We’re looking at the vent diagrams @onespacefor created for #UnravelingAntisemitism. A vent is the overlap of 2 statements that appear to be both true & contradictory
We used them to capture the complexity of the multiple truths we want ppl who see & discuss the print to explore
Jewish liberation is critical to unlocking collective liberation, that’s why we should fight for it! AND, Jewish liberation is critical to liberating Jews - that alone makes it important!
Most U.S. Jews today are read as white and benefit from whiteness. AND, the growing white nationalist movement doesn’t believe Jews are white.
When Jews experience a thing as antisemitic we should all take it seriously. AND, people sometimes avoid confronting their privilege and focus on their oppression.
Jews have been targets in the system of white supremacy. AND, white Jews have been complicit in the system of white supremacy.
Jewish observance and practice help us resist Christian hegemony. AND, no single observance or practice defines being Jewish.
All Jews are targeted by antisemitism. AND, being visibly Jewish increases your risk of being targeted by antisemitism.
Jews play a unique role in challenging violence & oppression in Israel Palestine. AND, Jews, like everyone, should challenge militarism & colonialism everywhere.
This poster represents so many Jewish stories! AND, this poster is definitely incomplete - not a whole history of Jews, by far!
Jews hate Nazis. AND, not all Jews reject or understand racist systems.
The past’s rises & falls of antisemitic violence can make Jewish safety feel tenuous. AND, the past doesn’t dictate the future. Liberation is possible.
There are many vibrant centers of Jewish life around the world. AND, when Israel became a state, Jewish geo politics in many places changed.
Antisemitism plays a unique role in upholding capitalism. AND, all oppressions reinforce capitalism - antisemitism is not unique.
Jews can be oppressors of other peoples. AND, Jews can be oppressed by others peoples.
We should hold white Jews accountable when they’re being racist. AND, it’s antisemitic to direct anger at white Jews more than other white people.
Many Mizrahi/Sephardi Jews have suffered from antisemitism in Arab/Muslim countries in recent memory. AND, recent history of Jews in these countries is often projected onto their entire history.
False associations of Jews with $$$. AND, there are wealthy Jews.
Examples of Muslim violence against Jews is often used by the right to fuel myths that Jews & Muslims are enemies. AND, a story of unbroken Muslim-Jewish friendship under Islam is one-dimensional & inaccurate.
Jews of color experience racism in & out of Jewish community. AND, Jews of color experience antisemitism in & out of communities of color.
Under Islam, there were extensive periods of Jewish-Muslim co existence. AND, under Islam, Jews have at times experienced discrimination & violence.
Most people in the U.S. think of all Jews as white. AND, Jews of color have always been part of the U.S. Jewish population.
Singling out & blaming wealthy Jews is antisemitic & dangerous. AND, it’s legit to critique capitalist institutions & the people who uphold them.
The State of Israel systematically oppresses Palestinians. AND, Zionism embodies many Jews’ beliefs that our people deserve self-determination & safety.
No single group controls the planet’s wealth. AND, the wealthiest people on the planet are predominately white Christian men.
Jews deserve allies who stick around when things get hard. AND, Jews need to be allies who stick around when things get hard.
Antisemitism is dangerous & real. AND, false claims of antisemitism are weaponized by the right.
Christian dogma was central to the development of antisemitism. AND, many Christian people were & are active allies to Jews.
Jews must take responsibility for our complicity in & fight against all oppressions. AND, Jews must mourn, heal from & fight against antisemitism.
Vent Diagrams is a social media & art project @onespacefor started in collaboration with educator & fellow JFREJ member E.M./Elana Eisen-Markowitz. Learn more: ventdiagrams.com
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🧵 We are gutted, roiling with grief and anger at the news of the killing of six hostages who could have been saved by a deal, at the knowledge that every day more families join the tens of thousands of families mourning their loved ones.
The lives of the Israeli hostages and lives of Palestinians in Gaza are and have always been linked. This is why we have been calling for a hostage deal and ceasefire from the start.
We reject the empty words of Blinken and any U.S. official who sends condolences, when they have failed to force through a deal that would have saved the lives of Hersh, Eden, Carmel, Ori, Almog, Alex, and so many others…
🧵 Thread of our 3-part series made in collaboration with the #VentDiagrams project. This series is by & for Jews, an offering to navigate the conflicting & painful realities of this moment, and guide us towards the declaration of never again — for anyone.
@OneSpaceFor drew this series to look like Tzror: the stones many Jews place on graves to create a ritual bond to our loved ones who have passed.
Part 1 of this #VentDiagrams series: Placing Our Stones & Naming Our Grief. What is happening in Palestine & Israel brings up real trauma, grief, and anger. We are navigating our loss, our feelings, and responsibility to take action. To read more: instagram.com/p/CzbnJI8gqLW/
🧵: The implication of Biden’s statement that Jewish safety is dependent on the state of Israel is that diaspora Jews can’t depend on our own govts to keep us safe where we live. To say this of Israel now also implies that our safety requires oppressing others. This is a lie. 1/
NYC has been the largest Jewish city in the world for at least 120 years. For American Jews, the United States is our home. No matter what the antisemites say about dual loyalty and no matter how much they want us to leave, we’re not going anywhere.
2/
At JFREJ, we draw inspiration from our Bundist ancestors who proclaimed, “Dorten, vau mir liben, dart iz aunzer land” (wherever we live, that is our homeland).
We know that our safety can only ever come from solidarity, especially solidarity with other marginalized groups.
3/
A resolution for ‘end Jew hatred day’ just passed in @NYCCouncil. The resolution’s name is set up to make it impossible to oppose—after all, who wouldn’t oppose anti-Jewish hate? But there’s more to the story here…so let’s talk about the org & people behind the resolution...
🧵
The group behind the ‘end Jew hatred day’ resolution is…wait for it…End Jew Hatred. The org’s head is Brooke Goldstein, who is also: head of the Lawfare Project (a far-right pro-Israel legal advocacy org); a vocal Trump supporter; regular guest on Fox News, Newsmax, OAN. etc…
To understand just how right-wing Brooke Goldstein is, and the kind of Islamophobic, racist, & misogynistic garbage she has been pushing for over a decade, see this video of her talking about Huma Abedin.
*Content warning - it’s upsetting* rightwingwatch.org/post/fox-panel…@RightWingWatch
Great to be out in the streets with our friends from @jvpliveNY and more to rally around an end to the ADL’s role supporting militarized policing — and the collective power we exhibit when we speak out.
This week we released #UnravelingAntisemitism, a new visual work of art and discussion guide inspired by our 2017 “Understanding Antisemitism” paper. Today we’re breaking down the historical moments captioned in the poster, beautifully collaged by @katzcomics
The Roman Empire saw Jews as a backwards tribe, unwilling to accept Jesus and assimilate into imperial culture. The state made it illegal to convert to Judaism, illegal for Jews and Christians to intermarry, and illegal for a Jew to hold office or testify in court.
Medieval rulers often barred Jews from owning land/joining trade guilds. Jews became overrepresented as tax collectors/money lenders for Christians w/ power. Everyday Christians often blamed Jews for harsh interest rates/taxes. That's where stereotypes of Jews and $ originate.