Foreword by CrisHam
Jonathan S. Tobin is the editor-in-chief of the Israeli-American news platform JNS (Jerusalem News Syndicate). He is a committed representative of conservative American Jewry and a defender of authentic Western values against "wokeism" and Islamism, as well as against a toxic zeitgeist that has brought us declining educational standards, an over-regulated state, failed migration and integration policies, and a social divide likewise deep and absurd—between Left and Right, Jews and non-Jews.
I asked Jonathan Tobin for permission to publish an abridged version of his article regarding the profound changes following the massacre of October 7, 2023, because that day saw an attack not only on Israel but on our entire Western civilization.
Yet neither politicians in Israel nor those in other Western nations have recognized this fact, let alone acted upon it. The damage is immense: a deep rift within the citizenry separating Right and Left, and dividing people into supporters of Israel, critics of Israel, and open antisemites.
This trilingual publication of Jonathan S. Tobin’s article aims to foster understanding and help restore the damaged solidarity between Jews and non-Jews within Western civilization.
The article presented here is an authorized abridged version. The original English article was first published on October 2, 2026, on JNS.org: https://www.jns.org/opinion/column/jonathan-s-tobin/the-vacation-from-jewish-history-is-over-for-americans
The Vacation from Jewish History is Over for Americans
Jonatan S. Tobin
The erasure of Jews and treating them as villains cannot be ignored. The post-Oct. 7 surge of antisemitism is not a misunderstanding that will fade if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is defeated.
It didn’t begin on Oct. 7, 2023. And it won’t end in the coming years. The change in attitudes toward Jews can be measured in a thousand different ways. What is happening can be neither ignored nor credibly denied. The most important question is the extent to which Jew-haters who are beginning to dominate the left—and who may make inroads on the right—can achieve real political power.
Equally important is the dilemma faced by American Jewry. A population that achieved almost complete acceptance in virtually every sector of society is now forced to react to a shift where they are treated with disdain, suspicion, and hostility—the very state of affairs their ancestors took as normal for two millennia.
Fading Illusions
To acknowledge this change in temperature is not to concede that the United States will turn out to be just one more temporary waystation in the history of the Diaspora. American exceptionalism is under siege from progressives at war with Western civilization, yet it has not been completely defeated. Most Americans still reject the demonization of Jews and Israel.
Even as antisemitic narratives saturate media and social feeds, it is not time for Jews to pack their bags. Abandoning a ship that has taken on water but is not yet sinking would be a disservice to the community as well as to the 250-year-old tradition of American liberty.
Still, it would be foolish not to acknowledge that the post-WWII reality—in which American Jewry flourished while antisemitism was relegated to the margins—is changing for the worse.
Captured Institutions
Progressives, Marxists, and Islamists have captured key institutions of American education, culture, and the arts. Elite universities and K-12 systems have become strongholds of hostility toward Israel and Jews. These spaces foster toxic ideologies—such as Critical Race Theory, intersectionality, and settler-colonialism—that divide the world into "white oppressors" and "people of color."
By falsely branding Jews as members of the oppressor class, activists have used the ongoing conflict not merely to stigmatize Jews, but to systematically erase them from sectors like higher education and publishing where they previously thrived.
At the same time, a distinct threat emerges from the far right. While right-wing antisemites have not captured institutional power in the same way, their voices reach vast audiences of young people through digital channels. Should this faction influence the future leadership of the political right, it poses a direct danger to the U.S.-Israel alliance and the security of the Jewish community.
A Threat to American Exceptionalism
The global surge in antisemitism impacts nations differently. In Europe, where historically almost every country has expelled or persecuted Jews, using the war against Israel as an excuse for hostility is dismaying, but not surprising. The same applies to regions where religious minorities have long been treated as second-class citizens.
The United States, however, was always different. From the inception of the republic, Jews experienced virtually no official discrimination and were equal partners. This historical uniqueness is reason enough to refuse to flee, and instead to fight through public discourse, legal action, and political engagement.
Increasingly, American Jews realize they can no longer count on former allies on the left. The ubiquity of anti-Israel narratives in mainstream culture forces them to seek new alliances among conservative Christians and Republicans who have proven to be steadfast friends.
Nevertheless, Jewish life in America is entering a difficult transition. Armed security at synagogues and schools, alongside the hiding of Jewish symbols, reflects a reality where hostility is no longer a remote possibility. This marks a radical shift in lived experience for generations who grew up taking safety for granted.
Pride, Identity, and the Future
A decade ago, surveys indicated that 94% of American Jews were proud of their identity—a stark contrast to the pre-WWII era when many felt compelled to hide their heritage. In the early 21st century, Jewish identity was widely respected, benefiting from a societal philosemitism that viewed Jews as an exemplary story of the American Dream. In a culture that frames Jews as oppressors, that dynamic cannot hold.
How will U.S. Jewry respond to this sea change? Some will remain in denial or seek scapegoats. Others will attempt to distance themselves from their heritage or adopt the rhetoric of their detractors in hopes of acceptance.
However, many will draw inspiration from the resilience of their history and the determination of Israelis to defend their existence. Rather than retreating, they will use democratic tools to fight for their place in American society.
Those who seek safety as their highest value will ultimately fail. But those who remember that Jewish tradition demands liberty and the courage to stand apart from ideological trends will endure. The core of Jewish identity has always been the refusal to bow to the idols of popular culture. The post-Holocaust vacation from Jewish history is over, but the Jewish story continues. Those with the strength to stand firm will navigate this chapter with honor and ultimate success.