Mastodawn

As a Jewish immigrant to Canada, I have some thought on this topic, and the article.

The question Jews are asking themselves is not a new one, nor is it limited to 1930s Germany. We could ask the same of the Jews of the MENA, or the Jews of Ethopia or other African nations.

The question is also not unique to Canada. Almost every Jew I know is asking this question unless they are entirely grounded in place due to factors.

As a child I was taught that no matter what I did, no matter how much I would try to assimilate, I would always be seen as a Jew.

My gentile friends, and even my American Jewish friends tried to persuade me this wasn't true. When I said I'd always have a backup plan, I was largely laughed at or considered eccentric, until the few years, before 10/7.

Now, none of my Jewish friends laugh.

The question of "Is it time?" is a hard one to answer, because there is the other side of the coin, where to go.

#Mazeldon #Jewdiverse #Jewish #antisemitism #Canadia

Show thread

Serge from Babka Oct 6, 2024

@mpjgregoire

If I look at the France, the country I was born in, being Jewish in France is a hazard too high to risk.

French people often get angry at me for saying this. I've had French people tell me just how many French Jews return after trying to live in Israel. They ignore the fact that people leave, but far more stay in Israel, rather than live in France.

If I look at the US, the situation is only marginally better. If I lived in a place like New York City, with millions of other Jews, I would be subject to the possibility of antisemitism, but I would be one in a crowd of millions.

The antisemitism in the US is on full display and is both violent and non-violent.

The problem (for me) with the US is that antisemitism is not its only problem. I might move back to the US, but with knowledge that it's a dangerous place on virtually every level, from physical violence, to societal violence, to privacy, and more.

Show thread

Serge from Babka Oct 6, 2024

@mpjgregoire

What about other countries? There are many... I would argue there are very few places for Jews right now. Maybe parts of Germany, for now, and there is Israel.

Returning to Canada, the antisemitism here is what's described in the article, but it's also societal and systemic, such as the ways in which the education system is teaching anti-Zionism in public schools and the way Jewish politicians are being bullied out of public life in the Liberal, NDP and Green parties.

There are no tiki-torch bearing thugs chanting "Jews will not replace us.". Instead there is the cordial, polite Canadian snubbing, with lots of words said calmly, masking the hateful content in the cloak of righteous speech and tone policing.

The question/problem is 'Where else?" Germany? Israel?

Is that really it? Are those my only choices?

Show thread

Serge from Babka Oct 6, 2024

@mpjgregoire

For now, for us, Canada is safe enough, with an emphasis on "enough", but I no longer believe, as I once did, in Canadian exceptionalism, in the idea that Canada loves its pluralism and diversity.

I always knew that sentiment had limits, but I thought it was mostly true.

I think that the image Canada sends to the world of itself as a progressive, warm, accepting place that welcomes outsiders of all stripes is false, but that it's repeated so often that Canadians themselves believe it.

For us, Canada is where we are, but that's not to Canada's credit; it's due to how awful the other choices really are.

4/4