Promised Land, he sent three epistles to the peoples living in it, offering them the very same options that appear in his plan. Smotrich then further asserts:
In this speech, Smotrich displays the key characteristics of fundamentalist religiosity: a literal understanding of scripture that reduces a rich religious tradition into a rigid and simplistic framework; a uniform perception of history, by which what was true thousands of years ago is also valid today; and a desire to shape contemporary life according to ancient ways. Together, these produce a call for one-dimensional submission to the authority of the Holy Scriptures, which Smotrich demands of the IDF as well. Smotrich’s actions further show that he has absolutely no hesitations in holding, let alone expressing, his beliefs. In October 2021, Smotrich shouted across the Knesset floor to the Arab MKs, “You’re only here by mistake, because Ben Gurion didn’t finish the job and throw you out in 1948!” This statement underscores his conviction that the Arab inhabitants of Israel have no inalienable right to stay in their homes. In April of that same year, he expressed doubt about the legitimacy of Arab citizens of Israel voting in elections for the Knesset, writing in his Twitter account that, “A true Muslim must know that the land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel. In time, those who don’t will not stay here,” and later stating that, “Arabs are Israeli citizens, at least for now.” In March 2023, after the display of Jewish violence in Hawara, he stated that the village of Hawara should be “wiped out,” expressing the principle from his Decisiveness Plan by which Palestinians who oppose the Jewish settlement of the land of Israel must be eliminated.
Take note: Smotrich wishes for all these policies to be implemented by the Jewish state. When describing his plans for Hawara, he took care to state that, “The state should do it, not, God forbid, regular people,” thus rejecting the actual means by which the village was subjected to the pogrom it suffered. Though he shuns most Israeli state institutions and civic frameworks, Smotrich nevertheless envisions a role for the state itself. For the post-mamlakhti Hardal, the state is the vessel for divine will in the world today, hovering, as it were, disconnected from its material existence and living populace. Revenge is a planned and regulated enterprise to be conducted by the (divinely imbued) state. Smotrich, and other post-mamlakhti Hardalim, seek a religious life that draws its authentic bona fides from a selective and literal interpretation of its scriptural corpus. The parts they emphasize tend to be either older (providing legitimization through seniority( or opposed to contemporary values (providing legitimization through differentiation). This type of selective interpretation of the Jewish tradition, dogmatic and uncompromising as it is, can now be found for the first time in the highest ranks of the Israeli government, giving it the political power it needs to change the face of the country. It is intolerant of different Jewish identities and of people who identify as LGBTQ (Smotrich once called himself a “proud homophobe”), and it creates an atmosphere in which violence toward Palestinians by extremist actors is considered acceptable, if not outright advocated. Given more power, the post-mamlakhti Hardal poses a clear threat to Israel’s democracy and to its liberal public sphere.
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related
I bet the Ukrainians are happy with that type of leader.
Because we’re holier than thou
Of course, despite NOT mentioning Israel, we can see any mention of anti-Semitism, and BANG...Israel. One would think people would learn not to conflate anti-Semitism and Israel. No, only nasty Jews do that.
I suggest "Jews Don't Count" and "People Love Dead Jews" as reading material that will really open your eyes to ancient anti-Semitism and its modern iterations.
Last edited Sun Nov 26, 2023, 03:24 PM - Edit history (1)
Why have the Jewish people been targeted for so long?
I think you are right. They are a very cool group of people.
I was raised Irish Catholic, but have a close family member who married into the family
who is Jewish. I helped raise family children in the Jewish faith. So I attended
synagogue services for years and did all the Jewish holidays and prayers, etc.
Which I loved doing. My two best friends for years were two Jewish women,
but they retired and moved out of state. 
I don't like stereotypes which box in people, but Jews are quite different from
white bread Christians for sure.
The Jewish cohort group is extremely bright. IQ is obviously at least one standard deviation above
the norm but usually higher than this. Also quite educated. It is a treat to be with such educated
and smart people. But they aren't the boring type of highly educated people.
Very friendly, outgoing, very verbal, excellent language skills, very social, hilarious sense of humor.
Strong pride in their group.
Witty, complex, nuanced, complicated, upbeat, fun to be with, never ever boring.
The only bone I had to pick with them is that it was impossible to go to a temple service and sit
by yourself and commune with God. I loved the Jewish services so much, the music, the rabbi's sermons,
the prayers, all of it I found wonderful, I felt transported.
Sometimes I just wanted to sit at the back of the Temple by myself, to get into a spiritual zone.
But this horrified my friends, who insisted I move up by them. If I didn't budge, they would come sit by me.
This illustrates the strong social structure, tight knit, very cohesive group. They couldn't wrap
their heads around someone coming into the temple and being isolated.
I hope I have not offended any one with this commentary. But if I have, I would love for you
to come argue with me. You have not really lived until you get into an big argument with a
group of very smart, clever, witty, verbal Jewish friends. So bring it. 
ETA I am remiss in not mentioning the FOOD!
Always food, lots of it, everywhere.
Not much booze.
A big shock to an Irish Catholic.
