I finished Shaul Magid’s “The Necessity of Exile” and I can’t say enough about it. I bought the Kindle version but I may get it in paperback so I can reread it, something I rarely do. What follows is a rude summary. We could distinguish three pillars of Jewish anti-Zionism. One is deeply religious, another is cultural, and the third is atheist and socialist. Their origins are as old as Zionism itself, if not older. They narrowed to minority status after World War II and the Holocaust. They may now renew as Israel’s increasingly untenable position, from rogue to pariah state, becomes more blatant.
One niggle--the Hasidim are not prosperous, although there are always a few individuals. This is due in part to communal choice--they believe that educating their youth in a direction of prosperity will take said youth off the derech (path) PDQ. And having non-Hasidic co-workers is almost as dangerous.
But even though communally poor, they have substantial political clout. Unusually for America, it doesn't come from $$$. It's a matter of bloc voting. The community will swing in the direction of whatever politician can get them the most taxpayer money and fewest pesky rules. Republican, Democrat, Rastafarian: it makes no real difference. You'll often see a Hasidic community voting heavily for Trump (Presidential votes don't matter) but also for the local liberal Democrat, who can bring in the not-bacon.
One niggle--the Hasidim are not prosperous, although there are always a few individuals. This is due in part to communal choice--they believe that educating their youth in a direction of prosperity will take said youth off the derech (path) PDQ. And having non-Hasidic co-workers is almost as dangerous.
But even though communally poor, they have substantial political clout. Unusually for America, it doesn't come from $$$. It's a matter of bloc voting. The community will swing in the direction of whatever politician can get them the most taxpayer money and fewest pesky rules. Republican, Democrat, Rastafarian: it makes no real difference. You'll often see a Hasidic community voting heavily for Trump (Presidential votes don't matter) but also for the local liberal Democrat, who can bring in the not-bacon.
hey max, are you going to join the revived bund?
Ha ha. I could, though I'm not much committed to fortifying my faintly Jewish identity. DSA/North Star Caucus is more my speed.