It seems like my last few articles have been about the self-hatred of Jews. Most recently, I wrote of Congressional candidate Brad Lander and Senator Charles Schumer, who both hit lows in their abandonment of the Jewish people.
But now I would like to write about even more stunning self-deception relating to Jews.
Michigan’s Jewish attorney general, Dana Nessel, a Democrat, was caught in a dilemma. On the one hand, she was very critical of Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed for his virulent statements regarding Israel and his nonreaction to the terror attack against Temple Israel in Michigan. She spoke of his need to improve his rhetoric regarding Jews and to soften his anti-Israel stance. She acknowledged that El-Sayed would not be good for the Jewish people. But then she followed with a zinger.
Nessel referenced Queen Esther’s self-sacrifice for the sake of Jewish survival and followed by stating that Jewish Democrats must place the survival of the world even above our own self-interest.
“It is perhaps up to us to follow in her path and sacrifice our comfort and security and perhaps even the future of our own people in exchange for the opportunity to save the rest of humanity.”
She said she would rather amputate her right arm than vote for Mike Rogers, the Republican candidate who has a good record of supporting Israel.
First, she has a lot of nerve invoking the name of Queen Esther. Queen Esther sacrificed herself for the purpose of assuring the survival and security of the Jewish people, not at the expense of their own well-being, which is what Ms. Nessel is calling for.
Second, is she serious about the need to save humanity? What is it about El-Sayed that helps humanity survive? His call for universal healthcare? Abolishing ICE? The destruction of Israel? And for her to say that Jews should sacrifice their own future by voting for El-Sayed is the ultimate stupidity and indicates that underneath it all, she is a self-loathing Jewess.
Then there is the story of Mark Ruffalo, the actor and director. He belittled October 7 and called Israel genocidal. And then he spoke out against an American Jew investing in a business simply because he is Jewish.
To make matters worse, about 170 Jewish actors and actresses signed a letter in support of Ruffalo, claiming the accusations against him were a “smear campaign.” Where are they coming from? Have they no self-respect?
It is so disheartening to bear witness to Jews being their own worst enemy. The scope of it is simply mind-numbing. Jews are supposed to be so smart. Why do they do such dumb things?
Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld is the Rabbi Emeritus of the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, President of the Coalition for Jewish Values, former President of the Vaad Harabonim of Queens, and the Rabbinic Consultant for the Queens Jewish Link.