I have thought of that period that led up to the Holocaust many times during these past 7+ months since the Oct/7/2023 massacre. I was in Israel when it happened and shortened our trip visiting family all over the country. We were urged to leave and return to Toronto earlier than originally planned but, we left with broken hearts only to arrive home to a city and country along with much of the Western World that has gone utterly mad. I began contemplating the idea of making Aliya with my wife who was born in Israel but has lived almost her entire life in Canada having arrived in Montreal as an infant with her parents in 1964. With our children living here, a major move like that wouldn't be a simple matter nonetheless, I have not dismissed the notion.
My parents were survivors that lost almost all of their siblings and parents in the camps. Each having survived horrible things until they were each liberated. My mother in Bergen Belsen after having been marched from Aushwitz and my father from Gunscheirchen (Mathaussen). I am strangely thankful that neither are alive to witness what has been happening all around us.
The world is upside down and when I tell people that this is reminiscent of what happened in the 30s in Nazi Germany and other countries as well since there were supporters of their agenda, yes, plenty of antisemites proudly displaying swastikas in North America and other parts of Europe, I'm told that perhaps I'm over reacting. Over reacting? Nothing makes sense.
Institutions that we should be able to turn too for moral clarity and support provide none of it. The UN is the most corrupt international body in the world and it's evident that the UN Watch has its hands full trying to expose their corruption, outright antisemitsm and never ending vile hatred towards Jews and Israel. How else does one explain a UN Vote affirming that "Zionism" is racist?????
Universities in North America have lost their way. They no longer serve their intended purpose, instead they have become indoctrination camps managed by those that want the destruction of western civilization, to end crtitical thinking and any sense of moral clarity. The intersectional relationships are absurd! Queers for Palestine??? In what world could that make any sense at all?
The token Jews that support these crazy extremists are so misguided and uninformed that they have no idea that they are truly the "most useful idiots" among the mobs of openly pro-Hamas vigilanties. They may very well get what they deserve should what's left of rational and informed people be completely and effectively sidelined. Those useful idiots are too stupid and too lazy to learn what happened to the Jews for Hitler and others that said "he isn't that bad". We also have the horrible leadership in Canada and the USA that pander to the votes of the radicals that are incapable of taking a moral stance and living up to those requirements especially when challenged. They swing in the wind and the loudest (those that blow the hardest) win their support!
Yup. Overnight, the world as we knew it was upended. Moments of "normalcy"/routine feel almost creepy......cuz they likely won't last long. A move like the one you are contemplating is never simple. But so many are thinking of it now. People who never would have done so before. Like my friend in Rhinebeck.
Thanks for responding. I agree, a move like that wouldn’t be simple but, I can’t escape the fact that I have been considering it and obviously, with good reason.
By the way, you mentioned a sign in the window of the restaurant but, I didn’t see it in the image that was included in the article. What was the message?
Yes, I just went back to the article and reread it. What a lovely rant for the store owner/mgr to share with the community. Similar statements have been posted by others since Oct 7th. The owner of a middle eastern food chain in Canada has apparently posted a statement saying Jews aren’t welcome in his pita sandwich stores. I wonder how many of his franchisees feel the same way or will suffer for his beliefs.
The saddest thing ever has been watching progressive Jewish celebrities I once admired try so hard to show they’re “one of the good ones.” People with a lot of clout but little understanding of Israeli history, the Arab wars, and Israeli politics —and the travesty of the UN’s treatment of Israel—just out there putting their ignorance and disapproval of Israel on display. And then they don’t like when they’re called self-hating Jews. Truth hurts. Wish they’d wake up.
Thank you as always, Vivian. Crystal clear warning signs have me wondering… how long will we be safe in Canada. How will my special needs son fare in Israel. When do I start making plans.
Aren’t we all relieved to know that Canada has accepted 7700+ and counting visa applicants from Gaza? That’ll help the situation here, I’m sure…..(sarcasm, btw).
I spent a very sobering half day at Dachau exactly one week prior to October 7th. That experience certainly heightened my visceral reaction to the virulent anti-Semitism which has followed. Israel is a world away from me but the profound impacts on my Jewish neighbours, friends and colleagues are shockingly real. Gradually almost always ends suddenly and we are now past the point of denying the cancer that exists. I pray for the societal and political will to stop this now. Those who passively tolerate or equivocate on this hatred will find out soon enough that they are next on the list.
Thank you, Tim, for your candour, insight and humanity. I so appreciate your comments here and I'm sure that many others do as well. At the end of the day, we really are all in this together.
I once heard Applebum read his poetry. Or maybe it was a lecture. I forget. I remember he said more than once said his family was deeply integrated, his German family that is. He said that phrase is if he wanted to say something else, something more meaningful, something he dared not say out loud. Your article has confirmed my suspicion. That's suspicion was that there were upper class Jews who thought that they weren't the targets of the Nazis and it was just those other Jews, those Jews who they also despised. They thought they could make a deal with the Nazis just as the left-wing Jews of today think that they can make a deal with the Hamasniks
Exactly. The elitism of the more established German Jewish community is well-documented. And there were variations on that behaviour everywhere......famously in the Lodz ghetto......the famous "leader", Chaim Rumkowski. A subject of some controversy. The Kastner train and man. And many more. We must never allow ourselves to think that we are above or better than others.
Vivian, This a reminder of the fate of the assimilated Jew. The Jew who just wants to belong, and be liked in society and not be treated like an outsider. "If I act like a "Goy" no one will notice. I will go along with allowing liberalism morph into progressivism that merges quickly with Marxism. I will make myself believe that it the other side that are extreme, I am well meaning. I will march for civil rights and not realize that they don't mean my rights, I will march will BLM and on Pride day not realizing that don't mean that they respect me. A delusional existence that leads to all the "big Machers" feeling so good about their ability to buy their way in to gentility.
Jews are wonderful loving people, we have a blind spot for predators and betrayers. It is biblical, it is who we are. But then we are able to stand and fight as one, as Israel is doing, making every Jew who has a nesahma feel proud.
Our strengths are our weaknesses. Maybe just maybe G'd wants us to see that. Just maybe this is another Talmudic lesson in the need for unity and pure vision. Maybe just maybe we end up better than we ever were. The lessons keep coming. But are we learning them. We have survived this long by faith and strength of purpose. Not because of my brilliant start up and or her wonderful acting career. It is our relationship with G'd. Not who likes me in this society or any other. We must stand together.
I don’t see this in quite the same way. I am not religious. To me, the raging antisemitism has to do w many things, but whether or how religious we are is not what drives it. And. Just as religious people cannot be reduced to a monolith neither can secular Jews. I am very assimilâtes but also have a strong Jewish identity. I don’t see those qualities as being mutually exclusive.
Vivian, my point is that assimilated Jews participated in the development of the progressive ideals of identity politics. This in turn lead to Jews being caught up in the "oppressor-oppressed",colonialist European Whites over Bipoc populations. This is being growing for decades. But just like in Germany the assimilated Jews said "oh they done't mean us??
point #2 Relgiousity, Sprituality and Jewish identity are circles that intersect and are not mutually exclusive.
Point #3 Similar to the 1930's our families thought they were safe because they were proud Germans. Professors, doctors and war veterans. But when the Nazi ideology took over they were still all labeled as Jews. This is the lesson for the assimilated American Jew. Whether you see yourself as a Jew first and American second, the world sees you as a Jew. You are really not one of them and never will be.
Ironically, those of us who always thought that you were "one of us" were caught the most flat-footed by recent events. I had chided some Jewish friends in the past over what I perceived to be excessive paranoia over the degree of anti-jewish feeling in society. They were right, I was wrong and have since issued apologies for my naivety. The latent anti-Semitism that I failed to recognize has been a stunning revelation.
Well, it's great that you see the reality and share your new perspective with your friends. I can tell you - we've all lost more friends than we've gained in this time. People like you are so important. You represent human decency and give us some hope. We're in for some very dark times., I fear.
I understand your point and points. A few comments. In no particular order. I am of the view that the experience and mindset of American Jews (we're speaking in monoliths here, which are never fabulous).....is different from all other places in the Diaspora. It is only in America that Jews really drank the Kool Aid and believed and believe themselves to be truly accepted. Even religious Jews....I have heard them stridently affirm and brook no dissent on the point that they are American first.....
With respect to some assimilated Jews having embraced the CRT paradigm.......sure......but you can find someone Jewish in every colour of the rainbow - we've got it all......Naturei Karta being one of my personal faves. With respect to your point 3 - that was the thesis of the piece I wrote. Totally agree. But I'm a Canadian Jew. And I always marvelled at how my American co-religionists really believed in American Jewish exceptionalism. I found and find it impossible to comprehend. For decades, I've been having robust discussions with so many on this topic. One of New York's revered right wing pro Israel pundits upbraided me a few years ago.....on how completely lost I was on this point. And here we are. That person is one of the most bellicose today on American antisemitism. I've always seen it and known it.
I could've added many places. Note that I used Rhinebeck and not NYC or LA. The list, sadly, is long. The platform format limits how many characters I can have in a title....:) It's more about the point than the specific place.
I have thought of that period that led up to the Holocaust many times during these past 7+ months since the Oct/7/2023 massacre. I was in Israel when it happened and shortened our trip visiting family all over the country. We were urged to leave and return to Toronto earlier than originally planned but, we left with broken hearts only to arrive home to a city and country along with much of the Western World that has gone utterly mad. I began contemplating the idea of making Aliya with my wife who was born in Israel but has lived almost her entire life in Canada having arrived in Montreal as an infant with her parents in 1964. With our children living here, a major move like that wouldn't be a simple matter nonetheless, I have not dismissed the notion.
My parents were survivors that lost almost all of their siblings and parents in the camps. Each having survived horrible things until they were each liberated. My mother in Bergen Belsen after having been marched from Aushwitz and my father from Gunscheirchen (Mathaussen). I am strangely thankful that neither are alive to witness what has been happening all around us.
The world is upside down and when I tell people that this is reminiscent of what happened in the 30s in Nazi Germany and other countries as well since there were supporters of their agenda, yes, plenty of antisemites proudly displaying swastikas in North America and other parts of Europe, I'm told that perhaps I'm over reacting. Over reacting? Nothing makes sense.
Institutions that we should be able to turn too for moral clarity and support provide none of it. The UN is the most corrupt international body in the world and it's evident that the UN Watch has its hands full trying to expose their corruption, outright antisemitsm and never ending vile hatred towards Jews and Israel. How else does one explain a UN Vote affirming that "Zionism" is racist?????
Universities in North America have lost their way. They no longer serve their intended purpose, instead they have become indoctrination camps managed by those that want the destruction of western civilization, to end crtitical thinking and any sense of moral clarity. The intersectional relationships are absurd! Queers for Palestine??? In what world could that make any sense at all?
The token Jews that support these crazy extremists are so misguided and uninformed that they have no idea that they are truly the "most useful idiots" among the mobs of openly pro-Hamas vigilanties. They may very well get what they deserve should what's left of rational and informed people be completely and effectively sidelined. Those useful idiots are too stupid and too lazy to learn what happened to the Jews for Hitler and others that said "he isn't that bad". We also have the horrible leadership in Canada and the USA that pander to the votes of the radicals that are incapable of taking a moral stance and living up to those requirements especially when challenged. They swing in the wind and the loudest (those that blow the hardest) win their support!
Yup. Overnight, the world as we knew it was upended. Moments of "normalcy"/routine feel almost creepy......cuz they likely won't last long. A move like the one you are contemplating is never simple. But so many are thinking of it now. People who never would have done so before. Like my friend in Rhinebeck.
Thanks for responding. I agree, a move like that wouldn’t be simple but, I can’t escape the fact that I have been considering it and obviously, with good reason.
By the way, you mentioned a sign in the window of the restaurant but, I didn’t see it in the image that was included in the article. What was the message?
The message is reproduced in full on the article I wrote. Lots of effs in it.
Yes, I just went back to the article and reread it. What a lovely rant for the store owner/mgr to share with the community. Similar statements have been posted by others since Oct 7th. The owner of a middle eastern food chain in Canada has apparently posted a statement saying Jews aren’t welcome in his pita sandwich stores. I wonder how many of his franchisees feel the same way or will suffer for his beliefs.
The token Jews dont support Israel or The West, they carry a death wish for mankind. Self Flagellation at its finest.
Their Glory is not one of building a society or world but to destroy the world. Then it will be their greatest accomplishment, like Lenin, Stalin,
Pol Pot, Mao, Castro.
Sadly theres one in every family
The saddest thing ever has been watching progressive Jewish celebrities I once admired try so hard to show they’re “one of the good ones.” People with a lot of clout but little understanding of Israeli history, the Arab wars, and Israeli politics —and the travesty of the UN’s treatment of Israel—just out there putting their ignorance and disapproval of Israel on display. And then they don’t like when they’re called self-hating Jews. Truth hurts. Wish they’d wake up.
We have to focus on reality and truth tellers. I’m not waiting for celebrities to see what’s happening.
And the world said "Never again!", but here we are. May God have mercy on us all.
Thank you as always, Vivian. Crystal clear warning signs have me wondering… how long will we be safe in Canada. How will my special needs son fare in Israel. When do I start making plans.
Your special needs son will be fine. The question is if and when. There are no easy answers.
Aren’t we all relieved to know that Canada has accepted 7700+ and counting visa applicants from Gaza? That’ll help the situation here, I’m sure…..(sarcasm, btw).
I spent a very sobering half day at Dachau exactly one week prior to October 7th. That experience certainly heightened my visceral reaction to the virulent anti-Semitism which has followed. Israel is a world away from me but the profound impacts on my Jewish neighbours, friends and colleagues are shockingly real. Gradually almost always ends suddenly and we are now past the point of denying the cancer that exists. I pray for the societal and political will to stop this now. Those who passively tolerate or equivocate on this hatred will find out soon enough that they are next on the list.
Thank you, Tim, for your candour, insight and humanity. I so appreciate your comments here and I'm sure that many others do as well. At the end of the day, we really are all in this together.
I once heard Applebum read his poetry. Or maybe it was a lecture. I forget. I remember he said more than once said his family was deeply integrated, his German family that is. He said that phrase is if he wanted to say something else, something more meaningful, something he dared not say out loud. Your article has confirmed my suspicion. That's suspicion was that there were upper class Jews who thought that they weren't the targets of the Nazis and it was just those other Jews, those Jews who they also despised. They thought they could make a deal with the Nazis just as the left-wing Jews of today think that they can make a deal with the Hamasniks
Exactly. The elitism of the more established German Jewish community is well-documented. And there were variations on that behaviour everywhere......famously in the Lodz ghetto......the famous "leader", Chaim Rumkowski. A subject of some controversy. The Kastner train and man. And many more. We must never allow ourselves to think that we are above or better than others.
Vivian, This a reminder of the fate of the assimilated Jew. The Jew who just wants to belong, and be liked in society and not be treated like an outsider. "If I act like a "Goy" no one will notice. I will go along with allowing liberalism morph into progressivism that merges quickly with Marxism. I will make myself believe that it the other side that are extreme, I am well meaning. I will march for civil rights and not realize that they don't mean my rights, I will march will BLM and on Pride day not realizing that don't mean that they respect me. A delusional existence that leads to all the "big Machers" feeling so good about their ability to buy their way in to gentility.
Jews are wonderful loving people, we have a blind spot for predators and betrayers. It is biblical, it is who we are. But then we are able to stand and fight as one, as Israel is doing, making every Jew who has a nesahma feel proud.
Our strengths are our weaknesses. Maybe just maybe G'd wants us to see that. Just maybe this is another Talmudic lesson in the need for unity and pure vision. Maybe just maybe we end up better than we ever were. The lessons keep coming. But are we learning them. We have survived this long by faith and strength of purpose. Not because of my brilliant start up and or her wonderful acting career. It is our relationship with G'd. Not who likes me in this society or any other. We must stand together.
I don’t see this in quite the same way. I am not religious. To me, the raging antisemitism has to do w many things, but whether or how religious we are is not what drives it. And. Just as religious people cannot be reduced to a monolith neither can secular Jews. I am very assimilâtes but also have a strong Jewish identity. I don’t see those qualities as being mutually exclusive.
Vivian, my point is that assimilated Jews participated in the development of the progressive ideals of identity politics. This in turn lead to Jews being caught up in the "oppressor-oppressed",colonialist European Whites over Bipoc populations. This is being growing for decades. But just like in Germany the assimilated Jews said "oh they done't mean us??
point #2 Relgiousity, Sprituality and Jewish identity are circles that intersect and are not mutually exclusive.
Point #3 Similar to the 1930's our families thought they were safe because they were proud Germans. Professors, doctors and war veterans. But when the Nazi ideology took over they were still all labeled as Jews. This is the lesson for the assimilated American Jew. Whether you see yourself as a Jew first and American second, the world sees you as a Jew. You are really not one of them and never will be.
Ironically, those of us who always thought that you were "one of us" were caught the most flat-footed by recent events. I had chided some Jewish friends in the past over what I perceived to be excessive paranoia over the degree of anti-jewish feeling in society. They were right, I was wrong and have since issued apologies for my naivety. The latent anti-Semitism that I failed to recognize has been a stunning revelation.
Well, it's great that you see the reality and share your new perspective with your friends. I can tell you - we've all lost more friends than we've gained in this time. People like you are so important. You represent human decency and give us some hope. We're in for some very dark times., I fear.
I understand your point and points. A few comments. In no particular order. I am of the view that the experience and mindset of American Jews (we're speaking in monoliths here, which are never fabulous).....is different from all other places in the Diaspora. It is only in America that Jews really drank the Kool Aid and believed and believe themselves to be truly accepted. Even religious Jews....I have heard them stridently affirm and brook no dissent on the point that they are American first.....
With respect to some assimilated Jews having embraced the CRT paradigm.......sure......but you can find someone Jewish in every colour of the rainbow - we've got it all......Naturei Karta being one of my personal faves. With respect to your point 3 - that was the thesis of the piece I wrote. Totally agree. But I'm a Canadian Jew. And I always marvelled at how my American co-religionists really believed in American Jewish exceptionalism. I found and find it impossible to comprehend. For decades, I've been having robust discussions with so many on this topic. One of New York's revered right wing pro Israel pundits upbraided me a few years ago.....on how completely lost I was on this point. And here we are. That person is one of the most bellicose today on American antisemitism. I've always seen it and known it.
Forgot to add Montreal in your title
La Veille Dame est Morts.
I could've added many places. Note that I used Rhinebeck and not NYC or LA. The list, sadly, is long. The platform format limits how many characters I can have in a title....:) It's more about the point than the specific place.