(Jewish Group) Why do so many Jews hate Jews?

[Behind the Aegis]

(THIS IS THE JEWISH GROUP! RESPECT!!)

In the late 1970s, Frank Collin was Midwest coordinator for the National Socialist White People’s Party, formerly known as the American Nazi Party. The NSWPP was based on the ideology of Adolf Hitler. It sponsored public marches with full displays of Nazi symbols such as swastikas. Sporting a Hitler hairdo, Collin dressed in dark slacks tucked into high black boots in the Nazi style.1

Collin came to national attention when he planned to bring a Nazi march to Skokie, Illinois, a predominantly Jewish suburb of Chicago and home to many Jewish concentration camp survivors. The plan led to extensive national publicity and a Supreme Court case. (The court affirmed the right of Collin’s Nazis to march.)

Collin’s career in the NSWPP was cut short when his party rivals revealed that Collin’s father was Jewish and a concentration camp survivor. The father, Max Collin, had changed his name from Cohen (or Cohn) to Collin.

Frank Collin was an extreme case of a Jewish person who turned against his own kind. But the phenomenon of anti-Semitic Jews is by no means rare.

more...

This is not, of course, unique to our community. In the GLBT community, we also see scads of homophobia, both external and internalized. This is what happens to minorities; we get the same negative messages about our kind, and some take it to heart.

[no_hypocrisy]

1. My own experience

My parents were Jewish but had no idea really what it meant. Dad grew up in western Pennsylvania in the 20s and 30s and was one of the only five Jewish families in town. Mom, by contrast, grew up in Brooklyn essentially as an atheist.

When my parents started a family, they had two daughters before reaching a quandary when our brother was born. Sure, the bris was a no-brainer, but our parents were sent flying when the rabbi expectantly asked for a Hebrew name for all their children. The next milestone was when I reached first grade and time for Sunday School. Mom was hesitant, but not our father. And the family dutifully joined the temple and we had to start sitting through the High Holy Days services. Nobody wanted to be there.

We moved to a different synagogue which was conservative. And we got attitude from everybody. We were ostracized. I even joined the United Synagogue Youth to fit in and went to Friday night services -- alone. It was made clear that we weren't "Jewish enough." I didn't (and still don't) get it. We dressed like them. We read out of the same black books at High Holy Days like they did. We were Ashkenazis like they were. Converts would have been more welcome than we were. We thought we were as Jewish as they were. We were wrong.

[EllieBC]

2. Conservative and Reform have failed.

They've become bar and bat mitzvah factories and nothing more, sadly. They are dying out. Their congregations are getting older and their children are not interested in being the next generation to run them. This isnt' the case in Orthodox congregations.

Chabad? People who aren't Orthodox do not understand and sometimes loathe them because they are chassidim but they are out and in your face and not hidden as chassidim often are. But you can bet your last dollar that if you need a place to go for RH or YK or a seder for Pesach...they got you. Can't pay? No problem. Have no idea what anything means in that siddur? They can help. Thinking of adopting some practices like getting a mezuzah? They already thought of that and have one for you and btw will come install it. Loved one in the hospital? Someone is on their way to recite tehillim and bring you food.

[EllieBC]

5. It wasn't meant to be mean.

I have family in several places where they are dying out and it's sad. The don't have a younger generation to take over in many places. I'm not saying it's a good thing. It's depressing. Conservative shuls especially are wonderful because they try to keep halacha intact while embracing egalitarianism. but their congregations are getting older and older too.

[MosheFeingold]

3. Couple ideas

First, a +1 on Chabad. They’ve been very good to me. A very loving group, overall. Very non-judgemental.

I think some of the reason (some) Jews don’t like Jewish people is our religion has cost us, so they reject Judaism.

I had a lot of family members who came to America and simply ceased being Jewish— or tried to. The adopted goyishe names, customs, and intermarried.

I think one controversial example of this is George Soros. He’s a solid liberal, but you can tell he’s no fan of the Jewish people. And it goes back to his family’s persecution in Europe. They actually became part of the “Esperanto” movement —- which is more than just a simplified common language, but an attempt to rid Europe of nationalism (and thus bigotry and, in their case, antisemitism — at least in theory). I guess it’s probably more fair to say he’s against any kind of national or ethnic identity.

So same idea as blending into the goyishe society of the USA, but writ large, for everyone.

Anyway, my theory for why so many Jewish people are viewed as self-loathing is it is a defense against antisemitism— they want to just be like everyone else.

I understand the impulse, even if I disagree.