Germany’s ‘good Jews’ thought they were safe; New York should pay attention – comment

A recent video by the New York City mayor, accusing Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu of war crimes and genocide without mentioning October 7, has drawn strong criticism from Jewish organizations. The UJA-Federation stated, “Shame on you,” while the Orthodox Union warned the video “endangers Jewish New Yorkers” and incites violence. This incident prompts a comparison to Max Naumann, a German-Jewish attorney who founded the Association of German National Jews in 1921. Naumann believed antisemitism was a reaction to Jewish behavior, advocating that Jews could stop hatred by conforming and disavowing Zionism and Eastern European Jews. His movement, which grew even as evidence of Nazi persecution mounted, was ultimately dissolved by the Gestapo in 1935, and he was arrested.

• The article highlights parallels between Naumann’s arguments and some contemporary Jewish perspectives, particularly the idea that addressing Israel’s actions will eliminate antisemitism.
• It notes that Naumann attacked Jewish defense organizations and solidarity, claiming reports of violence were exaggerated.
• A key difference is that Naumann’s movement represented a small fringe (1.4%) of German Jewry, whereas in New York, a significant portion (33%) of Jewish voters supported the mayor despite his anti-Israel stance.
• The author concludes that unlike Naumann’s followers, who might have claimed ignorance, today’s Jewish voters have clear evidence of the mayor’s rhetoric, raising questions about accountability.