Emet-Truth

As the cliche goes, “I have a face for radio.” Nevertheless, I forced my ugly mug onto the general public for an online fundraising event for my publisher, Vine Leaves Press. The result wasn’t too bad, with only occasional stumbles and pauses to drink from my coffee mug.

If this piques your curiosity about the rest of the book, you can preorder “Found and Lost: The Jake and Cait Story here. Also, I’m very pleased with the number of readers who have snapped up an advance copy. If you’d like an ARC (Advance Reader Copy) in exchange for an honest review on Goodreads or Amazon, please contact me!

My book is about music, fame, aging, faith, and second chances. And, yes, it’s also about one of the protagonists’ relationship with Judaism. It takes place in 1985 and 2025, with a documentary tying it all together. Above all, it’s a fun read that also makes you think.

You can see what else they’re saying about it on my Goodreads page.

Rock on.

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Update: May 1, 2025—The IRF fund discussed by Swell Ariel Or is now closed and no longer operating.

A little more than three weeks after the October 7 massacre, Israeli actress Swell Ariel Or was at the Orlando Film Festival for the premiere of “Kissufim.” Or, who gained international fame as the star of the hit Netflix series “The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem,” was there to showcase a movie that has taken on new significance. Set in the 1970s, “Kissufim” explores life on the kibbutz in the aftermath of the Yom Kippur War. On October 7, at least eight Kissufim residents and six Thai laborers were murdered, and at least four were kidnapped and taken to Gaza.

“They gave us a home to make this film,” Or told the Jewish Journal. “It’s really sad how relevant it is. We dedicated the film to kibbutz members who were murdered, kidnapped, or hurt.”

The 24-year-old actress stood up to reveal a message on her shirt that read, “Bring them home now.” The Israeli cast and crew were not taking any chances. They were advised by the Israeli consul to take precautions. “It’s not a Jewish film festival; it’s an international film festival, so you never know what could happen,” she said. “We had to get security really fast. No private security companies were available, so we called the police, who were really sweet and sent two cops.”

Or moved to Los Angeles about three months ago with dreams of making it big in Hollywood. But current events interfered. First, the actors’ strike, then the violence in Israel. She hasn’t gotten around to very many auditions. Instead, she’s using her platform as a social media influencer to educate the public about Israel, antisemitism, and the horrors of the October 7 attacks.

You can read my entire article at the Jewish Journal of Los Angeles.

If you’d like to listen to our entire interview, click the arrow above. You can also read the transcripts below.

Howard Lovy: Okay, where are you? You're at a conference right now, right?

Swell Ariel Or: I'm at a Film Festival in Orlando, where we're premiering our film. Sadly, it's very relevant because it's about Kissufim in the ‘70s. It mirrors what's happening now. We made the film two years ago in a kibbutz for two months. Many kibbutz members worked on the film and were extras. They gave us a home to make this film. It's set in the ‘70s, after the Yom Kippur War, and explores the relationship between Israel and Gaza. It's really sad how relevant it is. We dedicated the film to kibbutz members who were murdered, kidnapped, or hurt. We had our premiere yesterday because we were wearing this (She stands up and reveals her shirt, that says “Bring them home now”) and had to get security really fast. No private security companies were available, so we called the police, who were really sweet and sent two cops. Today, we have another screening, and about 100 Israelis have come to support us.

Howard: Were there any specific threats? Or are you just taking precautions?

Swell Ariel Or: We've been in touch with the consul, who advised us to take precautions, especially since the film is somewhat political. It's not a Jewish film festival; it's an International film festival, so you never know what could happen.

Howard: I'm doing this interview for the Jewish Journal of Los Angeles and also working on a book about combating anti-Semitism. The first question I want to ask, which I've been asking all Jews lately, is: how are you doing? I find that diving into work helps, but it doesn't make the feelings of loss go away.

Swell Ariel Or: Diving into work does help. I've opened a fund to reimburse flight tickets for soldiers and reservists who paid out of pocket. Many of my friends, like me, are 24 and recently left the Army. Due to COVID, they couldn't travel, and it's a cultural thing in Israel to travel to far-off places after military service. They had to pay for their own expensive tickets, especially when coming from remote villages in places like India or South America. That's why we opened the fund. We've raised around $200,000, which can cover 260 soldiers, but we have a waiting list of another 190. It's a big project, and it's complicated, but it's also a distraction. Our fund's philosophy is to boost morale and cheer them up. In between working on the fund, I'm doing public speaking to share the Israeli experience, which I think is crucial. American Jews need the tools to communicate about what's happening in Israel. So, while I try to distract myself with work, I'm constantly connected to the news. It's like an infusion in my blood; I can't really disconnect from it.

I'm trying to surround myself with people I feel safe with. It's the first time I'm experiencing the fear of antisemitism. In Israel, you're scared of rockets and terrorists, but you're not really scared of your neighbor calling you a dirty Jew or spitting on you. You can speak Hebrew everywhere, wear your Star of David or your Hamsa without fear. Here, it's different.

Howard: You're an Israeli in America right now, where nobody is sure if they can really count on their friends or neighbors to be supportive. Friendships are breaking up because of this. How do you feel being an Israeli in America right now?

Swell Ariel Or: I'm trying to surround myself with people I feel safe with. It's the first time I'm experiencing the fear of antisemitism. In Israel, you're scared of rockets and terrorists, but you're not really scared of your neighbor calling you a dirty Jew or spitting on you. You can speak Hebrew everywhere, wear your Star of David or your Hamsa without fear. Here, it's different. It's the first time I'm experiencing this awareness. I think it was always there, but I came to America at a time when it's really extreme in terms of antisemitism. I'm talking to my American Jewish friends, and they're giving me tools on how to be more aware and take better care of myself. At the same time, they're saying don't be afraid, don't hide, don't lock yourself at home. Be proud of who you are, just be aware. And I'm learning it.

Howard: This is something new for American Jews too. We're all shocked and surprised at the worldwide reaction. You have a social media presence; do you feel a need to counter antisemitism onlin?

Swell Ariel Or: My superpower is storytelling. This is who I am, this is how I fight. Whether it's sharing my own story or encouraging my non-Jewish friends to share it too. I ask them to think, "What if it was me? Would you speak up then?" I also share the victims' stories, not just how they died or were kidnapped but who they were when they were alive. We can't just be the victims all the time; people need to know we're talking about human beings with beautiful stories, love for life, families, hobbies, careers, and children. We're not just numbers, we're not just Israelis or Jews, we're human beings. Right now, I'm focusing on the Israeli angle because I believe that anti-Zionism is a form of anti-Semitism.

Howard: In a previous interview, you mentioned having PTSD from an attack when you were younger. Can you describe that experience and how it affected you on October 7?

Swell Ariel Or: When I was 16, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I witnessed a terrorist attack on one of Tel Aviv's most central streets. I don't know if you're familiar with Tel Aviv, but it's like Sunset Boulevard. Luckily, I wasn't hurt; I was across the street.

As a kid, I didn't have the tools to process what I saw. Growing up in Israel, you're aware of terrorist attacks, wars, and rockets, but you think it always happens to other people, not you. That's the naive belief. But the truth is, it's like Russian Roulette; you can't know when it will happen. To this day, I'm trying to figure out how to live with what happened. Back then, I didn't even know how to dea…

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Welcome to Emet — Truth. I'm Howard Lovy, and today we're tackling the infamous “Jewish Space Laser” theory and its deeper roots in antisemitism. I interviewed Mike Rothschild, author of Jewish Space Lasers: The Rothschilds and 200 Years of Conspiracy Theories. No, he's not one of those Rothschilds. We explore how this and other conspiracy theories often point back to the Rothschild family as the ultimate puppet masters. Our conversation, also featured in the Jewish Journal of Los Angeles, delves into the history and evolution of these theories and offers insights on combating these harmful narratives.

You can listen to our conversation by clicking the arrow at top, or read the transcripts below.

Howard Lovy: Well, first, tell me a little bit about your background, where you grew up, and when you first became fascinated by conspiracy theories.

Mike Rothschild: Sure. I grew up in the Chicago suburbs. Growing up, I didn't think much about my last name. I knew there was a wealthy Rothschild family, but I also knew we weren't related to them. It's not something I ever really thought about. In college, I became focused on conspiracy theories. I got really into the Art Bell Coast to Coast AM radio show. He talked about UFOs, crop circles, cattle mutilations—all the X-Files stuff. I never believed any of it, but I was fascinated by it as storytelling and wondered what mindset would drive someone to be attracted to something that repels most people. I moved to Los Angeles and worked as a screenwriter for a while, but it wasn't fulfilling. Around 2012, I started writing about conspiracy theories. At that time, conspiracy theories were still somewhat fringe but were starting to creep into the mainstream with things like the Obama birth certificate controversy. Then Trump happened, followed by 2016, QAnon, and COVID. Now it seems like everyone knows someone who believes in one of these theories, whether it's that Trump is the real president, COVID was created as a bioweapon, or the vaccine gives you blood clots. Almost all of these theories eventually connect back to the Jews, and the Rothschilds are seen as the ultimate Jews—the kings of the Jews. So it all coalesced for me into writing a book to figure out who this family is, and who they are not. That's really where it started.

Lovy: Right, right. You wrote this in your book, and others have said it too: almost all conspiracy theories are rooted in antisemitism, and almost all antisemitism is rooted in conspiracy theories. So, essentially, if you scratch any conspiracy theory down to its root, you'll find antisemitism. Is that a true statement?

Rothschild: I think that's very true. Many conspiracy theories are about who is really in control, who is running things, who are the string-pullers. Quickly, we devolve back to, "Well, it's the Jews; it's the wealthy, powerful Jews who are doing all the manipulation." They run all the front groups, think tanks, and banks. If you think it's the Jews, then somebody has to be in charge, somebody has to be controlling them. Very quickly, it turns into the Rothschilds.

Lovy: How did the Rothschilds themselves become such a focal point?

Rothschild: It really was the large amount of money they made during the Napoleonic Wars. They were charged with hiding the vast fortune of the Elector of Hesse, one of the principals of the rapidly disintegrating Holy Roman Empire. This was a huge amount of money that needed to be hidden from Napoleon's forces. Mayer Amschel Rothschild and his son Amschel essentially devised a system to move the money around and smuggle it across the English Channel. A lot of it was used to fund the effort against Napoleon. The Rothschilds made huge loans, earned interest on them, and sold bonds and gold. Within a couple of decades, they were one of the richest families in Europe. When you accumulate that amount of wealth that quickly and you're visibly Jewish, myths follow. And where myths go, conspiracy theories go.

Lovy: Right, right. Well, it's not that conspiracy theories didn't exist before the Rothschilds. They just kind of coalesced on this one family.

Rothschild: Oh, sure. Conspiracy theories have always existed. You can go back to the Great Fire of Rome, where people whispered that Nero had secretly set it to achieve some political aim. Jewish myths and tropes really coalesced around the Rothschilds in the 1800s. They were among the most visibly Jewish families; they never converted or assimilated. They were openly Jewish and had palaces, art collections, and racehorses. Their name was everywhere, and they had enough visibility that these theories followed them.

Lovy: Yeah, yeah. We call them theories, but aren't they really just excuses to give your pre-existing antisemitism a focus point? The antisemitism already existed, and this is just a respectable way to say, "Well, it's the Rothschilds," or these days, "It's George Soros."

Rothschild: Right, the beliefs were there, but organizing them around a smaller group helps to launder them. Before the 21st century, a lot of antisemitic material would say, "It's not all Jews; we love the Jews, we love Israel. It's just these wealthy European bankers causing all the trouble, and even other Jews should hate them." It's cloaked in a veneer of respectability: "It's not all Jews, just these few Jews over here."

Lovy: Right, right. And then there's the Trump variation, which I guess I don't have to tell you. It's almost this weird Philo-Semitism, where he believes every stereotype about Jews and thinks that's a good thing. "Of course, you're good with money," that kind of thing. Is this a newish kind of spin on the old conspiracy theory?

Rothschild: Some of it is, yes. It's very much taking these stereotypes and saying, "Oh, why wouldn't you want people to think you're good with money? Why wouldn't you want people to think you're smart?" At the end of the day, it's still a stereotype, and it's very easy to weaponize that in a negative way. It's just being done as a backhanded compliment.

Lovy: So, these days there's a lot of talk about right-wing versus left-wing antisemitism, and they all kind of meet at the ends of a horseshoe. But are you more likely to find Rothschild conspiracy theories on the right or the left?

Rothschild: Right now, it's the right. I would say that this major uptick in antisemitism we're experiencing is very much driven by the far right, particularly online influencers on the far right. But in the 1800s, it was very much in spaces that we would think of now as left-wing. The Socialist Movement had a great deal of antisemitism in it; the founder of anarchism had private notes talking about how the entire Jewish race needed to be either deported or exterminated. These were, as we would think now, progressive spaces, but they were extremely antisemitic. They were extremely anti-wealth, and much of that took the form of antisemitism.

Lovy: And you can find that on the left today, too. So, how much of this is online, all the crackpots talking to one another? How much does this really spill over into the real world?

Rothschild: Well, I think right now, we're seeing a great deal of spillover. We're seeing an uptick in public antisemitism. We're seeing Nazis marching in Florida. Here in Los Angeles, where I live, you're seeing banners over the 405 saying "Hitler was right." And you're seeing people like Kanye West and, indirectly, people like Elon Musk endorsing it. A lot of this stuff is online only, found in the worst places on the internet, but a lot of it is becoming very public. It's becoming acceptable, and it's losing that veneer of "we're not talking about the entire Jewish people, it's just these few industrialists." For a lot of these people, it's just all Jews, the entire Jewish population.

Lovy: Are you attributing this recent uptick in antisemitism to, at its root, the same kind of Rothschild conspiracy theories? You know, Jews as the secret puppeteers, that kind of thing?

Rothschild: A lot of…

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My guest on the Emet-Truth podcast today is Hen Mazzig, a public speaker and advocate against antisemitism and for the Mizrahi community. His new book is called The Wrong Kind of Jew: A Mizrahi Manifesto, published by Wicked Son Books.

You might recognize Hen as somebody who is very active on social media or who has made the news more than a few times as the object of protest by anti-Zionists on college campuses. But Hen fights battles that go beyond the struggle against antisemitism. He has always been an advocate for visibility inside and outside the Jewish community. As a Mizrahi Jew, an Israeli, and a member of the LGBTQ community, Hen has pushed back against his status as what he calls “the wrong kind of Jew.”

In our interview, we talk about his family background, struggle for acceptance, and how he takes on all our preconceived notions about who he is. He hopes his book helps to educate Jews and non-Jews alike about the diversity within world Jewry and in Israel.

Listen to the podcast by clicking the arrow up top. If you enjoy this show, please share it with others!

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My podcast guest today is Ben M. Freeman. He's a Holocaust educator, activist, and author of two books: Jewish Pride: Rebuilding a People and the soon-to-be released Reclaiming our Story: The Pursuit of Jewish Pride.

Ben was born in Scotland and is an internationally known author, educator and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion specialist focusing on Jewish identity. He’s about to embark on a tour of North America to promote his latest book, so I am very happy I was able to speak to him for about a half-hour before he leaves. We discuss what he means by internalized Jew-hatred, his own experience as both a Jew and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and how to bring back a sense of Jewish Pride.

Click the arrow above to listen to the interview. If you enjoyed this podcast, please spread the word and subscribe for more!

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The way author Michael Benson tells it, one day in 1938, New York judge and Jewish communal leader Nathan Perlman sat at a bar and thought, “How come these Nazis get to march down 86th Street, goose-stepping and ‘sieg heiling’ like it’s the Macy’s Parade? Why are they so brazen?”

It was because they were not worried about the consequences. Too few people in then-isolationist America really cared about what was being said about the Jews or what was happening to them in Europe, Benson said. What was needed, then, were Jews who weren’t afraid to break some laws — and some bones — as they challenged the homegrown Nazi threat.

And that’s when, in Benson’s words, “Judge Perlman thought outside the box.”

You can read the rest of the story I wrote for JTA at this link, but if you want to hear some wonderful detail that didn’t make the cut, click the button above and listen to our entire interview. It was a fun one and, of course, who doesn’t want to hear about how to properly punch Nazis?

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When I was a teenager in 1983, my local community in the Detroit area had a “run for Soviet Jewry,” — a 10K designed to raise awareness and funds to help Jews who were prisoners in the Soviet Union for no other reason than they were Jews. Instead of numbers on our shirts, each runner was given the name of a refusenik, as they were called since they had been refused permission to emigrate.

On my chest was the name Anatoly Sharansky. So, Sharansky and I ran a little over six miles together. The name piqued my curiosity, and, in those pre-Internet days, I sought out information from my college library’s microfiche newspaper collection. I learned more about Sharansky’s life from child chess prodigy to physicist to his incarceration and solitary confinement on trumped-up charges of spying.

Sharansky was released in 1986, emigrated to Israel, changed his name to Natan Sharansky, and has held several Israeli government positions over the years. Most recently, he was chairman of the Jewish Agency.

About a month ago, I finally had the opportunity to talk to him in advance of something called the Z3 Project on Israel-Diaspora relations. The California-based group asked me to interview Sharansky to discuss his work in improving ties not between Jews and gentiles but between Jews and Jews—primarily between Israel and the Diaspora. Of course, I jumped at the chance to talk to my childhood hero. I was curious about many things, but I wanted to get his take on the current wave of antisemitism.

To say that Sharansky has experience with antisemitism disguised as anti-Zionism would be an extreme understatement. As a former Soviet “Prisoner of Zion,” he spent years under torturous conditions in the gulag. He knew that when Soviet leaders began to talk about Zionism, all Jews, Zionist or not, were in trouble. When he was finally released and immigrated to Israel, he was surprised to notice the same phenomenon. That’s when he came up with what he called his “3D test” of antisemitism. They are:

* Delegitimization of Israel

* Demonization of Israel

* Double standards in judging Israel

Put them together, you can bet that what is billed as criticism of Israel is actually antisemitism. The 3Ds became the basis for widely accepted definitions of antisemitism. But the battle is still being fought, he says, not with other nations, but with Jews in America who are reluctant to be seen as equating criticism of Israel with antisemitism.

In this interview, we discussed this dilemma and other areas where Israel and the Diaspora meet.

Click the arrow at the top of this email for the full conversation. In the future, I’ll also link to other interviews I conducted for the Z3 Project on Israel Diaspora relations.

Also, if you enjoy content like this, make sure you share it with your friends on social media and urge them to subscribe!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit howardlovy.substack.com/subscribe