The Blogs: Back in History: The Remaking of the American Jewish Experience

The title of this essay refers to a fundamental and dramatic shift in the American Jewish story. The “golden age of American Judaism” described the 70-year period, covering 1948 to 2018 has now ended. This era began with the establishment of a Jewish national state and concluded with the most violent attack ever on Jews in America at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, October 27, 2018.

This has been an extraordinary moment within Jewish history. Five elements defined this experience:

The Jewish State was reclaimed and with it the Jewish people experienced an era of Jewish political influence and access.
Individual Jews were recognized for their achievements and contributions.
For the first time in history there was an acknowledgment of the Jewish historical experience, as the treatment and persecution of Jews were affirmed and memorialized.
Discrimination, quotas, and restrictions directed against Jews were rescinded.
Judaism was accepted as a legitimate part of the American religious order.

America itself would benefit from the imprint and contributions of Jews to the culture, politics, and economics of this society. Although, I would suspect, that much of this 70-year story will over time be dismantled and reappropriated.

Could this uncertain moment be merely a “hick-up experience” where ultimately Jews in this country will again feel secure and accepted? One should hope that this might be the scenario.

It is important to identify the seeds related to this adverse and disturbing transition:

The global decline of democracy and the corresponding ascendency of authoritarianism.
The rejection of liberalism as a core framework of American philosophy and politics, offset by a growing acceptance of extremist political movements and ideas.
The rise of populism, the assault on “truth” and the presence of political incivility.
A rejection of science and reason and a corresponding acceleration in the promotion of conspiracy theories.

All of these trends must be seen as undermining the status and well-being of America’s Jews. Historically, minorities have been dependent on a set of core safeguards, among them the primacy of reason, political stability, a rejection of extremist ideologies, and a commitment to liberal principles and practice. When such systems of governance come undone, this becomes a dramatic signal to Jews that their political and social standing is unraveling.

In “returning to history” what might Jews anticipate, as these generations of Jewish Americans were exempted from the traditional storyline of our long saga? One can anticipate these patterns of behavior:

The place and status of Jews, Judaism and Israel will be diminished.
Individual Jews will experience a heightened level of targeting and marginalization.
There will be a growing tendency to negate and reappropriate the Jewish contributions to America.
Code words, such as “Zionists” , “Neo-Cons”, and “Globalists” will be introduced to negatively reference Jews. Politicians and other public officials who have embraced Israel and Jews will be singled out for retribution.
Criticism of the US-Israel relationship will lead to more intensive efforts to isolate, boycott, and ultimately to end this significant connection.

In this scenario, Jews will be assigned to a more diminished role and place within this nation. The signals for this dramatic change have been in play for some time.

Among the core indicators:

The rise of post-Modernist thought within American academia, with its specific assault on “whiteness”, racism, colonialism, and power.
The expansion of Arab investments in American educational institutions.
The growth of the alt-Right with its focus on reabilitating rejected notions about race, immigrants, class and whiteness, while restoring credibility to such ideas as Nazism.
The impact of social media in reframing what constitutes “truth” and in giving credibility to “influencers” to “create” alternative news and reshape beliefs.
The 2008 economic recession and the 2020 Covid Pandemic would fundamentally reshape behaviors and beliefs.
The rise of new American political movements, among them Democratic Socialism, Christian nationalism, and populism.
The growing political awakening of other ethnic communities who are now competing to attain their place and power within the fabric of this society.

All of these developments would produce a fundamentally different view about Jews, Israel, and Zionism. Among the new threats involves the competing beliefs about Jewish “Whiteness” raising a host of anti-Semitic beliefs, generated by the political extremes? The Zionist experiment has been described by our opponents as a colonialist, racist expression taking land and sovereignty from an indigenous people, i.e. the Palestinians. We are experiencing the redeployment of old canards about Jews as being powerful, wealthy, and only prepared to serve their own, as part of a 21st Century critique of Jewish influence. These and other messages today are being conveyed as part of this attack on who we are and what we represent. This moment has become a shocking reality check, reacquainting us with how Western civilization encountered and defined Jews for centuries.

The test ahead, how will Jews respond, as we are tested for the first time in our life time to deal with this assault on our presence within America? Coming on the eve of this nation’s 250th anniversary, can we begin to reframe our story and message, reminding ourselves and others of how deeply embedded we have been in this nation’s storyline.