Nov 23, 2024
6 min
How goes Israel goes the rest of us
A summary of TJF Talks Episode #93 with guest Rami Feinstein
“If you listen to the recordings… none of the terrorists said they were killing Israelis; they said they were killing Jews.” This is how Gary Wexler, a communications expert, kicked off his latest discussion. Wexler’s analysis isn’t just about the conflict in Israel — it’s about what that conflict means for Jews around the world and how deeply it is influencing antisemitism.
Wexler joined Lio and Seth to unpack these connections and share his thoughts on the “communication war” Jews are facing globally. His core idea? What happens in Israel doesn’t stay in Israel. It affects Jewish communities across the globe, and if Jews don’t unite, they might find themselves in serious trouble in the years to come.
A Global Communication War
The first big takeaway from Wexler’s discussion is that the war facing Jews today is playing out on two fronts. One is the physical war involving Israel, and the other is the “global communication war.” And according to Wexler, the communication front is as critical as the battlefield.
“As the months have gone on, it’s more and more clear: how goes Israel goes the rest of us,” he said, emphasizing the link between Israel’s struggle and the rise of antisemitic sentiment in the world.
Wexler explained how antisemitism, especially in America, is based on what’s happening in Israel. News of the conflict isn’t just bad PR for Israel — it’s creating a dangerous narrative that could severely impact Jews everywhere. And as he sees it, this narrative is spreading like wildfire among younger generations, who are being “swayed by what our opposition is telling them.”
What’s the Endgame Here?
So, what’s Wexler’s solution? He believes that, like it or not, Jews must prioritize one thing above all else — unity. But let’s be clear, Wexler isn’t talking about feel-good sentiment here. For him, this is about survival.
“One of the number one priorities between us has to be Jewish unity. And we have to learn how to respect each other’s different opinions and still be connected to one another,” Wexler said, getting to the core of his approach.
At this point in the conversation, Seth laid out a challenge: “What’s the thing that nobody will be able to accomplish on their own but must be done together?” His point echoed Wexler’s concern about the divisions within the Jewish world, especially when organizations fail to cooperate on even critical issues, like combating antisemitism.
Wexler elaborated on the consequences of disunity. He shared his frustration over trying to get Jewish organizations to collaborate, recalling a specific event he facilitated for the Jewish National Fund (JNF). The event had the potential to unite various organizations — but what he described as “petty politics” got in the way.
“I watched this fall apart in front of me,” he said. “We are like troops on a battlefield, totally uncoordinated, each one running to his own hill, forgetting that there’s a major hill that we need to climb together.”
“Imagine what could happen if we took control,. We’ve got something real to offer: unity, love, and creativity, and the world’s ready to see it. More importantly, we need it to survive.
Who’s Really In Charge?
Wexler also made a notable callout to the world’s top Jewish philanthropists — the funders of major Jewish initiatives. He argued that funders often have the most power in shaping the strategies of various Jewish organizations. “It’s your money that makes it able to exist, therefore the responsibility sits on you,” Wexler said bluntly, challenging Jewish funders to decide which direction the community should take.
His directness in criticizing the funders for creating disjointed efforts didn’t go unnoticed. “I got one call from someone who couldn’t believe I said that about the funders. It’s the Holy Grail, and no one’s supposed to touch it,” Wexler admitted. But his stance was clear — the current patchwork system simply won’t cut it.
Without a coordinated strategy, letting each organization just “do its own thing” only perpetuates the same issues. “We’ve got to figure out a comprehensive strategy between us,” he insisted. Otherwise, the Jewish community stands to lose more than just a communication war.
The Overarching Goal
So where does this leave us?
The universal problem remains: how do we create unified action while embracing diversity in opinion, thought, and approach? Where’s the road map for getting numerous Jewish organizations — each with their leader, ego, or mission — to prioritize the same bigger picture?
Lio interjected here, bringing the conversation into focus, suggesting that the most important piece is to reignite a shared Jewish purpose. “It’s not just about fighting off attackers. It’s about creating something. Creating a space where Jews can unite and learn to love each other — not because it’s easy, but because it’s necessary.”
Wexler nodded in agreement. “There’s tension, and it’s a good thing. The tension between opposing factions gives birth to incredible ideas. We’ve got the content, we’ve got the history. It’s time to make something great.”
“Our enemies are coordinated. They have the message of unity against us,” Wexler lamented. “If we don’t change how we operate, there won’t be much left to defend when the next crisis hits.”
Conclusion
Wexler highlighted the looming danger: the future generation isn’t just influenced, it’s being shaped by the narrative pushed by Israel’s enemies. Antisemitism grows stronger each day the Israeli-Palestinian conflict drags on. And the Jewish response can’t just be endless cycles of defensiveness.
“Imagine what could happen if we took control,” Wexler closed the podcast on a hopeful note. “We’ve got something real to offer: unity, love, and creativity, and the world’s ready to see it. More importantly, we need it to survive.”
The stakes are high, but there’s no doubt that they’re worth every effort. As Wexler put it, “How goes Israel goes the rest of us.”
Jewish Identity in Crisis
It’s not just disunity that worries Wexler. He also pointed out that many Jews today, particularly in America, are drifting away from their Jewish identity. To him, the war in Israel should have been a wakeup call. “It has made Israelis realize that they’re Jews, where they used to be really proud to say, ‘I’m Israeli’ — but I don’t know how Jewish I am,” Wexler explained.
For Wexler, the surge in antisemitism is forcing Jews worldwide to reckon with their Jewishness, whether they were conscious of it before or not. He shared how, among many Jews affected by the war, the desire for unity has become almost instinctual, even if some don’t fully understand why they feel that way.
Take bereaved parents, for example. “Talk to every bereaved parent, they all talk about that sense, that need for uncompromising unity,” Wexler said, underscoring that even in the darkest times, Jewish communities are starting to recognize the importance of standing together.
Unity or Diversity?
But with such complex divisions, is unity even realistic? In Wexler’s latest Jewish Journal article, Communication War: Unity or Diversity, he lays out this exact dilemma. On the one hand, he sees the potential for unity and collaboration. On the other, there’s the possibility that Jewish organizations might continue operating independently, following a path much like the entrepreneurial “startup nation” mentality.
He’s grappling with whether Jews should even try to unify or instead let thousands of independent endeavors sprout, hoping the best ones will organically survive. “Maybe I’m naïve. Should we be collaborating? Ideally, yes. Can we?” Wexler mused.
Seth aligned with this contradiction, comparing it to cells in a human body — each working for its own survival yet still part of a larger system. “You allow these organizations to do their thing, but they’ll hit a wall — they won’t be able to succeed unless they unite.” Seth’s analogy resonated, but the unanswered question remained: Will unity ever happen?
Whether we’re talking about nonprofits, governments, or individual contributors, the most difficult challenge may not be convincing outsiders to support Israeli causes, but rather, Jews themselves getting on the same page.
Share:
“If you listen to the recordings… none of the terrorists said they were killing Israelis; they said they were killing Jews.” This is how Gary Wexler, a communications expert, kicked off his latest discussion. Wexler’s analysis isn’t just about the conflict in Israel — it’s about what that conflict means for Jews around the world and how deeply it is influencing antisemitism.
Wexler joined Lio and Seth to unpack these connections and share his thoughts on the “communication war” Jews are facing globally. His core idea? What happens in Israel doesn’t stay in Israel. It affects Jewish communities across the globe, and if Jews don’t unite, they might find themselves in serious trouble in the years to come.
A Global Communication War
The first big takeaway from Wexler’s discussion is that the war facing Jews today is playing out on two fronts. One is the physical war involving Israel, and the other is the “global communication war.” And according to Wexler, the communication front is as critical as the battlefield.
“As the months have gone on, it’s more and more clear: how goes Israel goes the rest of us,” he said, emphasizing the link between Israel’s struggle and the rise of antisemitic sentiment in the world.
Wexler explained how antisemitism, especially in America, is based on what’s happening in Israel. News of the conflict isn’t just bad PR for Israel — it’s creating a dangerous narrative that could severely impact Jews everywhere. And as he sees it, this narrative is spreading like wildfire among younger generations, who are being “swayed by what our opposition is telling them.”
What’s the Endgame Here?
So, what’s Wexler’s solution? He believes that, like it or not, Jews must prioritize one thing above all else — unity. But let’s be clear, Wexler isn’t talking about feel-good sentiment here. For him, this is about survival.
“One of the number one priorities between us has to be Jewish unity. And we have to learn how to respect each other’s different opinions and still be connected to one another,” Wexler said, getting to the core of his approach.
At this point in the conversation, Seth laid out a challenge: “What’s the thing that nobody will be able to accomplish on their own but must be done together?” His point echoed Wexler’s concern about the divisions within the Jewish world, especially when organizations fail to cooperate on even critical issues, like combating antisemitism.
Wexler elaborated on the consequences of disunity. He shared his frustration over trying to get Jewish organizations to collaborate, recalling a specific event he facilitated for the Jewish National Fund (JNF). The event had the potential to unite various organizations — but what he described as “petty politics” got in the way.
“I watched this fall apart in front of me,” he said. “We are like troops on a battlefield, totally uncoordinated, each one running to his own hill, forgetting that there’s a major hill that we need to climb together.”
“Imagine what could happen if we took control,. We’ve got something real to offer: unity, love, and creativity, and the world’s ready to see it. More importantly, we need it to survive.
Who’s Really In Charge?
Wexler also made a notable callout to the world’s top Jewish philanthropists — the funders of major Jewish initiatives. He argued that funders often have the most power in shaping the strategies of various Jewish organizations. “It’s your money that makes it able to exist, therefore the responsibility sits on you,” Wexler said bluntly, challenging Jewish funders to decide which direction the community should take.
His directness in criticizing the funders for creating disjointed efforts didn’t go unnoticed. “I got one call from someone who couldn’t believe I said that about the funders. It’s the Holy Grail, and no one’s supposed to touch it,” Wexler admitted. But his stance was clear — the current patchwork system simply won’t cut it.
Without a coordinated strategy, letting each organization just “do its own thing” only perpetuates the same issues. “We’ve got to figure out a comprehensive strategy between us,” he insisted. Otherwise, the Jewish community stands to lose more than just a communication war.
The Overarching Goal
So where does this leave us?
The universal problem remains: how do we create unified action while embracing diversity in opinion, thought, and approach? Where’s the road map for getting numerous Jewish organizations — each with their leader, ego, or mission — to prioritize the same bigger picture?
Lio interjected here, bringing the conversation into focus, suggesting that the most important piece is to reignite a shared Jewish purpose. “It’s not just about fighting off attackers. It’s about creating something. Creating a space where Jews can unite and learn to love each other — not because it’s easy, but because it’s necessary.”
Wexler nodded in agreement. “There’s tension, and it’s a good thing. The tension between opposing factions gives birth to incredible ideas. We’ve got the content, we’ve got the history. It’s time to make something great.”
“Our enemies are coordinated. They have the message of unity against us,” Wexler lamented. “If we don’t change how we operate, there won’t be much left to defend when the next crisis hits.”
Conclusion
Wexler highlighted the looming danger: the future generation isn’t just influenced, it’s being shaped by the narrative pushed by Israel’s enemies. Antisemitism grows stronger each day the Israeli-Palestinian conflict drags on. And the Jewish response can’t just be endless cycles of defensiveness.
“Imagine what could happen if we took control,” Wexler closed the podcast on a hopeful note. “We’ve got something real to offer: unity, love, and creativity, and the world’s ready to see it. More importantly, we need it to survive.”
The stakes are high, but there’s no doubt that they’re worth every effort. As Wexler put it, “How goes Israel goes the rest of us.”
Jewish Identity in Crisis
It’s not just disunity that worries Wexler. He also pointed out that many Jews today, particularly in America, are drifting away from their Jewish identity. To him, the war in Israel should have been a wakeup call. “It has made Israelis realize that they’re Jews, where they used to be really proud to say, ‘I’m Israeli’ — but I don’t know how Jewish I am,” Wexler explained.
For Wexler, the surge in antisemitism is forcing Jews worldwide to reckon with their Jewishness, whether they were conscious of it before or not. He shared how, among many Jews affected by the war, the desire for unity has become almost instinctual, even if some don’t fully understand why they feel that way.
Take bereaved parents, for example. “Talk to every bereaved parent, they all talk about that sense, that need for uncompromising unity,” Wexler said, underscoring that even in the darkest times, Jewish communities are starting to recognize the importance of standing together.
Unity or Diversity?
But with such complex divisions, is unity even realistic? In Wexler’s latest Jewish Journal article, Communication War: Unity or Diversity, he lays out this exact dilemma. On the one hand, he sees the potential for unity and collaboration. On the other, there’s the possibility that Jewish organizations might continue operating independently, following a path much like the entrepreneurial “startup nation” mentality.
He’s grappling with whether Jews should even try to unify or instead let thousands of independent endeavors sprout, hoping the best ones will organically survive. “Maybe I’m naïve. Should we be collaborating? Ideally, yes. Can we?” Wexler mused.
Seth aligned with this contradiction, comparing it to cells in a human body — each working for its own survival yet still part of a larger system. “You allow these organizations to do their thing, but they’ll hit a wall — they won’t be able to succeed unless they unite.” Seth’s analogy resonated, but the unanswered question remained: Will unity ever happen?
Whether we’re talking about nonprofits, governments, or individual contributors, the most difficult challenge may not be convincing outsiders to support Israeli causes, but rather, Jews themselves getting on the same page.
Share:
Discover More Latest Blogs
