I got my firearms license 5 years ago, after the actor John Cusak tweeted a vile anti-Semitic cartoon and got no pushback at all.
I did not join the NRA until 3 years later, after the Colesville, TX incident, when the FBI idiot in charge said at a press conference that he didn't think a Muslim guy walking around Colesville on Saturday morning looking for a Jewish congregation to hold hostage had anything to do with anti-Semitism. My first reaction was relief that we have an extra line of defense in the house. But my second reaction, a minute later, was that we wouldn't have that extra defense if not for the dedicated efforts of the National Rifle Association. I joined right away.
I may not carry often but at least have the peace of mind that the first 10 people to break into our house won't cause us any harm.
It was with great sadness and anger that I read all the stories of Oct 7 families retreating into their government-required safe room but armed only with a kitchen knife for defense.
Thank you for sharing. I agree, and in the Jewish community especially where gun ownership has been largely shunned as part of the problem, not a potential solution, we have much work to do.
Firearms ownership is part of a community understanding that it’s a full member of a nation that has firearms in its DNA, with all the rights and responsibilities inherent in that membership. The very first day of the American Revolution was an attempted gun grab by the British army.
Even though the right to keep and bear arms was part of the English Bill of Rights of 1689, passed after the Glorious Revolution. The right to bear arms was limited to Protestants and was to prevent a Catholic restoration.
I can’t find the article now but an orthodox Jewish film critic living in LA at the time of the riots described the helplessness he felt when he and his wife almost got attacked in the middle of the madness. The conclusion of the article was that he finally understood why having a firearm for personal protection would probably be a good idea. Wish I could remember his name; the guy could write.
I have tried. I think his first name is Robert. He’s a screenwriter with decent success apparently. He’s an Orthodox Jew and has written a lot about how they lost their precious son when he was about nineteen, to cancer I think. Googling all of these terms didn’t turn up anything.
One more bullet point (no pun on "bullet" point) is folks should target practice at least once per month. Officers here in the US have an average of 1:13 ratio of hitting an aggressor. (1 bullet out of 13 in the mag.) That's a police officer who practices every day. There's more I won't state here but taking safety classes and real world experience classes are necessary.
I agree but for many people who aren’t comfortable with guns at all, I suggest self defense classes. There are a lot of less lethal weapons available for self defense, which you can learn about in a SD class.
I think those are great points, thank you for sharing them.
I’m also looking to interview someone who teaches Krav Maga or Judo for a future segment. I certainly don’t want to discourage anyone from taking self defense classes, but we need to be realistic. Most people don’t have the time to become Neo and Trinity from the Matrix and will never be able to fend off multiple attackers. The sound of a handgun racking is more likely to deter a violent attack than putting your fists up.
Jews have among the lowest rates of gun ownership than any religious group in the United States. Israel has no right to bear arms at all and historically most requests for gun permits were denied there (although my understanding is restrictions on permits are beginning to ease).
While I agree with the sentiment I also think more Jews need to strongly consider stepping outside their comfort zone. In my opinion, right now, as long as a Jew does not have mental health or anger issues and they are willing to spend the time training to store and operate them safely, they should obtain a firearm.
We should be aiming to arm 80%+ of our adult population globally, if not more.
I would like to see all of us armed, no doubt. Time is always a consideration, which is why I suggested SD classes, and not a martial art. Any self defense you know helps. Not everyone is going to need to defend against multiple attackers, but they can be aware and give attackers the idea that going after them isn’t a good idea. (And to get people to walk without your face in your phone or on iPods!!) It’s a beginning and a less scary one for many people. I know so many friends who have NO concept of defending themselves. We need to start somewhere. Also, going to a gun range can be intimidating for women (& guys). I have a question for you! Do you wear any indication that you are Jewish on the gun range? I realize the answer is influenced by where one is located; I don’t know which way to go on this.
I appreciate the response. Those are valid questions and I’ll answer them very honestly.
I currently haven’t gone shooting in a while. When we were living in NYC for 5 years after living in Israel I didn’t take the time to get the permits to have firearms there. We’ve moved recently to the South, and with young kids in the house, we haven’t yet taken the steps needed to get a proper safe to secure them. Until recently, it was something I thought I was done with honestly and didn’t feel any desire to maybe ever shoot again. Now I want to get back into shooting and I want to teach my family how to handle firearms. I’m honestly a bit resentful the world has put us in a position where I feel firearms are essential for us, but such is life.
In terms of your second question, it’s a bit complicated! Normally I would say I don’t wear anything visibly Jewish because I don’t like wearing jewellery. That said, I recently got a hamsa tattoo on my calf (that my cousin in Israel was kind of enough to design for me during my last visit there) with my kids names in Hebrew in the fingers. My wife and children have very visibly Jewish names, and my name is Jason… I felt guilty that we gave our kids names that will not easily afford them the option of hiding their identities, when I can easily hide myself. I wanted to put something permanent on myself as a reminder that I never want to hide. We should not have to.
If Hamas’ goal was to make us afraid so we would abandon our Jewish identities, they have failed. Many Jews I know, thankfully, are becoming more Jewish and fervently Zionist. Radical Islamists have united us, and they should fear what we can accomplish when we are united.
We've all lost some friends the past ~7 months, mostly by their silence. I do think we will see this election Democrats will not be able to take Jewish liberal votes for granted. We shall see, that's my prediction. I hear from more Jews everyday lamenting the facts that they aren't moving right, liberals are just going left off the deep end.
"We will forget the words of our enemies but will remember the silence of our friends" --Martin Luther King Jr
I found the emergence of Jewish anti-Israel groups, like Jewish Voice for Peace, to be disheartening. It's one thing for a kappo at Auschwitz to try to save his life that way but for someone to take that path when they had nothing to gain is pure treachery and cowardice.
Exactly. Liberal Judaism is an oxymoron. Judaism is founded upon a covenant between the creator of all things and a certain people. It is inherently conservative, traditional, counter-cultural, and mystical. Attending a reform synagogue service, in my limited experience, is like watching MSNBC with some folks who enjoy singing in Hebrew. I attended a B’Mitzvah (gender neutral) in which the 13 year old biological male being Mitzvah’d asked the female Rabbi, “What is God like?” Her fumbling answer sounded like Star Wars theology…”It’s like a force that unites everything, and God can be whatever you want it to be.” The kid looked deeply unsatisfied by her answer (as was I - I almost barfed). In my head, I was like, “God literally spoke to your ancestors and told you about Himself. He has a name and he gets angry when people break His commandments. That’s what you got from “rabbincal school” - God is a nebulous force that humans get to define? Sorry- that ain’t Judaism, that’s pop psychology with a sprinkling of Hebrew.”
There's a lot to unpack here. I respect your opinion, but I don't agree. I love the fact Judaism is an ethnicity and that there's a pretty large tent for most people who considers themselves to be Jewish, even if they are not religious.
That said, I take issue with attempts by people to separate the importance of Zionism and Israel from being Jewish. I do not however take issue with the fact that some people try to separate God from Judaism/traditions.
Again, that's my take. I'm willing to fight and die for Israel because Israel is our indigenous homeland, but I don't have strong beliefs in the type of g-d you described in your post.
Reasonable people can disagree and find common ground. At least that's my hope and why I started writing this Substack.
Excellent piece. Very well written. I’m proud of your military service with the Nahal Brigade. Thanks wholeheartedly for it. Antisemitic violence is sadly on the rise everywhere. Jews and gentiles alike should become weapons proficient. There are no shootouts or gun crime in the towns in America where everyone carries a gun. That should definitely tell you something, if the prejudices in your brain allow.
I agree. If we’re going to live in a society where firearms are so easily obtainable, decent and patriotic law abiding citizens must have them in large numbers as a precaution.
over 30 years ago, I walked into a walmart and purchased a ruger and practiced at a firing range for entertainment and experience. my buddy needed protection because he had a large home on his acreage property so I let him have the ruger after I got my use out of it. I picked that ruger up for less than 2 benjamins then. fast forward and that ruger can't be had for less than a grand. the economics of exercising the 2nd amendment rights will only get worse, as well as access to gain procurement and ammo. so, it's the sooner the better and not wait till it's too late, particularly for disenfranchised populations of our society
If you are uncomfortable with weapons at least take a “stop the bleed” class (Red Cross) and carry a tourniquet and some hemostatic bandages. Just do SOMETHING.
I feel like basic first aid and CPR should be taught in school. Or if you take a class and get certified you should get a $200 annual tax credit to encourage more people to pick up these skills.
Less than 9% of Jews currently own a firearm. Let’s change that by dramatically increasing it. If anyone needs resources about how to get started, please feel free to DM me.
Please do not wait another day. Sign up for a class, buy a safe, and get started learning. The only thing that will stop these attacks is consequences for the perpetrators. Unfortunately, police cannot be everywhere to protect us and evil men and women do not believe crimes against Jews are crimes and will not prosecute them. Do not wait one more day.
If you enjoyed this article and haven't had a chance to checkout Stuart's interview (NYPD firearms and crowd control expert), check it out when you have a moment!
I hope large cities loosen restrictions. If not, jump through the hoops and paperwork to arm yourselves. Just look at how the world is reacting to the IDF freeing 4 hostages being held and it will tell you everything you need to know about what the world thinks of Jews.
Well said, Sir!
I got my firearms license 5 years ago, after the actor John Cusak tweeted a vile anti-Semitic cartoon and got no pushback at all.
I did not join the NRA until 3 years later, after the Colesville, TX incident, when the FBI idiot in charge said at a press conference that he didn't think a Muslim guy walking around Colesville on Saturday morning looking for a Jewish congregation to hold hostage had anything to do with anti-Semitism. My first reaction was relief that we have an extra line of defense in the house. But my second reaction, a minute later, was that we wouldn't have that extra defense if not for the dedicated efforts of the National Rifle Association. I joined right away.
I may not carry often but at least have the peace of mind that the first 10 people to break into our house won't cause us any harm.
It was with great sadness and anger that I read all the stories of Oct 7 families retreating into their government-required safe room but armed only with a kitchen knife for defense.
Thank you for sharing. I agree, and in the Jewish community especially where gun ownership has been largely shunned as part of the problem, not a potential solution, we have much work to do.
Firearms ownership is part of a community understanding that it’s a full member of a nation that has firearms in its DNA, with all the rights and responsibilities inherent in that membership. The very first day of the American Revolution was an attempted gun grab by the British army.
Even though the right to keep and bear arms was part of the English Bill of Rights of 1689, passed after the Glorious Revolution. The right to bear arms was limited to Protestants and was to prevent a Catholic restoration.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_of_Rights_1689
"Great things have small beginnings"
I can’t find the article now but an orthodox Jewish film critic living in LA at the time of the riots described the helplessness he felt when he and his wife almost got attacked in the middle of the madness. The conclusion of the article was that he finally understood why having a firearm for personal protection would probably be a good idea. Wish I could remember his name; the guy could write.
I would love to take a look at it if you track it down.
Oh this is funny, I just tried again and found his name! It’s Robert Avrech
I have tried. I think his first name is Robert. He’s a screenwriter with decent success apparently. He’s an Orthodox Jew and has written a lot about how they lost their precious son when he was about nineteen, to cancer I think. Googling all of these terms didn’t turn up anything.
One more bullet point (no pun on "bullet" point) is folks should target practice at least once per month. Officers here in the US have an average of 1:13 ratio of hitting an aggressor. (1 bullet out of 13 in the mag.) That's a police officer who practices every day. There's more I won't state here but taking safety classes and real world experience classes are necessary.
good advice, I went this weekend and trying to shake the rust off.
I come home shedding casings.
:)
I agree but for many people who aren’t comfortable with guns at all, I suggest self defense classes. There are a lot of less lethal weapons available for self defense, which you can learn about in a SD class.
I think those are great points, thank you for sharing them.
I’m also looking to interview someone who teaches Krav Maga or Judo for a future segment. I certainly don’t want to discourage anyone from taking self defense classes, but we need to be realistic. Most people don’t have the time to become Neo and Trinity from the Matrix and will never be able to fend off multiple attackers. The sound of a handgun racking is more likely to deter a violent attack than putting your fists up.
Jews have among the lowest rates of gun ownership than any religious group in the United States. Israel has no right to bear arms at all and historically most requests for gun permits were denied there (although my understanding is restrictions on permits are beginning to ease).
While I agree with the sentiment I also think more Jews need to strongly consider stepping outside their comfort zone. In my opinion, right now, as long as a Jew does not have mental health or anger issues and they are willing to spend the time training to store and operate them safely, they should obtain a firearm.
We should be aiming to arm 80%+ of our adult population globally, if not more.
I would like to see all of us armed, no doubt. Time is always a consideration, which is why I suggested SD classes, and not a martial art. Any self defense you know helps. Not everyone is going to need to defend against multiple attackers, but they can be aware and give attackers the idea that going after them isn’t a good idea. (And to get people to walk without your face in your phone or on iPods!!) It’s a beginning and a less scary one for many people. I know so many friends who have NO concept of defending themselves. We need to start somewhere. Also, going to a gun range can be intimidating for women (& guys). I have a question for you! Do you wear any indication that you are Jewish on the gun range? I realize the answer is influenced by where one is located; I don’t know which way to go on this.
I appreciate the response. Those are valid questions and I’ll answer them very honestly.
I currently haven’t gone shooting in a while. When we were living in NYC for 5 years after living in Israel I didn’t take the time to get the permits to have firearms there. We’ve moved recently to the South, and with young kids in the house, we haven’t yet taken the steps needed to get a proper safe to secure them. Until recently, it was something I thought I was done with honestly and didn’t feel any desire to maybe ever shoot again. Now I want to get back into shooting and I want to teach my family how to handle firearms. I’m honestly a bit resentful the world has put us in a position where I feel firearms are essential for us, but such is life.
In terms of your second question, it’s a bit complicated! Normally I would say I don’t wear anything visibly Jewish because I don’t like wearing jewellery. That said, I recently got a hamsa tattoo on my calf (that my cousin in Israel was kind of enough to design for me during my last visit there) with my kids names in Hebrew in the fingers. My wife and children have very visibly Jewish names, and my name is Jason… I felt guilty that we gave our kids names that will not easily afford them the option of hiding their identities, when I can easily hide myself. I wanted to put something permanent on myself as a reminder that I never want to hide. We should not have to.
If Hamas’ goal was to make us afraid so we would abandon our Jewish identities, they have failed. Many Jews I know, thankfully, are becoming more Jewish and fervently Zionist. Radical Islamists have united us, and they should fear what we can accomplish when we are united.
Thank you, Jason, for your reply. I, too, am making myself visible, but in this arena I'm just not sure.
You and Stuart inspired me to go to the range this weekend and start shaking the rust off practicing :)
You’d think so. My husband, [who is Jewish] has a joke.
What do you call a Jewish liberal?
A liberal.
He’s been arguing with a Jewish childhood friend who was complaining about the Balfour Declaration. It hurts his head.
We've all lost some friends the past ~7 months, mostly by their silence. I do think we will see this election Democrats will not be able to take Jewish liberal votes for granted. We shall see, that's my prediction. I hear from more Jews everyday lamenting the facts that they aren't moving right, liberals are just going left off the deep end.
"We will forget the words of our enemies but will remember the silence of our friends" --Martin Luther King Jr
I found the emergence of Jewish anti-Israel groups, like Jewish Voice for Peace, to be disheartening. It's one thing for a kappo at Auschwitz to try to save his life that way but for someone to take that path when they had nothing to gain is pure treachery and cowardice.
Exactly. Liberal Judaism is an oxymoron. Judaism is founded upon a covenant between the creator of all things and a certain people. It is inherently conservative, traditional, counter-cultural, and mystical. Attending a reform synagogue service, in my limited experience, is like watching MSNBC with some folks who enjoy singing in Hebrew. I attended a B’Mitzvah (gender neutral) in which the 13 year old biological male being Mitzvah’d asked the female Rabbi, “What is God like?” Her fumbling answer sounded like Star Wars theology…”It’s like a force that unites everything, and God can be whatever you want it to be.” The kid looked deeply unsatisfied by her answer (as was I - I almost barfed). In my head, I was like, “God literally spoke to your ancestors and told you about Himself. He has a name and he gets angry when people break His commandments. That’s what you got from “rabbincal school” - God is a nebulous force that humans get to define? Sorry- that ain’t Judaism, that’s pop psychology with a sprinkling of Hebrew.”
There's a lot to unpack here. I respect your opinion, but I don't agree. I love the fact Judaism is an ethnicity and that there's a pretty large tent for most people who considers themselves to be Jewish, even if they are not religious.
That said, I take issue with attempts by people to separate the importance of Zionism and Israel from being Jewish. I do not however take issue with the fact that some people try to separate God from Judaism/traditions.
Again, that's my take. I'm willing to fight and die for Israel because Israel is our indigenous homeland, but I don't have strong beliefs in the type of g-d you described in your post.
Reasonable people can disagree and find common ground. At least that's my hope and why I started writing this Substack.
Maybe it is time to understand there is NOTHING at ALL to do for jews outside Israel?
It has been 2000 years we are waiting for Israel, now we have it, people are still thinking?
I wish all the jews a quick and full recovery.
Nothing presumptuous here, just the sad reality!
Excellent piece. Very well written. I’m proud of your military service with the Nahal Brigade. Thanks wholeheartedly for it. Antisemitic violence is sadly on the rise everywhere. Jews and gentiles alike should become weapons proficient. There are no shootouts or gun crime in the towns in America where everyone carries a gun. That should definitely tell you something, if the prejudices in your brain allow.
Jews have among the lowest rates of gun ownership then any religion. We need to all dig deep and push outside our comfort zones.
it is precisely why I encourage all blacks to arm themselves and stock up on ammo in a purely 2nd amendment excercise of their rights
I agree. If we’re going to live in a society where firearms are so easily obtainable, decent and patriotic law abiding citizens must have them in large numbers as a precaution.
over 30 years ago, I walked into a walmart and purchased a ruger and practiced at a firing range for entertainment and experience. my buddy needed protection because he had a large home on his acreage property so I let him have the ruger after I got my use out of it. I picked that ruger up for less than 2 benjamins then. fast forward and that ruger can't be had for less than a grand. the economics of exercising the 2nd amendment rights will only get worse, as well as access to gain procurement and ammo. so, it's the sooner the better and not wait till it's too late, particularly for disenfranchised populations of our society
If you are uncomfortable with weapons at least take a “stop the bleed” class (Red Cross) and carry a tourniquet and some hemostatic bandages. Just do SOMETHING.
I feel like basic first aid and CPR should be taught in school. Or if you take a class and get certified you should get a $200 annual tax credit to encourage more people to pick up these skills.
Less than 9% of Jews currently own a firearm. Let’s change that by dramatically increasing it. If anyone needs resources about how to get started, please feel free to DM me.
Please do not wait another day. Sign up for a class, buy a safe, and get started learning. The only thing that will stop these attacks is consequences for the perpetrators. Unfortunately, police cannot be everywhere to protect us and evil men and women do not believe crimes against Jews are crimes and will not prosecute them. Do not wait one more day.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/french-boys-charged-rape-12-195021831.html
If you enjoyed this article and haven't had a chance to checkout Stuart's interview (NYPD firearms and crowd control expert), check it out when you have a moment!
https://maccabeenation.substack.com/p/stuart-wohl-interview-nypd-firearms
I hope large cities loosen restrictions. If not, jump through the hoops and paperwork to arm yourselves. Just look at how the world is reacting to the IDF freeing 4 hostages being held and it will tell you everything you need to know about what the world thinks of Jews.