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since we now know that all those "my blog is safe for Jewish people" posts are bullshit, here are some Jewish organizations you can donate to if you actually want to prove you support Jews. put up or shut up

FIGHTING HUNGER

Masbia - Kosher soup kitchens in New York

MAZON - Practices and promotes a multifaceted approach to hunger relief, recognizing the importance of responding to hungry peoples' immediate need for nutrition and sustenance while also working to advance long-term solutions

Tomchei Shabbos - Provides food and other supplies so that poor Jews can celebrate the Sabbath and the Jewish holidays

FINANCIAL AID

Ahavas Yisrael - Providing aid for low-income Jews in Baltimore

Hebrew Free Loan Society - Provides interest-free loans to low-income Jews in New York and more

GLOBAL AID

American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee - Offers aid to Jewish populations in Central and Eastern Europe as well as in the Middle East through a network of social and community assistance programs. In addition, the JDC contributes millions of dollars in disaster relief and development assistance to non-Jewish communities

American Jewish World Service - Fighting poverty and advancing human rights around the world

Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society - Providing aid to immigrants and refugees around the world

Jewish World Watch - Dedicated to fighting genocides around the world

MEDICAL AID

Sharsheret - Support for cancer patients, especially breast cancer

SOCIAL SERVICES

The Aleph Institute - Provides support and supplies for Jews in prison and their families, and helps Jewish convicts reintegrate into society

Bet Tzedek - Free legal services in LA

Bikur Cholim - Providing support including kosher food for Jews who have been hospitalized in the US, Australia, Canada, Brazil, and Israel

Blue Card Fund - Critical aid for holocaust survivors

Chai Lifeline - An org that's very close to my heart. They help families with members with disabilities in Baltimore

Chana - Support network for Jews in Baltimore facing domestic violence, sexual abuse, and elder abuse

Community Alliance for Jewish-Affiliated Cemetaries - Care of abandoned and at-risk Jewish cemetaries

Crown Heights Central Jewish Community Council - Provides services to community residents including assistance to the elderly, housing, employment and job training, youth services, and a food bank

Hands On Tzedakah - Supports essential safety-net programs addressing hunger, poverty, health care and disaster relief, as well as scholarship support to students in need

Hebrew Free Burial Association

Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services - Programs include early childhood and learning, children and adolescent services, mental health outpatient clinics for teenagers, people living with developmental disabilities, adults living with mental illness, domestic violence and preventive services, housing, Jewish community services, counseling, volunteering, and professional and leadership development

Jewish Caring Network - Providing aid for families facing serious illnesses

Jewish Family Service - Food security, housing stability, mental health counseling, aging care, employment support, refugee resettlement, chaplaincy, and disability services

Jewish Relief Agency - Serving low-income families in Philadelphia

Jewish Social Services Agency - Supporting people’s mental health, helping people with disabilities find meaningful jobs, caring for older adults so they can safely age at home, and offering dignity and comfort to hospice patients

Jewish Women's Foundation Metropolitan Chicago - Aiding Jewish women in Chicago

Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty - Crisis intervention and family violence services, housing development funds, food programs, career services, and home services

Misaskim - Jewish death and burial services

Our Place - Mentoring troubled Jewish adolescents and to bring awareness of substance abuse to teens and children

Tiferes Golda - Special education for Jewish girls in Baltimore

Yachad - Support for Jews with disabilities

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Genuine question. You give "Generalized statements about Israel as a major global power/influencing the US" as an example of an antisemitic dogwhistle, but I'm not sure how to tell that from actual criticism of Israel. Can you give some examples?

Sure. First off, when it comes to antisemitism, especially antisemitic conspiracy theories, specificity is the enemy of antisemitism. Giving specific examples of what you're criticizing in Israel makes accidental antisemitism much, much less likely because this brand of antisemitism requires a certain air of mystery and mysticism to function.

When you see Nazi-era antisemitic propaganda like this, it relies on inarticulate fears of diffuse networks of Jews who allegedly puppeteer the rest of the world. It's the same antisemitic conspiracy theory that led to the Coleyville synagogue hostage crisis in 2022, where an antisemite held a Texas synagogue hostage and demanded of Angela Buchdal, a popular but completely unrelated New York rabbi, that the US release some political prisoners. The thought here is that this individual powerful Jew must have sway over the US government, which is controlled by Jews.

When someone says something like "Israel is controlling the west--look at how they're getting away with so much!" that's antisemitic and unhelpful. It's an updated version of "Jews control the world." But we know why Israel can get away with committing atrocities--and it isn't because of the Jews. It's because of its well-established role as a bastion for Western interests in the Middle East. It is, in many ways, an oversized military outpost for the United States that serves as a perpetual source of the regional destabilization that has been the keystone of British and American foreign policy for a century. By the way, Israel started as a British colony--called Mandatory Palestine--largely as a way for the British to maintain a foothold closer to India. From its conception, Israel was meant to serve imperial interests.

Sure, you can talk about how Israel can influence the US or how it could be seen as a global power. You'll just want to make sure you're being specific about those things rather than tossing out generalized statements that are nearly indistinguishable from lizard people conspiracies.

"Israel is unstoppable. The entire world is just bowing down to their whims" = BAD. Conjures the octopus. Doesn't give us a target for material change other than the nebulous Jewish puppetmaster.

"Israel escapes accountability as its ongoing impunity serves the interests of the Imperial core." = GOOD. Stimulates discussion of provable historical fact and international relations. We can do something about this.

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Please please please prioritize Tibetan, Vietnamese, Indian and Iranian voices & narratives when talking about self immolation and its history.

Dr Tenzin M Paldron has a brilliant thesis on this with so maybe references: Tibet, China, and the United States: Self-immolation and the limits of understanding

As well:

Tsering Shakya has an essay called Self-Immolation: the Changing Language of Protest in Tibet

Nicholas Michelsen wrote The Political Subject of Self-Immolation which is available in Occupying Subjectivity (available for free on annas-archive.org)

Michelle Murray Yang published Still Burning: Self-Immolation as Photographic Protest.

There are tons more! There is no shame in not knowing or understanding this intense action BUT! It is so easy for academics, reporters, and theorists living within western-colonial systems to completely disregard the incredibly powerful and horrific act that self-immolation is. Please don’t be a part of that!

*** all these links should be free & accessible - if they’re not & you want to read them reach out & let me know!

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sometimes i browse zionist blogs just to see what the current talking points are and it always feels like an incredible game of dancing around the point. "jewish people have lived there for centuries" yes true. why are we funding the bombing of civilians. "living under hamas sucks and people in gaza hate them too." yeah i imagine many people in gaza have varying thoughts on the situation. why are we funding the bombing of civllians. "i saw some random twitter account say something antisemetic." im sorry that you were exposed to that. why are we funding the bombing of civilians.

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Carved door to the Jewish cemetery, Samarkand, Uzbekistan

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@gashmiusmagazine: "The goal of Gashmius Magazine is to make the world of neo-Hasidism accessible to anyone who might find it meaningful..."

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Hello, re: last month's hormonal imbalance, I was initially wrong about what my problem was, one of low estrogen rather than elevated testosterone and consequently I am getting an ultrasound and a follow-up appointment to discuss results/course of action to take. My ultrasound is $125 and the follow up appointment is $212. The latter kind of took me by surprise in terms of necessity but here we are. With meds and groceries I anticipate needing about $650 in financial help this month. I am extremely grateful and appreciative for all the help I receive and have in the past, thank you so much! ❤️

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i just pointed out in my judaism class that it’s interesting to me that when asked God’s name, God did respond with the ineffable name (the tetragrammaton) but put a much greater emphasis on who they are the God OF (I’m the God of Abraham, the God of Moses, etc.).

and my teacher said she feels a kinship with that because she remembers the joy that came with the first time she was called “(son’s name)’s mom”, and how beautiful it feels be named for who you love. and i almost burst into tears

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Just saw a post saying that the reason jews are in diaspora is because of the shoah. come the fuck on.

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Grit: A Poetry Collection, Silas Denver Melvin

#this is what being trans is to me

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Trans-inclusive language in religious texts is SO IMPORTANT. There is nothing in some young people’s lives that can either validate or dehumanize them so quickly as how they see themselves represented in the words of their religion.

May all who need to see these words find them.

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Losing my mind. The author just being listed as Moses. The fact that it has 3 stars

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Yom Kippur atonement & forgiveness by Alona Frankel

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Reading reviews for havdalah candles written by unsuspecting Christian housewives who bought them to use for dinner candles is my new passion. I’ll be laughing for an eternity.