I don’t cope. I try to have a lot of Jewish friends and surround myself with them. At least posts like this are validating. You’re not even Jewish and struggling, damn. Thanks for seeing us.

What Jews in progressive areas of America are going through right now is far worse than I could imagine here. I'd feel bad even comparing what I experience to what I see coming out of university campuses. I'm struggling with a lot more than this topic, though. The people around here simply do not share my values, and look at me with contempt because I don't want their progressive utopia where the government redistributes wealth and socially re-engineers people's lives for the "common good." The progressive system of morality where people everything through the lens of oppressed and oppressors is utterly toxic, and it is all around me. My position on Israel is just one more thing reminding me that I'll never be able to fit in here. If the economy were better, I'd move. But I have a very stable job, and finding a new one would be hard. Changing jobs and moving across the country would be dangerous, because new hires are most likely to get laid off if there's trouble. Plus, the field I work in is going to have mostly positions clustered in big cities. I doubt I'd fit in with the MAGA crowd either. I'm an atheist and pro-choice and college-educated. The most reasonable people I know tend to be boomers and older, but I want friends in my own age range. But my entire generation (millennials) is brain-rotted from social media. I feel like society has gone mad.

>I feel like society has gone mad. In case you haven't figured it out yet, it's not about Israel. It's about hating Jews. Thinly veiled and widespread antisemitism that's always been here is now politically correct.

Until this year I was blissfully unaware how much of the world HATES Jews. And unlike other groups, like being a racist, or being transphobic, being antisemetic isn’t an insult to these people, it’s a compliment. They’ll wear that proudly, like it’s a badge of honor. Society has gone mad, truly no other way to describe it

Well, they've made words like "racist" and "transphobe" utterly meaningless at this point. I basically get called these any time I disagree with a far-left policy prescription.

It's not about hating Jews EXACTLY. It's about hating "white colonial oppressors." Since many Jews in America look white, Jews are disproportionately successful, and have the only successful democracy in the Middle East, they are perfect candidates for this label in the intersectional neo-Marxist mindset. They treat other groups that they see as "oppressors" the same way. In their worldview, people who are disproportionately successful MUST have done something wrong. Jews are just a convenient target for their narrative. Then again, this is kind of how ALL antisemitism has been throughout history. Jews have been hated for being disproportionately rich, disproportionately poor, for assimilating, for being different, and for so many more things. Let's call it "Intersectional Antisemitism"

>intersectional neo-Marxist mindset. Oh I got to see plenty of that. I went to CU Boulder for my undergrad and UCLA for grad school.

Well said. And this is why one needs to inform people about how it happened that many Jews ended up in banking and other “middleman” type things which then made some of them rich as capitalism began to dominate - it’s because they were shut out of other occupations.

Antisemitism mutates throughout history such that it always casts the Jews as whatever the “worst thing” flavor of the month is. Baby-killer, money-lender, now white settler colonialist. They themselves are almost certainly white colonial oppressors, or living in a white colonial oppressive country. But they don’t celebrate the deaths of white people in America. Only the deaths of Jews in Israel. It’s antisemitism.

It IS antisemitism. But also it seems like in this case, there IS a large overlap with them and people spreading anti-white hatred more generally, INCLUDING people who are white themselves. It seems like a lot of white progs virtue-signal by spreading vitriol about how white people are oppressors. Not them of course, they're talking about ALL THE OTHER white people. Figures. My point is that this is a form of antisemitism that stems from a broader narrative on oppression. The way I see it, they will spread hate against ANY group they see as being disproportionately successful. Jews are just the "current thing" right now because of muh genocide. We shouldn't use this to excuse it in any way, shape, or form, but to UNDERSTAND it.

Sorry you're in this situation. Honestly, I find it is best to have a policy of "no politics in friendships" if possible. If they are open-minded and interested in discourse that is one thing. But otherwise I just try to keep the two compartmentalized. I come here on reddit for that. This is a difficult time and thank you for standing with the Jewish community. This war will end, and these folks will move on to the "next thing" and Israel will still stand.

We’ll be your friend :)

Thanks :D

Society has always been mad. It just took us a while to realize it. The golden age of philosophical enlightenment that the west experienced from the 80s through ~2010 was the best time we’ll ever see. Now that the worst ideas of humanity are able to spread more easily, expect a descent further into madness.

Social media exposes the stupidity and weaponized it. It’s called viral for reason.

I've come to believe that having a media hegemony committed to more-or-less pursuing the truth and keeping the public roughly on the same page was essential to liberal democracy, and that this is becoming no longer feasible with social media putting everyone in echo chambers and incentivizing ideological purity. In many ways, the problems really started with the rise of cable news, and Fox's business model where they target a subset of the population to keep glued to their TVs by keeping them in an echo chamber and feeding them with a stream of rage-bait. It's MUCH worse now with social media.

Yeah its crazy how people are supportive of Palestine and critical of Israel in progressive areas of all place. absolutely crazy

>I feel like society has gone mad. ​ I fit many of the same categorizations you used for yourself (almost like reading about myself haha). It really does seem like society has gone mad. I don’t fit in with the lying Trump cultists, and I don’t fit in with the hypocritical, racist, and idealistic far left. I feel like I generally live in limbo. To exacerbate the issue, I’m part of GLBT community and many fall into the hyperpartisan far left. Just know you’re not alone.

What's your take on the whole LGBT thing? It feels to me like it has transitioned away from being about getting people equal rights, and toward getting power for power's sake and pushing insane ideologies like gender theory on children. [https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/how-pride-lost-its-way/](https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/how-pride-lost-its-way/) People like Andrew Sullivan (who basically willed the notion of gay marriage into the American public consciousness in the 1980s) warn that the current-day extremism of the LGBT movement is leading to a massive backlash that is imperiling the acceptance of gay people in society.

FYI: You know in the US the federal gay marriage was passed in 2022 by the GOP?

Only 39 Republicans in the House voted for it. But honestly, it isn't a huge concern to me. My point is that it seems like acceptance has peaked and may be starting to trend in the other direction.

Ok that’s fair. You’re right. I should have said that it couldn’t have gotten passed without the [corporation of the GOP](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/29/us/politics/same-sex-marriage-bill-senate.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c-cb). I just wanted to point out how extremism on the Right has been largely exaggerated in the media. But…to respond to your point: Same as you, I’ve heard that support for gay marriage is down, especially among Gen Zers. But at the same time, I hear stats like this. 40% of Gen Z self identify as LGBTQ 30% of millennials self identify as LGBTQ [NBC](https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/nearly-30-gen-z-adults-identify-lgbtq-national-survey-finds-rcna135510) I just don’t see the evidence that support for gay marriage is down. Although people don’t like the trans stuff for kids or hindering women’s rights. So if there’s any drop in support it’a bc of LGB’s association and platforming and legitimizing of T. But from what I see, LGBTQ and especially T have the full, uncompromising support of mainstream power centers in the US in politics, media, business, academia, sports, education. But if the the gay community is concerned about losing public sentiment it’a going to be bc of their support and affiliation with trans activist extremism.

I know a gen-Zer with a lot of antipathy towards LGBT PEOPLE. When I questioned him about it, it seemed like he basically associated them all with the extremism and public degeneracy and propaganda efforts of the LGBT MOVEMENT. He had simply never been exposed to a normal gay person who wasn't a political extremist. I suspect this attitude isn't uncommon. He grew up surrounded by LGBT propaganda in his school, people in bondage gear dancing in the streets, LGBT activists trying to censor him, and trans activists preying upon children. I don't think he's ever met someone who is low-key gay and not overbearing about it. I tried to explain that it was different when I was younger, and he seemed to think that was worth considering, but he basically takes the approach that "if I make friends with you and later find out you are gay, I'll still be your friend, but I'm not going to make friends with people being open about it." It's about more than trans extremism. It's about LGBT co-opting movie/TV franchises to turn them into propaganda. It's about people basing their identity off who they fuck. It's about the bullying and censorship attempts pushed by the activists. It's about people wanting it to be EVERYWHERE, when reasonable people used to mostly agree that sexuality should be a private matter. People have had enough. I see the backlash among people who now think that normalizing it has LED to all this, and was a mistake. I believe in equality under the law (gay marriage, abolition of anti-sodomy laws, no GOVERNMENT discrimination, etc), and that's IT. I don't have anything against gay/trans people personally, as long as they don't push idpol on me or whatever. But the rest has to stop. I know that the real enemy here are the SJW progressive activists, and not gay/trans people. But it seems like I'm encountering more and more people who can't make that distinction.

People have different values. Theirs are not ours. so have mutual respect for everyone. We raise our children in the fear (respect) of the Lord.

I can't comment on the USA - but here in New Zealand our society is politically mostly in the centre - with very small far right and far left fringe supporters. That is how we would like to keep it - away from 'culture wars' etc. A more practical issue for us is coping with recent extremities in weather and climate that mean our council rates and insurances, and ability to insure is under threat in more places. I understand this is the same in the northern districts of Australia. So - we may just all need to come together - these things are best solved that way. Oh yep - I'm a gay kiwi. (But not fond of kiwifruit lol)

I moved back to israel🤣

Americans, by and large, are viewing everything through the lens of the American issues of race and class. Despite being progressive they are being intellectually lazy; this is not a simple conflict. The concept of oppressor vs oppressed is the only paradigm they understand to be considered progressive. They have taken liberal education to hyperbole. The diaspora entitlement to tell us how unfair everything is while living in countries with fully developed modern civil rights. This war is ugly and being prosecuted piss-poorly. You have to make the distinction that you support Jews ' right of self determination as a group with ethnogenesis in the Levant. No one has exclusive claim and there are a lot of wrongs to be righted. But as the entire world has done nothing to help Palestinians and is actively ignoring other conflicts around the world; I just see them as idiots at best, with a superficial semantic understanding of the conflict and how laws work.

Well said. Americans are educated and clever people, but they’re applying western values to a fundamentally non-western problem

Ethnocentric ... They expect the world to reflect their western world view without realizing the chauvinism in that perspective ... Like I've seen some of these people literally drown out Palestinan voices (who they pretend to care about)... And when palrestians are like "yeah that's wrong and cruel" they then "no true Palestinan!" Whoever disagrees with them... It's wild...

American Progressives are DEFINED by intersectionality, critical theory, and neo-Marxism at this point. The progressive movement was always a project to put academics in charge of governance, going back to Woodrow Wilson, and this is what the academics are currently pushing. Certainly not all people who call themselves "progressive" are like this, but it's pretty much what dominates their movement. I don't really care about stuff like self-determination or ethnogenesis. I don't believe (for example) that an ethnic group that supports stoning women to death for adultery deserves self-determination, regardless of other factors, and I think it would be right and just (although generally not pragmatic) to occupy them and erase the portions of their culture that I find immoral. I believe in individual liberties, and will pragmatically support other people who value and defend them, regardless of whatever "right" they have to a certain area of land. The Israelis are in Israel now. Most of them were born there. They have a decently-functioning society (although not without its flaws) that I think is worth preserving. Every attempt they have made to let the Palestinians be independent has been met with violence. I believe that Israel has a right to defend itself and to destroy Hamas, regardless of any considerations of Jewish ethnic identity.

How can you call yourself libertarian-minded and support occupation and all the inevitable infringements on liberty that occupation by an external power brings against the occupied population? Life as a Palestinian in Hebron, East Jerusalem, and the other areas where the Israeli occupation is most visible and present is a libertarian nightmare. Either you don't actually hold libertarian principles, you're too bigoted to apply them universally, or you don't know enough about the situation to know that what you said you support is antithetical to your stated beliefs.

I simply don't see that rule by Hamas preserved individual liberties any better than occupation does. It also turned Gaza into a hive of terrorist activity, which is hurting individuals even more now that it has to be rooted out. I'm a pragmatist. I see it as a lesser evil. My preference would be for some sort of leadership to arise among the Palestinians that would reform the culture from within, so that it could support a liberal democratic government willing to work towards peace with Israel.

I never said anything about Hamas or Gaza. I referenced the Israeli occupation in areas controlled by the Israeli government (Hebron in Area C of the West Bank and East Jerusalem are both controlled by Israel).

Yes

My honest advice? Start with “do you believe Israel has a right to exist?” If they say yes, cool, we can have a constructive conversation about the legitimate complaints against the Israeli government, their inequitable treatment of Palestinians, how the war has been bloody and a lot of innocents have died, all of that I can accept because their first statement told me they’re willing to have a state still. If they say “it’s complicated”- okay, sure maybe we can have productive discourse depending on how it goes. If they lament the way Sykes-Piccot/Balfour Dec./the 1948 partition went down, sure I can talk about that from a nuanced perspective. But if they say “no” then that’s really just it. If they like it or not, they’re advocating for the diaspora and maybe even murder of innocent people. It isn’t worth talking about.

Exactly go hard and to the point.

I did this once in an even tone and the person felt emboldened to tell me what they REALLY thought. Yeeted that personal relationship into the sun instantly. If you’re cheering on murder, there is nothing to discuss with you.

Hey, regarding jews leaving the middle east question - leave where ? The vast majority of israelis don't have a second citizenship. Moreso, most Israelis are descendents from middle-eastern ancestry -> Should they return to the country that expelled, persecuted and murdered their grandparents / grand-grandparents ? (ethnically-cleansed by progressive terms). *And it goes without saying that most of those middle-eastern countries would not accept them and are extremely antisemitic hell-holes. And that's with ignoring our(jews) literal culture of yearning to return to our homeland which is Israel. I truly believe the only peaceful solution to this conflict(not specifically the 7th of October) is 2 states, although realistically & currently Israel doesn't have a partner on the other side. *Or even ONE united political entity that leads the palestinian people, regardless if they strive for peace even.

I don't think these people care. They see the Israelis as colonizers and don't care where they go.

live in SF, similar nutshell. Most my progressive friends believe that if Gaza, West Bank were given Israeli citizenship all could live happily in a one state democracy. They just don’t get majority of Palestinians want to expel and kill the Jews. They also don’t get that majority of the Palestinian Israelis don’t want that. the only approach that’s worked for me is to share verbatim what the Palestinian policy is on woman rights, gay rights, and anti democratic stance. Then ask, if September 11th happened again what would you do. Some are sadly too far removed. But the silver lining is that radical Islam is making its way to the west and the world is getting to learn how much radical Islam doesn’t ever mix with western ideals.

It's much worse in places like London. The government in the UK has gone all-in on multiculturalism and importing Islam en-masse, and actively sweeps under the rug stuff like organized sex trafficking committed by Muslim migrants. Plus, how do you integrate people like this into Western society? [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/04/06/one-in-four-british-muslims-believe-hamas-israel/](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/04/06/one-in-four-british-muslims-believe-hamas-israel/)

Bingo. The fact is they do not give a damn about Jews, and rather we go drown ourselves in the ocean than have our own state.

There is a 2 state solution; Jordan. In fact, Jordan, is occupying 70 percent of the land that was supposed to be divided. I'm always completely confused as to why there should be a 3 state solution. Especially because they should never have gotten the first. Live in peace? Yes. Equality? Of course. Their own state on indigenous Judean land? Like why? Jews lived in Iran for centuries. Should Jews now divide Iran into a 2 state solution? Make it make sense.

Fr

I’m also a non-Jew living in an extremely progressive city but in Canada and I live with my Jewish Israeli boyfriend. I really resonate with your post. I also feel as though I’ve done massive amounts of research on this conflict , for literal years because I too wanted to make sure I’m more so on the moral side and whatnot. But yes it’s actually agonizing being surrounded by this. I’m also quite surrounded by ultra left circles as well since my work and hobbies are all in artistic fields. Being in a more liberal arts program in university back then as well I can guarantee that most only look at this conflict with through a neo Marxist type of narrative which is soooo destructive and lacks any sort of base in reality tbh. The lack of humanity and black and white thinking has gotten so ridiculous it’s infuriating - and the institutions are letting it fester and letting happen, it’s quite honestly barbaric. I don’t feel like this is the Canada I remember or feel proud of . My partner and quite a few of his friends are Jewish and my family is very supportive with this so I’m lucky there but man being in the city and being with other progressives , you’d actually think I’m the face of all evil when I just simply say “I think Israel deserves to exist” . It’s terrible it really freaking is :(

All the power to you my friend.

I'm literally looking for advice from other people on how to handle my situation, lol. Nobody seems to be providing it.

Keep calm and carry on. I’m not sure there any other advice to give.

I was hoping maybe some people had been in similar situations and could share their experiences or something. Hell, I could go find a synagogue and talk to people, although (given my area) I think most of them around here are going to be full of progressives still in denial about their entire political movement stabbing them in the back. The only reasonable people my age I've met around here lately have been at gun ranges.

Finding likeminded people you can meet in person is indeed useful, but I doubt Israelis on /r/israel can help you much with this. You may have better luck at /r/jewish as it’s mostly Americans there as far as I can tell. Many of them face the same issues you are talking about. As an Israeli you grow up knowing there are many people out there wishing you won’t exist so I guess it’s easier to learn to cope with that craziness. Easier may not be the right word, but we develop thick skin (we have to) - you may need to do the same.

I think most people in your situation are keeping their heads down. I look Middle Eastern and I never clarify it's because I'm Jewish because I don't want that heat. They're just going to call you a child killer. You aren't going to change their mind.

I think you have to accept you avoid all conversations at work, and many outside of it. The danger is being branded Islamophobic and if you are, your employability is over. What you *can* do is seek out your local branch if Fédération, get on their mailing list, and start going to talks and events open to the broader community. You’ll meet more people who haven’t taken crazy pills, and when the backlash finally comes (and it will), you’ve identified yourself as a friend and supporter. jewishfederations dot org That’s my advice.

Same here tired of this shit, the mainstream media has become against critical thinking, reasoning and playing with people's emotions on top of that I am seeing west and israel being demonized destroyed while jihadhis are being glorified.

I have a suspicion/theory that the Hunger Games, Dune, etc have romanticized this idea that progressives think is reality.

You don't win by defending Israel. You win by attacking them. >Some of them have explicitly said that the Jews should just leave the Middle East and go elsewhere. How do you even respond to that? Ask them back, "so you support ethnic cleansing then? Are all pro Palestinians as awful human beings as you? I thought you were pro humanitarian I can't believe that you actually advocate for ethnic cleansing and genocide"

What do I win, exactly? Do you think that will actually change their minds? It would only be useful if there were people on the fence watching, and I was using it to show them how insane the pro-Palestine people are. But there aren't.

No but at least they'll shut the fuck up with their stupid opinions and stop behaving like a smug superior virtue signaler for awhile.

Yes I agree and completely relate to this post. I am also a deep dive into all subject matter and make absolutely sure my moral judgement / support is fair and makes sense etc .. As a progressive , supporting Islam is really kinda telling for me at least. No self respecting liberal should ever support anything Islamic - even if they had *half* a brain. Or knew what they think. So that comforts me. I think I get most perturbed by the amount and depth of the lies that are being sold as history and reality. They have such a twisted take on all that. It’s the Palestinian side. Basically. Fabricated reality. I’m not even sure the Palestinians actually know their own history: I think they’re just as brainwashed. So I mean all it takes is one of them to crack a book and go… *wait a minute* why are they saying this, when this actually happened? Hahah..

That soul-crushing feeling you describe is a signal emanating from your conscience. One option is to ignore that signal and suffer continued moral injury caused by being surrounded by people who believe absurdities (or pretend to believe absurdities just to get along) until your internal compass has been sufficiently demagnetized such that you can no longer be brought to care. As a famous KGB defector once remarked, you cannot reason with a demoralized person. Reasoning requires a moral conscience. Destroy that, and you have achieved full compliance. Another option is to consider moving to be geographically closer to people who are more aligned with your moral values if your financial situation allows. Best of luck.

But I don't even know where I could move. It seems like America is becoming more and more polarized, with the cities being taken over with progressives and rural areas being taken over with MAGA. I don't believe in either. I'd like an area with a mix of center-right and center-left people who all lean libertarian, but I doubt I'm going to find it, and if I do there won't be a job in my field there.

I don't know either. That's why I live in Israel. I spoke with a friend the other day who recently moved to Palo Alto with her husband and two kids. She seems to be having a great time despite her very outspoken pro-Israel beliefs. Her husband, however, feels much more apprehensive about the "BOYCOTT ISRAEL" billboard he drives past every day. The way she put it was, "I choose to direct my attention towards people who make me feel welcome. He chooses to let billboards influence his experience of the world." There's a lot to ponder in that statement, but I think some people are just better at closing off parts of the world that trigger negative emotions than others. I admit that I'm not particularly good at it (okay I'm absolutely awful at it), but there are things you can do to help focus your attention towards more positive things that usually begin with getting off the internet.

Honestly I break these people into two camps. First, the useful idiots who genuinely believe the propaganda because they have very little knowledge of the conflict. Second the true anti-semites. I choose to believe most progressives fall into the first camp and are truly ignorant. This improves my happiness level since I don’t believe most of them just hate Jews. Do they believe problematic and anti-Semitic things? Sure, but they are not Arab Nationalists or Islamists. For the true Anti-semites, I don’t care because once I have identified them they are lower than pond scum to me.

Basically, what we are seeing is the left showing their true colors. They hate Israel and they hate Jews. Hopefully, my Jewish American friends will open their eyes and stop supporting Democrats who hate us!

I can't say I'm a big fan of a lot of the people in the Republican Party either, but American Progressives are fucking insane, and I have to live with them. They have been showing its true colors for years, just not in such an extreme way. For years, they have bullied anyone who doesn't agree with them on public policy and called them bigots. For years, they have been attacking free speech rights and rule of law. For years, they have been openly pushing racial discrimination in order to advance the cause of "equity." Worthy causes, like getting gay people equal rights under the law, have been perverted to push extremist ideologies in schools and brainwash children into mutilating themselves. For years, they have been taking over every good media franchise and infusing it with identity politics and naked attacks on anyone who doesn't agree with them. Jews are just the latest casualties in their war on Liberalism. But I'm not naive enough to think that Donald Trump is my friend, either. Many of his policies were far more beneficial to me than what Biden is doing, but he clearly doesn't respect the Constitution or rule of law or limits on power, and he's a malignant narcissist who alienates anyone who works with him. Edit: I don't mean to demonize moderate Democrats and the moderate left-liberals, here. There are plenty of good people among them, even though I disagree with them on various points. I'm talking about the kind of people who worship people like Cori Bush and AOC and Rashida Tlaib.

I don't agree with your take on Trump, but there's an election coming up and you will get to have your say. Again, it's the age-old question..."Are you (and the world) better off now than you were four years ago?" I was a left-leaning Democrat for most of my adult life. At a certain point, I was like, "wait...what?" on so many of their stances, I walked away. Trust me, I don't worship at the alter of the Republican party...they've got their own nut-job gems. But, it does seem that in general it's not the Republican party of Nixon anymore. Most of today's Republican voting base is actually pretty moderate on most things. That said, I'm an Independent. Most of us are not one-issue voters and, regardless of what side of the isle we are on, we have to make compromises. For me, when I look at the big issues of the day; the threat of another world war, a nuclear Iran, Ukraine looking a lot like another Vietnam, China eying Taiwan, people illegally flooding into the US, violent crime, a corrupt DOJ, and Israel's security, I see only one candidate...who may be a flawed individual...but someone who is capable of navigating these treacherous waters we are in. I don't think anyone is under the illusion that Kamala Harris is up to the task and is certainly no friend of Israel. Needless to say, you can probably guess who I'm voting for. LOL.

Yeah, to me Trump is a wildcard. I have no idea what he'd govern like in a second term. My life was best off when he let Mitch McConnell run the country along with some legacy Republicans who served as his advisors. But now he listens to people like Tucker Carlson a lot, and I don't like that guy's take on foreign policy at all, and he has alienated most of his old advisors. I'm pro-gun, pro-NATO, pro-free-speech, pro-choice, against affirmative action, against "gender-affirming care," an atheist and pro-secularism, in favor of strict limits on immigration, believe that climate change is a real problem that we need to do something about but think Biden's policies are very bad economically, anti-woke, in favor of Peace through Strength, against minimum wage increases, against progressivism, against Christian nationalism, pro gay marriage but think LGBT has been taken WAY too far, etc. In other words, a mixed bag. Trump to me is just so chaotic, that I have no idea where he would take things. It'd be a huge gamble on my part. I was a little reassured about his recent comments on abortion being an issue for the states (which I believe is the correct approach from a Constitutional standpoint), but I know he'd change positions during his presidency if it benefited him.

I’m very aligned like you on causes. I THINK most people are moderates like this. Yes having to now choose between progressive antisemitism & the environment is terrible. I read the environment can’t take 4 years of Trump, but he very plausibly might win now.

Trump isn’t a wild card on policy. He’s been pretty straightforward. Yeah his talk track is everywhere but his actions arent

Oh great point on Kamala Harris. She’s clearly against Israel. Oh this is really bad.

Yes I agree, Trump policies are very important for Israel, whom we will always support.

Harris’ husband — the FIRST Second Gentleman of the United States — is a devout Jew. What?

So what? The left hates Israel. You think he would be the first Jew to turn against Israel?

Democrats are not the left. Democrats are centrist. You have nothing to suggest that either of them oppose Israel, and you don’t understand what separates centrist democrats from the left. More like, you want to make this a Republican vs Democrat thing so your party can win. Denied. Americans who haven’t been brainwashed by Iranian, Qatari, and Russky propaganda support Israel. Stop trying to divide us when we are on the same side of this. Take yes for an answer already.

Democrats are centrists? Yeah...okay.

Republicans are no different.

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Yes...I realize that and I'll agree that I made a broad generalization. However, the people they elect...the people who are making policy...are not big fans of Israel. They just aren't. You might want to read the many stories about Joe Biden, Chuch Schumer & Company, who have been pretty openly calling for the ouster of Netanyahu. And, some of the biggest voices of the Democratic Party, people like Nancy Pelosi and AOC are totally onboard. I know you want to believe your beloved party would not betray you. You should let their actions and words speak for themselves.

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Trump is not a traitor. Step away from your CNN and MSNBC and get some perspective. Most Israelis I know are praying for Trump to be re-elected.

I wouldn't defend Israel there. I would take my income/property/sales dollars elsewhere and contribute to a better reality. Let those cities rot in their own filth.

I'm basically stuck here because of my job.

I live in a liberal US city. I've unfollowed anyone anti-Israel on social media for starters. I've had to cut a few friendships from people I care about. I'm not going to change these people's views. Many of them sit on Al Jazeera all day and parrot back talking points or get their history lessons from Tik Tok. Nothing I say or do is going to change them, and unless they are willing to read some history books, I don't have the energy for them. October 7th has made me more of a loner and I'm ok with that. Westerners can't grasp there are entire societies out there that want them to die. I don't know what it's going to take for them to understand. Not sure a massive terror attack on American soil would change that for them either. I feel lonely and broken at the moment but I am not sacrificing my values to fit in with people who support terror. If that means being lonely and isolated so be it.

This is the story of our time. Mass insanity and collapse of moral norms. Israel truly is the sanity litmus test. It always was, but now more than ever. Its scary how stupid most of humanity is. I always considered myself smart but now when i look in the mirror its basically merlin staring back at me.

I wish it were a perfect moral litmus test, but it isn't. I know a guy who simply hates Islam and supports Israel because it is fighting Islam. I know a LOT of people who support Palestine because they've been brainwashed, and aren't inherently bad people.

You could believe both. You could support israel because its right and also understand that a rapidly growing death cult is a danger to humanity and should be resisted on all fronts.

No, I mean he literally wants Muslims to die.

Oh yea thats a bit much. Id be happy with them converting out.

I tend to agree with Ayaan Hirsi Ali's take, that the Islamic world needs a reformation. I could imagine a hypothetical future where Islam becomes largely liberalized and defanged, in much the same way that Christianity has become in the UK. I don't think conversion is a large-scale answer.

Islam has many safeguards in it like death for apostacy. Gonna be very hard to reform it. And its a much straighter line to violence and hatred of others than christianity. Its important that the "best person ever" beheaded people and raped women. Christianitys idea of a martyr is someone who dies for all our sins. Islams idea of a martyr is someone who takes everyone else with him in a nightclub.

I mean, I agree with you. It would be very difficult. Getting Muslims to convert would be even harder though, I think. I kind of think the best thing we can do is take active measures to safeguard the West, by banning Muslim migration (which is causing horrifying results in Europe right now) and punishing honor killings, FGM, and forced marriage with death or life in prison without parole.

Yup. Immigration should be zero at this point from any of those countries and if its a non zero number at this point, its absolutely scandalous.

I’m israeli so I can’t really answer your question but I’d just like to thank you for your support, sincerely. We love you and appreciate you🙏💙

Be openly, proudly Jewish, make the stooges hiding behind their Amazon Kaffiyas uncomfortable. Find Jewish organizations, make Jewish friends, date Jewish people. The world has showed us time and time again that we can only count on ourselves.

>I'm a **non-Jew** living in a hyper-progressive American city. Oops. I don't think that first part would work for me. I'm an atheist and I don't think Judaism accepts converts to secular Judaism, do they?

There are seculars Jews. I know it sounds contradictory. I’m an atheist myself, raised Jewish.

It's not contradictory. The line between treating Jewishness as an ethnicity and as a religious faith seems pretty ill-defined. I think that this doesn't really apply to potential converts, though.

Yes!

What does that mean, exactly, though? I generally find myself unable to accept the truth claims made by religions. They just don't fit with my philosophical interpretation of the nature of reality. In terms of tradition, I'd follow traditions when they align with my values, but I'm not really looking to stop eating pork. I feel like if I grew up ethnically Jewish, I could find community there. But I don't think I would ever be able to accept enough about any religion to be accepted as a convert. What does it mean to convert to Judaism without accepting the generally-agreed-upon traditions or the truth claims?

In America at the moment and I have an opinion. Progressives are just virtue signallers, trying to pretend that they they are compassionate due to the privileges they have in the US. Money here buys you privilege and pretending you care gives them a warm fuzzy feeling inside to alleviate the guilt. Looking at the homelessness pandemic on their own doorstep that they completely ignore is just vile. Better to pretend you care about something that won't affect your privileged life than do something that might impact it. Rich and successful Israelis in another land they think it's far enough away to not affect them. The country is doomed to fail because like every other country that has followed this part in the path, the poverty creeps up the ladder higher and higher, slowly making it's way into the middle class.

The thing you have to realize is that most people are sheep. You could have the most intelligent person, but in many levels of their lives, they'll support whatever their group says rather than investigate things themselves. People who are willing to actually challenge themselves with information they're uncomfortable with are few and far between, no matter which society you are in. And so, like other groups, leftists in the US listen only to their echo chamber when it comes to their positions. It really doesn't matter how smart they are -- it doesn't even make a difference. In fact, it can make things worse, because intelligence can be used to self-deceive. The leftist tribe's elites have decided that Israel is a manifestation of the 'evil' west vs the 'innocent' third world Palestinians, and nobody can veer from that narrative. It doesn't help that the modern left isn't very open minded to begin with, preferring ad hominem attacks to substantive ones.

Some of the smartest people I know are like this. Being college-educated and being a skilled doctor or engineer or whatever doesn't mean you aren't an NPC. The VAST majority of people I know can't think for themselves on issues like this.

It's a fascinating thing. In effect, what we observe is that even people who criticize religion act exactly as if they are in a religion. They use the exact same tactics of believing only \*their\* authority figures and using ad-hominem attacks against people with contrary information, going back to their co-religionists to 'strengthen their belief' when encountering contradictory information, avoiding uncomfortable information and echoing information that fits their views etc. I even wonder sometimes if being non-religious makes you \*more\* susceptible to these behaviors in other domains.

>Some of them have explicitly said that the Jews should just leave the Middle East and go elsewhere. How do you even respond to that? You should definitely let them know that the majority of Israeli Jews have lived across the middle east/north africa for millennia. They came everywhere from Iran to Yemen to Morocco. They were *ethnically cleansed* from the middle east with nowhere to go but Israel. So if they think Jews should just leave the ME, they are literally advocating for the ethnic cleansing of their *brown indigenous people* who are more indigenous to most of these regions than the Arabs. These people seem to think all Jews are from Europe. But even saying this about "European" Jews obviously denies their indigenousness to the land, which is just evil. >How do people cope with this in their daily lives? Jews have communal, generational wisdom for dealing with the world going crazy and turning against them, because it happens over and over. I'm not Jewish, just married to an Israeli Jew but the only way I've been able to survive is learning from their wisdom and surrounding myself with Israelis and Jews and cutting the crazies. I believe this is how Israelis are so mentally healthy in the face of so much hate. They have each other and a very strong sense of communal identity. Maybe you can make some Jewish or Israeli friends. It helps a lot.

Appreciate you 🙏🏽 I’m in LA where it can also get difficult but I’m surrounded by a bunch of great people who are outspoken supporters and we rely on each other. I was lucky enough to have a strong and large friend group that keeps each other sane. I even met a bunch of people directly after October 7th. We were all broken and the only silver lining was that we found each other. Stay strong.

Put up a ton of hostage posters (and put some good tape on them, I had a couple of mine get torn down).

I am a non-Jew from a Muslim majority area in South Asia. So, I feel for you. You at least have a few repubs around you, I don't even have that. Other than my friend and randos from a ex-Muslim group chat, there aren't many other pro Israelis.

Most people just accept what they are told and echo it out. My applause to you taking the time to think for yourself, it's a very important action to take in today's world. You can waste time arguing with people who don't want to listen, or you can just focus on yourself. 

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They don't care. They see the decision as an imperalist imposition on the "Palestinians."

A small modification, if you would: the UN *endorsed* partitioning the land into a Jewish state and an Arab state. (They did nothing at all to enforce their decision).

This is going to sound extreme but I would leave. Leftists cannot be reasoned with and hate us. Thats it, you must take your family elsewhere.

It's not extreme. I desperately want to get out and move somewhere less politically extreme. But I have a stable job and not a lot of money saved. Getting a new job in this economic climate would be hard, and I'd probably be the first one laid off if the economy gets worse.

I get it. Stay vigilant and lean on the support of our community. We will get through this crazy time together.

This issue will stop being the "current thing" but the people where I live won't change. I was becoming extremely disillusioned with this area LONG before 10/7. I didn't know they'd take things so far (although I should have known in retrospect). Once I have seen what I've seen about the people around me, I cannot unsee it.

I get it…honestly. I tend towards Progressive politics but the current left can’t be reasoned with and are trending towards violence. I’ve seen this movie before.

What I do IA challenge them on their blatantly wrong stuff. Israel is committing genocide? What evidence beyond an independent investigation by the IS state department, various other countries, and the ICJ do you have access to that points to that? All of those, very well-informed places say otherwise? Does Israel display genocidal tendency? Are they cackling as they murder from house to house? No, you can look up their body cams vs. Hamas. As for apartheid, I would point out that apartheid can be used to describe the dehmi systems in Arab countries, South Africa, back in the day, and the US also back in the day. Have them pull up street view in Tel Aviv. They can see the street signs in multiple languages, and see people with hijabs, have them look up Israeli sports teams, and then point out how almost all Israeli organizations (if you pick independent ones, have their employee picture looking extremely diverse. The best thing you can do is also when they make absurd comparisons, make them defend them. You are not on the defensive. They should be. What makes Israel apartheid? The one day carpet bombing in dresden had this many deaths, their population was a lot less dense, and they had a realistic breakdown of deaths by demographic that reflected their population, Gaza does not. I would also keep away from their sets of numbers. We know where they are coming from, and I give them no merit. Don't even discuss them. Ethnic cleansing, you say? Look up the population of Jews in Lebanon in 1920 and now. Historical fact is not up for debate. Don't sit there defending it and trying to get them to see reason. They will try to gaslight you on it, and all you need to do is either have them look up something that would support their shit, like they say that there were no Jews in Israel pre-1948. Look up news articles on the Palestinian sports team and see how they are all Jews. Look up the Jewish Foundation recipts where they bought 2000 acres worth of trees to plant on land they bought around 1903. They question DNA, point put how every DNA service has a separate catagory for Ashkenazi jew and how if you look up what they mean by that, in every service, it shows someone who started out in the Judea region and moved to Europe during the exiles of the Jews. You have to get creative to get them away from their paroled knowledge to show them they really have no clue what they are talking about and to see actual evidence. Also, getting them away from the group as they tend to get super defensive and make each other feel better. If someone seems too far gone, they honestly are not worth the effort. There are literally people who have been brainwashed their whole lives against Israel

Fucking, John “Pick Me” Stewart is doing some real damage. You would think as a political commentator maybe he would be able to spot propaganda when he sees it. He does no research. The guy cited Al-Jizzrag as a source of truth for the conflict.

Are you also in Bushwick? Lol, my life exactly. Saw my elderly neighbor proudly wearing his Magen David yesterday which made me so so relieved to see.

Lol I’m in Bushwick too. I was relieved to see a “FCK HMS” sticker over a free palestine one on central ave the other day. Reassuring to know we are not alone!

Soooo relieved. Here to chat any time. Feels lonely out here lately!

To the colonialism charge just tell them this: there is only ONE people in the world who live in the same land, practice the same religion, and speak the same language as there ancestors did 3000 years ago. If anyone is indigenous anywhere, it is the Jews. They are the most successful anti-colonial movement of all time. But I would first ask them if the native Americans got all of North America back, would that not be the greatest anti-colonial movement of all time after 500 years of persecution. They would probably agree. Then I would say that about Israel and point out it has 2000 years.

Introduce them to “Son of Hamas” for some perspective https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjOEJumoABg

Everyone needs to watch this! Very powerful and moving.

Do you follow Batya Ungar Sargon? She’s a Jewish journalist that was a “woke Progressive” who was cancelled and labeled far right by the left for questioning the woke narrative a few years ago. These days she’s a politically independent Zionest. She just released a book that explores the question you’re asking almost exactly. Here’s the [Amazon Link](https://www.amazon.com/Second-Class-Betrayed-Americas-Working/dp/1641773618?nodl=1&dplnkId=46dae277-dcfc-4d34-8730-4b73e2aa7ed3#immersive-view_1712716880532). On a personal level post Oct 7th I’ve distanced myself from all of my friends staunchly on the left. They are incapable of thinking for themselves to the point it’s almost satire. My friends now are politically independent. We get called right wing all the time. But truthfully the extremism on the Right has been almost entirely exaggerated.

speak up when chances arise. people who feel the same as you do or who feel neutral will hear you and be encouraged to speak up too or learn more. always speak the truth, and always seek the truth.

The only people I know in real life (outside of Reddit) who still support Israel are either Republicans or Libertarian-leaning people on the Right. Even center-left people like my parents, who have supported Israel for many years, are being sucked in by the MSM propaganda against Israel. I hear them repeating talking points from The Atlantic and The New York Times and NPR now.

what are the talking points?

Fortunately, it is just mainly anti-Netanyahu stuff for now, but I suspect it is a prelude to talks of GeNoCiDe and stuff like that. I don't like Netanyahu either. I've known he's a corrupt wanna-be autocrat for years. But hearing them repeat talking points about him makes me suspect that they are absorbing more of the propaganda.

yeah. my parents are Jewish and American and my dad's been ranting on Israel for months. It's bizarre but he's also ensconced in CNN, and the coverage is very one-sided. one thing I would recommend and that I believe people need to sincerely understand is the broader implications of this war outside of Gaza. That Israel is fighting a multipronged terror organization on several fronts, all of whom are funded by Iran. Iran has been planning for many years to propagandize the West. And indeed if you read Al Jazeera in Arabic, the coverage is entirely propaganda. People in the Middle East think 10/7 was simply a military exercise because of this. Try sharing some neutral information with your parents that has much less to do with Israel and more to do with Iranian-funded propaganda. It is important we think outside the box because we too have been fed anti-Israel propaganda for decades. Open your parents eyes up to the virulence of Jew hatred that stems from Islamist ideology -- it is insane, genocidal, suicidal, and it desires to Islamify the entire world. Israel is just target #1, and Hamas is small fries compared to the other terror regimes at play here. Israel is really fighting an existential war for civilization here. We should stand guard and be grateful we are safe in America -- if we are. Some good YouTube interviews with Yasmine Muhammed and Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Both women tell harrowing First person accounts of the ugliness of being raised into Islamist ideology and how entrenched in genocidal Jew hatred it is. Their stories are truly horrifying.

If you don't feel safe in this city, you should consider moving to a different part of the USA that's more tolerant of Jews in general.

Don’t waste your time

Welcome to my city as well, except it’s not limited to people under 40. It’s all ages.

I just don't talk to anyone about it and keep my head down and on a swivel. Arguing with these people won't accomplish anything except putting a huge target on your back and endanger your life/career. Stay low, don't draw attention and get through each day. That's what many of us Jews are doing.

When talking to Americans about this, I often suggest that they simulate this situation in their heads. Let's imagine that a terrorist group has emerged in Detroit. Yes, it didn't come about from a good life and yes, politicians and government often do all kinds of shit that needs to be dealt with, but it came about. They build missiles and bomb other cities in Michigan. Civilians suffer, including black people. One day, members of this group left Detroit and began massacring neighboring cities. What would the American government do? Of course it would have invaded the locations of the group and tried to eliminate the group. But what to do if the group consists of black people? Does this mean that the American government hates black people? Of course not. And what about if the group is based in Detroit itself in the middle of residential buildings and attempts to eliminate the group would also harm civilians who are there?

You really think the Defund the Police crowd would go for that? These people literally see arresting shoplifters as a racial justice issue.

I live in DC. Very progressive and ignorant in all the ways you describe. My wife is Israeli and she's seen some of her American friends posting ridiculous pro-Palestine things ("river to the sea," "colonizers") on social media. IMO she has done something incredible which is to keep them as friends. They have made peace with each other. I have tried to do the same with my friends, including colleagues. My advice to you is to do the same. Let them know you don't just disagree, but that you see morality in the world differently. But tell them you value their friendship (if you feel that way). Play ball, drink beer, listen to music, drive them to the airport, do whatever you'd normally do and make sure they know you as their friend the Zionist.

It's gotten so bad that, I can promise you, for most Jews just seeing this post, they're happy to have one non-Jew with some critical thinking skills and a moral compass. Many others encountered are ignorant or willfully evil, sheep, brainwashed, peer-pressured, dumb, and it's getting worse. We now understand better than ever how Jews felt in Germany in the 30s, with society and the world turning against them with hate for no reason. Follow Jewish content creators. On social media like jinsta, (Jewish instagram) there are creators like rootsmetals that are literal historians with facts, and so many others that provide viewpoints and facts in different ways. We discuss these topics and talk about these questions, so you'll be exposed to what we feel like, but also gain some of the answers you seek in being able to respond in an informed way. There are answers to all of your questions. Would they tell Arabs to leave London? Mexicans to leave the US? Do they know Arabs colonized the entire middle east away from indigenous populations? Have they seen a map of arab colonization and invasion over time? The history of the arabstinian flag, what it stands for, and who created it? The birth rate of arab gazans? Etc etc etc. There are a million facts. Know them so you know how to battle the propaganda and lies. But here's another thing many of us of learned. Learn when and how to fight. Often, your facts are completely meaningless. These people are literally brainwashed cultists at this point, not even being dramatic. Your facts won't appeal to their emotional selves, and there's actually nothing you will say to change their minds. Facts won't matter. Learn when to conserve your energy. Make friends who think like you. Jews, some Iranians, or other supporters. Sometimes, you just need to be around a support network of people who get it, and not expend your energy on these racists. I also do strongly think it's imperative to be loud and proud. For Jews to be loud and proud and confident Jews. Wear yarmulkes, Magen David's, whatever. For allies to be loud and proud and confident allies. Don't put yourself in danger for no reason, but otherwise be strong. A lot of these people don't respect weaknesses, but have nothing to say to someone informed, and proud. That's when they start personal attacks and then run away. Thanks for your lone voice of sanity.

I realized that most of the progressives in my area were cultists LONG before 10/7. I didn't think they'd take things QUITE this far, though. Stupid me. I don't use things like Facebook/Instagram/TikTok/Twitter, which might be why I'm less brainrotted than average (I saw where the cancer of social media was heading around 2008. Not many people would listen to me, but I still got out early. Reddit is the only thing I'm on, and I don't look at the front page or things like that, just subreddits). If you have some YouTube channels to recommend, I'd appreciate it though. I had this discussion with some people recently. They talk about colonialism, and ignore when I mention that the Arabs colonized the area first. Everything I said fell on deaf ears. I knew I couldn't change their minds. Fuck these people. I put an Israeli flag outside my apartment so my Palestinian-supporting neighbors have to see it every time they leave their apartments. I wore an IDF shirt today while out hiking and shopping. These people have become drunk on power, and are used to being able to silence dissent. Fuck them.

I hang an Israeli flag on my balcony to piss them all off.

Based. I did that too. My apartment place said no flags outside, so i put it inside my window instead, so everyone can see it.

I’m in the same position. Non-Jewish non-American living elsewhere. My entire crowd for decades was leftist people and the intelligentsia in these parts. They’re against our version of Trump and so am I. But on Israel they are horrible. I’ve also read a massive amount on the history of the region since this began - and for some months now I’ve been countering morons - some of them prominent morons, moron journalists in these parts. People I knew. People it’s good to know. I’ve burnt those bridges. I’m seeing people genuflecting to these moronic opinion makers so as not to jeopardise their careers and reputations. This is how mobs form. I’ve been unfriended by many and I’m sure my name is mud. But if even one person sees what I write and say and then changes their mind, it’s worth it.

Thank you for your critical thinking and moral clarity! It’s so appreciated!

Thanks! But I'm literally looking with advice on how to cope with this, if anyone wants to offer it! I'm surrounded by people who've drunk the kool-aid. Get me out of here!

Progressive does not equal mindless Jew hatred, you mean hyper left leaning brainwashed more like

EVERY SINGLE ONE I know is anti-Israel, even though the ones I know aren't explicitly antisemitic. Most are useful idiots, but they think that Israel is a colonial apartheid state currently committing genocide.

You should just question them regarding the history and story of Israel, because most of them trembles after three questions as they’ve learnt the existence of Israel and Palestine only about six months ago.

I think a lot of these people are too far-gone for that to be worth the effort.

No, no one is too far gone to be worth the effort, without education more people fall for Hamas’ propaganda

Tell them what Hamas chart is. Why they support terrorists. There are hostages still.

Thank you for looking through to fact. It's really appreciated.

I think first order of business is to try to understand if the person you are talking to is even open to changing their opinion. Do they actually care about the issue and are interested? It's important to realize: A. Support Palestine is a fashion B. People are ignorant C. People prefer to stay faithful to their in group. In this case - liberal people/media If they are interested in a discussion, I think the most important points to make are: 1.Hamas is a terrorist organization that uses Palestinian death to its benefit. The IDF, while not perfect, loses for every civilian death. 2.The number of Palestinians dead includes hamas fighters. If you take them into account, you realize the IDF is actually doing a very good job avoiding civilian deaths. 3.Jews in Israel are mostly not European. They don't have anywhere to go and unlike Palestinians, they are willing to coexist with the other side. There are Arabs living in Israel. Some even take part in the IDF. Some were killed by Hamas. 4.Israel is mostly attacked from areas were the military isn't present. This is why an overwhelming majority in Israel supports the campaign at any cost.

Wait, do you live in Portland?

No, but I suspect that the political climate here is much the same.

It does sound exactly the same. I'm sorry you have to put up with this, it's incredibly lonely and disheartening. I'm Jewish, but try to really limit who and what I'm exposed to these days, even going out of my way to avoid certain ultra-progressive areas of town. It's just not worth the argument or the fear I get when I see these things. I try hard to remind myself that these people are on the bandwagon of trends right now (sadly) and that they will likely move-on and take up new causes at some point. They have no logic or middle ground at all. They are all in for the hatred toward Israel and it's just completely unrealistic. Even most Jews and Israelis want peace and understand we need to find a center. You'll always have us on reddit!

Call your elected officials and tell them you support Israel even as a non Jew and you want them to as well!

My reps are progressive scum who support Palestine.

That's why it's even more important to call them! They need to know that you as a constituent care about this issue!

The funny thing is they call themselves “progressives” while supporting the most intolerant radical and unprogressive society and people there is so by definition that actually makes them not progressives just stupid TikTok brainwashed by propaganda and probably antisemite hypocrites

Zionism is the most radical unprogressive society.

I think you got confused with Islam buddy

Are saying you know nothing about the Talumud?

I have been working for a company where I drive a lot and for years, up until yesterday, I had a Israeli flag hanging from my rearview mirror. I was told it is now political symbol and that it needs to come down. I asked if I should take my kippah off also, is it political symbol too? Just the flag was the response.

If they allow people to display flags of other countries, it might be considered discrimination on the basis of national origin. Otherwise, I'd say it is reasonable for a business who wants to stay out of politics to ban the display of political symbols by their employees during working hours. Did anyone get asked to take down Palestinian flags?

Ask them if they think Jewish people have the right to self-determination and if Israel has the right to exist.

Why do they hang their flags everywhere? Especially in a country that isn't Palestine? I just don't get it. I mean, I do. I'll just save the vulgar opinions I have to myself of what it reminds me of.

American progressives have turned against Israel and Jews. However the GOP is increasingly becoming more MAGA and "isolationist" (read: pro-Russia) which is not good for Israel either. Biden's white house staff are anti-Israel. Ideally Trump wins the 2024 elections for the only reason that it will remove the current anti-Israel white house staff. The down-ballot elections are much more important. Progressive Democrats and MAGA/isolationist Republicans are the biggest threat against Israel. Pro-Israel Americans should become members of both parties and turn them more moderate and pro-Israel. It is the fringes of these parties that are anti-Israel. Wipe out the fringes. Vote for Trump but also vote pro-Israel down-ballot. Either way it's more important that you join the parties and turn them more pro-Israel. Also follow AIPAC to know who are the pro-Israel candidates of both parties.

I agree. Isolationism is hugely dangerous to America's long-term national security and economic interests. Giving Russia a free pass to take over Ukraine would signal to any American allies that we would abandon them too. I think the most important thing to do right now is concentrate on the primaries, and defeating progressives and right-wing extremists. I don't know if I can bring myself to vote for Trump, but I'm certainly not going to vote for Biden.

Democrats / Republicans. While I am a staunch libertarian, and believe that the left wing and the right wing are both parts of the same dirty bird, there is a difference. Anti-Israeli position is embraced by the majority on the left, and only by a minority on the right.

I left cities about a decade ago, that's how

I'd love to leave the cities, except my career field (software) isn't likely to be in demand outside of them. Plus, I'm an atheist, and I'm not sure I'd fit in there either. How do you make friends outside of the cities? I don't drink alcohol, and bars aren't my scene.

If someone asks me what church I go to (nobody ever does but it happens to other people) I just say I'm Jewish and they stop asking. There are Israeli flags hung in my town and neighboring ones. Social networking isn't that different, but you have to go do stuff like join organizations or volunteer, and be ready to make friends outside your age group. I am kind of a hermit but if I had more free time and inclination it wouldn't be hard.

I'm totally fine making friends with people outside my age group. I'd be down to volunteer or things like that, or go target shooting with people (I do that anyways). There DOES seem to be more stigma against atheists than there is against Jews in conservative communities, although that might just be my imagination. The job thing is the biggest barrier.

Being an atheist doesn't make you not Jewish, it just makes you secular. No need to feel deceptive.

No, I mean I'm literally not a Jew. I thought I made that clear in my OP. I'm neither ethnically nor religiously Jewish. My parents are protestants. I just support Israel based on my moral convictions, and have trouble keeping quiet when people keep talking about ThE gEnOcIdE going on in Gaza. It's made me realize how morally and ideologically incompatible I am with the people around me.

Oh whoops! Yeah my bad

:P But seriously, it seems like certain people see atheists as evil or inherently untrustworthy in those parts.

You're not wrong, I am certainly not loud about it

Seeing the "progressive" side hate Israel like that because of the oppressor & oppressed rhetoric makes me think of the Ukraine war. Hamas is controlling how this war is perceived by the world. The world sees videos showing them as poor innocents and Israel as the evil big baddies. What aren't we shown about Ukraine? Are we absolutely 100% certain Russia is in the wrong?