Yesterday was International Holocaust Remembrance Day, and it’s one of the first years that I can remember that I didn’t post anything on social media. I didn’t repost anything. In fact, I stayed off social media completely. I didn’t even make a blog post. Because there was a lot weighing on my mind, and it turns out that today is the perfect day for me to get these thoughts out and hopefully spark a discussion on the topic.
Being openly Jewish and on social media is always a little tough, but it’s nothing I haven’t dealt with my whole life, and it’s not as bad as the in person stuff I’ve faced. But ever since the events of October 7th, antisemitism on social media and in real life has completely exploded.
This week, I was rocked by two events that happened in the bookish community. They hit really close to home, and there are some pretty obvious echoes of events leading up to the Holocaust in recent events. I’m sure it doesn’t help that I’m reading an ARC that offer a pretty deep analysis of the Holocaust through a comprehensive lens, but its giving me a different perspective on recent events.
The first event was something that snowballed from an innocent post. Most of the instagram accounts that I follow are either family, personal friends, or other Jewish accounts, simply because I’ve seen far too many of my Instagram “friends” get comfortable airing out their antisemitism. So when another small Jewish Instagrammer posted a gorgeous picture of a book that I really enjoyed, I liked and commented, as I usually do. She has an audience of under 4,000 followers. A few days later, author Xiran Jay Zhao took a screenshot of the photo and caption, wrote “Saw this from someone I followed. What the f*ck,” and shared it in their stories to their 215k followers. Their followers then flocked to this small Jewish creator’s post, and spammed it with antisemitic and hateful comments.
Since the book was a nonfiction book about Israel and the history of the country and its many conflicts, one of those followers decided that it would be a good idea to go through all the comments and make a highlight list of everyone who commented that it was a good read, then put their bio and comment into this highlight reel of Zionists to unfollow. Now, while Jewish people make up only 0.2% of the world’s population (source here), about 80% of American Jews feel like having a tie to Israel is a vital aspect of their Jewishness (source here). I’ve heard it said that between 90% and 95% of Jews are Zionists, but I couldn’t find a source for that.
So when a follower of Zhao’s went through all the comments and decided to take everyone who commented, and share the comment and the commenters bio in a story highlight of all the Zionist bookstagrammers that her followers should avoid. I ended up on that list. I honestly thought that in 2024, we wouldn’t be dealing with lists of Jews circulating again. I thought we left that in the 1930s, but clearly, some of my fellow bookworms have not studied enough nonfiction history. If they did, they’d realize that history hasn’t looked kindly upon people who have made lists of Jews in the past. A quote my father used often was this:
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
George Santayana, 1905
Antisemitism has been present in the publishing industry for as long as there has been a publishing industry. But to see it infiltrate the little corner of Instagram that the Jewish community has carved out and made into a warm, welcoming, and generally low-harassment zone was a shocker. I received a bunch of hateful comments on a recent post stemming from this, which I just reported and blocked.
I guess what is bothering me the most is the way hatred of Jews has become so mainstream that people are comfortable expressing it openly. Personally, I can’t interact with the people who express antisemitic notions because it’s impossible to speak to someone who already has their mind made up about you, and has come strictly to argue, so in my case, I have to block and keep it moving for my own mental health. But I have noticed the authors who have been abusive to Jewish readers and creators, and the ones who have shared harmful posts, blood libel, and misinformation, and know that I won’t be reading their books. And for the record—my brand new, unread hardcover copy of Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao is on sale on my Pango Books account. 😂
Edited to reflect Xiran Jay Zhao’s correct pronouns. The original post had their pronouns, which are they/them, incorrect.
I’m curious to see if you’ve noticed this, and how you react if/when you do notice it.
Categories: Bookish Posts, Sunday Bookish Discussion
Leah's Books 
Nice post ✍️
LikeLike
Thank you
LikeLike
Hi, yeah I noticed this morning on YouTube reels. She popped up. Social media intentionally shows me antisemitic videos. On YouTube I have reported and complained A LOT so there is not as much but of course I still saw this. Her responses are internet childish. The whole of the internet seems geared toward racist bias. She is not supporting Palestinians she is just being unhelpful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It seems like the algorithm is geared towards showing antisemitic and divisive videos on purpose. It’s such a harmful dynamic, and it all just gives me the ick.
There’s so much childish behavior going on these days, especially on the internet. And her behavior doesn’t seem like she’s actually helping anyone, just making the situation worse. Plus, if she was actually concerned about human rights, I’d expect to see her have something to say about the genocide and famine in Sudan, speaking out about Boko Haram, the famine in Yemen, I could go on all day. Yet somehow there’s only one issue in the world that seems to matter.
LikeLike
Hi, yeah. I noticed this morning on YouTube on reels. She is not supporting Palestinians, shes just shitting on Jews. Her responses are very internet childish. I reported her on YouTube for antisemitism. I don’t understand being a writer about something totally unrelated and making needing to preach in such a manner. Social media pushed me off because of the racism it feels the need to share with me. I remember on tiktok black creators saying only the content they posted about racism was being shared but nothing else. Or if I clicked on black creators it would only show me black creators. Social media knows I’m jewish and targets me, showing me racist connect. Jewish content seems almost muted on social media. there seems to be very few appropriate Jewish related videos being shown to me intentionally. the message is just don’t exist from social media and america and the other governments that feel the need to oppose us. We need to keep fighting this. its really bad. I feel like we need to come together and create more community to over come. I don’t feel safe in America. they will kick us out eventually. we need to do something
LikeLiked by 1 person
There’s definitely a feeling like the world is turning on us, but at least we have a place that will welcome us. I keep finding myself saying, “I’m glad my father isn’t alive to see this,” since as a survivor, it would absolutely have crushed him to see all this happening again. But there are some really great Jewish creators out there – if you find them and follow, the algorithm should readjust and start showing you more of those.
LikeLike
Oh my gosh, that is awful! I haven’t noticed much of this happening, but I’ve also all but removed myself from social media these days. I’m on Instagram every once in awhile to share our upcoming book club pick, save my pins to Pinterest, and that’s it. I am so sorry this happened to you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much. I find myself spending a lot less time on social media because of this, but then it separates me from my Jewish support circles, so it’s kind of a catch-22 for me.
LikeLike
Xiran Jay Zhao’s vicious Jew-hatred came to my attention when I came across this Reddit post about their abhorrent behaviour: https://www.reddit.com/r/Jewish/comments/17ccqwu/one_of_my_fave_authors_is_being_antisemitic_and/
Like, imagine telling a Jewish fan that they don’t want their “blood money” after said Jewish fan expressed disappointment in Xiran’s unsympathetic response to October 7!
So yeah, I’ve noticed it… I’m on a few Zionist blocklists on Tumblr myself, for the crime of (checks notes) being a Jewish self-published author who supports the existence of Israel. Womp womp.
LikeLiked by 1 person
YES! I heard about that too, and the fact that they’re playing up antisemitic libels feels so incredibly intentional. I figured that other Jews are also noticing it, but I was wondering if my non-Jewish readers were seeing it as well, but this rant of mine didn’t seem to spark as much of a discussion as I was hoping, unfortunately.
Feel free to comment with a link for your book! Get a little free exposure, and I’ll buy a copy, which I’ll read and review at some point when I dig my way out from my TBR lol.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s such a lovely offer, thank you!! Info & purchase links for my books are here: https://hlmoorewrites.wordpress.com/deaths-embrace/
If/when you get around to them, I hope you enjoy them ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s one of the most beautiful things about being Jewish – the more hate people throw at us, the more our community really comes together and becomes a global family. 💕 Am yisrael chai! 🇮🇱💙
LikeLiked by 1 person
עם ישראל חי! ✡️🇮🇱❤️
LikeLiked by 1 person