‘Rise Up Ocean County’: Rise of An Antisemitic Group Targeting Lakewood Jews

A group called Rise Up Ocean County has launched a campaign to “restrict development and preserve their quality of life” in Ocean Country, New Jersey. See if you notice a theme:

https://youtu.be/7XeRtQVqYbc

https://www.facebook.com/riseupoceancounty/photos/a.341862659912373/387067398725232/?type=3&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARC1LyhgyR_xvG87x0HtH2RXAAJUGQlYEmJKY57n3JTrTzyJSJaRSfllUVTwDh9A2CkFdsbUsIMRDdkAE7galjwjr2GyxNQEX-1jb8fuUj9GaQwjaDLPS5SIIBDgrZCcwrkcA2Y74IBowGSv4FioWGep-vIOJZWeMN42jKwxwnJJMXMy5yHRTNSYtBW360SaAbCpkln0LZ5DocXXWghfQFqfYOr0KmJoT8AqjssdYaOp9TX_2DW5vfJ-j93tiAntgr0w_rS0lg8pDnPumynFh4BcP1MC7Aq3anlAFixGxOPq8Rx4_bQfRWkB9WF1H4ZavyeacJHt8Z-iT11LiO4IFZbxwLi1mYlS3nw5ku0r_sjfzaprlx_mrLiwYF5DTsv27B_EhFoh0_kH2lOU0WRUW7MSdMLSbwi71fA2OHKAyy4NzSBYGDV8LEd5XGd9s6eL9y1B-ICds8YO-tIXRSY3IVDyVJSMK0o-g9tl7XcDFwIpZJJVJig&__tn__=H-R

Note their use of Martin Niemoller’s famous words about the Holocaust.

Their website also contains a number of blog posts that reaffirm what this group is truly about. Like this one, suggesting antisemitic incidences in the US are really not all that bad:

F.B.I. Statistics Tell A Story

Just weeks after the worst anti-Semitic massacre in U.S. history, a new report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation seemed to confirm American Jews’ worst fears: Hate crimes targeting Jews were way up in 2017.

A Forward analysis of the data underlying the FBI report suggests that, rather than providing evidence of an explosion of anti-Jewish violence, it shows high levels of reporting of anti-Semitic vandalism and property damage, alongside relatively few violent incidents.

“At least as far as the Jews are concerned, while we have a problem that needs to be addressed, it suggests that we take a breath and figure out how much has changed, and not to rush to the conclusion that abyss is upon us,” said Marc Stern, general counsel of the American Jewish Committee.

As an aside, the post uses the Forward to make their point. Says it all, really.

But don’t worry! The group claims they are not antisemitic.

Let’s start with what we are not. We are NOT anti-Semitic, in fact we welcome all faiths to our efforts and more specifically embrace our friends in the orthodox Jewish community. This is NOT about a specific religion, this is about equal treatment under the law and mutual respect for others.

And look! They even speak to Jews and wish Jews Shabbat Shalom:

And they even want to help some Jews!

I am sure you must all be relieved to hear that!

But of course, this is thinly veiled Jew hatred, and they know it – hence all the disclaimers on their site and Facebook page. For instance:

While RUOC makes reasonable efforts to monitor and moderate content posted on its social media platforms, neither RUOC nor its employees or other affiliated individuals have the ability to moderate all comments at all times and cannot always respond immediately to online requests for information. RUOC reserves the sole right to review, edit and/or delete any comments it deems inappropriate. Comments including, but not limited to the following may be deleted or edited if deemed inappropriate or irrelevant by the moderators:

Abusive or hurtful comments about a user or another participant

Off-topic and redundant comments (this includes promotion or solicitation of events, groups, pages, websites, organizations, products and programs not related to or affiliated with RUOC)

Comments that use foul language or “hate speech” (for example, including but not limited to racial, ethnic or gender-bashing language)

Personal attacks or defamatory statements or comments (i.e., making negative personal, speculative or untrue comments about a participant), instead of just criticizing his/her posting, opinion or comments

Comments that violate the privacy of any individual; Comments that are derogatory characterizations of any ethnic, racial, gender, professional, age or religious groups

This is another strain of antisemitism. Similar to the anti-Zionist-not-antisemite strain, this one hides behind a “cause” and utilizes the usual defenses we see from the Jew haters.

There is no doubt the Jew haters are becoming more emboldened and blatant – and we need to nip this in the bud (hat tip: Lorraine)

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