Has Life Changed for American Jews Since October 7th, 2023?

I wanted to use this to expand on my introductory post.  I have seen many things asking whether Jews in the United States are naive or not about Antisemitism.  I will discuss some of my upbringing, enough to get you to understand how this particular Jewish American ended up.

My father Marvin Charton was a chemist.  He wasn’t ashamed of being Jewish, it was just not what he immediately identified with.  When I was a teenager, we were in Rome, walking past the Arch of Titus.  He looked up and said, “I’m still here, where are you?”  Otherwise, as my mother put it recently, Judaism was being Chemistry and Baseball.

I was Bar Mitzvaed, we went to shul for the High Holy Days.  I attended every Saturday for about a year and a half after that.  It was a Conservative Shul.  Then, I found other stuff.

Most of my friends weren’t Jewish.  Most of my parents friends weren’t Jewish.  Many of my dad’s colleagues and friends were from overseas.  You might say our upbringing was Internationalist in scope.  Proud Americans, but aware of the outside world.

Many of my dad’s colleagues were from Poland of all places.  My parents only visited Israel because Dad had a professional meeting there.  I tell you this, because, I have been to Poland, but not Israel.  A shrink might have fun with that.

I have two younger siblings.  All of us married non Jews.

I told you all this for a reason.  Then October 7th, 2023 happened.  To be blunt, that rocked my world.  As a Jew in the United States, I understood there were Antisemitic people out there, but I saw it as fringe.  I saw it as there are anti Black, Hispanic people etc. pick one.

I know the history of the United States.  After World War II, things began to improve for American Jews, though even at its worst, it wasn’t like Europe.  Even now, we are not on the level of what is going on in much of Europe.  No, we are not Weimar Germany.

Of course, I was appalled at what Hamas did to Israel.  Maybe I was naive, but little did I think the world would blame Israel.

I remember the Six Day War as a kid.  I was in Hebrew School, I was ten years old.  I still remember.  The attitude was plucky little Israel, David beating Goliath.  The problem now, is that Israel is now seen as Goliath.   OOPS.

I was never ashamed of being Jewish.  Even though I am not observant, I always enjoyed the culture and the history.  It is just that it never defined me.

Then, I saw these stupid brats at places like Columbia University, wearing Arab headdress and chanting Free Palestine and Palestine will be free from the river to the sea.  How stupid these kids are.  I had to research it.  I tried not to laugh, with groups such as Gays for Gaza.  What do they think will happen to them, if Hamas gets hold of them.  Why are these kids, like this?  The Palestinian cause has been lumped in with the Anticolonial struggle.  How many kids think Theodore Herzl coming up with Zionism caused all this?  That’s for another essay.

I know American Jews, who don’t see a problem.  Neither major American political party has an anti Semitic platform, though the Democrats are working on pushing Jews out of the party. I am a registered Democrat out of laziness now.  Are the Republicans allies?  Only for now, for three reasons:  1.  Trump has a Jewish daughter and Jewish grandchildren. 2.  The Evangelicals.  3.  Wealthy donors like Miriam Adelson.   That doesn’t mean such an alliance is permanent.  Look back to all the expulsions from countries in the Middle Ages.

My point is that none of this would have occurred to me before October 7th.  I will be 69 years old in December.  I’ve been forced to do I lot of thinking.  Was I living a lie, and major Antisemitism was always under the surface, waiting for something to bring it out?  I don’t think so.  I always saw it as exposure, education, and the existence of Israel was cutting down on Antisemitism in this country.  Is the lesson that all that it is required is an incident to bring it out?   At the end of the day, we are Jews first?  I am just asking at this point.

If I were young today, would I have lived differently after what happened?  Maybe too broad a question, for most of us probably would have.  I wonder regardless of my family if I would have led a more Jewish life, maybe made Aliyah. (I thought of it as an eighteen year old for a hot twenty minutes). I might not have married a non Jew, but at this point, that is speculation.

I’m more aware of being Jewish.  Now, when I meet someone, I look for an opening to bring my Jewishness up.  Why?  I am looking to see how you react.

I am more wary of left wing Antisemitism, because I suspect in the United States, that will be the future.  Face it, no matter what Israel does, they are the bad guy.  By extension, that means Jews.  I’ve encountered Anti Zionist Jews, who think if Israel disappears, it will get better for Jews.  I’m not holding my breath.

So yes, thanks to October 7th, as a Jew in the United States, I’ve been forced to look at being Jewish more deeply.  Depending on comments, I may expand this further.  Thank you for reading.