Tag: bret-stephens

Counter culture

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

I wrote about Bret Stephen’s recent State of World Jewry speech at length. One part of his speech that I did not discuss in that post was when he said,

The Jew haters have a certain point because Judaism and Jewish values and Jewish habits of mind are indeed in many ways subversive to many social orders.

We are most successful when we are holding to our values, ethics, and morals, not those of the dominant society. Ever since the Romans took control of Israel, we have been under the control of dominant societies. It wasn’t until 1948 and the creation of the modern State of Israel, that we were the dominant culture anywhere in the world. For more than 2,000 years we survived because we lived within the dominant society but refused to give up who we are, what we believe, our morals and our ethics. Stephens was very clear about what this means.

The Jewish people are a counter-cultural nation. To make matters even worse, our counter-cultural convictions have generally helped us to flourish nearly everywhere we have put down roots.

What are some of those convictions? We believe there is one God, not many, not none, and therefore a common moral universe with a common moral code that applies to all people everywhere. We believe that human beings are made in the image of God and therefore that human life is inherently precious and that the lowest among us is equal in basic dignity to the highest. We believe in freedom and the quest for freedom and therefore we pose fundamental challenges to every tyrant who would deny that freedom.

We believe the Messiah has not come and therefore we are not beguiled by any self-declared redeemer. We believe in the word and in the text and therefore in literacy as a foundation for faith, not a threat to faith. We believe that questions are of equal if not greater importance than answers and therefore that curiosity, second guessing, and the quest for knowledge are social goods.

We believe in argument for the sake of heaven and therefore in disagreement that is not impudence and heterodoxy that isn’t heresy. Above all, we believe in the word no. No to the sun gods and graven images and child sacrifice.

No to pharaoh and Caesar, the inquisition and the reformation, the czar and the commissar. No to emancipation from our peoplehood by the French Revolution or to the erasure of our faith by the Russian Revolution or to the destruction of our statehood through the siren song of bi-nationalism. No to the erasure of God by reason or of moral judgment by moral relativism.

No to the seductive offer of eternal salvation at the cost of our covenant with God. I don’t mean to suggest by any of this that Jews are incapable of making our peace with our political and cultural surroundings. Obviously, we can, we have, and we do.

Powerful words and a lot to unpack. The more I read these words, the more I think about them and the impact of these beliefs, the more clarity I get. The belief in one God isn’t so controversial in today’s world. It’s not what drives Jew hatred today. However a common moral code is something has driven and continues to drive Jew hatred. People assume it means we think we are better than them. They misunderstand what ‘The Chosen People’ means. Instead of understanding that it means we chose to accept the Torah and the laws of the Torah, they think it means that we think we are better than them. Living by a moral code is not only difficult, when you choose to do so, you set yourelf apart. We value education and our signature coming of age ceremony is standing in front of the community and showing to them that we can read. It’s not a physical challenge like most coming of age ceremonies, but a statement of our values. Bnai Mitzvah is about showing the community that we have values, we understand our values, and we are accepting to live by these morals and values.

For those who don’t want to live by morals and values – dictators, bigots, power hungry individuals – the thought of a people who rejects that is a slap to their face. Everytime they see us, they see the reflection of their lack of values and morals. They can’t stand that reflection and so their hatred grows. As Stephens said, we believe people are created in the image of God which means that every human being has godly virtues and is of immense value. For those who hate ‘the other’ – be it based on age, race, gender, sexual orientation, income level, or anything else – the Jewish people are a reflection of their hatred and how they believe that all people are NOT made in the image of God. That somehow God made mistakes in creating those people who are different from them. Rather than change their beliefs, it’s easier to hate the Jews and blame us for anything they can.

As Jews we believe in freedom. Individual freedom and group freedom. We don’t try to make anybody become Jewish. In fact, if somebody asks to convert, we are supposed to tell them no three times before allowing them to begin the conversion process. This leads us to claims of exclusivity and once again, the false belief that we think we are better than anybody else. Our belief in freedom scares and intimidates the dictators and despots. There is no ‘King of the Jews’, no “Jewish Pope”. The fact that there are so many ways to be Jewish, so many different ways to interpret the teachings of the Torah scares those who rule by fear. The Gemmara is a compilation of hundreds of years of arguments about the meanings of Jewish texts. It’s Rabbis arguing with each other over centuries. As Stephens stated, we believe in argument and debate. Not just for the sake of argument and debate for the sake of heaven – for the greater good. There is no final word from any human being, it is always up for debate and discussion. I often wonder how Jewish identity would change if instead of the current supplemental religious school education, we taught our children to argue and debate. To learn in chevruta (groups) and debate with each other. We assume they aren’t capable but I’d make the argument that they are more than capable, that it’s what is missing. Challenge them, inspire them, and let them learn with and from each other. It is time for us stop following the same playbook that has gotten us to where we are – divided, uneducated, disunified, fearful, and threatened. It’s time for us to be raising a generation of proud and knowledgable Jews.

Finally, as Stephens clearly stated, Judaism has a core focus on the power of ‘No’. From the 10 commandments which clearly state many things we are prohibited from doing – murder, adultery, stealing, lying, coveting what others have, and taking God’s name in vain. 7 of the 10 are telling us what we must say no to; what behavior is not acceptable. Our Jewish norms and acceptable behavior is clear and from the beginning has been different from those of the general world. We don’t attempt to impose our beliefs on them, just on ourselves. We manage to be true to ourselves and respect the culture we live in at the same time. It isn’t us that has the problem with the differences, it’s them. We don’t demand everybody observe Shabbat. We don’t mandate the world keep kosher. We don’t demand perfection, as Jews we simply ask everybody to be the best version of themselves that they can be. There is a great midrash about Rabbi Zusha that demonstates this.

The great Reb Zusha was found agitated and upset as he lay on deathbed. His students asked, “Rebbe, why are you so sad? After all the great things you have accomplished, your place in heaven is assured!” “I’m afraid!” Zusha replied, “Because when I get to heaven, God won’t ask me ‘Why weren’t you more like Moses?’ or ‘Why weren’t you more like King David?’ God will ask ‘Zusha, why weren’t you more like Zusha?’ And then what will I say!?”

Bret Stephens challenged all of us to be the best version of ourselves that we can be. We don’t need to be perfect. We don’t need to be afraid. We need to learn, to grow, to live moral lives. We have control of our own actions. Our ancestors chose to live as Jews despite hardships. For thousands of years we have had to deal with Jew hatred and have successfully weathered it because we stayed true to who we are, to what we believe and what we stand for. Neither Stephens nor I am saying everybody needs to be religious, needs to follow every commandment or be a torah scholar. Both of us are saying that we need to learn what being Jewish really means and then act upon what we learn. Be proud of who we are and what it means to be a Jew.

If you belong to a synagogue, use Bret Stephens’ State of World Jewry as a starting point for a discussion with your Rabbi or in your men’s club or sisterhood. If you don’t, bring it up with Jewish friends and start a conversation. Challenge each other. Do something different. The future of World Jewry depends on what each of us will choose to do right here, right now.

Bret Stephens – The State of World Jewry

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

For the past 3 years, the 92nd Street Y has hosted Bari Weiss, Dan Senor, and most recently Bret Stephens, to give their take on the State of World Jewry. Mr. Stephens gave his talk on February 1, 2026, and the reports of what he said were stunning. I wanted to listen to the speech myself before commenting and today, in Dan Senor’s “Call Me Back” podcast, I finally saw a video available.

I have been a fan of Bret Stephens for a long time and have had the pleasure of hearing him speak at events and conferences a number of times. He is thoughtful and direct. He gets to the point in a clear and concise manner. He doesn’t pull punches and is willing to share what’s on his mind regardless of what other may think. While I don’t always agree with what he says or writes, I do find it thought provoking and interesting. That’s more than I can say about most of what the media provides us with today.

I watched the video and was captivated by his words. He so clearly and bluntly said so much of what I have been feeling and working to address. He took on the existing norms of the organized Jewish community with a vengeance, not afraid to speak the truth. He started with one of the hottest topics and most well funded of our current Jewish issues. Antisemitism. When it comes to stopping antisemitism and Jew hatred, Stephens stated:

“We can’t, because for as long as there have been Jews, there have been Jew haters, and for as long as there will be Jews, there will be Jew haters. What’s been going on for over 3,000 years is not about to end anytime soon.”

Jews have been hated for thousands of years. Why do we think that now, we can change this, with marketing and PR? We think we must continue to try. We think that wearing a pin, ads during the superbowl, or using slogans with well liked Jewish foods will change people’s minds. Highlighting the gifts that Jews have brought to our world. Putting names on building are a solution to Jew hatred. The reality is that none of that works We continue to look to solve the outside instead of addressing the inside. Our Jewish communities are broken. The lack of Jewish knowledge is incredible. The quality of much of our Jewish education is low. Far too few children go to a Jewish school, be it a day-school or religious school. We don’t teach our children the facts they need to know. They don’t learn Jewish history, they learn bible stories without context. I often mock the religious school education that I received up to my Bar Mitzvah because it lacked any depth. It was ceremonial. It was performative. What we need, as Stephens’ points out, is not to attempt to change the minds of those who hate us with our good works but instead,

“It is to lean into our Jewishness as far as each of us can, irrespective of what anyone else thinks of it. If the price of being our fullest selves as Jews is to be the perennially unpopular kids, it’s a price well worth paying,”

Jews have survived and thrived for thousands of years, not by trying to make other people like us, but by undestanding who we are, what we value, what we believe, and then living that way. Ask most Jews what that is today and you are likely to get answers like, “We believe in one God” or “Keeping kosher, which I don’t” or “We don’t believe Jesus is the messiah”. Or you’ll get the most overused and misunderstood part of Judaism, “It is about Tikkun Olam, repairing the world.” While all these things are true, it’s not the essence of Judaism. Listen to Stephens as he not only says that Judaism is counter-culture but then explains exactly what it is and how it is counter culture. And how this counter-cultural nature of Judaism ensures we are hated as we challenge the status quo.

Perhaps the right way to fight antisemitism is to make sure we are educated about what being a Jew means. Perhaps it’s ensuring those involved with Jew hatred are held accountable for their actions rather than trying to enlighten them. Perhaps it is about being publicly Jewish, proud of our Jewish identity, and not bowing to fear. Stephens states powerfully,

The goal of Jewish life is not to ingratiate ourselves with others so that they might dislike us somewhat less. The goal of Jewish life is Jewish thriving.

And by Jewish thriving, I don’t mean thriving Jews individually speaking. I mean a community in which Jewish learning, Jewish culture, Jewish ritual, Jewish concerns, Jewish aspiration, and Jewish identification, exactly what goes on in these rooms every day of the week, nearly every day of the week, are central to every member’s sense of him or herself. How we choose to invest in our Jewishness, whether more religiously or more culturally or more politically or whatever, is up to each of us to decide.

It’s time for a massive shift in our efforts. It’s time for visionary leaders and philanthropists to reject the status quo. To admit the failure of the last 75 years. To remember that it is not about educating the Jew haters but educating the Jews. To stop trying to be loved or at least liked. To stop trying to have the Jew haters see us as equals. To stop thinking that if we only could educate the uneducated, things would be different. Stephens reminds us,

“From Martin Luther to T.S. Eliot to Sally Rooney, the world has never suffered a shortage of educated antisemites. Jew hatred is the product of a psychological reflex, and that kind of reflex can never be educated out of existence, even if for a time it may be sublimated or shamed into quiescence. Antisemitism, in other words, isn’t a prejudice or just a prejudice and a belief.  It’s a neurosis.”

We aren’t going to change those who hate us. There is a reason that organizations like the KKK still exist today. Hate i spowerful and not rational. Hate doesn’t go away because we prove ourselves worthy. It’s buried deep int he hearts of those who hate. It’s up to them to change themselves, not for us to change them. We are so focused on showing we don’t deserve to be hated and trying to encourage them to love us that we don’t even know who we are or what we stand for. If the Jewish people were to be in therapy, we would be told focus on ourselves, not other people. We would be guided to find the solutions within ourselves. Stephens serves that role for us all, stating,

“It should go without saying that there’s nothing Jews can do to cure the Jew haters of their hate. They can hire their own psychiatrists and there is nothing that we should want to do either.”

Bret Stephens gave us a master class in how to deal with today’s world as a Jew. What to focus on and what to ignore. What matters and what doesn’t. What we can control and what we can’t. His ‘State of World Jewry” speech was powerful. Blunt. Direct. Clear. Thought provoking. So much that I agreed with. So much of what I believe. Inspiring. A must watch for anybody who cares about the Jewish people. We could have discussion groups about so many of the topics he brings up. I hope the formal leaders of the Jewish organizations, both national and local, choose to use this as a teaching guide. A manual for conversations about where we are, where we want to be, and creating a pathway to get there. Unfortunately, I don’t think that will happen. Unfortunately, I think those who most need to hear what he has to say and use it as a starting point, will choose to do nothing. I urge you to at least watch and listen to his speech below and then do something with it. If you want a transcript of it, send me a note and I’ll share it with you. Share it with your friends and discuss the points he makes. Dig deep into what being Jewish means. Bret Stephens is who coined the phrase, “October 8th Jew’ and he uses this speech to even better define that term.

I said at the time that the October 8th Jew was the Jew who, quote, woke up to discover who our friends are not. What I should have said was that the October 8th Jew was the one who woke up trying to remember who he or she truly is.

If October 7th brought up questions about who you are, what it means to be a Jew, and a lack of understanding the world we live in now, watch and listen to Bret Stephens’ speech and then, go learn. Find yourself a teacher and a group of people who want to ask questions and learn together. It will help you understand why, in the words of Bret Stephens, we will,

“Endure the honor of being hated as we continue to work towards a thriving Jewish future.”

Bret Stephens’ State of World Jewry talk at the 92nd Street Y on February 1, 2026 (with Dan Senor before and after). Please watch, listen, and learn.