Δαφνη Ευτυχια Αρθουρος

"As Soviets banned synagogues, it was the imam who opened his mosque for our bar mitzvahs. As Soviets made the bribes Muslims needed to prepare food under halal dietary requirements unsustainable, it was the rabbi who worked with kosher preparation to make it work for Muslims. It was stories like these from elders that convinced me solidarity is possible under any scenario.

"But I also learned how quickly those stories began to change. Right-wing Israeli propaganda made me realise the fragility of solidarity. Fuelled by free trips, organised by apps, and ignited with million-dollar Facebook ad campaigns, the children of those elders, who inherit these stories today, have changed the narrative of us fleeing Soviets to us fleeing the very same Muslims we stood with."

-- Rafael Shimunov, "If Israel wants to ban antisemites, it should start by banning antisemites," The Independent, 2019-08-16 [thanks to realinterrobang for quoting this earlier