October 8th Jew
October 8th Jew is a term used to refer to a Jew after the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel. It refers to Jews who have reconnected with their Jewish identity in response to the attack.[1][2][3][4][5]
Following the October 7 attacks on Israel, writer Bret Stephens coined the term "October 8th Jew".[6][7] According to Stephens in The New York Times on November 7, 2023:[7]
On Oct. 8, Jews woke up to discover who our friends are not...What can Oct. 8 Jews do? We can stop being embarrassed, equivocal or defensive about Zionism, which is, after all, one of the world’s most successful movements of national liberation. We can call out anti-Zionism for what it is: a rebranded version of antisemitism, based on the same set of libels and conspiracy theories. We can exit the institutions that have disserved us: "Defund the academy" is a much better slogan than "Defund the police."
Stephens defined "October 8 Jews" in 2024 as:[8]
Those who woke up a day after our greatest tragedy since the Holocaust to see how little empathy there was for us in many of the spaces and communities and institutions we thought we comfortably inhabited. It was an awakening that often came with a deeper set of realizations.
The phrase referred to left-wing Jews who, in the aftermath of fellow leftists' celebration of the massacre, came to the belated realization that affiliation with the Progressive Left did not offer protection against antisemitism. Activist David Bernstein called for mainstream Jewish organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League, American Jewish Committee, Jewish Community Relations Councils, and Jewish Federations to reevaluate how they partnered with non-Jews, often on the Left, who might embrace anti-Israel positions.[6]
The phrase also refers to Jews who reconnected with their Jewish identity and connection with Israel in response to the attack. Many American Jews felt their Jewish identity and experience was erased from public spaces.[9]
According to Silvio Joskowicz of the World Zionist Organization, October 8th Jews fell into three categories:[9]
- 1. Jews already connected to their identity and Israel who strengthened these connections
- 2. Jews who wanted to connect outside of mainstream Jewish institutions, such as attending Jewish events or donating to the IDF
- 3. Disillusioned liberal Jews, especially on college campuses, who felt abandoned by social justice movements
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Hirshland, Delilah (2025-02-10). "Confessions of an October 8th Jew". Retrieved 2025-04-06.
- ^ "Opinion | A Hanukkah for 'Oct. 8 Jews'". Washington Post. 2024-12-23. Archived from the original on 2024-12-23. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
- ^ "October 8 Jews – Jewish Life Magazine". 2025-03-27. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
- ^ Artson, Rabbi Bradley Shavit (2024-03-13). "Oct. 8th Jews: Wearing Our Pride in Public". Jewish Journal. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
- ^ Franklin, Dini (2025-01-29). "The Jews of October 8". The 5 Towns Jewish Times. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
- ^ a b Bernstein, David (2023-11-19). "Jewish Community Relations and the October 8th Jew". SAPIR Journal. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
- ^ a b Stephens, Bret (2023-11-07). "For America's Jews, Every Day Must Be Oct. 8". New York Times. Archived from the original on 2023-11-15. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
- ^ Stephens, Bret (2024-10-04). "The Year American Jews Woke Up". New York Times. Archived from the original on 2024-12-31. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
- ^ a b Pohoryles, Yaniv (2024-12-30). "Seeking belonging: Who are the Jews of October 8?". Ynetnews. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
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