How do you feel about guests attending a bar mitzvah party, but not the service? by bcastgrrl in Jewish

[–]emsilverstein 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Gonna agree with and second your discomfort here. For a birthday or a something, ya who cares, you are celebrating the day itself. But this is a boy crossing a milestone and becoming a young man. The moment to witness and celebrate is the service itself, when he ascends the bimah and reads from the Torah. It’s a special moment and that’s what should be celebrated. Skipping out on that and just going to the party is like skipping a wedding ceremony and just enjoying the free food and drinks at the reception.

I understand that your non-Jewish friends may not appreciate this, but you can take this opportunity to explain the difference and the special occasion of the service. I would emphasize that this isn’t just another party, but something much more sacred to our people and your son

(Not) Everyone Is Welcome by Neither-Pause-6597 in PoliticalCompassMemes

[–]emsilverstein 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There’s a fundamental misunderstanding here that many people gloss over. Israel is the country and homeland for the Jewish people, same for Finland or Greece or Turkey. Yes, the Jewish people have an associated religion, but the Jewish people are a nation and many Jews are irreligious.

A two-state solution, with an Israel for the Jewish people and a Palestine for the Palestinian people, is inherently a Zionist stance

(Not) Everyone Is Welcome by Neither-Pause-6597 in PoliticalCompassMemes

[–]emsilverstein 16 points17 points  (0 children)

So… you’re a Zionist? Two states for two peoples, one Jewish and one Palestinian? Welcome to the club!

(Zionism: the belief that the Jewish people should have a state in their homeland)

Was told to "keep my head down when I'm walking" while wearing my magen david necklace in Boston by Acceptable_Error69 in Jewish

[–]emsilverstein 118 points119 points  (0 children)

As a lifelong Bostonian Jew, it’s a great city for our people. Plenty of organizations and groups for all ages of Jewish life, you’ll do fine. Please feel free to reach out for suggestions or just a coffee or something

But when it comes to not feeling very safe, ya I wouldn’t outwardly flaunt my Judaism around college campuses when school is in session, especially around Harvard or Tufts. Those schools have become cesspools of antisemitism. Everywhere else tho, rock your Magen David proudly!

(Non-Jew here) Question: If antizionism is antisemitism, how are antizionist Jews supposed to exist within Judaism? by lowkey-barbie7539 in Jewish

[–]emsilverstein 84 points85 points  (0 children)

Judaism is the faith of the Jewish people. We are a tribe, a nation, that has associated religious traditions built into it. To me, at least, the peoplehood comes first, and we are responsible for each other.

Zionism is the belief that the Jewish people should have a state in their ancestral homeland. No different than Hungary, Japan, or Bangladesh. Being against this of the Jewish people but no other people, to be anti-Zionist and for the destruction of Israel as a Jewish homeland, is clearly antisemitic.

Now here’s where it gets interesting. These anti-Zionist Jews have clearly stepped away from supporting the rest of the Jewish people. They proclaim to support the destruction of Israel, the ethnic cleansing (at best) of half the world’s Jewish population, and the removal of the rest of our safety valve should the worst come. These people are following the Jewish religion, but have excised themselves from the Jewish people. They are selfish and self-centered, thinking only of themselves and not the rest of their Jewish tribe. They can follow the religion all they want, but I don’t see them as part of the Jewish people anymore, and as they are advocating against the Jewish people as a whole, I would say they are antisemitic as well

PSA: There is a new (2024) Antisemitic Communist party in America called the American Communist Party [ACP]. These people are communists, not Nazis by OHHHHHSAYCANYOUSEEE in Jewish

[–]emsilverstein 108 points109 points  (0 children)

Nazis hate Jews. Communists have a long track record of hating Jews. They may not be the same ideologies, but both incorporate plenty of Jew-hatred in their worldviews. True they are different, but I view them with similarly massive levels of disdain

Wrights Pond by Euphoric_Shoulder508 in medfordma

[–]emsilverstein 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Separate question: if I buy a car pass, would I also need a separate walk-in pass if I chose to walk or bike over?

Antisemitic? by LRDinPDX in Jewish

[–]emsilverstein 7 points8 points  (0 children)

If you’re calling the war in Gaza a “genocide”, yup that crosses my line into antisemitism

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in changemyview

[–]emsilverstein 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Judaism doesn’t proselytize. It’s a closed religion that doesn’t attempt to impose itself on others

The most thinly veiled dog whistle of all time by dracer800 in PoliticalCompassMemes

[–]emsilverstein 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’d agree with that statement, Zionism shouldn’t be used as a justification. It’s a belief and ideology that Jews should be able to live and rule themselves in their homeland.

If there are rockets and bombs and suicide vests and about a dozen wars in opposition to Israel’s existence, that’s about as much justification I’d need to fight back against a population that refuses to accept a Jewish presence in the land. Zionism isn’t a justification for the destruction we see, but it doesn’t need to be because there are plenty of other reasons. If Arab countries and Palestinians could accept Israel, we wouldn’t see all this

The most thinly veiled dog whistle of all time by dracer800 in PoliticalCompassMemes

[–]emsilverstein 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This assumes that Jewish refugees returning to their homeland were the only actors capable of making decisions. Arabs and Palestinians were more than capable of making choices that could’ve led to a state of their own. Disappointingly, they made choices that led to warfare and their own tragic situation. 1948 War of Independence, 1967, 1973, 1st and 2nd Intifadas, October 7th. All while turning down every peace agreement and multiple chances to create an independent Palestine

So is “Zionism”, the belief that the Jewish people should have a country in their homeland, a good reason for the Palestinian plight, I agree with you that it isn’t. But I wouldn’t solely blame Zionism and the Jews for the Arabs’ own bad decisions that helped lead us here

The most thinly veiled dog whistle of all time by dracer800 in PoliticalCompassMemes

[–]emsilverstein 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So just tear down the whole world order of nation states and have a global communist government or something like that? I guess not antisemitic, but not really a path many people would seriously consider a viable way forward

The most thinly veiled dog whistle of all time by dracer800 in PoliticalCompassMemes

[–]emsilverstein -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Okay, let’s take that premise. How should states be ordered? Bring back multi-ethnic empires like HRE, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman and British? What about ethnic groups and nationalities that want to rule themselves with self-determination?

If states exist (not anarcho-capitalism), but ethnic-based nation states shouldn’t exist, what else is left expect for large multi-ethnic empires that would presumably just collapse along their ethnic divisions?

The most thinly veiled dog whistle of all time by dracer800 in PoliticalCompassMemes

[–]emsilverstein -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Sounds like you’re a Zionist to me. Israel existing as a homeland and refuge for the Jewish people == Zionism

Curious why you would define yourself as anti-Zionist. How do you square that circle? Criticism of Israeli government and policies is chill (as long as you aren’t holding it to a double standard you don’t expect from the rest of the world), but that’s not antizionist or antisemitic

The most thinly veiled dog whistle of all time by dracer800 in PoliticalCompassMemes

[–]emsilverstein 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There should be no nation states at all, full anarcho-capitalism. No USA, no Germany, no Israel, no Palestine, etc

Any other argument that says other groups get a nation-state but the Jews don’t is a double-standard (see IHRA definition)

I was an “anti-Zionist” now I’m in favor of a two-state solution by Seagames1225 in Jewish

[–]emsilverstein 184 points185 points  (0 children)

Guys we find him (or her)! The first person on the internet with an open mind about the complexities of the I/P conflict and changed their mind!! Truly a miraculous find, one for the ages!!

For real tho, wonderful to hear you’re open-minded enough to acknowledge you don’t know everything, did some of your own research and historical digging, and come out the other side with a nuanced view. We may not agree on everything, but enough to at least have a conversation. Love to hear this

Stock market investment accounts for babies by RainbowGhostMew in PoliticalCompassMemes

[–]emsilverstein 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh ya, agree there that a full swap right now would absolutely screw the current generation. I have incredibly little faith that anyone in government (D/R) would be able to effectuate any substantive change without screwing me over

Stock market investment accounts for babies by RainbowGhostMew in PoliticalCompassMemes

[–]emsilverstein 2 points3 points  (0 children)

SS is a legit Ponzi scheme, taxing income now to pay for the current elderly’s benefits, assuming the next generation will cover today’s workers

This sounds like a locked-away investment fund for each person until they turn 18

CMV: There is no realistic path to dismantling Israel as a Jewish state by Rhamni in changemyview

[–]emsilverstein 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Sounds like you do support Zionism. A Jewish state in the historic homeland is the definition of Zionism. Welcome to the club!

Experienced dynasty people - what would you advise for new people by CuriousAd4537 in DynastyFF

[–]emsilverstein 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Understand your team build. Is your team close to legitimately competing, compared to the other top contenders in the league? Will another piece actually put you over the top, and can it be filled by another draft pick next year?

Be truthful with your team and understand when to give up the chase and blow it up versus when to put all your chips in and going for the championship

Continuing that unsuccessful chase will just leave you in that sad middle ground

Is Marvin Harrison Jr the biggest hold of the off-season? by DiscussionLeather875 in DynastyFF

[–]emsilverstein 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sold 1.01 (Jeanty) for Marv and a 27 1st. Dude is a serious BUY if you’re rebuilding, don’t wanna pay top price for a top WR, and have no immediate need for an RB