October 8th JewOctober 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]
Stephens defined "October 8 Jews" in 2024 as:[8]
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]
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