We all expect Nazis to be anti-Jewish, but the Left should know better
Whoopi Goldberg famously already demonstrated she doesn’t understand Antisemitism while she’s an expert on Racism.
Certainly, Nazis called Jews a race. But Jew-haters call us the racists.
I believe that Intersectionality was invented to go after the Jews. Almost all oppressions have a lot in common, and by highlighting this, one can go after the Jews whose oppression stands out.
I recall a giant peaceful demonstration in Amsterdam in the 1980s Against Racism, Xenophobia, and Homophobia. For the first time, Antisemitism was dropped from the list of vices. Was that because the name was too long already, because Antisemitism is just another form of Racism, or because mentioning Antisemitism would have made too many people too uncomfortable? I never spoke to the organizers, so I don’t know.
What I do know is what happened when I joined as an Orthodox Jew with a placard: ‘And Also Against Antisemitism.’ I made sure I smiled the whole time because a liberated Jew is not intimidated or terrified. Most people looked at me and my sign in horror. Hardly anyone talked to me. You only needed to see me marching there to know what isolating Jews looks like.
Reply to ‘How about the Palestinians?’ with: ‘How about Palestinian Antisemitism?’ Jews never were the Gentiles’ enemies, but Palestinians and Muslims in general (not everyone!) have unchallenged Jew-hatred.
Reply to ‘How about the genocide in Gaza?’ with: ‘The thought of genocide in Gaza is preposterous. The only party committed to genocide is Chamas.’
Just like Germany was never threatened by the Jews, the only problem in the Middle East is Jew-hatred, not what Jews do or are.
But there are Jews who say the same as us. Yes, there are also Blacks and Gays and women and poor people who support Trump. It’s no excuse.
The Republican Party has had great difficulty lately calling out sexism, racism, xenophobia, trans-hatred, gay-hatred, and disdain for veterans and people who are mentally or physically different from the majority, especially by Trump, and support from Neo-Nazis.
Compare that to the Democratic Party (and in the UK: Labour), which has great difficulty calling out Antisemitism and its twin Anti-Zionism. “No, we are not against Jews, only against Israel.” “No, we are not against Israel, only against the imperialist Apartheid State of Israel.” No, we are not against the imperialist Apartheid State of Israel, only against Netanyahu.”
So, what to vote for? ‘For bigots’ or ‘for Antisemites?’ I say: vote ‘for the Antisemites.’ The Left will right many anti-social wrongs in the US and also work against hatred and threats against local Jews. Israel will survive.
While if Trump or Haley wins, America and NATO will go down the drain, and US Jews or Israel won’t be safer for it. Israel will survive Harris’s reign.
There is this persistent implication that Obama and Harris are evil because they can’t stand up for Israel. That’s not true. They’re confused, not evil.
And Trump isn’t kosher or trustworthy just because he says he’s for Israel.
MM is a prolific and creative writer and thinker, previously a daily blog contributor to the TOI. He often makes his readers laugh, mad, or assume he's nuts—close to perfect blogging. He's proud that his analytical short comments are removed both from left-wing and right-wing news sites. None of his content is generated by the new bore on the block, AI. *
As a frontier thinker, he sees things many don't yet. He's half a prophet. Half. Let's not exaggerate. Or not at all because he doesn't claim G^d talks to him. He gives him good ideas—that's all. MM doesn't believe that people observe and think in a vacuum. He, therefore, wanted a broad bio that readers interested can track a bit what (lack of) backgrounds, experiences, and educations contribute to his visions. *
This year, he will prioritize getting his unpublished books published rather than just blog posts. Next year, he hopes to focus on activism against human extinction. To find less-recent posts on a subject XXX among his over 2000 archived ones, go to the right-top corner of a Times of Israel page, click on the search icon and search "zuiden, XXX". One can find a second, wilder blog, to which one may subscribe too, here: https://mmvanzuiden.wordpress.com/ or by clicking on the globe icon next to his picture on top. *
Like most of his readers, he believes in being friendly, respectful, and loyal. However, if you think those are his absolute top priorities, you might end up disappointed. His first loyalty is to the truth. He will try to stay within the limits of democratic and Jewish law, but he won't lie to support opinions or people when don't deserve that. (Yet, we all make honest mistakes, which is just fine and does not justify losing support.) He admits that he sometimes exaggerates to make a point, which could have him come across as nasty, while in actuality, he's quite a lovely person to interact with. He holds - how Dutch - that a strong opinion doesn't imply intolerance of other views. *
Sometimes he's misunderstood because his wide and diverse field of vision seldomly fits any specialist's box. But that's exactly what some love about him. He has written a lot about Psychology (including Sexuality and Abuse), Medicine (including physical immortality), Science (including basic statistics), Politics (Israel, the US, and the Netherlands, Activism - more than leftwing or rightwing, he hopes to highlight reality), Oppression and Liberation (intersectionally, for young people, the elderly, non-Whites, women, workers, Jews, LGBTQIA+, foreigners and anyone else who's dehumanized or exploited), Integrity, Philosophy, Jews (Judaism, Zionism, Holocaust and Jewish Liberation), the Climate Crisis, Ecology and Veganism, Affairs from the news, or the Torah Portion of the Week, or new insights that suddenly befell him. *
Chronologically, his most influential teachers are his parents, Nico (natan) van Zuiden and Betty (beisye) Nieweg, Wim Kan, Mozart, Harvey Jackins, Marshal Rosenberg, Reb Shlomo Carlebach, and, lehavdil bein chayim lechayim, Rabbi Dr. Natan Lopes Cardozo, Rav Zev Leff, and Rav Meir Lubin. This short list doesn't mean to disrespect others who taught him a lot or a little. One of his rabbis calls him Mr. Innovation [Ish haChidushim]. Yet, his originalities seem to root deeply in traditional Judaism, though they may grow in unexpected directions. In fact, he claims he's modernizing nothing. Rather, mainly basing himself on the basic Hebrew Torah text, he tries to rediscover classical Jewish thought almost lost in thousands of years of stifling Gentile domination and Jewish assimilation. (He pleads for a close reading of the Torah instead of going by rough assumptions of what it would probably mean and before fleeing to Commentaries.) This, in all aspects of life, but prominently in the areas of Free Will, Activism, Homosexuality for men, and Redemption. *
He hopes that his words will inspire and inform, and disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed. He aims to bring a fresh perspective rather than harp on the obvious and familiar. When he can, he loves to write encyclopedic overviews. He doesn't expect his readers to agree. Rather, original minds should be disputed. In short, his main political positions are among others: anti-Trumpism, for Zionism, Intersectionality, non-violence, anti those who abuse democratic liberties, anti the fake ME peace process, for original-Orthodoxy, pro-Science, pro-Free Will, anti-blaming-the-victim, and for down-to-earth, classical optimism, and happiness. Read his blog on how he attempts to bridge any tensions between those ideas or fields. *
He is a fetal survivor of the pharmaceutical industry (https://diethylstilbestrol.co.uk/studies/des-and-psychological-health/), born in 1953 to his parents who were Dutch-Jewish Holocaust survivors who met in the largest concentration camp in the Netherlands, Westerbork. He grew up a humble listener. It took him decades to become a speaker too, and decades more to admit to being a genius. But his humility was his to keep. And so was his honesty. Bullies and con artists almost instantaneously envy and hate him. He hopes to bring new things and not just preach to the choir. *
He holds a BA in medicine (University of Amsterdam) – is half a doctor. He practices Re-evaluation Co-counseling since 1977, is not an official teacher anymore, and became a friendly, powerful therapist. He became a social activist, became religious, made Aliyah, and raised three wonderful kids. Previously, for decades, he was known to the Jerusalem Post readers as a frequent letter writer. For a couple of years, he was active in hasbara to the Dutch-speaking public. He wrote an unpublished tome about Jewish Free Will. He's a strict vegan since 2008. He's an Orthodox Jew but not a rabbi. *
His writing has been made possible by an allowance for second-generation Holocaust survivors from the Netherlands. It has been his dream since he was 38 to try to make a difference by teaching through writing. He had three times 9-out-of-10 for Dutch at his high school finals but is spending his days communicating in English and Hebrew - how ironic. G-d must have a fine sense of humor. In case you wonder - yes, he is a bit dyslectic. If you're a native English speaker and wonder why you should read from people whose English is only their second language, consider the advantage of having an original peek outside of your cultural bubble. *
To send any personal reaction to him, scroll to the top of the blog post and click Contact Me. *
His newest books you may find here: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AMoshe-Mordechai%2FMaurits+van+Zuiden&s=relevancerank&text=Moshe-Mordechai%2FMaurits+van+Zuiden&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1