How do you cope with all the Israel hating in US society?

oneironstring

Sun, Oct 10 2010, 10:53 am

I feel like I am bombarded with it as we are now living in a non frum area of the U.S.. It is rampant among college kids I meet, as well as the news media of all types. Hey, even a grocery store cashier made an offhand comment about how horrible Israel is! I actually live in a blue state, very leftist/libtard if you will -- so these kinds of political comments are par for the course in casual encounters because everyone just assumes you agree with them. I defend Israel when I can (we made aliyah and will be returning there in a couple of years) but I admit, sometimes, wow, I just get so down. Even when we were in Israel, there were the Women in Black and their stupid protests in Kikar Tzfat every Friday, as well as the leftist segment in Israeli society.

It really affects me emotionally and it frightens me to see supposedly educated people acting so fascist and hateful. I've gravitated toward the Christian fundamentalists for friendships in secular society because they are the only ones who don't hate us! I know that would shock a lot of frum Jews but as I see it, the fundies are our friends and anyone who thinks Christians are still our enemy are living in the past. Wake up! The new enemies of the Jews are the liberals, leftists, elites, intellectuals, progressives, whatever they want to call themselves.

Just wondering how do you cope with it all and if you find yourself in a chance encounter with an Israel hater, how do you respond?

Nomie

Sun, Oct 10 2010, 1:20 pm

I just don't engage in conversation with anti-Israel people. If it's in a social situation, I try to change the subject. Conflicts involving peoples' personal world views can rarely be resolved in a single conversation. Therefore, I would rather end the conversation by saying, "I respectfully disagree with your perspective."

It depends how much is at stake in the situation, and whether or not it is an appropriate time/place to engage in such a debate. It may be more appropriate to take a confrontational stance with a group of anti-Israel protestors, but less appropriate to start heatedly debating the topic with someone you just met at a friend's dinner party. You see what I mean?

However, if you do feel the urge to speak in defense of Israel, I would say your best defense is to read as much as you can about the current politics, familiarize yourself as much as possible, so that you can properly articulate your views.

The internet provides many sources for defense against anti-Israel remarks. Here is one: http://www.aish.com/jw/me/92746669.html

Good luck!

ora_43

Sun, Oct 10 2010, 3:30 pm

I cope by living in Israel.

Before I was here, I coped because I really, really like to argue. A part of me actually enjoyed debating people who were really anti-Israel, although with a lot of people you kind of hit this wall of hate where nothing you say will make a difference. Or they decide they don't want to talk about it after all (that last part might just be the effects of my personality).

It can be fun to debate when you know more than the person you're talking to.

But it is upsetting even if you like to argue. Try to remember that their hate was also predicted, and all they can do is plot, only Hashem will decide what will be.

sequoia

Sun, Oct 10 2010, 9:02 pm

oneironstring wrote:

I've gravitated toward the Christian fundamentalists for friendships in secular society because they are the only ones who don't hate us! I know that would shock a lot of frum Jews but as I see it, the fundies are our friends and anyone who thinks Christians are still our enemy are living in the past.

Before you get bashed for this, I'd just like to say that I agree with you.

Mama Bear

Sun, Oct 10 2010, 9:26 pm

Simple... it's a 'halacha yedauh' that 'eisav sonei lyaakov.' Having our own country didnt stop the hatred. we'll be hated forever until moshiach comes. nothing can be done about it.

I'mlucky that living in a very frum neighborhood I'm not exposed to such situations. I would probably be frightened to live in an area with more non jews than jews, precisely because of anti israeli and anti semitic viewpoints of most misinformed people...

HindaRochel

Sun, Oct 10 2010, 9:30 pm

Come to Israel. It will be harder living here but the reward is greater.

There are unfortunately many anti-semitic Jews as well. Anti-semitism is rife throughout the world. Many times this is couched as "anti-Israel" Make no mistake. It is anti-semitism.

I just read a beautiful dvar Torah that was delivered on Rosh Hashanah...friend sent it to me in the mail.

Well worth the read and well worth thinking about.
Ehr Kumpt http://ping.fm/JOLpH

marina

Sun, Oct 10 2010, 9:47 pm

Mama Bear wrote:

Personally, oneironstring, I just imagine how happy I will be that one day the non jews will be clamoring to be our servants after moshiach comes, that's how I cope. From what I hear, they will be putting themselves lying on the floor and begging the Evdei Hashem to use them as a stepping stool to walk into the Beis Medrash, as we prepare to serve Hashem each morning.

</sarcasm>

DrMom

Sun, Oct 10 2010, 10:02 pm

sequoia wrote:

oneironstring wrote:

Before you get bashed for this, I'd just like to say that I agree with you.

^^^ITA.

Someone once sent me this excellent article about why the Left hates Israel. Worth a read:
http://www.americanthinker.com......html

Edit:

The article focuses on 7 main points:

Quote:

WHY DOES THE LEFT HATE ISRAEL?

I believe there are several reasons:
1. It is an easy way to express one's hatred for America.
2. Israel is viewed as an outpost of colonialism , and an active practitioner of it.
3. Israel is a western nation, and hence can be judged by the left. Israel is not protected by cultural relativism, as the Arabs are.
4. Leftist Christian churches can escape any lingering guilt about the Holocaust, by turning Israel into a villain. Some leftist churches hate Israel because they think this will help protect their members in the holy land— in other words they feel threatened.
5. Ferocious Muslim hatred of Israel and the Jews reinforces the natural cowardice of many on the left who go along with the Muslims to stay out of their line of fire.
6. Jewish leftists are prominent in the anti—Israel movement. This opens the floodgates for everybody else.
7. Israel is attacked because the secular left is appalled by the influence of religious settlers and their biblical connections to the land of Israel, and by the support for Israel by evangelical Christians, and Christian Zionists.

Mrs Bissli

Mon, Oct 11 2010, 3:21 am

Personally I feel it's somewhat of an easy cop-out option to avoid confrontation either by living in Israel or associating with only pro-Israeli christian fundamentalists. We don't win a battle by simply retreating, what we need is more balanced information input.

From my experience, many people are highly mis-informed by media, never been to Israel or never met Israelis, and it's much easier to attack something you've never dealt with in real life. I try to put a more balanced view--most people are so clueless what it is like to live within such short distance from people so vehemently committed to destroying your own country. Very simple questions--do they deny the right of Israel to exist? (usually no). Do they deny a country to defend itself (usually no).

Having said that I acknowledge it's mentally exhausting sometimes to have long arguments/discussion.