UNITED STATES CIRCA 2028

The United States of America could be a declining Empire but more significantly for Americans is who will be governing it circa 2028? Both official political parties are divided and while the Republican situation is unsustainable the Democrats have their knickers in a knot over shades of difference. There is little doubt that the Democrats will regain the House of Representatives in 2026 and are on a path to win the Senate - an assumption that would have been absurd 18 months ago. Not that the Democratic Party, (DP), is too popular but Donald Trump, who is the Republican Party, (GOP), is far less so. 

The Democrats have to be careful how they frame this interim fight as they cannot deliver too much in opposition with a President who has had his power enhanced by the Supreme Court. If they promise the moon not being able to deliver the 2028 Presidential election will be thrown open. A  MAGA contender, who has ditched Trump for betraying the Party that he defined, will run against a Democrat whose party has not presented a united front. 

It has sunk into Trump's incoherent mind that his Republican Party is going to sustain heavy losses in the 2026 midterm election. Plan A is to try and take over the electoral process thereby ensuring a victory. If Plan A fails, Plan B, is the allegation that foreign influences such as China want him out and crooked the voting machines. It will be fraud one way or another. The President in moments of lucidity has even mused that the Party in power always loses in the midterms. 

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CIRCA 2026

The DP have yet to hammer out a consensus policy that they could run on in 2028. Rather they are set to have an internecine battle as to who their presidential candidate is going to be in the inane belief that whoever wins so will the country go. The rise of  Democratic Socialists is nothing new. The types of progress needed is not dissimilar to the New Deal by FDR, in the 1940’s,  Dwight Eisenhower, in the 1950’s and then by LBJ in the 1960’s. Obama moved it modestly in the 2010’s. However as the Mandela mantra argued it is a “Long Walk to Freedom”

Over the past 50 years the DP has moved from the party of the workers to that of special groups - not that that was unworthy but it allowed Donald Trump to take the mantle of being the people’s candidate. He has not delivered. His charisma and rhetoric cannot cancel out that he is creating an oligarchy at the expense of the electorate. Rousing speeches don’t remove the realities of higher food and energy costs, loss of health care, savage treatment of alleged illegal immigrants, the high cost of housing, and an unpopular ill thought out escalating war. That Communism is the greatest internal threat America has ever faced, "....greater (than the) World Wars, Pearl  Harbor and 9/11", will be his message for the 2026 campaign. 

Bernie Sanders, the leader of the Democratic Party, Socialists, (DPS),has a huge responsibility. He cannot afford a repeat of his 2106 Primary battle with Hilary Clinton where at the Democratic Convention his supporters screamed down the crowning of the eventual candidate. At the moment he and his protege Ms Ocassio - Cortez are touring supporting their candidates in Democratic Primaries. They are visiting red and blue states to wild receptions. That is all very well, in 2024 Harris's herself had crowds of 50,000, but can they a swing Congressional seats in rural Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, Michigan, Iowa, Alaska or Texas?. Can any of their candidates win in the other contested Senate seats other than Maine which was won by Kamala Harris in 2024. The dice is really being rolled, for example, in the Wisconsin Governor’s  and Michigan’s Senate DP Primary elections as to whether an electable nominee can emerge.

The DPS move the debate starkly exposing the inequities in the American society. It is interesting to note that in 2020 Sanders after competing with, eventually allied with Biden knowing that Trump was a danger to the Republic. Now he seems to be supporting anyone whom he thinks can win a DP Primary without proper research, vetting and working through the consequences. The two factions within the DP need to strategize.

THE 2028 DP PRESIDENCY CANDIDATES

What is crucial is that in 2028 the DP win the Presidency. The latter more so than ever because the Supreme Court has given that Executive Office unimaginable power. For that, he or she will need a legislative record as well as not being a polarizing figure. At the moment there are two rising stars in the DP, Jon Ossoff and Alexandra Ocassio - Cortez. They are young and charismatic. The former is too young and inexperienced. He, Ossoff, has soared into contention as a devastating authentic attacker of Trump and a certain Senate winner in Republican Georgia. He is inexperienced and the fact that he is Jewish can’t help. Ms. Ocassio -Cortez is just that a Ms, young but more experienced than Ossoff. She is a former bartender who knocked out an establishment Congressman Democrat in a very blue Congressional constituency in New York. A genuine worker and like Ossoff a rock star. She is the DPS torchbearer as Bernie fades into the sunset. 

The obvious nominee should be Biden’s Transport Secretary Pete Butticieg who ran a magnificent Presidential Campaign in 2020 with the experience of only having been a Mayor of a small town in red Indiana. He is at ease in GOP environments and a regular on Trump’s echo chamber, Murdoch’s Fox News. He is left of center skillfully declining to comment on some of the far out policies of the DPS such as throwing out the Senate!. He maintained that there is much that can be agreed upon. In a similar vein is Andy Beshear ,Governor of the red state Kentucky. He would not have the national following Butticieg has. The bias against the latter is the one that led Kamala Harris not to consider him as her Vice Presidential running mate - he is a gay. Kamala Harris herself is a contender but the same prejudices still apply to her.

There are many other contenders such as Gavin Newsom, Governor of the fourth largest economy in the world, California. Legislators Corie Booker, Ro Khanna and Amy Klobuchar and Governors Pritzker, Moore and Shapiro can be added to the deep DP bench - not forgetting Rahm Emanuel former Obama's Chief of Staff. 

But the Democrats in general have two priorities - to see to it that the elections take place in an environment where all those that support them feel it is safe to vote in 2026. They also have to have a unified policy going into the 2028 with everyone backing the Presidential nominee who emerges from the Primary.

THE RESPONSE TO TRUMP THREATS TO 2026 MIDTERMS

The issues of safety, fairness, voting and even cancellation of the 2026 election are being seriously addressed by the DP, it’s supportive Political Action Committees , non governmental organizations, and it’s legal team. Within and without the Congress the Dems are responding to Trump’s unabashed attempts at nullifying the midterms. Recently the DP leader of the Senate, Chuck Schumer held a second caucus where different scenarios were played out. The fear that ICE or any other Federally controlled militia could be sent to intimidate  is being countered by discussions with local police officials who constitutionally are in charge. Other scenarios were discussed but generally speaking participants were tight lipped and concerned. Their lead counsel. Mark Elias was more positive.

Every move to abort free and fair elections is being fought in the Courts where Elias and his team of 80 lawyers are in active litigations against infractions of the process. Elias’s company Democracy Docket are tracking 194 active cases at the moment. In the principal area of Trump’s powerful Department of Justice, (DOJ), weighing in, the DP plaintiffs have won all 17 cases that have been decided. These are Trump’s attempts via his DOJ to get State voting lists. 

As Elias has pointed out Trump tried every thing possible to overturn his loss in 2020 including watching over an attack on the Capitol by supporters who threatened to kill his Vice President. Trump has made it quite clear that he has every intention of not allowing defeat in 2026 and alluded to the fact that he may run for an illegal third term in 2028. That would be his fourth victory he swaggers as he still argues he beat Biden In 2020. His fight against reversing failure has marked his career since being a businessman. As Elias points out he even reversed a referee in The FIFA World Cup Football Championship.

So far the Supreme Court have given Trump what appears to be two victories. First they allowed States to gerrymander constituencies. The GOP States kicked off potentially giving Trump more seats in the House. DP States countered and the overall advantage to Trump’s GOP was minimized. Then that august body placed no limits on money that could be spent on elections. As it happens the DP candidates have overwhelmingly out raised  their opposition with small donations while the GOP Political Action Committees have a ton more money. The Conservative Court however narrowly ruled against the biggest threat to DP safe voting, mail and absentee ballots by ruling against the regime.

Another Trump move is the “Save The Vote” Act which would seriously damage DP voters who do not have original birth certificates or up to date passports and women who have married and have changed their name. This Act is stuck in the Senate where the Republican leader has stated, in spite of daily belittling and cajoling by Trump, he hasn’t 50 votes let alone 60 to break the filibuster. So Trump has gone to the courts to claim the right to control elections where he has lost so he has urgently gone to the Supreme Court.

“WE THE PEOPLE” RESPONSE TO THE TRUMPIAN  REGIME

So far “We the people” are more than doing their bit. The violent ICE, (United States Customs and Enforcement), have been forced out of cities in spite of their stormtrooper like behavior. There have been, day in and day out, placard carrying dissidents in the streets screaming their opposition to all efforts to create an authoritarian state. “Illegals” have been rounded up like cattle while protestors, and others besides the undocumented have been killed in the round up. Over 50 detainees have died in a year. Protests everywhere at the turning of warehouses into detention centers have virtually called the objective to a halt. The “Indivisible” organization have held 3 countrywide “No Kings” protests that have produced a record number of citizenry at each, 7 million at two. The left wing online podcasters and not for profit groups have burgeoned and are dominating. Bye election results and primaries show at least a 10 percent swing away from Trump. Even the Murdoch media empire is divided. The “Wall Street Journal” is full-time into hammering Trump. So what now?

SO WHAT NOW?

The DP need a plan, strategy that goes beyond 2026. It is much more difficult to run as a potential government and then just attacking a corrupt, incompetent administration. Whatever part of the legislature they control they need to spell out what a DP Government could in enact if it had the Presidency. 

Trump came in with a plan, “Project 25”, although he truthfully denied he knew its contents. The key author of the plan is sitting in The White House, (aptly named for him and Trump). Russell Voight is Director of the Office Management and the Budget and several other “acting” positions. He has achieved his main goal, expansion of the power of the Presidency. He should have been careful what he wished for although he assumed and has yet not been proved wrong that Trump would be there forever.

For heaven’s sake there are politicians at the helm of the DP. They have to understand how to get things done. For example, every sane person knows that medical care should be available for all and costs are out of control.The strategy now should be comprehensive including to fully reinstall the Affordable Care Act, (Obamacare), and widen it to fill the gap that an expanded Medicaid and Medicare won’t cover. Progress to a single payer system and central government control in this milieu is a pipe dream. An overall plan that is doable is needed.(Remember it was the GOP President Eisenhower who built a massive infrastructure program and raised the maximum tax rate to 92 percent).There also aren’t enough doctors at the moment. They have to expand the nurse practitioner program where specialized skills can be learned in a few years by those who have clinical experience. Hospital and Insurance groups cost structure needs overall. Obscenely the CEOS earn millions of dollars. Sixty - five percent of people going bankrupt stated medical issues as the cause. 

Timothy Snyder has mentioned the nuclear option. secession of the blue states like, California, Illinois, New York et al. As matters stand at the moment they are receiving far less than they pay to the Federal Government. In fact they subsidize the Red States

AT THE END OF THE DAY

If 2026 is maneuvered to MAGA it will be the end of democracy for a long long time.

If 2026 is lost by MAGA and then won back in 2028 it will be as bad. 

 

UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN - JUDENFREI?

 

It seems impossible today, as a Jew, to be able to criticize the policies of the nation state Israel while not accepting that it and all Jews should be driven off the planet. That is the situation brewing at the University of Cape Town, (UCT), South Africa. The environment has led to a highly significant reduction in the number of Jewish students that attend, reaching between 20 to 30 percent for the greater part of the twentieth century.  Now it is roughly 1.3 percent.

 UCT now reflects the antisemitic sentiment that is permeating the world. It is quite ok to recognize that Americans can carry on in America even though it is common cause that their current government is corrupt and tending towards authoritarianism. However, all Jews within and without Israel are to be put on the cross as a result of the cabal of Bibi Netanyahu.

THE  OVERALL  PICTURE 

By any standards the fight at UCT, South Africa around antisemitism and Zionism these past years is unique. It appears like a satire of a mob operation. The "territories" include the definition of antisemitism, a boycott of Israeli academics, and a suspended and then installed Professor, (Mendelsohn). Then there is an intertwined trio, with common philosophies. Central to all three is the CEO, (Yach), of the massive Mauberger Foundation. She has connections with the founder, (Sooliman) of a Gift of the Givers organization, who was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University. The third string is the governing Council of the University where the aforementioned CEO is a key member and which is ultimately responsible for all UCT policy such as the granting of Honorary Doctorates. 

There is now ensuing ongoing litigation between the Professor and The University Council and 31 individuals in their personal capacities as a result of the Council resolutions. Added to that is litigation within the Mauberger Foundation itself. The complaint alleges illegal and fraudulent behavior of the CEO, Dianna Yach and two allies.

This unbelievable saga must also be seen in the context of the extraordinary power that Public Universities have in our modern day society and the hubris exhibited by them.

THE TIME LINE

June 22, 2024: The University Council passed a number of resolutions on antisemitism and Israel. Their resolve had been hardened by the UCT Senate backing. The gist of their decisions  is that they axed the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. (IHRA) definition of antisemitism which is generally accepted by every major university in the world. They instituted an academic boycott with any institution that had any contact with the Israeli Defense Force or the military establishment. As the latter is central to Israeli society this virtually axed any involvement with Israeli academics. 

August 2024: Professor Adam Mendelsohn entered a complaint in the Western Cape High Court against the University Council and 31 individuals in their personal capacities. Principally he wanted the two resolutions negated for a whole host of reasons including illegality of the process, personal political beliefs posturing as policy, failure to involve stakeholders and withholding of the outcomes of such policies.

November 2024: Following a number of accusations by colleagues against History Professor Mendelsohn, the then head of the Isdore and Theresa Cohen Chair of Jewish Civilization and the Director of the Isaac and Jessie Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies and Research and the nominated head of an integrated History Department, was suspended. 

Ostensibly this was on the basis of an independent investigation conducted by Zola Mcaciso of MS Inc. The report in fact exonerated Mendelsohn and to this day the Council have refused to release the full report. 

Needless to say this whole issue has been added to the amended litigation. Mcaciso has entered two sworn statements one contradicting the other. She has maintained that her altered statement was as a result of pressure from the Council. 

2025:  A slew of additional allegations by Mendelsohn, amicus briefs for both parties and sworn statements were added to the court docket. These included amicus briefs from Council members indicating the opposing viewpoints within that body, one particularly from Diane Yach who was the glue that connected the conspiracy. The Freedom of Speech Association entered a strong brief in support of the Plaintiff, Mendelsohn. Perjury on the defendants’ side has been alleged. Plaintiff now had arguments to allege that his illegal suspension was on the basis of his August 2024 litigation.

December 22, 2025:  By this time this conflict was a cause celebre on the internet and some conventional media in SouthAfrica. An article published by the South African Broadcasting Corporation of a UCT Convocation Meeting reflects an opinion of a well read columnist. This piece was published and republished earlier. The author is renowned for her critiques of socio-political issues. Convocation is principally made up of alumni.

The Pincer, (the name of the column), by Lerato Mokeona, (a pseudonym), “How UCT became the frontline of a new ideological purge”.

"At UCT convocation…. the word Zionist is a convenient code for Jew… This is not about Gaza it is about the quiet expulsion of Jews from public life….UCT did not have a debate, it exercised a purge…….Jews that do not renounce their identity are not welcome here……history offers many lessons but this one is cruel, Kristalnacht the 2025 edition…. This is not liberation politics….The bitter irony…..Jews contribution to UCT’s excellence over the years has been immense…..this is not a debate about the Middle East….this a campaign against Jewish legitimacy…UCT has simply become the latest battleground….”

December 2025: The three Judge Panel stated that they would consider the Mendelsohn case and would rule when ready. By American standards this is rocket speed. 

March/April 2026:  University of Cape Town Graduation Ceremony where Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman was awarded an honorary doctorate in philosophy. Recipients of these honors reflect the value system and philosophy of a University. His philanthropy in “Gift of the Givers” is undisputed.  He was blunt on his goal as stated on October 25, 2025 at UCT.

“….we had to break the fear we have to break the money and we had to break this the antisemitism, and we know that antisemitism is used to shut you up. So if we stand up against Zionists and they say your’e antisemitic I am 5000 percent antisemitic”. Dr. Sooliman is not on the same page democratically, "I don’t follow international law or human law….I break laws all the time…breaking the law is laws of the West…..”

Jay H. Ell has deliberately left all his references to his faith that he perceives allows him to verbalize his policies. Jay H. Ell condemns the usage of religion as a rationale for all racist behavior. Similarly he renounces the religious violence of the Israeli settlers against the Palestinians on the West Bank.

Dr. Sooliman's organization, Gift of the Givers, received a grant from the Council member Dianna Yach, CEO of the Mauberger Foundation. He is associated with Ms. Reeza Isaacs head of the Financial Committee  of the UCT Council. Both of whom voted for his honor.

April 29, 2026: Professor Mendelsohn finally delivered his inaugural speech as the integrated Professor of History at UCT.

 

The bulk of his message, as a historian, was devoted to the story of the Jews. In the last quarter he quoted some of Dr. Sooliman’s conspiracy theories about Jews and Zionists. In addition to the students voting with their feet he reported that, “….Many Jewish staff despair at the campus climate; the accumulation of slights, insults and ugliness; the ease with which tropes about Jewish money and power as well as other stereotypes are mouthed by colleagues….”

May 4, 2026:  Litigation initiated by family members,  brother Dereck and cousin Steven Levy against the takeover of the Mauberger Foundation by Dianna Yach.

Ms. Yach allegedly forced out two family members and replaced them with allies Igshaan Higgins and Brian Figaji. The Plaintiffs claim that she and her allies failed to follow the provisions of the Mauberger Foundation where the allocation of funds are 50 percent to Israeli entities, 25 percent to South African Jewish Organizations and a similar amount to non Jewish entities. The plaintiffs show that for a number of years the allocation to Israel was far below and that several Jewish entities in South Africa were axed. They further alleged that there was blatant fraud which they back up with forensic evidence. They called for the three to be labelled “Delinquent Directors”. This designation in South Africa is the kiss of death for any further position of trust in any organization or company and can have broad financial implications.  

June 18,2026: Papers were delivered on a Ms. Megan Choritz, a member  for “South African Jews for a Free Palestine", where Professor Mendelson alleged defamation. She claimed inter alia that, he was, “Islamophobic….a supporter of Israel’s genocide in Gaza….should be deplatformed…..looks and sounds exactly like antisemitism…”

July 2026: The outcome of all the litigation is still pending.

DONOR OUTCOME OF UCT’S RESOLUTIONS.

As Mendelsohn’s original complaint alleges, the powers that be withheld the financial implications of their decisions to the full UCT Council where their resolutions were only carried by 14 votes to 13. A remnant of strong Jewish involvement still remains in the donor class to UCT. In fact that is where most of the money is derived from. The tradition established by Alfred Beit way back to start UCT is still ongoing. The most generous donor The Donald Gordon Foundation immediately withdrew their 200,000,000 Rand grant as it was subject to the University sticking to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism. Their offer of an additional 500,000,000 Rand for an Academic Hospital was withdrawn. The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, an American based fund - the Dells too are Jewish - have axed their 50,000,000 Rand grant. (All in all close on $50,000,000 which goes a long long way in South Africa). It is interesting to note that Dr. Sooliman’s Gift of the Givers nor Ms.Yach’s Mauberger Foundation were listed as meaningful donors.

The Vice Chancellor and Principal of UCT, Mosa Moshabela, went to Parliament to complain about these losses but hasn’t received the money for the shortfall.

AT THE END OF THE DAY

In the irony of all ironies the offer of the Academic Hospital has been made to the University of Stellenbosch, where Jewish students are now electing to attend. Stellenbosch in times gone by was the epicenter of apartheid. It is where the mocking nickname “Ikey” was used for all students at UCT because of their high enrollment of Jews. How times change.

Assuming Dr. Sooliman is correct will South Africa take 8,000,000 Jewish refugees of all colors and with some fundamentalists like him? In 1938 with impending doom for Jews, 38 countries met at Evian, France. Not one of them accepted to take one more Jew above their overall  immigration quota.

UCT is not quite Judenfrei yet.

Jay H. Ell has a conflict of interest. It will be noted at the side of this blog that he was, a columnist at UCT in his student days.

CAN THE JEWS SURVIVE ?

Dating from the 139 BCE Roman expulsion from then, Judea, up until the middle of the twentieth century the Jews have accepted their fate of being violently attacked as the scapegoats for economic downfalls and libels such as they kill children for their blood for religious purposes. In earlier history it was because, "They  killed Christ", (Blog:“IT IS ALWAYS THE JEWS”). They customarily responded by either emigrating to countries that would accept them or at worst “walked like lambs to their slaughter”. 

There has, once again, been a world wide resurgence of antisemitism. This was exponentially exacerbated by the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israeli citizens. The anger has been fueled ever since by the Israeli Prime Minister, Netanyahu's Gaza/Lebanon ongoing response, then further inflamed by the Trump war with Iran. The aforementioned events intensified the hatred against the Jews outside of Israel in the diaspora as well. The fact that Trump has publicly abandoned Netanyahu in anticipation, perhaps, for blaming him for their joint failure opens the door for his cult to agree “It is always the Jews”.

 This decade's long antisemitism has not occurred in a vacuum. The circumstances of a changing world paradigm - the fourth industrial revolution - has created the economic uncertainty that has historically needed someone to blame - a role the Jews have often filled. Jews, however, respond differently today, than they have historically. 

The question still remains how can they survive this latest blitzkrieg? Who is a Jew is often defined not by Jews so why do they stick their necks out when history has shown that they just get chopped off ? What motivates them to “overachieve”? What are the answers to the antisemites’ criticisms?  

One has to look at the culture the Jews are raised in to realize why this tiny group has outlived its would be conquerors. In this narrative the Hebrew Bible and the culture it generated will be utilized as a background to their inheritance. Psychoanalyst Carl Jung would have called it “collective unconsciousness” but he would have missed the mark as this practice is far from unique to the Jews.

THE WORLD AS IT CURRENTLY IS AND ANTISEMITISM

With the world wide web various demographics, political viewpoints and cultures for example have become instantaneously connected. While related groups stretch across the planet stoking up fear and hate, the nation state is still the only viable entity to govern defined geographical populations.  Illogically all the citizens are judged by the statements and actions of its leader. 

However a nation state’s political system and it's head can change rapidly. Nowhere was this better illustrated recently when overnight autocratic Hungary morphed into a democracy. Hungary’s Orban came into power 16 years ago scapegoating the world famous liberal Jewish billionaire, the Hungarian born George Soros, for its then woes. Some Jews in Hungary backed Orban as the antisemitism prevailed accepting “The Faustian” bargain of “ersatz” support of Israel. What is that worth now?

President Trump, even though he claimed that some of the Charlottesville marchers who chanted  “The Jews will not replace us” were “good people”, is supported by many Jews.  He "alone" concurred with Netanyahu that Iran was an existential threat. Trump now frustrated at the stalemate in the Iran war, admitted a shouting match with Netanyahu, calling him, “F-king crazy”. Trump made it clear, “That I call the shots”.

Trump volunteersd on CNBC, "How a Jewish person can vote for a Democrat is beyond me because I have been the best President in Israel.... I was at 99 (percent) ". This is reminiscent of the philosopher of apartheid, Prime Minister Hendrick Verwoerd, who wryly reflected, " (the fact that) during the last election so many Jews favored the Progressive Party and so few the Nationalist Party did not past unnoticed". Verwoerd also blamed South African Jews for Israel's vote against apartheid at the United Nations.

While the final outcome of the war is not decided, Iran has been transformed into a major world player while Israel no longer has bipartisan support in America, being condemned by not only the extreme right and left but also by members of both political parties. Vice President, J.D. Vance stated, “... the Iran Deal is a home run for the American People whether Israel likes it or not”. 

The famed political scientist, Timothy Snyder, regards the Hungarian precedent as highly relevant to other authoritarian regimes. Autocratic Trump’s government has one third public acceptance while at least seventy- five percent of Israelis, including the Arab citizens are against Netanyahu’s cabal. Jay H. Ell has written screeds against both but supports the nation states of Israel and America while fighting the soaring prevalence of antisemitism in the diaspora. While there was universal condemnation of the Nazis, Germany is now regarded as a mainstay of world democracy, so the old order can and does change.

There has been the hysteria created by the antisemite Nigel Farage’s performance in the recent United Kingdom elections. How short memories are. Farage, who is an Orban and Trump supporter, won the 2016 Brexit referendum with 52 percent of the vote on the same issues that Trump triumphed in 2016. Ironically, the UK's problems are largely as a result of Brexit.This time round Farage won 8 of the 630 seats in the House of Commons. (That is just three more than the Green Party). His success in local elections was a vote of no confidence in the current lack luster UK government. However the self same voters had little confidence in his Reform Party governing the country. 

So while the diaspora's antisemitism has risen once again resulting in individuals being fearful and gathering places such as synagogues and schools requiring security to prevent further hate crimes and murders, no one realistically foresees pogroms or holocausts. Nor whatever government Israel has at the moment the nation state will just not fade away - is Iran volunteering to take 8,000,000 Jewish refugees?

CHANGE IN THE JEWISH ATTITUDE TO IDENTITY AND NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Ever since the Warsaw Ghetto uprising in 1943 and the establishment of the State of Israel, Jews actively have fought back. They have become more aggressively involved in the politics of the diaspora, (Blog:“IT IS ALWAYS THE JEWS”). The political Post WW11 Jewish religious leaders in the diaspora rather than shut up have screamed out loudly about their identity. Some Rabbis in addition to proclaiming their belief system have involved themselves in the national political arena. 

Chief among the national figures was the Chabad Lubavitcher Rebbe Schneerson who post war called for the creation of communities to welcome all Jews and replace hate with love. Within 75 years of the holocaust over 2,500 such communities exist all over the world even in exotic places such as the base of Mount Everest. He is remembered for advising Shirley Chisholm the first black woman in the House of Representatives, who the Southern Democrats had hoped to marginalize by sending her to the Agricultural Committee. Schneerson told her she had the unique opportunity to involve Republican Bob Dole in dealing with the agricultural surplus to start the food program to the poor which in spite of Trump survives to this day.

The mystical Rabbi Abraham Heschel, an escapee from the holocaust, marched literally next to Martin Luther King, “felt his legs praying”. The charismatic Rabbi wrote several religious texts and books, a few which centered around the prophets where his philosophy to life was anchored.

.

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks of the British Commonwealth, philosopher and economist, was persuaded by The Rebbe to become a theologian. He became prominent on the world inter faith and secular stages.  He authored three dozen books and was awarded the Templeton Laureate in 2016. The latter filled the gap of Nobel Prizes by creating an award for fulfilling the “Spiritual dimension of life’. He joined the company of such as the Dalai Lama, Jane Goodall, Solzhenitsyn and Mother Theresa. Although an advisor to several British Prime Ministers he refused to make any political statement other than that he favored the two state solution for the conflict with the Palestinians.

In addition the international voices against anti semitism are loud and clear, headed by Government leaders such as Starmer of Britain, Macron of France, and Mertz of Germany. In America in spite of the exponential increase in hate crimes there are still four Jews who are credible candidates for the 2028 American Presidential election.

 It is crystal clear that those who support the nation state of Israel and attack the policies of the Netanyahu cabal are not antisemites. However there is a difficulty in confronting most Jew haters as invariably they deny being just that. The famed Israeli author, the late Amos Oz, argued, “First they told us to go to Palestine. Now they are telling us to get out!”

WHAT ARE THE RESPONSES TO THE ARGUMENTS OF "ANTISEMITES"? 

For starters Jay. H. Ell notes that as a general rule anyone in any religion believes that it is the “chosen”. As the Jewish religion was the first monotheistic religion that worshipped a 

G-D outside of the Universe they are no exception. Jews whether they are believers or not, secular or religious, Zionists or not, are raised in the culture of the Hebrew Bible, - all 29 “books”. It is important to note according to the latter that the Jews only formed a nation in the second book Exodus. In the first book, Genesis, all people are “born in the image of G-D”.

The reason that Jews including those who are not Zionists and/or disagree with the current actions of Israel are able to be labelled “the aggressors warmongers” is that the first time since biblical times they have a nation state. However the disagreement against Israel's policies is no reason to kill congregants in a synagogue in Pittsburgh or shoppers in a Kosher butchery in Paris. 

The Jews all being capitalists and communists threats at the same time is Hitlerian. Ironically in America the Trump administration is the first to be buying chunks of public companies. The argument that those in the diaspora have dual loyalties is selective bias. In Chicago the Irish dye the river green on St. Patrick’s Day, the Italians flood the streets in Little Italy and on National Day, the Mexicans celebrate Cinco de Miao. None compare with the Polish who have three major celebrations - a massive Constitution Day Parade, Flag Day and a three day Polonia Festival over Labor Day weekend When the Iranian soccer team played in Los Angeles who did one think the largest concentration of Iranian immigrants cheered for? None of the latter gets two column inches. 

This year the Israeli Independence Day evoked much controversy even in New York City which has the largest Jewish population in the world. The phenom newly elected Mayor Zohran Mamdami ostentatiously boycotted it being the first mayor to do so. (One in five Jews voted for him). He also berated the American Israeli Political Action Committee, (AIPAC) as a “monster”. Needless to document that citizens of every other heritage have at least American lobbyists to Congress and they are not regarded as “monsters”. 

There are Jewish political activists of all stripes some even claim that they have “found Zion” in their own countries. In the Torah, (The first five books of the Hebrew Bible), the Israelites are instructed 32 times to “love the stranger as you too were strangers in Egypt”. With regard to being a religion of “obey” the word does not appear once in their liturgy. Rather it is “listen or hear”. There are three types of leaders in the Hebrew Bible, Kings, Priests and Prophets. The latter speak truth to power. The law is divine law and in Exodus it is not foist on the former slaves till “the people” accept it. Even so the leaders often argue with G-D who on occasion takes their point. The Torah is to be updated every generation while all post biblical texts are endless arguments as to how interpret the law. 

Finally with regard to “overachievement” it is a function of many variables including insecurity and portability. (It is a feature too of Asian immigrants). Freud might have argued it was to win favor with mothers, Rene Girard would have maintained it was all about sibling rivalry and Jung was convinced that there was a collective unconsciousness. 

A most important factor however is the tenet that education is a means as well as an ends. The Chabad Rebbe referred to earlier has the American National Education Day named after him.  Rabbi Sacks explained “When Moses gathered the slaves after their liberation from Egypt he does not promise, as the right might do - a past, that never was or what the left might proclaim - a utopia that never can be”. Rather he instructs them “to tell your children”. Today the event is celebrated as Passover where the feature is for children to ask questions.

AT THE END OF THE DAY

The century's old conspiracy emanating out of Russia at the turn of the twentieth century, "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" is surfacing again. Jews apparently control the world. If that was true then they wouldn't be in the predicament they are in now. Nevertheless as history has shown they will survive. 

Netanyahu and the current government is not for long. Bibi's survival parallels Trump - as leader he was responsible for October 7. Even more so as he transferred to Hamas two billion dollars from Qatar over the years. Yet Netanyahu like Trump refuses to take responsibility for their individual major catastrophes - Trump, being January 6.

Why is it the world empathizes appropriately with the Iranian citizens and has virtually no recognition of the hundreds of thousands in the streets of Israel protesting from January 2023 against one or other of Netanyahu's actions?