SouthernWorldwide.com – For nearly a century, the alliance between the Black and Jewish communities served as the bedrock of America’s moral compass. This “covenant” was forged during the Civil Rights Movement and strengthened by shared sacrifices during the Jim Crow era.
However, this historic bond is now being systematically dismantled by a new wave of radical progressives. These individuals prioritize toxic stereotypes and divisive “us-versus-them” identity politics over historical facts.
The first significant blow came from Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., a member of “The Squad.” Following the terror attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023, Lee, according to Politico, used a private Facebook post to accuse the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) of practicing “textbook anti-blackness.”
Her accusations did not end there. Politico reported that Lee further characterized AIPAC, and by extension its mission to bolster U.S.-Israel relations, as an “existential threat to the Black community and its right to self-determination.”
In August, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., voiced her support for a campaign to remove AIPAC from U.S. politics during remarks at the People’s Conference for Palestine. The campaign’s website claims AIPAC “threatens free speech, devastates workers’ economic interests, advocates for endless wars and sabotages international diplomacy — all at the cost, and against the will, of the American people.”
This can be accurately described as a political attack disguised as a social justice initiative.
When “The Squad” and their allies target AIPAC, they are not merely engaging in foreign policy debates. They are resurrecting the oldest and most damaging antisemitic conspiracy theories, often referred to as “dark money” smears.
These narratives falsely portray Jewish political involvement as a “foreign intrusion” or a “nefarious force” aimed at undermining Black and American interests. This perspective not only disregards factual evidence but also disrespects a century of shared struggle and solidarity.
The intellectual foundation of this Black-Jewish alliance was not established in the halls of Washington D.C. It originated in the 1930s on the campuses of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
When elite “White” Ivy League institutions denied entry to Jewish scholars fleeing Nazi Germany, HBCUs opened their doors. These Jewish professors were not perceived as “colonizers” or “outsiders.” Instead, they stood in solidarity with Black students, working together to dismantle racial segregation.
Dana’s parents witnessed this firsthand at Howard University in the 1960s. They observed Jewish and Black leaders as allies, united in their pursuit of the American promise, rather than viewing their efforts as a zero-sum competition for influence.
To hear contemporary politicians frame Jewish advocacy as inherently adversarial to Black communities is an affront to every freedom rider who bravely fought for civil rights.
However, this harmful ideology is not confined to the fringes. Even prominent political figures such as Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and California Gov. Gavin Newsom have reportedly begun to “distance” themselves from AIPAC-bundled funds.
When leaders of their stature exhibit fear and retreat, it indicates that the “dark money” smear campaign’s toxicity has reached the highest levels of political influence.
It suggests that support for Israel, once a cornerstone of bipartisan consensus in America, is now being reframed by the radical left as a “problematic” and almost illegitimate stance.
By portraying AIPAC and Jewish political engagement as an “existential threat,” Rep. Lee and her colleagues are not championing the marginalized. They are actively undermining the very coalition-building that propelled the nation forward, from segregation to the Civil Rights Act.
They are sacrificing a hundred years of hard-won progress for fleeting attention in the 24-hour news cycle and a few more “likes” from the anti-Israel extremist fringe.
This is a perilous undertaking. When political leaders suggest that one group’s advocacy poses a threat to another group’s existence, the consequence is not just the loss of a lobby. It signifies the erosion of our collective moral center.
Such rhetoric fosters suspicion and replaces solidarity, creating divisions where unity is needed.
Just a few weeks ago, Israel observed Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, to honor the millions of Jews murdered by the Nazi regime. Those who seek to delegitimize Israel, and the Jewish community’s right to advocate for their beliefs, are, with the aid of media pundits and propagandists spreading falsehoods, contributing to another war of elimination.
Daniel Goldhagen’s “Hitler’s Willing Executioners—Ordinary Germans and the Holocaust” illustrates that the Holocaust was not solely the work of a few individuals but of “ordinary” people shaped by a culture of hatred.
Today, this same conditioning is being amplified through digital echo chambers, transforming political discourse into a new “industry of lies” that dehumanizes before it aims for annihilation. It is antisemitism cloaked in political and diplomatic language, yet it ultimately leads to the massacre of Jews in places like Hebron, Gaza, Pittsburgh, and Australia.
This process is actively cultivating the next generation of those same “willing executioners.”
Over the past year and a half, the Trump Administration has taken significant steps to combat antisemitism, particularly within higher education. Since October 2023, Jewish students have faced targeted harassment and physical assaults.
Leo Terrell, Chair of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, has emphasized through his actions that there will be consequences for fostering a poisonous environment of antisemitism on college campuses. The Task Force’s scope has also been broadened to include elementary and high schools.
However, the responsibility of combating this issue does not rest solely with the government. “Ordinary people” must also take action, moving beyond passive remembrance to active engagement.
It is time to put an end to baseless accusations and reject the “woke” agenda that seeks to divide Black and Jewish communities, as well as America and its Jewish population.
This is the moment for the silent majority to speak out and make a stand, both politically and publicly. If these suspicion-laden tropes are allowed to prevail, the only beneficiaries will be the extremists who thrive on division within America.
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Let us remember the history that truly shaped this nation. Let us act not just for Israel or the Jewish community, but for the future of America and for all of us.
