We’ve reached a point where it’s impossible to separate Jew-hatred from Israel-hatred. If you single out and unfairly malign the world’s only Jewish state, you’re effectively going after Jews. Using Natan Sharansky’s famous three D test—demonization, double standards and delegitimization—it’s clear that most of the attacks on Israel today smack of antisemitism.
Instead of bemoaning this connection, we can turn the tables and use Israel to fight antisemitism. The stronger we can make the case for Israel, the better it will be for the Jews.
This requires changing our mindset. It’s not enough to get angry and express outrage. Instead of just fighting negatives, we need to think positive and project strength and confidence.
It also means being imaginative. We’re good at traditional tactics like calling out and condemning Jew-hatred and defending Israel because “the facts are on our side.” That may make us feel good, but it’s defensive. It conveys weakness. And it doesn’t really move the needle.
Here’s the reality: The world loves victims, and the Palestinians own victimhood. No matter how hard we try, no matter how much we tell everyone that Hamas hides rockets behind civilians to murder Jewish civilians, no matter how often we remind the world of Israeli peace offers that were rejected, we’ll never win the Victim Olympics.
For better or worse, Jews and Israel represent the more powerful side. That perception is hard-wired. No amount of outrage or condemnation will change it. So we might as well use it to our advantage.
For better or worse, Jews and Israel represent the more powerful side. That perception is hard-wired. No amount of outrage or condemnation will change it. So we might as well use it to our advantage.
What most people find credible about Jews and Israel is not victimhood but success. Yes, generally speaking Israel and Jews are very much about the restless, constant striving for success. You may find that notion blunt and stereotypical, but at least it’s credible and positive. It’s certainly more credible and positive than crying victimhood, no matter how justified those cries are.
But how do we use the success idea to fight antisemitism? Not through Start Up Nation and all the amazing things Israel does for the world. As much as we admire all those things, when used for PR purposes they smell like propaganda– as if it comes from Jews with an agenda.
If we want to make a real impact, we need to enlist not Jews but Arab Israelis. They have the credibility to turn the success idea into a progressive Israeli ideal.
There are thousands of Arab citizens throughout Israel who have made it because they live in the Jewish state. These are the best spokespeople we can hope for. They represent a direct rebuttal to Israel bashers who brand Israel as the world’s biggest oppressor of Arabs.
There are thousands of Arab citizens throughout Israel who have made it because they live in the Jewish state. These are the best spokespeople we can hope for.
That assertion is a blatant, dangerous lie. As a Jew born in an Arab country, I can tell you that the people who can best expose that lie are Arabs themselves.
Is Israel’s record with its Arab minority perfect? Hardly, just like America’s record with its own minorities is far from perfect. But despite the flaws, Arab citizens of Israel still enjoy the same rights and freedoms as Jewish citizens. Arab Israelis have served on the Israeli Supreme Court and are represented in Israel’s parliament. They are integrated in universities, hospitals and even the media. They have more rights and opportunities than Arabs living in Arab countries.
“I made it thanks to Israel” is a potent message, from Arab Israelis to the world.
Of course, it’s not a silver bullet. Nothing is. Nothing can eradicate the world’s oldest hatred. But we can aim to make progress with smart, credible ideas.
In the complicated field of shaping public opinion, enlisting Arabs to promote Israel would be progress, and it’s certainly good for the Jews.
How Do You Fight Antisemitism? With Arab Israelis
David Suissa
We’ve reached a point where it’s impossible to separate Jew-hatred from Israel-hatred. If you single out and unfairly malign the world’s only Jewish state, you’re effectively going after Jews. Using Natan Sharansky’s famous three D test—demonization, double standards and delegitimization—it’s clear that most of the attacks on Israel today smack of antisemitism.
Instead of bemoaning this connection, we can turn the tables and use Israel to fight antisemitism. The stronger we can make the case for Israel, the better it will be for the Jews.
This requires changing our mindset. It’s not enough to get angry and express outrage. Instead of just fighting negatives, we need to think positive and project strength and confidence.
It also means being imaginative. We’re good at traditional tactics like calling out and condemning Jew-hatred and defending Israel because “the facts are on our side.” That may make us feel good, but it’s defensive. It conveys weakness. And it doesn’t really move the needle.
Here’s the reality: The world loves victims, and the Palestinians own victimhood. No matter how hard we try, no matter how much we tell everyone that Hamas hides rockets behind civilians to murder Jewish civilians, no matter how often we remind the world of Israeli peace offers that were rejected, we’ll never win the Victim Olympics.
For better or worse, Jews and Israel represent the more powerful side. That perception is hard-wired. No amount of outrage or condemnation will change it. So we might as well use it to our advantage.
What most people find credible about Jews and Israel is not victimhood but success. Yes, generally speaking Israel and Jews are very much about the restless, constant striving for success. You may find that notion blunt and stereotypical, but at least it’s credible and positive. It’s certainly more credible and positive than crying victimhood, no matter how justified those cries are.
But how do we use the success idea to fight antisemitism? Not through Start Up Nation and all the amazing things Israel does for the world. As much as we admire all those things, when used for PR purposes they smell like propaganda– as if it comes from Jews with an agenda.
If we want to make a real impact, we need to enlist not Jews but Arab Israelis. They have the credibility to turn the success idea into a progressive Israeli ideal.
There are thousands of Arab citizens throughout Israel who have made it because they live in the Jewish state. These are the best spokespeople we can hope for. They represent a direct rebuttal to Israel bashers who brand Israel as the world’s biggest oppressor of Arabs.
That assertion is a blatant, dangerous lie. As a Jew born in an Arab country, I can tell you that the people who can best expose that lie are Arabs themselves.
Is Israel’s record with its Arab minority perfect? Hardly, just like America’s record with its own minorities is far from perfect. But despite the flaws, Arab citizens of Israel still enjoy the same rights and freedoms as Jewish citizens. Arab Israelis have served on the Israeli Supreme Court and are represented in Israel’s parliament. They are integrated in universities, hospitals and even the media. They have more rights and opportunities than Arabs living in Arab countries.
“I made it thanks to Israel” is a potent message, from Arab Israelis to the world.
Of course, it’s not a silver bullet. Nothing is. Nothing can eradicate the world’s oldest hatred. But we can aim to make progress with smart, credible ideas.
In the complicated field of shaping public opinion, enlisting Arabs to promote Israel would be progress, and it’s certainly good for the Jews.
Did you enjoy this article?
You'll love our roundtable.
Editor's Picks
Israel and the Internet Wars – A Professional Social Media Review
The Invisible Student: A Tale of Homelessness at UCLA and USC
What Ever Happened to the LA Times?
Who Are the Jews On Joe Biden’s Cabinet?
You’re Not a Bad Jewish Mom If Your Kid Wants Santa Claus to Come to Your House
No Labels: The Group Fighting for the Political Center
Latest Articles
Israeli Journalist at VBS, 2026 Jewish Educator Awards Recipients
Superstitions and the Training Wheels of Faith
At Israel’s Low Point, Montreal Federation Throws a Wild Party
Rabbis of LA | The Rembaums’ Happy Life Together
Some LA Business Owners and Residents Taking Safety Into Their Own Hands
‘The Israeli in Me Came Out’: At 81, Howard Rosenman Fought His Attackers
Jewish Activist Says She Won’t Be Silenced After Being Attacked at the University of Michigan
Benichou hopes to see more people speaking up.
A Popular Skewer Recipe
There is a benefit of roasting food on skewers, à la shish kebab. By cutting meat and vegetables into smaller uniform pieces, the marinade coats more and the food cooks evenly.
Table for Five: Chayei Sarah
Commitment To Love
Settling on the Outskirts – A poem for Parsha Chayei Sara
The life of Sara ends with death.
A Moment in Time: Beyond Politics
A Bisl Torah ~ Love at First Hearing
Is attraction based solely on the physical? Or is chemistry based on something deeper?
Why Moses’ Name Is Changed to Menasseh in Judges
Why Israel’s Messy Election Should Worry Washington
The tight relationship between Trump and Netanyahu masks the real debate over Israel churning in the Republican Party, and Israel’s standing among Democrats has never been lower.
Jewish Community Weighs Implications of Democrats’ Midterm Election Victories
Some emphasized the importance of combating antisemitism and protecting Jewish safety, while others called for political engagement and cooperation across party lines.
Print Issue: Election Fever | November 6, 2026
What comes next?
Rosner’s Domain: Weeks of Known Unknowns
So here we are, stuck with just a few bad options to consider. And that’s just the political superposition of undetermined future – alongside it there’s also the possible – probable? – war with Iran.
The Switched Passport: A Lesson in Seeing the Other
That is my hope: that by finding things we can do together, by recognizing each other’s humanity, we might come to see each other more fully.
After the Last Out, Collect a Different Kind of Card
At a time when Jewish education is competing for attention in a world dominated by screens, sports, short-form videos and endless streams of content, these easily collectable cards offer a different kind of engagement.
6 Jewish Takeaways from the Midterm Elections
There is little chance that the combination of a weakened Trump and an emboldened Democratic Congress produces similar levels of support for aggressive action against Iran and its proxies, and other policies that a wide spectrum of Israelis see as crucial to their security.
Israel Drives Them Crazy
In the diaspora and in Israel, we cannot turn back the clock and undo the harm that was done to us. But we can shape our own future. Israel is strong and resolute. So must we be.
A Democratic-Run Congress Will Target Israel as Well as Trump
Democrats who were long considered “moderates” or even pro-Israel have been signaling over the course of the last year that they can no longer be relied upon to back a Jewish state under assault by Iran and its terrorist proxies.
Why Jewish Unity Is So Difficult
When each dispute seems existential, an error is a catastrophe and disagreement seems like betrayal.
Torah Portion: Chayei Sarah
The Torah offers a comforting view of a life beyond this life. We aren’t told what it will be exactly — yes, it’s abstract and vague — but we are told it’s waiting for us as it was for Abraham.
The NAZA Election — Israel and the Jews were Collateral Damage on Tuesday
History teaches that you can always trust the fanatics to overplay their hand, allowing muscular moderates to reassert power.
Present at the Scene: The 2026 Mid Term Elections and the Jewish Vote
How do voters reconcile longstanding party loyalties with changing views of Israel, communal security and American political leadership?
More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.