David Baddiel's book Jews Don't Count is now been taken seriously in Israel, particularly within the context of rising global antisemitism, where many Israelis began to feel a profound sense of shared vulnerability with the diaspora. While initially, the book was seen as a specifically Western or "diaspora" concern, its relevance to Israeli discourse is increasingly growing since the book was translated into Hebrew and began to have wide circulation.

The core argument of the book—that European progressive and left-wing circles ignore or minimize antisemitism—has been widely embraced by the Israeli press. Many in Israel recognize the rise of anti-Jewish hatred in Europe and North America that Baddiel documents, which has strengthened the urgency of his message. Baddiel’s analysis that antisemitism is ignored because Jews are falsely perceived as part of a powerful, non-oppressed group resonates within Israeli media that closely tracks Western progressive ideology.

While the book was produced for a Western audience, its argument that antisemitism is a "second-class racism" has been taken seriously in Israel as a vital tool for understanding the threats facing the diaspora and as a reflection of the changing, more insecure position of Jews worldwide.

Antisemitism as a “second-class racism”

The Jew doesn't count. The entire system is committed to defending the black from the white, the gypsy from the native, the Muslim from the patriotic Christian, the gay from the heterosexual, the woman from the man, the citizen from the police, the student from the teacher, and so on.

Interviews with Baddiel in Israeli media, such as Haaretz, noted that the book's initial delay might have been because its core argument—that Jews should be viewed as a vulnerable minority—did not intuitively resonate in a country where Jews constitute the majority. However, the aftermath of October 7th has led some to suggest that Israelis began to "feel like Jews" in the way Baddiel describes: under threat and as a minority in a global context.

Moral Freedom and hatred of European history

Modern liberal systems in Europe, heavily focused on moral freedom and criticism of a distant past in which Jews participated through labor, science, culture and funding, have been criticized in the Jewish world for being stuck in a model that rejects the religious values, the traditional Jew, the synagogue Jew, the wealthy Jew, and the state of Israel.

Many Jewish critics feel that modern European liberalism, with its heavy emphasis on secularism and individualistic moral choices, actively marginalizes traditional Jewish religious practice, the "synagogue Jew," and community structure, regardless of what the official speeches may be, generally focusing on the Jew who died in the Holocaust and the rehabilitation of old houses that had been inhabited by Jews centuries ago.

Liberal systems in Europe are facing increasing criticism within large parts of the Jewish world for being detached from traditional Jewish values and failing to protect Jewish life. This critique often highlights that contemporary European liberalism’s focus on radical moral freedom and secularism clash with traditional, religious, cultural, and community-oriented Jewish life.

On the other hand, the European liberal focus on criticism of past historical actions – “imperialism”, “colonialism”, “moralism” – has evolved into intense scrutiny or condemnation of the State of Israel. Some Jewish perspectives, particularly from conservative or Zionist viewpoints, feel that this environment is hostile, excluding Jews and Israelis from the category of vulnerable minorities.

The "successful" Jew, a target

The marginalization of the "wealthy" or "successful" Jew or Jewish community is now a fact. Ideological shifts have reframed antisemitism as "political protest" against power, often making successful, prosperous, or assertive Jewish institutions targets of political power, targets of mainstream media, targets of armies of opinion makers, targets of the justice system, targets of the entire apparatus of power.

The European Commission's Plan to Promote Jewish Life by 2030 has not yielded visible results, with communities dwindling, not growing, except perhaps in Porto, Portugal. However, the arrival of Jews in the city and the creation of a magnificent infrastructure entirely funded by Jewish funds has led the entire Portuguese power system to label it opulent, while the community has accused the system of being corrupt and hostile to Portugal's history.

While many Jews still support liberal systems, the critique mentioned highlights a significant dissatisfaction with the specific form of modern liberalism, arguing it has moved from guaranteeing safety to fostering a climate that threatens traditional and nationalist Jewish identities. For many, only a brutal remedy can put an end to the ongoing cultural genocide.