Voices

(Founded in 1920) The Jewish Press Why Soros? Abby Kutler President ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT Soros a ‘Puppet Master,’ then-Director of the Anti- Jews are secretly scheming to undermine the status Annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor Jewish Press Editor From Marjorie Taylor “Space Laser” Greene to Defamation League Abe Foxman said this: “The oldest stereotype of anti-Semitism is about quo has been around for a long time and even taken on new life with the theory of ‘Great replacement-’ Richard Busse the Hungarian prime minister, George Soros is the Jews and money. It goes all the way back to Jesus the notion that a Jewish cabal is working to replace Creative Director go-to scapegoat. Rudy Giuliani accused him of being sold for 30 pieces of silver. It’s there, it’s deep, all white people in America with minorities. And Susan Bernard being intent on destroying our government. He it’s broad, it’s universal. What has happened in re- George Soros, well, he is at the head of that cabal. Advertising Executive controls the free Press. His face shows up in count- cent years is that Soros has been made the poster Another favorite claim QAnon followers conLori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Editor less memes, picturing him as the ultimate bad guy. He’s rich, Jewish, foreign-born, he gives quite a bit boy of this stereotype of the international Jew. He’s become an icon.” (JTA.com) tinue to make is that Soros pays thousands of dollars to counter protesters in order to bring violence. Gabby Blair Staff Writer Mary Bachteler Accounting of money to liberal causes and he’s up to no good. In the current climate of paranoia, forget about the Rothschilds. While they may still make a cameo apRemember the migrant caravan? George Soros was accused of masterminding that, paying migrants to “storm the border.” Jewish Press Board pearance here and there, if you want to show off When you are susceptible to conspiracy theories, Abby Kutler, President; Eric Dunning, your anti-Semitism, George Soros is who you you’ll twist everything to fit those theories. Ex-Officio; Danni Christensen, David Finkelstein, Candice Friedman, Bracha Goldsweig, Margie Gutnik, Natasha blame, publicly and often (one day last year, there were 500,000 negative tweets about him—one day!). I wonder how it feels to be George Soros. To look in the mirror and know you are the embodiment of Kraft, Chuck Lucoff, Eric Shapiro, Andy Shefsky, Shoshy Susman and Amy Tipp. The mission of the Jewish Federa Funny thing: George does not practice his Judaism. Or so he says. He doesn’t have much symeverything the Nazis hate. To know that whatever you do, you will be blamed for wanting to destroy tion of Omaha is to build and sustain a pathy for Zionism, although he has at times entire regimes. It must be a little insane, to live with strong and vibrant Omaha Jewish Community and to support Jews in Is- acknowledged that Israel’s existence is important. that. I couldn’t handle it if one person tweeted rael and around the world. Agencies of the Federation are: Community Relations Committee, Jewish Community Center, Center for Jewish Life, Jewish He has spoken out against AIPAC, claiming “the group’s behavior lent some ‘credence’ to the antiSemitic belief in an ‘all-powerful Zionist conspiracy.’ George Soros Images Credit: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty something mean and untrue about me. What do you do when that becomes a world-wide thing, where hundreds of thousands of people you’ve Social Services, and the Jewish Press. Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page sto Ouch. That Soros is a liberal, who funds Democratic The ‘stereotype of the international Jew’ does not only have to do with money. It has to do with connever met denounce you? Why George Soros? I don’t know. He fits pretty ries and announcements, can be found candidates and promotes left-wing causes has trol. Which makes Soros a prime candidate for the neatly into existing stereotypes, and maybe that’s online at: wwwjewishomaha. org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’ never been a secret. So we can agree with him or types of conspiracies people like Marjorie Taylor the key here: none of these accusations sound ex Editorials express the view of the disagree with him on various policy issues, and Greene are so fond of: the world is not working the actly new. Maybe someone can tell the anti-Semiwriter and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish that’s fine. It’s how democracy works: we don’t all see the world the same way. However, when Fox way we want it to, someone must be pulling the strings. Someone is sabotaging, controlling the outtes out there they are getting boring, but then, they might come up with new material. We don’t really Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community News’ Glenn Beck in 2010 aired a series labeling come, working against us, in secret. This notion that want that either. as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut I refuse to tell my daughter about what shut down her Jewish preschool of any product or establishment. CARLY PILDIS cause of who we are proud to be? They hate our tell her Jewishness is wonderful, Blackness is beauEditorial The Jewish Press is an agency of the This story originally appeared on Kveller. Blackness, our Jewishness and our proudly multi- tiful, and how good it is to have many different types Jewish Federation of Omaha. Deadline I lied to my 4-year-old little girl, right to her pretty cultural family. of friends and family. At home, we dance to Beyonce for copy, ads and photos is: Thursday, 9 a.m., eight days prior to publication. E-mail editorial material and photos to: little curly-haired face, about why her school was closed. I told her it was because of a traffic prob My daughter knows about the election. She knows her mother helped elect Joe Biden. She and Debbie Friedman. We talk about love, and loving ourselves, and how proud we are of who we are. avandekamp@jewishomaha.org; lem. She accepted this — she was happy that it knows her friends’ mothers would bring her This is a part of how we resist: We celebrate who send ads (in TIF or PDF format) to: rbusse@jewishomaha.org. wasn’t because of COVID-19 and that school would mother coffee and offer rides to school so her we are and live lives full of joy. The day we must talk Letters to the Editor Guidelines The Jewish Press welcomes Letters open again on Thursday. The truth, however, was much uglier. mother could work. These women would tell her how important her mom’s work was and she would to her about hatred is coming, probably sooner than we’d like. But first we are instilling love, confito the Editor. They may be sent via regular mail to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154; via fax: The real reason her school was shuttered was because it wasn’t safe to go to school. It was the second nod solemnly. She knows about the late nights. She remembers the joyful day the election was dence and pride. When it is time, we hope to tell her a story of a world where hate still lives but good 1.402.334.5422 or via e-mail to the Ed- time this term her Jewish preschool had to close be- called; she calls it “Joe Biden Day.” She saw her en- people are fighting for equity and justice every day. itor at: org. avandekamp@jewishomaha. cause Nazi hate groups and far-right extremists tire city block explode in joy: honking Letters should be no longer than were marching in support of President Trump. horns, banging pots and pans, chanting 250 words and must be single-spaced typed, not hand-written. Published letters should be confined to opinions We live in Washington, D.C., and her school is downtown. The Stop the Steal March was today, and dancing in the street. She learned about happy tears. She thought it was and comments on articles or events. News items should not be submitted and printed as a “Letter to the Editor.” with its parade of fanatics, conspiracy theorists and white supremacists who are furious that Trump pretty fun and frequently asks when the next Joe Biden Day is. She knows that you The Editor may edit letters for content lost the election, and they came to demand Con- are supposed to be kind and welcoming and space restrictions. Letters may be published without giving an opposing gress overthrow the will of the American people. and that our old president was not. She view. Information shall be verified be- While violent white supremacy has always ex- can’t remember his name; Biden is the fore printing. All letters must be signed by the writer. The Jewish Press will not publish letters that appear to be part isted, for most of my life public displays of it were not a regular occurrence. But Trump’s presidency first president she will remember. She requested hamburgers and fries for of an organized campaign, nor letters copied from the Internet. No letters should be published from candidates took extremism out of the shadows and encouraged it into the mainstream. My daughter’s school Inauguration Day. She knew it as the day when Biden moves into the White House Crowds arrive for the Stop the Steal rally in Washington, Jan. running for office, but others may write was closed because fascists were marching against and when we would celebrate the Biden- 6, 2021. Trump supporters gathered in the nation's capital to on their behalf. Letters of thanks should be confined to commending an institution for democracy. They marched to take away your vote — our votes — the vote I fought to mobilize and Harris victory again. She occasionally asks if she can meet Biden’s grandkids protest the ratification of President-elect Joe Biden's Electoral College victory over President Trump in the 2020 eleca program, project or event, rather than personally thanking paid staff, unless the writer chooses to turn the win while I served as director of grassroots organizing for the Jewish Democratic Council of Amerand pet his dogs. Given all this excitement, how can I tell her that white supremacists While I beg all Americans not to let this become tion. Credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images “Letter to the Editor” into a paid personal ad or a news article about the event, project or program which the ica. The vote for which we are still fighting. At four, my daughter is just beginning to learn were still marching to take the vote away? When should I tell her that people died to be able to vote, our new normal, I am working my hardest to give my daughter normality. Like all of us, she has had professional staff supervised. For infor- about voting, and about how wonderful democracy and that we still need to fight to protect the ballot, precious little “normal” since the pandemic started, mation, contact Annette van de KampWright, Jewish Press Editor, is. She hasn’t learned yet that it is also fragile. especially for Black people? and we are so grateful to be able to have her phys402.334.6450. Mayor Muriel Bowser advised Washingtonians As for why school was closed, my husband and I ically in school at all. Postal to avoid downtown and warned that this was not struggled with what to tell her. In general, we prefer So instead of spending that day in fear, I declared The Jewish Press (USPS 275620) is published weekly (except for the first week of January and July) on Friday a normal protest — the ones we expect and respect as D.C. residents — but an event filled with those age-appropriate truths to flat-out lies. But this year has been a very scary time for us all, and we didn’t it to be Special Mother-Daughter Fun Day. We stayed in our neighborhood, farther away from for $40 per calendar year U.S.; $80 for- who were seeking violent confrontation. The night want to scare her further. What could we say that downtown. We had bagels delivered from our fa-eign, by the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Phone: 402.334.6448; FAX: before, six protesters were arrested for assault or was truthful, but not terrifying when we ourselves vorite place, and we went to the playground for a 402.334.5422. gun charges. While downtown D.C. was dangerous are frightened? So we made the decision that child- masked and socially distant playdate. I let her eat Periodical postage paid at Omaha, NE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. for everyone that day, it was particularly dangerous for my family: We represent everything these peohood is precious — especially Black girlhood, which tends to end far too soon. extra treats so she thinks the world is sweet just a little while longer, and she won’t question why I 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154-2198 or email to: jpress@jewishomaha.org. ple hate. We are Jewish, we are interracial, and my daughter and husband are Black. We are every So we decided that we won’t let these marchers take that from her. As a Black Jewish woman, unwas being a little indulgent. Precious girl, I love you so much, how could anyone hate you? To your thing they want to burn down and destroy. fortunately there will be plenty of opportunities for mother, you are perfect. Just how can I tell my daughter this awful fact? her to experience hatred. So I want her to learn to The views and opinions expressed in this article are American Jewish Nebraska Press National Newspaper And when, exactly, is the appropriate moment to love herself first: her Jewishness, her Blackness, her- those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the Press Association Award Winner Association Award winner 2008 Association tell her how much some people hate our family be- self. We fill her life with books, music and media that views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.