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Israeli

(4,300 posts)
Tue Feb 18, 2020, 04:01 PM Feb 2020

Why are American Jews so afraid of one of their own?

There is nothing radical about Bernie Sanders’ views on Israel, yet the American Jewish establishment seems bent on portraying the Democratic frontrunner as an anti-Semite.
By
Joshua Leifer
February 16, 2020

Bernie Sanders is now the front-runner in the Democratic presidential primary. He won the popular vote in the Iowa Caucus less than two weeks ago and the New Hampshire primary earlier this past week. He is leading the polls nationally and is the favorite in a number of important, upcoming states.

Even if he does not win the nomination — not say anything of the presidency, though he beats Donald Trump nationally in some polls, too — he will end his campaign as the most successful Jewish politician in modern U.S. history. And yet, the American Jewish establishment is not supporting Sanders’s historic campaign. On the contrary: they’re actively working to stop it.

https://www.972mag.com/bernie-sanders-american-jews-israel/

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Why are American Jews so afraid of one of their own? (Original Post) Israeli Feb 2020 OP
I remember being cursed at and called a bad Jew for not supporting sanders at the National Conventio Gothmog Feb 2020 #1
BTW, several members of my Temple are considering Bloomberg Gothmog Feb 2020 #2
I hope not. elleng Feb 2020 #3
Because for most of us it's about America, not Israel. aranthus Feb 2020 #4
And so it should be .... Israeli Feb 2020 #5

Gothmog

(154,549 posts)
1. I remember being cursed at and called a bad Jew for not supporting sanders at the National Conventio
Tue Feb 18, 2020, 05:02 PM
Feb 2020

There was a sanders supporter standing outside the Jewish Caucus at the National Convention wearing a large cross who was screaming at Jewish delegates for the not supporting sanders. It was really sad. We were told that we were bad Jews for not supporting sanders. This is not an effective way to win support

I doubt that sanders will be getting significant support from the Jewish community

elleng

(136,083 posts)
3. I hope not.
Tue Feb 18, 2020, 05:17 PM
Feb 2020

Must say, I don't follow the 'American Jewish establishment,' and I look forward to one of us as POTUS, whomever.

(Born in Brooklyn is good; I'll also settle for Born in Mass.)

aranthus

(3,386 posts)
4. Because for most of us it's about America, not Israel.
Wed Feb 19, 2020, 11:07 AM
Feb 2020

Most American Jews, even Jews who are Democrats, tend to be more moderate in their politics. Bernie is not a Democrat. He's a Democratic Socialist; a Socialist of the European variety, as opposed to a Revolutionary Socialist. Still, not a Democrat. He's the farthest left serious candidate for the Democratic Party nomination that I can recall, and probably the farthest left ever. American Jews are most afraid of two things, I think in this order. 1. Bernie is the one candidate that Trump actually has the best chance of beating, and his candidacy could not only cost us the Presidency, but could drag Congress to the Right. 2. His domestic policies are too far to the Left for the country. Jews aren't going to support that candidacy even if Sanders is one of our own.

Israeli

(4,300 posts)
5. And so it should be ....
Thu Feb 20, 2020, 04:12 PM
Feb 2020

…...but to me on the other side of things American Jews meddle too much in our politics ,
especially those on the Right .

However the article was about portraying the Democratic front-runner as an anti-Semite.
Why do they do that ?????

Im used to our Right wing labelling anyone they don't like politically as self hating traitors ,
Arab lovers etc etc but this is not your right wing .

I think the article hit the nail on the head :

In this warped and backwards reasoning, Sanders is, absurdly, guilty of fomenting anti-Semitism because he has supporters who believe that all people living between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea should have equal rights.
All this is a sign of just how far to the right the American Jewish establishment has lurched during the Netanyahu era. Had he remained in Israel on the kibbutz, Sanders would likely be just another septuagenarian supporter of the left-wing Zionist Meretz party. But in many Jewish communities in the United States, even views like those of Meretz have long been considered beyond the pale.
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