Storytime: Racism in the Jewish Community
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- Опубликовано: 22 окт 2021
- I started a #TikTok storytime series on Racism and Antisemitism that I experience as a Rabbi and a Jew of color. Most of these stories will be about my experiences in the Jewish community and the intersection of racism and antisemitism.
Tiktok / rabbisandra
Ways to support my work:
/ rabbisandra
venmo.com/RabbiSandra
paypal.me/sandrajlawson
Thank you, Rabbi Sandra, for shining a light on this by sharing your experiences.
This is a demon! Familiarize yourself with the Talmud!
Keep speaking up and speaking out. Our community is always pretending like we’re down with cause but we’re worse than the cause. Don’t be afraid to stand tall and continue to speak. I’ve shared your video.
I was cringing...as you spoke about this.
The first black Jew I met was my Grandmother's boyfriend from San Francisco. I was 6 and he was her guest at my oldest brother's bar mitzvah.
We had a number of converts in my synagogue from the black and latino communities. I was blessed to have Rabbi Abraham Klausner (z"l) as spiritual leader of our congregation and (fun fact) US Secretary of State Tony Blinken attended Hebrew School there in my grade.
Times change and families move on. Temple Emmanuel of Yonkers is now part of a trio of combined shuls in Westchester. And the building is now a New Testament church.
Thank you for sharing this with me
i'm not jewish, but I can understand why some people would be confused.
Because you’re just as racist as the mom in the video? Okay. NOTED.
Thank you. Please don't stop being a beacon of truth ♥️
I don’t think I have it in me to be gracious with these kinds of incidents. I was with my rabbi in Georgia, during Pesach, shopping in the section for Kosher for Pesach foods, hoarding all the discounted Marshamallows that I could grab 😜 to take back home with me when we left Georgia. A completely strange woman I’d never spoken to took it upon herself to approach me & advise that I might like the Kraft or otherwise non- Kosher pork gelatin filled marshmallows more. I couldn’t figure out why she was involving herself in my choice of anything and why she was so insistent that I SHOULD eat marshamallows with pork in them??? What business was it of hers anyway. I informed her that I am A JEW, and why would she assume that a JEW would prefer to eat pork marshmallows over Kosher marshmallows. She had no valid response. She only approached me because my skin is brown and I’m not Ashkenazi like she was , nor do I want or need to be. I wouldn’t even recommend non-kosher marshmallows to a non- Jew! I was shopping in a Jewish community as well. My rabbi was shopping , while wearing his kippah. She didn’t approach him with the interference, only myself.
Thank you for sharing this
If she didn’t say it directly, then it’s ignorant to ASSume it’s because you’re ‘brown’
So you want to play the victim your whole life? Seems to me loads of so called holy peoples, can’t wait to hate or assume hate from someone with white skin.
This happened to me in college when I was taking Hebrew class. The professor kept asking me after class "why is someone like you interested in Hebrew?"
And the first time she asked I said because I am a linguistics major and this is the language that I want to study. The second time she asked I said because I am converting. And the third time she asked is when I knew something was off.
And I asked her a question back which was what do you mean a person like me?
I already told you I am a linguistics major, I already said I am a convert, what else and she was silent. I dropped the class and had to report the incident. It was the weird questioning and she also would ask me more questions in the class than other students like harassing me. And I got all the answers correct because why? I was a linguistics major.
Thank you for sharing this. This is so wrong. What is wrong with people? What happened after you reported the teacher?
All I got was a letter that the professor was informed and warned
Jews are used to experiencing antisemitism from non-Jews and it is surprising to any Jew that anyone who is not a Jew by birth would be interested in Hebrew or Judaism. Since when did the expression of surprise become racism? Or are there other emotions behind your assumptions?
How many languages do you speak now
@@bimbobabalolaisn’t the point that one question should have been enough.
Rabbi Lawson, sorry you've had hateful comments. Your account rang true for me and I hope we can educate people so this kind of occurrence rarely happens. Keep smiling! 😉😉❤❤🕎🕎👍🏽👍🏽
Look at the IDF !! There are so many black Jews ! The woman are absolutely beautiful!
Thank you Rabbi, it really pains me to have experience racism in Jewish spaces and even from former friends. One of my friends went on a rant about how Israel cares for it's people; he just made aaliyah. I told him that African migrants experience racism. He said they need to go back to Africa. Then he came after my Judaism and claimed I had a phoney conversion. Awful.
Rabbi, it's great to follow you, now.
Rabbi, it's great to follow you, now.
Rabbi, it's great to follow you, now.
…and… misogyny in various forms often plays a greater role than we expect too.
Yes. And in this case it did not apply because they would not have responded this way if I was a white Jewish woman. Intersectionality of me being a rabbi, and a Black female could easily apply.
It wasn't misogyny, as much as Torah based. Almighty determined the men be the teachers. Obedience not Hatred.
It seems like you handled that situation very well. I would have informed the mother of areas in the Torah that describe those members of the tribe's of Israel as "black." Obviously, these folks were Ashkenazi and have not been exposed to the diversity of the Jewish diaspora. I experience this type of questioning all the time, so I can not even imagine what you face as a Rabbi.
Oh yeah sephardi jews clearly would totally expect a black female rabbi, when Sephardim are basically traditional , almost none of them are black, (over 99% of sephardim while not white , are not black), and they don't have female rabbis. So yeah they'd think a black female rabbi was totally normal. Good thinking batman
My Rabbi and I were talking just the other day about racist comments we've heard in different synagogues. I'm sorry the mother questioned your credentials. Once you introduced yourself, she should have shut up and listened.
Hope you’re having a great day Rabbi!
Sorry, I beg to disagree with you. It was not racism. You can’t blame them; first a “rabbi” is traditionally a male. Even in Christianity, the Bible emphasizes that women are NOT allowed to teach the congregation (1 Timothy 2:12). Women can be helpers, evangelists, prophetesses but not pastors, teachers, bishops, etc.
Respectfully, the general consensus among biblical scholars is that Paul did not write 1 Timothy. The Pastoral Letters were a later addition. Given that Paul shouts out female church deacons in an earlier letter (one that is believed authentically his), this verse simply doesn't fit. As such, the verse cannot be used to invalidate a woman's right to lead a congregation.
I'm black and would of asked you the same questions.
Thank you. The truth will set is free 🙏🏾
JEWISH business people were very heavy envolved in the slave trade and slave ownership...
The southern family who owned the most slaves were Jewish.
Not true but if you prefer to go through life as an ignorant Antisemite, hey it's a free country.
You know nothing.
That told him, some great facts refuting his claims
@@mojo6098 The only MINOR involvement was a couple of the insurance companies were Jewish run. The Slave ownership was researched in Virginia & Jews owned LESS Slaves than the % of Virginia that was Jewish. Being from Maryland I can speak about here. You can find in places with (or that had) Jewish communities physical proof. In pre-Civil War Baltimore you'll find synagogues, Rabbis, Jewish cemeteries, famous families, perhaps a Jewish community center or other type of institutions. The center of Maryland Slavery was in Southern MD & the Eastern Shore. So where is the proof of Jewish life? Who were the major families? Rabbis? Synagogues? Cemeteries? They don't exist because there were no Jewish communities there.
The truth is Jews played a very small role in the Slave trade & an even smaller role in Slave ownership.
What a smooth, smooth brain that woman has.
What's that mean?
where did you get your authority from?
Discrimination, intolorance, stereotyping are not the same as racism.
No but the results are the same
They are the tools of racism, and they are forged in that racism, so... a difference that MAKES no difference, IS no difference, savvy?
Wonderful woman!
❤.love it. Incidentally there were about 42 women Rabbis mentioned in the Talmud.Women Prophets as well. .such as miriam ,mentioned in this weeks portion, Parsha Shemos exodus names 7 women.! Also Rashi commentary writes of Tzipporah ,it is said she is black and beautiful.
I'll be honest, I was last Tuesday old when I discovered that women could be Rabbi's... not because of sexism or racism but because some orthadox Jews do NOT accept it I ignorantly presumed none did. I was happily surprised when a friend identified the Rabbi in his book club was in fact a woman and laughed at me for presuming progressive ideals couldn't also reach his faith. :D It would have had nothing to do with color when I met you, Rabbi... I would have been delightfully surprised to learn that you, as a WOMAN were ordained. :D
So off it's not sexism or racism what is it? Does that only apply to white Christians?
If they are so much wanting to be in alliance, why are they so quick to call black people anti-Semitic, but will call out others in a tepid and slow manner?
Their supposed alliance can begin by whole heartedly supporting an effective and enforceable anti-black hate crime bill.
We don’t need their chastisement.
Seek professor Tony Martin who is a black historian and you will find the answers to your question. Search Tony Martin and the Jewish onslaught.
Dear Rabbi Sandra... I would hope that it was not a racist thing. Jews come in all colors, and anyone who is somewhat educated, should know that by now. Of course, it is absolutely no better, but perhaps it was her traditional view of women within her community (maybe she was accustomed to a more "traditional" male lead perspective?) so that she could not wrap her head around the fact that you were /are the Rabbi? Truly my first reaction was that it was a gender thing. Yes again, no better, I do get that. But, from my experience Racism is very difficult to change...once people have that mindset, but women have been breaking down doors for years to change perceptions (like my Nana the suffragette! ☺👍 and my dearest friend Lisa Kove a disabled retired combat veteran, United States civil rights activist, and American civil servant ). I am not sure how I ended up here on your video, but I hope and pray that you are well in these horrific times of rising hatred! 💗🙏🌺
Thank you for your comment. Trust me it was not about me being a women. I’m not sure how much you know about Rabbis or Judaism, but nothing about women rabbis is surprising anymore in the environments where I work. If you read the comments you will see that I have explained this.
@@rabbisandra No I had not gone to the comments. Then, I am even more saddened hearing that you had to deal with that! I do hope that type of confrontational meeting is an isolated experience for you. But sadly hatred it's on the rise! Just to clarify, I was not trying to minimize your experience in any way. The same way there are women that are ordained now, there are Jews of many colors. So I was wondering if maybe she had been someone, not exposed to a less Orthodox view and was not used to women Rabbi's in her community (not referring obviously to yours ☺)! 💗🙏🌺
Maam,you are the original Jew,so why would you concert to the khazarian yiddish converts twisted beliefs?; smh,ridiculous. Know thyself, peace.
Yet some Jews claim being a Jew is a race and only if your mother is a Jew are you a Jew. Not my claims, their claims.
Iam a lemba jew from Zimbabwe getting more interested in my Jewish roots....are there many denominations in Judaism....where some prohibit women from being leaders based on the scripture while some dont
I gotta keep it 💯 though.
I woulda questioned you too. I didn’t know Rabbis could be female.
I understand being surprised after asking for a Rabbi and you show up.
Thats a lot to process and I’m Black.
She knew rabbis can be female. Being a female rabbi is not a surprise to majority of the Jewish community. Please believe people when they tell you things. Also, my guess since you did not know this piece of basic information, is that you are not Jewish.
@@rabbisandra NOPE! Not Jewish. I am 100% confused though by Black American Jews (You sound American) and the concept of it.
I had a Jewish friend from work send me a link to learn more about Judaism online. The stuff that I found that the Talmud says about Black people is disturbing. So I completely believe that that community can be racist because some of their foundational teachings support it.
I was just being honest and giving that lady the benefit of the doubt. A female Rabbi would have surprised me too. What you say is not hard to believe at all, though.
I’m more confused with how a Black person who is not Beta Israel, Igbo or Lemba could be Jewish? In other words, I understand Black non-Talmudic, non-Rabbinical Jews, but I can’t come to grips with adhering to the Talmud that considers Black people cursed.
I have no problem with a Female Rabbi, by the way. I was just surprised to know.
@@lachuck2476 first of all to understand the Talmud one really needs to understand Hebrew and the culture context of the time and I can assure you that the Talmud does not mention “Black” people. It takes 7 years to read the Talmud from beginning to end. And many non Jews or people who do not understand that language or the history take many things out of context. In the USA alone there are over 1 million Jews of color. Beta Israel come from Ethiopia. There are also Jews in Uganda, Nigeria, India, china and every other country. We are everywhere and yes I’m American.
I'm not surprised apparently today anybody could be anything...
1 Timothy 2:11-12
"A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man; she must be silent"
Timothy is a Christian text and has zero relevance for me or any other Jewish person. So maybe you should be silent on matters you know nothing about.
@@rabbisandra Also, it's generally believed that 1 Timothy wasn't written by Paul but was a later addition. He speaks positively about female church deacons earlier in the Bible. Nothing about the verse fits. It baffles me that people still use it to keep women from becoming leaders.
Thats unfortunate but im Black and Jewish and i dont think its racist. If were being honest the overwhelming majority of Rabbis in the US is older Ashkenazi Men so if they see a Black woman as a Rabbi even Black Americans would be surprised. But keep shining 🌟🌟🌟
I must admit one thing;I didn`t know that there were female rabbis.
It may not be lack of accepting you personally. Culturally, they are taught only males to be rabbis. Take heart. Keep up the great work
I understand your point and trust me that was not the case here. In progressive Jewish spaces female rabbis are not a surprise. Please believe Black people when we tell you we experience racism.
This is fascinating. The truth is, you are more Hebrew than she could ever hope to be. And both your DNA would prove it.
You should have told her that you had agreed to be sterilised like the other blacks in Palestine and she might have understood the political nature of your appointment
Hopefully you wont get repeats of that. Country I'm living in has huge double standards, and racialisim abounds against white employment. Its colour over qualifications or experience.
Which is a large detriment to any African country.
We do not know what Malcolm and MLK would say if they were here today, after seeing the continued killing and atrocities against the black community.
Yeah, but they would be mostly disappointed to see the state of the Afro-American community today.
@@petergeramin7195I think so.
I’m ashamed for them, this generation is disgusting and an embarrassment🤢🤮
Most of it is blacks killing black's eg Chicago but keep telling yourself it's others doing the damage if it makes you feel better and more angry and bad white man.
Rabbi of what!?!?
Just as much as a Rabbi as the Ashkenazi Rabbi
And that question illustrates exactly what she's talking about. What about the word "rabbi" is confusing to you?
Why can’t be about her being a female? Not all Jews are reform/secular.
@@kennethcobb7914what does Ashkenazi have to do with it? You’re obviously race-baiting.
@@kennethcobb7914You make no sense and its perfectly obvious that you know nothing about the history of the Ashkenazi Jews.
Deuteronomy 23:7-8
King James Version
7 Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land.
8 The children that are begotten of them shall enter into the congregation of the Lord in their third generation.
Ezekiel 18:20
King James Version
20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
King James is a Christian translation not a Jewish one and King James is a bad translation of the Hebrew Bible. And also not even relevant
The word tribal means racial ,racist. The Africans continent is tribal
..is it racism or about becoming Rabbis....let its be careful demonising others
Let’s remember that we should believe people when they tell you about their personal experiences especially if we were not their to witness it. Have a great day
Are you careful when it comes to the white man? Sure. All faiths are all my arse, hypocrisy.
Maybe she was surprised you were a woman? I wouldn’t take it too personally. The mom must have been traditional Jewish old school.
Thank you for watching the video. And no that was not the case. If you read the comments I have addressed this multiple times. There was no reason for her to be surprised I was a women.
Yeah it won't be racist will it? Only applies to the white man.
How can you be a rabbi
☠️😂😂😂😂
Are there any black PM in the entire history of Israel? Perhaps you'd understand what I mean.
How long did it take for the USA of American to have a brown-skinned President? The UK only recently gained its first brown-skinned PM. Perhaps you'll understand that Israel hasn't been in existent as a modern state for 100 years.
@edelgyn2699 Yeah, now I understand the difference between a narion 246 years old and the imposters claiming 3000 years of history.
The "Sea People" remain the Sea People no matter whether they proclaim to be Jews, Muslim, Christian, or even imposters to be chosen one. Their act speaks lounder than words.
Israel has a small and relatively recent black community, so it's not surprising that there hasn't been a black PM yet.
A more relevant question is how Israel came to have a black community. The answer is that when famine and war broke out in Ethiopia, Israel sent its air force to evacuate the Ethiopian Jews and bring them to Israel. Israel is the only non-black majority country in the world to have a significant black community--not because importation for slavery or immigration from former colonies--but because the government brought black people to country to protect them from harm in the country where they had been living.
They are whight people.
Rabi is an Ashkenaz creation. These are not of shem or his 4 relations.
Is your religion missionary?😊
No
There are many questions to ask about your encounter. I am not convinced that the woman's attitude was racist based on the information in your video. I would have asked the same question she asked because I am not used to seeing female rabbis in the Orthodox Jewish community I live in. Labeling every experience racist only serves to diminish the experience of people who face real racism and serves to turn allies into enemies. I think it is unfair to judge people based on what you think is in their minds. Judge them solely based on their actions and the world would be a happier place.
Thank you for taking the time to comment and you should believe people when they tell you things. You were not actually there to witness this interaction. I explained all of it in the story. If you want to know more, come to me with curiosity instead of accusations. And your reasons don't actually hold up in the actual experience. Have a wonderful day.
Very sad @bimbobabalola that you seek to excuse and deflect a clear instance of racism. I hope you will educate yourself so you defend victims of racism instead of blaming.
Well for one thing after centuries of racism against black people WE have a built in radar to know and sense the difference between a racist incident and a human incident. In other words we KNOW when white folks are being racist or they have another kind of bias i.e. they just don't like us.
What I can say from personal experience is that white Jewish people are just as anti black racist as other white folks. But again a few are not.
I had many career problems because of that kind of racism. One of their tricks is to attempt to place you in a defensive position by questioning you and forcing you to explain yourself to them but no explanation is going to be right. Which is why the woman here couldn't shut up.
If you choose silence then they will claim you are being disingenuous thereby trying to induce more conversation to keep you in circles and BENEATH them.
A other recent example is Claudine gay at Harvard. When they couldn't force her to say what they wanted to hear, they set her up to lose the presidency. Even if she had said it they were ready to find something else (plaigirism) and you can trust they already had an army of lawyers digging around and working behind the scenes to bust her down.
It's always about power with them and like others allied with the system of white,supremacy they DO NOT want black folks empowered. Again I know this from years of experience and observation.
And as in this womans example, (and most white people) as soon as she encountered a black face of knowledge, authority and POWER her religious beliefs, tenets and training flew out the window and that serpentine racism came to the surface to attack.
Very sorry you went through this. You held your balance.
Peace
Keep that same thought in mind when somebody offers a criticism of a certain country in the Middle East...and the word "anti-Semitic" wants to jump out of your mouth. Yes, you just keep that sane energy.
Well I dont know what world you live in but over centuries of slavery, beatings, lychings, murders etc. black folks have developed a 6th sense for racism and racist behavior.
Excuse me but I KNOW the type of woman she encountered. A racist Jewish woman who could NOT and would not accept that a black woman had spiritual authority to lead, care for,and guide other people.
The operative word here is AUTHORITY.
I can't tell you the number of times I've had such encounters and the explanations demanded as to why I, a black man, was smart, handsome, elegant, super intelligent, prosperous etc. and had authority.
These induced conversations are the "dark side of white racism and are quite insidious.
I STOPPED explaining anything to THEM unless there is respect and sincerity in their comportment. (which is rare)
And when you have one tiny group of people from a very tiny strip of land exalt itself over others to such an extent that no one can say anything to or about them without severe consequences.
BUT THEY get to criticize, condemn and attack others with impunity.
Rabbi Sandra was attacked by a racist. Simple as that.
And I'll leave you with a scintilla of proof. Where were 4 little black girls killed in a bombing in September 1963?
In a CHURCH in Birmingham Alabama.
Why did blacks form their own churches?
Because white people who supposedly loved Jesus and God on Sundays hated and exploited black people Monday through Saturday.
And like the woman challenging the rabbi, they DID NOT want them in THEIR church. So much for love of God and country.
Think ?!?!. A Rabbi told me most White Supremacists European and European descendant Jews, DON"T see the original man or woman as a Jew. I am glad i ran into this however......where did the title "Jew" come from Rabbi ?
Speaking of racism, I ask ... where, just where are our African American brothers and sisters at this time? We need you now more than ever but you are nowhere to be seen. WHERE ARE YOU? I ask because I have not seen a single black person stand up for a Jew since Oct 7th. I marched with BLM but now I don't see Black folks standing up for me, my freinds, my family, and the nation of Israel. I do't see them anywhere. I've talked to my Jewish friends about this tooand we all ask the same question. During this time of awful anti-semitism I would like to know where are the Black folks and why, just WHY are they not standing up for us when we have always been with them from 1960s Alabama to today's BLM movement. I am confused, disappointed and left wondering.
You do realize you are writing all of this on Black persons account. A Black woman who is also Jewish and a rabbi. Maybe the issue is that you don’t have any real relationships with Black people and if you do then talk to them. Since you are sending this to a Black woman it should make you question your assumptions instead of doubling down. Also the things you did to support Black people you did them because it was the right thing to do. Allyship or doing the right thing should never be conditional.
@@rabbisandra Huh? Just what the hell do you mean by asking "do you realize that I'm writing all of this on a black person's account?" I watched your video, Sandra. I know you're black. I asked my question specifically because you are a black rabbi. I was surprised when I got this sophomoric, not to mention snarky reply from you Sandra. When you go back and reread my question followed by your nasty reply, I hope the words that befall your eyes cause you shame. Your reply to my quesion, especailly during this painful time, is unbecoming of a rabbi, simply unbecoming, and you should be nothing less than embarrassed. Like you eluded to in your reply, I too expect people, all people, to do the right thing, especially now during this epoch-a time we have not experinced as a people since shoah. We both know that the right thing for all good and conscious people to do right now is to stand with thier Jewish brothers and sisters and to stand with Israel, but black people are nowhere to be seen, nowhere, so to get the answer I got from you suggests that you either don't care about answering black-focused Jewish questions from other concerned Jews, or you are illequiped to answer these questions in a kind and rabbinic way. Step up rabbi, and for a moment come our of yoursef and simply be nice. You sincerly disappointed me becasue I was expecting a religious black person's answer and explanation to the question "where are the missing black people in our current struggle, why aren't they visable and standing by our sides when we stood by theirs so many many times in the past?" Yes, your answer to my question was insulting, but moreover and more concerningly, it speaks volumes as to the type of rabbi you are. Listen, I'll take my question elsewhere, to a rabbi who unlike you, comports herself the ways a rabbi should, with tact, common courtesy, a teaching heart and some warth. You're just awful.
@@anthonydavid5121 have a wonderful day
@@rabbisandra I see little beyond the streets of Saint Louis in you. Ordained, sure, but lady, you are no rabbi.
@@cawtindamiddle5312 So the streets aren't real in peoples lives? Of course they are, we both know that's true so lets not pretend otherwise. Everything is in one's presentation. Presentation sets the stage. Presentation reflects where you come from and reveals who you are at both surface and deeper levels. It also signals to others how you want them to perceive you. I am comfortable, as evidenced above, calling things out in the world just as they are presented, and in this case, the street lights shine brightly on Sandra's less than scholarly and religious reply to my sincere question. No rabbi I know or have ever known in my many many many decades of life on this earth have or ever would comport themselves the way this one has here, and it's a shanda ... a disgrace in English. Leaving the world of the streets behind, those truly called to serve do so in religious and heart felt ways, unless of course they can't, which is what I experienced in this case, stunningly.
The good news? Jesus Christ died for your sins, according to the scriptures, and that he was buried and rose again the third day according to the scriptures. Acknowledge your a sinner, ask Jesus Christ to forgive you, put your trust in his finished work on the cross / his shed blood that can cleanse your sin.. and ask him to forgive you and save you. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
I’m Jewish not a Christian. Please send this to a Christian. Have a wonderful day. Btw you antisemitism is showing.
All well and good, it's your right to believe this, but this has nothing with the subject of this video.
@@rabbisandraI don't know this is clear anti Jewishness, though it may be. But as for sending that to a jew, it's very dumb. I say maybe not anti Jewish because I've seen this kinda post on many videos, that have nothing to do with relgion. I'm always like what? Why evangelize so much? It's what they do, they think its their duty maybe. But hey it could have been an anti jew comment. I won't use anti semitic because that includes many arabs and it's been too weaponized.
But yea, silly to send that statement to a jew, and rabbi no less. Like really?
I think it's cool you are a rabbi. I'm not Jewish, I'm a chrsitian. But I would kick it with a good jew over a crappy chrsitian anytime. Or a good atheist over a supremacist jew. You get my point. I like good people.
Semitism is nearly language belonging to that region, why do Jews Hijack it for their own agenda?