Max Brodsky: 'If People Understood Lieberman's Russian Messages, They'd Be Shocked'

"I am not affiliated with the Israel Beiteinu party, and I've never voted for them, but I am acting as a private citizen because this issue deeply concerns me," says Max Brodsky, one of the people currently working tirelessly to warn about the antisemitic content being broadcast by Israel Beiteinu, which poses a tangible threat to Israel's citizens.

"I started taking action," he shares, "after encountering the disturbing content on Facebook, which included shockingly propagandistic videos by Israel Beiteinu. What really broke the camel's back for me were the reactions these videos are garnering. It's unbelievable; these are videos that generate extremely harsh reactions and very aggressive and biased discourse in Israeli society. Most people aren't sufficiently aware, maybe because the videos are in Russian, but the content they convey sends shivers down your spine with its shockingly biased nature. They point a blaming finger at the religious sector in all its forms, including Shas and the knitted yarmulkes. Suddenly, everyone who wears a kippah and adheres to religious commandments is, as it were, held accountable for all the problems in the country. This is the message being conveyed through them."

Max Brodsky

Incitement, Defamation, and Antisemitism

Brodsky provides an example: "One of the videos distributed by the party stars MK Kushnir, who talks about tests women undergo at health clinics. Kushnir ostensibly exposes the fact that Haredi women go to be examined by a certified nurse, then gives his spin on it—that this is all at the expense of other patients, and according to him, this is why there aren't enough hospital beds. This is complete nonsense. Firstly, it's clear that there's no connection between the pressures in health clinics and the lack of hospital beds. But additionally, he claims it's all done at the taxpayers' expense, and I ask—what's the point of this claim? The examination in question is conducted for a fee, and no woman goes of her own volition, but out of necessity. Why then not allow Haredi women to be examined? Why turn everything into religious hatred?

"In another video, Israel Beiteinu attempts to terrify its voters by telling them about 'a million Haredim living at the taxpayers' expense.' They preach about the Haredim who 'do nothing and live like parasites.' Again, here there are many inaccurate details. First, it's unclear how they arrive at a figure of a million Haredim. The entire Haredi sector barely approaches a million, and among them are men and women working full-time jobs, not to mention the children who, even outside the Haredi society, don't work, so why present distorted data? Even if someone claims this falls under free speech, I think there must be a fight against it, because even if this incitement is legal and the police can do nothing to stop it, it's undeniable that it creates a public discourse that lowers the norm to an appalling level. Unfortunately, the next stage might involve hearing racist statements like 'we should eliminate the Haredim' or 'burn them in Auschwitz,' and statements like these are already being expressed in comments on these campaigns."

Do you think there's a reason why this campaign is conducted in Russian, and that the videos in Russian differ from those broadcasted in Hebrew?

"I think those responsible for the campaign are very sophisticated people. Like any political entity, they look for the individual and try to speak in a language that the audience will accept. When talking about the Russian public, it's easy to convey such messages to them because many are non-Jews who came here under the Law of Return, and among them are many anti-religious people. Generally, the Russian public was raised in the Soviet Union, which always broadcasted 'anti-religion,' and people distanced from tradition buy into this incitement and believe it's true. They are genuinely afraid of the Haredim 'who don't work' and believe all the baseless accusations they're confronted with. How can it not happen when the Deputy Mayor of Haifa himself allowed himself to publicly phrase things about the Haredim doing terrible things to children? These things create a dangerous discourse."

But why do you think Lieberman is doing this? Why is it politically advantageous for him?

"The truth is that his motives aren't clear even to me, and they raise many questions. But the reality is that the messages he waves are unbearable, and it's as if they were taken from the darkest realms of antisemitic propaganda against Jews in Europe."

Lieberman (Photo: Tomer Neuberg, Flash 90)

Raising a Cry

Recently, Brodsky joined forces with a group of concerned individuals, all originating from the former Soviet Union and representing all sectors in Israel, seeing it as their supreme mission to update the public about the existential threat posed by Israel Beiteinu. "We want to prove how the party's information is false and antisemitic, with the sole purpose of destroying Israeli society," he emphasizes.

"I am not acting on behalf of anyone," he adds, "but over time, I've been exposed to so much online violence and the party's shocking campaigns that simply caused me pain and repulsion. This pains me personally, and in addition, often makes me wonder what kind of society my children will live in and what the next stage will be. After all, when there's an antisemitic statement with countless likes and smiles underneath it, it can serve as the opening shot for real pogroms. So how can I continue to sit idly by? Isn't it better to shout before the pogroms begin?"

And maybe you're just extreme, and these are merely pre-election talks?

"Maybe I'm extreme, but if we look at history, we'll see countless instances where prolonged incitement gave irresponsible citizens the stamp of approval to enact very violent deeds. I am definitely worried that such things might happen even in Israel, not necessarily under the party's auspices, but there might be those who act independently, and who knows what will be the end?"

Brodsky notes that as a result of their activities on the subject, the idea of holding an informational and non-political conference was formed, to be held this coming Thursday at the Guest House in Beit Vagan. "Initially, we planned a small conference and expected around 200 people, but now it seems the conference will be much larger. Partly thanks to the exposure by the Israel Beiteinu party, which reported on the conference and filed a complaint against one of the organizers. Now many more people know about it, and we genuinely don't know what number of attendees to prepare for. So yes, we are definitely thankful to Avigdor Lieberman."

Who are you targeting with the conference?

"We are reaching out to the general public and anyone who is bothered and troubled by this issue. At the conference, we will try to understand how the phenomenon in which antisemitism became a norm of discourse in Israel in 2020 arises. How is it possible that the Haredi has become the problem of the Russian sector, and all its hatred is directed at him? At the end of the conference, we also hope to formulate operational actions."

Are you hinting at continuing to take action after the elections?

"I'm not hinting at anything because I myself don't know. We are operating day by day and striving to do what we can. More than that is already truly beyond our control."