First off, I saw this after your edit and I think it’s great how much thought you put into it.
Western Jews and Christians usually grow up in absolute Zionist saturation so even early into the process of their realization they still have a lot of conscious and subconscious barriers to taking that final mental leap. If this is their first real confrontation with the reality, it can take time to break through them. Hopefully by now they’ve entered the Norm Finkelstein crocodile tears phase.
Thanks comrade, I really appreciate it, I think it helps to be mindful and nuanced when experiencing real things that shittier people would just take as proof to be reactionary. But yeah, same progression with a lot of my friends to becoming like Finkelstein. It’s hard to find any synagogues in my area that haven’t put up those awful HOSTAGE posters.
I totally feel that and I hope you are finding fulfilling outlets while the vast majority of Jewish institutions drop the ball in the most disheartening of ways. Not to reveal too much about myself, but I am struggling with the same. If you are looking for some re-grounding in real Jewishness devoid of Zionism, you might want to check out Rabbi Yaakov Shapiro and his podcast if you haven’t already (and share it with your friends who are going through their awakening). While he is solidly a lib, so take any politics of his not related to Zionism with a spoon of salt and/or a big waive of your hand (he doesn’t really engage in political analysis outside of Zionism, it’s just off the cuff stuff he says about capitalism and communism), he’s sort of a virtual schul for understanding what Judaism and Jews are and what Zionism is (the opposite of Judaism - a radical, Evangelical strain of anti-semitism).
First off, I saw this after your edit and I think it’s great how much thought you put into it.
Western Jews and Christians usually grow up in absolute Zionist saturation so even early into the process of their realization they still have a lot of conscious and subconscious barriers to taking that final mental leap. If this is their first real confrontation with the reality, it can take time to break through them. Hopefully by now they’ve entered the Norm Finkelstein crocodile tears phase.
Edit: bonus link for context and anyone who hasn’t seen it https://youtu.be/FtpgGxeCGpM?si=0M4GV0YsNjdvImcs
Thanks comrade, I really appreciate it, I think it helps to be mindful and nuanced when experiencing real things that shittier people would just take as proof to be reactionary. But yeah, same progression with a lot of my friends to becoming like Finkelstein. It’s hard to find any synagogues in my area that haven’t put up those awful HOSTAGE posters.
I totally feel that and I hope you are finding fulfilling outlets while the vast majority of Jewish institutions drop the ball in the most disheartening of ways. Not to reveal too much about myself, but I am struggling with the same. If you are looking for some re-grounding in real Jewishness devoid of Zionism, you might want to check out Rabbi Yaakov Shapiro and his podcast if you haven’t already (and share it with your friends who are going through their awakening). While he is solidly a lib, so take any politics of his not related to Zionism with a spoon of salt and/or a big waive of your hand (he doesn’t really engage in political analysis outside of Zionism, it’s just off the cuff stuff he says about capitalism and communism), he’s sort of a virtual schul for understanding what Judaism and Jews are and what Zionism is (the opposite of Judaism - a radical, Evangelical strain of anti-semitism).
https://www.committinghighreason.com
Or you can read the phonebook-length book he wrote on the subject (I have not read this book yet and sorry for the amazon link - it’s his own link to the book) https://www.amazon.com/Empty-Wagon-Zionisms-Journey-Identity-ebook/dp/B08CVSBZF2/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1610490743&sr=8-1
I found a YouTube link in your comment. Here are links to the same video on alternative frontends that protect your privacy: