91 Comments

1. Norman Simms:

Phyllis

Timely warnings on these crises, some of which are exacerbated by the latest events–Mumbai, Madoff, financial bail-outs–others of long standing, the endless vilification of Israel, demonization of Jews, hatred of Bush and Cheney.

Yet I went back to ther Book of Jeremiah. The Law is there always as a guide, not only to the perplexed, but to the wary and the fearful; and warning to smug and the naive.

Norman

Dec 22, 2008 - 1:05 pm 2. iammefrommiami:

I disagree about all Jews being on trial. Who needs that negativity? Madoff appears to be guilty, the Jewish people can make teshuvah.

Dec 22, 2008 - 1:11 pm 3. Tony DeCarlo:

While I agree that the continuing emphasis on the fact that Madoff is Jewish is somewhat bizarre, I think we have to remember that he is routinely compared to Carlo Ponzi who is repeatedly in the New York Times referred to as an Italian (even though his name sort of gives it away). In another current story, Governor Blagojovich of Illinois is called a Serbian. Why the Times likes to identify people by their religion or ethnicity is beyond me.

In any event, although the hatred exhibited by the nutso left and the Muslim world toward Jews is despicable, we must always remember that Islam, because of its many fanatic believers, is held in great contempt throughout most of the modern world. I doubt that the Imams and ayatollahs influence many with there repeated canards and stupid cartoons.

While anti-Semitism is an ongoing threat that must be repudiated, I don’t think that Mr. Madoff’s crimes are going to lead many people to join the hate mongers and maniacs.

Dec 22, 2008 - 1:32 pm 4. makabit:

As an African Ameican Jewish woman, I feel and understand where you are coming from. If one Black person does something really gross, all Blacks become tainted. This incident is going to make me give more to charities and pray Tehillim more. I am so sorry for those who are suffering from this awful action. Our enemies will always hate us regardless of what we do. Such is the world in which we live.

Dec 22, 2008 - 2:39 pm 5. Fern Sidman:

I guess the classification of “Jewish intellectual” is not tantamount to one who has been blessed with true wisdom or prescience.

Our rabbis tell us in Pirkei Avos, “Who is wise, one who can see the future”.

In her remarkably accurate analysis of the Madoff debacle, Dr. Chesler hits the nail on the proverbial head as she suggests that all Jews will be transformed in to defendants in the Madoff case.

One who has eyes to see and ears that hear can decipher that virulent anti-Semitism is dramatically rising and history teaches us that in almost all cases of global economic meltdowns, the assignment of blame is automatically directed at the Jew.

Now the haters have a huge finger in which to point and it will be at Madoff and other “feeders” who happen to also be Jewish. The convenient omission of non-Jewish “feeders” from the litany of NY Times articles on the Madoff Ponzi scandal is not surprising.

This kind of media incitement is exactly was presaged the Holocaust in Nazi Germany. The “real haters” as Dr. Chesler suggests are proliferating in abundance and are sharpening their teeth for the kill. Tragically, the “Bar Mitzvah” crowd just doesn’t get it.

Perhaps palpable fear has overtaken their good senses. After all it is much easier to remain in denial. The mere thought of having their professional careers jeopardized because of their Jewish ancestry must be a redoubtable nightmare for them.

It is all to apparent that the ominous presence of this horrific scourge has made a recrudescence of sorts and it would do us well to recognize it for what is it.

May G-d help us !!

Dec 22, 2008 - 3:16 pm 6. Alex Grobman:

Unfortunately the Jews are on trial because of Madoff. The media incessantly refers to him as being Jewish and lists the high profile members of his faith that he scammed. The NY Post called the Fifth Avenue Synagogue the “Temple of Doom.” Another front page story in the paper highlighted an incredibly insensitive shopping spree of his son and daughter-law. Let the courts deal with Madoff and those who conspired with him to cheat the rich, the elderly, and the widows.

Dec 22, 2008 - 3:28 pm 7. MG:

I don’t wonder why the NY Times emphasizes the Jewish, and not the religion of the others…

They need to sell papers. And this sells. Apparently.

FWIW, Madoff’s Jewishness is none of my concern. His behavior — that gets my attention.

Regards, from just another Goy

Dec 22, 2008 - 5:44 pm 8. Éamonn:

Ms. Chesler, You write that Madoff has “shamed the Jewish people”. He has not: he has shamed none but himself. He happens to be Jewish. Fraudsters come in all shapes and sizes, all genders, all nationalities, all colours and, yes, all religions. Don’t be too hard on yourself and your own great religion. Any person who attempts to smear Judaism for the sins of one man is not just a bigotted fool: he is also smearing only himself. Happy Hannukah! Happy Christmas! Éamonn, Dublin, Ireland (A Catholic, happy to pay tribute to the Jewish people, for all your wonderful achievements and bravery)

Dec 22, 2008 - 9:29 pm 9. ANONYMOUSPERSON:

I don’t think that anybody would use this sad story in an anti-semetic way…. after all, he defrauded and hurt jewish charities and individuals terribly…. the investors were mostly jewish according to the press. I don’t think anyone (including my friends who are non-jewish) ever said anything even remotely anti-semetic about this terrible story. All everyone says is that he must be a sociopath, that some of the money must be hidden overseas, and it is terrible for people in their sixties and older to lose all of their holdings and be broke – to say nothing about all the charities that are losing their funding. I’m a goy … and, really, I don’t think anyone is saying anything anti-semitic…. Please dont make yourself crazy over this…. it’s bad enough this man took everyone down and betrayed everyone’s trust… It’s just horrible and everyone feels very sorry for those who literally lost everything they had in this disaster! (PS the other comment is that Madoff is lucky someone hasn’t tried to kill him!)

Dec 22, 2008 - 11:23 pm 10. Mama Palama:

Of interest, Greenspan had warned current President George Bush not to deregulate the laws in place regarding hedge funds! His sage advise certainly as regards hedge funds was ignored! Further, the wider picture of wheelers and dealers of hedge funds and investors who sought to advance their own financial interests – took risks as represented in any stocks and investment portfolios! What makes this different? A question those who went for it should have asked themselves!

Further, while Mr. Madoff was exposed – do any of your readers suppose he alone was dealing in hedge funds? His case blows the lid off blind policies in the sphere of economics that are ongoing in our nation from bailouts of CEOs instead of removal of them for failed leadership!

The feds are looking to expose others in addition to Madoff! Lets see who else will come up in the dragnet! And be assured they are not confined to any one religion or ethnic identity!

Let not lose sight of the larger situation grown from irresponsibility and greed at all levels of enterprise!

Chickens are coming home to roost and its not a Jewish thing as such – its an American skewed values thing that in good times go unquestioned.

WE are now in the throes of inevitable correction – lets see what leadership our nation has in the wings!

Caroline Kennedy?

That says it all from my perspective!

Dec 23, 2008 - 12:16 am 11. Pajamas Media » The Jews Are All on Trial With Madoff:

[...] Read the entire piece here. [...]

Dec 23, 2008 - 1:51 am 12. robert verdi:

its ridiculous that could happen, but I could see how it gets exploited.

Dec 23, 2008 - 4:12 am 13. Adina:

If one couples the usual head in the sand Jewish affliction, with the general penchant for anti-semitic vitriol, the explosive effects cannot be far off.
To be sure, some of the biggest fraudsters have been non-Jews, yet the MSM wouldn’t dare speak about their religious affiliations.In fact, they are allergic to equating worldwide terror with Islamic doctrine.
Therefore, if the big machers in the Jewish community fail to point out the right object lessons, we will have no one else to blame for our plight then our own leadership. The fact that they failed so abjectly in assisting European Jewry should give us all pause for alarm.
At the forefront of their campaign must be a call for Madoff to rot behind bars for the rest of his miserable life.

Dec 23, 2008 - 4:49 am 14. B Dubya:

So Madoff is a jew?
Look, it’s not in my operating system to immediately determine the religious affiliation of crooks. It is also not my way to ascribe creepy behaviors of individuals to the larger group they come from, with the possible exception of militant Arab Muslims, with whom I am nominally in a state of war.
Madoff is a fraud and a thief in his own right. The fact that hes is jewish only tells me that, in spite of being shown the way to Godliness and righteousness, he chose not to follow that more difficault path. That is his failing, and not one I would assign to any other factor.

What I just said, surprisingly, is not a “progressive” attitude. It is as conservative a concept as is Liberty and Justice for all before the law. The hatred of Jews is not one of my cultural norms, but I can’t speak for others of less enlightened intellect. All one need do is look at the progressives of Europe to find the model that would fit the anti-semite of the Untited States; I promise they are not conservative Republicans.

Dec 23, 2008 - 5:39 am 15. Ken Besig:

Bernie Madoff has made Jews both perpetrators and victims, and oddly enough, for anti Semites, it is really all the same. But since anti Semitism is the irrational hatred of Jews, it would be there even without good ‘ol Bernie not that he has help us there. Indeed, as an Israeli Jew, I am much more concerned with the financial damage Bernie’s theft has done to Jewish philanthropy both in America and abroad, than I am with whatever anti Semitism his acts may have engendered or exacerbated. A lot of Jewish poor, men, women, children, and the elderly are going to go hungry and cold this winter because of that filthy scumbag, Bernie Madoff. No punishment could be too harsh or cruel for him.

Dec 23, 2008 - 5:45 am 16. Ann:

Notice that the specific illustrations given are from Islam–the Arab world attacking “all Jews”. The Jews are NOT all on trial w/regard to the thinking, free, western-world citizen. They ARE not “on trial” with the Arab world: this situation is just another excuse for the Arabs to do what they have always done: hate Jews and kill as many as they can. There is no “trial” involving evidence and judgment going on here.

And I’ll say it again: I’m so tired of the presumption of writers and “public thinkers” who assume to know what’s going on in the thoughts of our population, then pose a phony rhetorical question and use their phony question or “concern” as a springboard for “a meaningful discussion”.

As a Christian, I’m tired of the homosexual presumption that I hate them individually. As a woman, I’m tired of men assuming that I’m a manhating feminist. As a Conservative, I’m tired of libs and homosexuals assuming they know what I read and who influences my thinking. As a taxpayer, I’m tired of the government assuming they have a single active braincell.

I don’t believe the “career” of “journlism” will ever recover from the incompetence to which it has sunk. Even opinion pieces should be expressed with decent research and demonstrated contact with logical thinking and political reality.

Dec 23, 2008 - 5:51 am 17. Andrew Ian Dodge:

Those who wish to malign the Jews will use any excuse to do so. I don’t necessarily think this will increase the amount but it will become part of the “common fodder” they use.

Dec 23, 2008 - 6:38 am 18. Assistant Village Idiot:

Ian is correct. The repeated identification of Madoff as Jewish is only a soft indicator of anti-semitism by reporters – it could be just an interesting hook that so many were co-religionists. But it will certainly be seized upon by bigots.

Dec 23, 2008 - 6:57 am 19. small sales rep:

Each year the SEC brings hundreds of civil enforcement actions against individuals and companies for violation of the securities laws. Typical infractions include insider trading, accounting fraud, and providing false or misleading information about securities and the companies that issue them.

I refused to sell stock and investment securities. The large insurance company that employed me demanded that we carry a series 6 and 7 broker licenses. One sales rep misquoted an investment portfolio, ‘1/2 to 1 percent’ misquote. A complaint was filed with the SEC and his head was delivered on a bloody platter. Small fine, loss of licenses and humiliated in his office.
Now I am looking at a SEC that allowed a $50,000,000,000 billion dollar scam.
MAYBE IF THE SEC HAD SPENT MORE TIME LOOKING FOR BIG FISH INSTEAD OF FILING $5,000 DOLLAR LAW SUITS AGAINST SMALL HONEST INVESTORS AND SALES REPS-
CRAP LIKE THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED!

PJ media does not have enough room for me to give my true feelings and (EXPLETIVE DELETED) rant but the SEC needs to change their name to DUMB ASSES.

Thank You

Dec 23, 2008 - 7:10 am 20. Room 237:

I think that Madoff is a “Jewish” problem mainly in that he victimized his coreligionists to an extreme degree. He used his influence on what you might term the “Jewish Circuit” to bulid trust then defraud.

One thing is that most con men or criminals victiomize their own people. The main victims of the Mafia were other Italians. The con men behind the “reparations” and “40 acres” scams are black, victimizing their fellow blacks. Madoff is no different.

The one difference here is that the victims generally are people who were wealthy, with a battery of accountants, lawyers and advisors. People who should have known better than invest with a guy with $50B under management but an auditor that was a one person operation in Westchester. So I think there will be less sympathy than an old lady scamed out of her $20,000 in life savings.

Dec 23, 2008 - 7:35 am 21. Laura:

This guy is a crook, a shmuck and will get his just desserts one day, but what has his being Jewish got to do with anything? Why should I feel guilty because one scum-bag ripped off these people? Playing the race card is just not going to cut it anymore. As a Jew, I do not feel responsible when one Jew does something bad. Let’s grow up and start being responsible for our own actions for a change.

Dec 23, 2008 - 7:54 am 22. Niall_77:

Ms. Chesler

Absolute Rubbish! What solar system do you live in?
Greed has no Creed.

Niall “Catholic Boy” Mackintosh

Dec 23, 2008 - 8:02 am 23. glenn:

Our Northern California paper of record (for better or worse)the SF Chronicle has buried the Madoff story in the business section. I think I read and commented on every one of the stories they ran. I never saw Mr Madoff being a Jew mentioned in the stories (makes no difference to me so maybe I just didn’t notice) The comments threads had quite a number of posts deleted and if I assume that the deleted posts were all anti-semetic rants the percentage was probably about the same as the posts deleted whenever to Chron runs a story about crime in Oakland. Point being Mr Madoff is Jewish, that’s not relevent to his alledgely being a crook. People who try to make it relevant are bigots and racists, pay them no mind, or as my Mom used to say “Consider the source” Even if (or especially if)it’s a writer for a major newspaper.

Dec 23, 2008 - 8:34 am 24. David P:

Chesler – WAKE UP!

We are staring down a second Holocaust as Iran anxiously expedites its nuclear program with the promised goal of erasing the “Zionist Entity” from existence. “The Jews Are All On Trial With Bernard Madoff” is a gross misdirection of concern, the apathetic world has already tried, convicted and sentenced us. We focus on whether or not they still like us as much instead of boisterously demanding they eradicate the threat of a 2nd genocide in one century.

Dec 23, 2008 - 8:55 am 25. Van:

The focus on money from Jewish institutions shows that Madoff fished where the fish were. I wonder if, on some subconscious level, he went after Jewish institutions knowing that eventually the entire edifice would collapse and he would pull down as many temples, literally, as possible. Could an element of self-hatred be at work here? I doubt it, but it’s an intriguing question.

Dec 23, 2008 - 8:57 am 26. hyung:

the media emphasizes he is jewish just as everyone else. how many times do we read about great jews doing great things? why not act in a symmetrical fashion when bad deeds are done? much like is being said here, a whole people are going to be blamed for he action of one man, or a few rotten apples spoil the bunch. but can we not say the same for muslims? over 1 billion of them the whole world looks at them as if they are all terrorists! jews seem to be happy with this connection, well it works both ways – sorry

Dec 23, 2008 - 9:23 am 27. MarkD:

I thought the only groups eligible for gratuitous smears were Catholics, Republicans, and white males. When did the Jews make the cut?

Seriously, bigots will be with us always, because it is easy to hate some other group. Accomplishing something yourself takes effort and you might fail. Hate is cheap and risk-free. It’s got to be somebody’s fault that I’m not a rich NBA player or a rock star. It can’t possibly be my lack of musical talent or athletic ability, coupled with height, age, and speed deficiencies and that inability to dribble without looking at the ball.

Blame won’t change the past. There are lessons in this scandal; lessons that have nothing to do with religion and a lot to do with verification and diversification and trust and greed. Most won’t learn until it’s too late.

Dec 23, 2008 - 10:26 am 28. Ann:

Upon further thought–this article and many of the posts beg the further question: forget that Madoff is Jewish. Can we please have more focus on the fact that he is a practiced thief and liar as an individual?

Of course, that skids into the nasty area of reality in which individuals are held responsible for their behaviors and actions and we sure don’t want to go there, do we? Madoff is a jerk and a thief, which has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he’s Jewish.

Dec 23, 2008 - 10:37 am 29. John Moore:

I find the constant fuss about anti-semitism to be mostly oversensitivity – in the US. At this point, I suspect most anti-semites were already that way and Madoff isn’t going to make any difference. For that matter, how many anti-semites are literate enough to pay attention to the scandal? I suspect the mention of his Jewishness is a result of his scamming his co-religionists. For that matter, the media I consume never mentioned it!

Dec 23, 2008 - 10:53 am 30. Perry:

Like it or not, one of the reasons Madoff’s Jewish victims trusted him is because Madoff is Jewish.

We Jews are a people which has been persecuted for all of our cultural existence by one group or another. Because of this Jews even today tend to take comfort in dealing with another Jew, whether in business or in law, medicine, etc. Bernie Madoff used this to his benefit and he did great damage to the financial condition of those Jews who trusted him, in part because he was Jewish.

However, there is a greater damage which Madoff has inflicted in all Jews. In one fell swoop he destroyed over 5,000 years of trust. Jews doing business with each other will no longer have the comfort they once believed they had.

Dec 23, 2008 - 10:53 am 31. Diana:

Its interesting that when Muslims burn down parts of Paris or gun down people in India the NYT calls them “youths” and “militants” but Madoff is first and foremost a Jew.A thoroughly despicable institution whose product isn’t fit to wrap fish in

Dec 23, 2008 - 11:04 am 32. newton:

When I first began to read about the extent of this man’s damage to Jewish philanthropies and small investors, I said to myself, “This man just gave a huge end-of-year gift to the enemies of Israel!”

$50 billion is not pocket change here. But the extent of his real damage will probably not be known until we read reports of many who lost much or everything because of him and are poor and under assistance a few years from now. Not to mention those who will use him as whom NOT to trust with your money or anything else. How much do you want to bet that many are going to start falling for “shariah-compliant” financial programs?

And all of that happened (and will happen) because of the covetousness [idolatry towards money and wealth] and thievery of one man.

“You cannot serve both God and riches/money [Mammon].” These were the words of a certain Jewish itinerant preacher from a very long time ago. It’s obvious now which god Madoff chose to serve. To the harm of too many.

Dec 23, 2008 - 11:45 am 33. Brian Richard Allen:

I am less pissed of at yet another bloody New Yorker having made off with a shipload of other people’s money (but still only chickenfeed compared to Roosevelt’s and Johnson’s icily ideologically inspired Ponzi scams) than I am that so many who descend from the same gene pool have supported every incremental fascist since Roosevelt.

And that almost 80% of them voted for the self-and-own-culture-loathing mobbed-up Marxist murtadd Muslim officer of the something or other erect! Who will soon systematically rob us, not only of Trillions of our Dollars — but likely of the very Rule of Law and of every one of the Institutions, and Symbols that makes our beloved fraternal republic the greatest nation there has ever been.

May the G-d of Israel protect every one of them from himself — and all the rest of us and our nation, from their messiah!

Brian Richard Allen
Los Angeles – CalifUBAMAcated 90028 — & the Far Abroad

Dec 23, 2008 - 11:54 am 34. Anthony:

>Like it or not, one of the reasons Madoff’s Jewish victims trusted him is because Madoff is Jewish.

Perry —

That is always the case with “affinity” con men. You gain people’s trust because you are one of them. In the same way the “slave reparations” scam artists tend to be black people victimizing other black people.

I think you will see less sympathy for the victims, not because they were Jewish, but because they were rich. They are the kind of people you would expect to have a battery of lawyers, accountants and advisors whenever making big investments. Instead, they invested billions with a guy whose auditor was one person in Westchester. So they do not have much of my sympathy

I am concerned however that this will criple Jewish philanthropy in the US. I am not jewish, but Jewish organizations are vitial charitable players. That will be the real sad effect.

Dec 23, 2008 - 11:55 am 35. patti:

.

Madoff’s dollars were NOT thrown in a big bonfire and burnt up! There should be some recovery of this money with enough forensic resources directed at finding it.

But Madoff’s malfeasance is NOTHING compared to what Raines, Frank, Dodd, Greenspan, Paulson and Bernanke have done LEGALLY. The government’s mismanagement (and/or corruption) has been/will be FAR more devastating to the economy!

The really GIGANTIC Ponzi scheme to end all Ponzi schemes is MediCare and Social Security! Also don’t forget the burgeoning U.S. deficit! Compared to Madoff, the U.S. government is the bigger ganef BY FAR!

The Treasury is printing dollars a mile-a-minute! They’re running out of trees! Dollars are rapidly being devalued! Beware!

.

Dec 23, 2008 - 12:13 pm 36. ridgerunner:

All this gnashing of teeth is not very useful. Combat anti-Semitism with a comprehensive estimate that weighs the number of lives saved and improved by physicians, scientists and reformers who were Jewish against those lives destroyed by Jews who were Marxists and defrauders. There were certainly many of the latter, as well as of the former.

Dec 23, 2008 - 12:16 pm 37. patti:

.

Madoff’s dollars were NOT thrown in a big bonfire and burnt up. There should be some recovery of this money with enough forensic resources directed at finding it!

Madoff’s malfeasance is NOTHING compared to what Raines, Frank, Dodd, Greenspan, Paulson and Bernanke have done LEGALLY. The government’s mismanagement (and/or corruption) has been (and will be!) FAR more devastating to the economy!

The really GIGANTIC Ponzi scheme to end all Ponzi schemes is MediCare and Social Security! Also don’t forget the burgeoning U.S. deficit! Compared to Madoff, the U.S. government is the bigger ganef BY FAR!

The Treasury is printing dollars a mile-a-minute. They’re running out of trees! Dollars are rapidly being devalued. Buyers beware!

.

Dec 23, 2008 - 12:17 pm 38. massaraksh:

Dear Dr. Chesler

I understand your outrage and I feel the same way, but please, let’s not overreact. Madoff is a scoundrel, and the Jews, just like any other people have their share of scoundrels. In fact, most of Madoff’s victims were Jews. We don’t bear collective responsibility for the misdeeds of the Jewish scoundrels and we shouldn’t voluntarily accept any blame either.

Dec 23, 2008 - 12:30 pm 39. naftali:

The reason the media have mentioned either explicitly or implicitly that Madoff was Jewish is because he victimized Jews. Any interview with a victim that is shown, that victim is Jewish, any pictures of charities ruined, these are Jewish charities. This is Jew on Jew crime. Nevertheless, we will be on trial. But that trial is built into our religious practice during daily prayer and the High Holidays.

Dec 23, 2008 - 12:33 pm 40. cedarford:

Dr. Chesler has a point. Just like with Muslims protesting that the fact that this terrorist or that is Muslim – is just an individual thing and has nothing to do with Muslim culture – they eventually admit that the cumulative effect of 90% of terrorists being Muslim DOES look bad and reflect on them and their culture as a whole.

When Jews Boesky, Millikan, and Levine were found to be the heart of the great 80s Wall Street fraud and indicted, two major Jewish organizations went into emergency meeting to determine the fallout and what needed to be done to counter the bad PR. That was prudent.

Then, as now, the declaimer that with only 2.5% of the population Jews are 60% of the financial world’s con artists only because they are the ones generally smart enough, cunning enough, and successful enough at it as ringleaders to make it so big before they are caught? That naturally, Jews are so good at it that it gets global publicity?

As in the Fastow Family of Enron fame, the Antar Family, the Wacsal Family?

Well, that is hardly a good advertisement for any ethnicity. To have your Mohammed Attas or Bernie Madoffs regularly trotted out as media poster children. Or worse, to then have clannish people state for the record that AQ in Iraq was bad because they weren’t killing just infidels but fellow Muslims, or that Madoff was worse than other Jewish scammers because he not only ripped off goyim but fellow Jews.

Hopefully there are enough non-Jews in key positions in the economic catastrophe – legal and criminal – like Dodd, Rangel, Chris Cox, gentile CEOs – to make the historical blame and hopefully criminal trials to come – a not predominantly Jewish thing. But Jews were key players..all the Greenspans, Barney Franks, Spitzers, Dick Fuhlds, Paulsons, Rubins, Greenburgs, Grubmans, Boeskys, Madoffs….

Perhaps like with Islam and and their slowly backing away from toleration of terror for the damage it does to perception of all Muslims..Jews need to begin to state in no uncertain terms that toleration, even celebration of money-obsessed Jewish ripoff artists is bad for the image of Jews overall. And disproportionate power in the financial world must be accompanied by an expectation of disproportionately high ethics and responsibility.

Dec 23, 2008 - 1:23 pm 41. Frank:

If anyone wants to see a cess pool of anti-semitism, just go to youtube.

There are so many of them it is mind boggling

Dec 23, 2008 - 2:24 pm 42. Tex Taylor:

I think Ms. Chessler has a very legitimate point. I’m already seeing a few cracks in the armor of blaming the Jew in circles where I never heard it before, and I’m saying this as a Christian who believes in equal justice for all, irrespective of religious affiliation. The fact than many Jews also were robbed is irrelevant to anyone carrying the anti-Semitic bent.

Though possibly burdensome and unfair you’re held to that standard, that’s why it becomes imperative that this man be giving no privilege, and Jews holding the rank of visibility should be leading the march to justice. If I were a Jew, I would leave no excuse for resentment and I would be very vocal about it.

Ask many of the innocent Muslims who because of their silence or perceived lack of outrage have now been thrown into the rank and file of the guilty.

Dec 23, 2008 - 2:47 pm 43. Thomas:

I wager the guy donated big money to leftist, Marxist-Leninist causes just like other members of Stalin’s Chosen People like Soros, Sanders and many more that we are prohibited even to mention much less to name.

Dec 23, 2008 - 2:53 pm 44. sbourg:

Phyllis,
You shouldn’t have tried to impress the seriousness of the Madoff scandal at a party for a 13-year old. Really. And you exaggerate when you write that he “gutted a generation of Jewish philanthropy”. My best friend’s having a bar mitzvah for his 13-year old soon. If you’re going, you really should chill out. It’s not the time for it.

Dec 23, 2008 - 5:04 pm 45. Peter Morris:

The article is wrong. In fact the reverse is the case.
The main media TV,Internet,newspapers all purposely delete the fact that Bernie Madoff is Jewish.
Offcourse after listing various Jewish charities affected by Madoff the readers quickly conclude that these organizations and individuals would only have invested with another Jew.

Lets be realistic.
Jews have been at the forefront of getting US into invading Iraq although few Jewish (if any) names are found in the 5000 or so casualty figures for American soldiers.
And who ran the banks and investment vehicles responsible for the sub prime mortgage?
Better still who is being bailed out by the hard working American taxpayer.
Cry anti semetic as much as you want. Mr Average American is getting a little tired of all the lies,deceit and thats not even mentioning the criminal way Palestinians are treated.

Dec 23, 2008 - 5:16 pm 46. glenn:

P.S. I think, based on what I see in the local press, that Mr. Madoffs’ news coverage will be surpressed because of the party to which he gave the most money (Democrats) than his coverage will be enhanced because he’s Jewish. I mean he did alledgely steal $50 billion. Couple more of those and you’re talking serious money.

Dec 23, 2008 - 5:33 pm 47. DavidN:

This whole article comes across as a bit paranoid. I hadn’t really been following the story of Mr. Madoff, other than to note that his name is rather ironic, considering that he “made off” with all of this money. Besides hearing about the story on the evening news and the Tonight Show monologue, I’d paid no attention. So I’m sort of confused: he’s Jewish? I thought he was a crook. What’s going to happen to him, because he’s Jewish, that wouldn’t if he were a gentile? Is it that a non-Jew wouldn’t be prosecuted? Or perhaps that someone of another ethnic group wouldn’t smear their co-members if they were caught in similar circumstances? Even the infamous rich white males get blamed for something like this when one of their members does it. The guy stole a whole large pile of money, more than (I would expect) any other thief, not the leader of a country, in the HISTORY OF THE WORLD. And we’re worried about anti-Semitism that might occur as a result of people being upset about this? I have Jewish friends, can distinguish between them and this idiot, and I think the rest of the world can too. If he stole from Jewish charities and so forth, the Times can be forgiven (for once) for explaining how he gained their trust by mentioning that he’s Jewish too. Can it with the paranoia already, we have enough real problems to deal with.

Dec 23, 2008 - 6:15 pm 48. Carol Gould:

Cedarford,
Probably a minor point but Paulson is not Jewish.
Interesting too that throughout the Bush years I heard many a London dinner-set pundit blaming ‘Jewish’ Rumsfeld ( in reality a died- in -the -wool WASP) for the evils of the neocon regime.
At a residents’ meeting some years ago in my London block of flats a member kept referring to our landlord as ‘that Catholic Jew.’ I kept telling her it was not possible for a Catholic to be a Jew, but someone finally explained to me that referring to someone as a ‘Jew’ was just about the worst epithet one could add to a description. ‘Jewing’ someone is an expression I have heard many times over the years. When Lord Levy, referred to in the media as ‘Lord Cashpoint’ was exonerated after being arrested for alleged worngdoing in the Tony Blair era cash-for-Honours scandal, Anglo-Jewry was able to hold its head high with dignity. Alas one cannot hold one’s head high in the shadow of Madoff.
Wonderful piece, Phyllis.

Dec 23, 2008 - 7:05 pm 49. Dave D:

This is hysterical, and absurd.

The only reason his jewishness was mentioned was because he used it so effectively to defraud other jews. It would be like mentioning a christian layman as a christian who did the same thing-it’s not designed to stoke bad feeling, but because it is a huge reason why so many people trusted him with their money.

Trying to spin this into something that will impact global anti-semitism is absurd.

Dec 23, 2008 - 8:38 pm 50. Jerry:

Regarding Fern Sidman #5

“Our rabbis tell us in Pirkei Avos, “Who is wise, one who can see the future”

I believe that the correct quote is, “Who is wise, one who learns from every man.”

Our rabbis could not have believed that anyone can see the future. Human limitation precludes seeing the future. Predictions are not within human ability. All models and simulations have underlying assumptions, that, when violated, cause predictions to fail. Only when systems are essentially quiet and stable are predictions useful. Stirring the pot in any way causes chaos and therefore, causes unpredictability.

Regarding Madoff, one can be as afraid as one wishes, as assured as one wishes, or be perfectly parve about the matter and not be any more accurate about the occurrence of specific events or change of attitudes. More Islamic anti-Semitism is no surprise, nor is opposition by the liberal press. That Jews were hurt out of proportion will not be seen saving their rear-ends from getting batted about.

What is certain is that Mr. Madoff violated trusts to the point of bringing shame to himself and the Jewish People. There is no formula for forgiveness for such an act. He cannot ask God to grant absolution; he cannot ask those individuals he has hurt for forgiveness. Even paying back every cent does not aid such a person in the eyes of Jewish law. He has disgraced the Jewish concept of God and the Jews in the eyes of the civilized world to the point that even his death will not lead to a diminution of his guilt. That is the Jewish Law, as far as I understand it.

Dec 23, 2008 - 10:16 pm 51. JackT:

You’re clueless. According to your logic, I guess since Bush screwed us over for 8 years, then all white people should be loathed. When are we going to see people as individuals, responsible for their own actions?

Dec 24, 2008 - 12:31 am 52. Gary Rosen:

“Cedarford,
Probably a minor point but Paulson is not Jewish.”

Not a minor point at all with C-fudd, one of the most twisted antisemitic ignoramuses anywhere. He lies as a matter of course. Here are some more thoughtful musings from him on the Jooos:

http://minx.cc/?post=66320

Where ya been, Fudd? Finally make bail on that morals charge? Any plans to admit that Churchill was British PM 1951-55? I didn’t think so.

Dec 24, 2008 - 2:01 am 53. Gary Rosen:

“Jews are 60% of the financial world’s con artists”

What’s your evidence for this, Fudd? And what was Rubin convicted of? Are gentiles who express sympathy for Jews and Israel still “ball-licking Christian Zionists” in your eyes as you recently spewed on Belmont Club?

Dec 24, 2008 - 2:12 am 54. Ken Besig:

Almost as if apropos to my comments that anti Semites don’t even need a reason to hate Jews, up pops #45 Peter Morris to prove me correct. He implies for example that George Bush,the entire 95% Gentile Congress and Senate, and most Americans are morons or imbeciles who have been led around by the nose by clever and evil Jews, who besides tricking them into the Iraq War, also tricked them into the financial bailout program for American financial firms and even the auto companies.
Then with the absolute certainty of the truly foolish Mr. Morris goes on to tell us that he cannot find many “Jewish” names among the Iraq War dead. Mr. Morris perhaps could tell me what a “Jewish” name is since the names Reynolds, Smith, Coin, Berg, Miller, and even my own name are examples of “Jewish” names a few of which Gentiles use too.
Anti Semitism is the irrational hatred of Jews, not for what we do, but as Mr. Peter Morris so perfectly exemplifies, who we are. Indeed my real fear is not that Peter Morris is an anti Semite since anti Semites are usually drunken, ignorant, and stupid louts, and thus easily countered. No, my real concern is that Peter Morris himself is Jewish and despises himself since as he must know, in the Jewish community, Morris is a very common “Jewish” name.

Dec 24, 2008 - 3:21 am 55. Ann Noneemus:

Dear Phylis-

When the news media was brimming to the rim with sensationalized stories of Catholic priests sodomizing altar boys and defiling first communion girls, no one accused the media of unfair bias toward Catholics. The media would have been remiss in failing to focus on the faith of these priests and their victims, would you agree or not?

I understand your fear of not being judeged on individual merits (as many African Americans, Latinos and Muslims feel unjustly slighted by the intense media focus on their group criminality and not their individual contributions to their communities and countries), as the zeitgeist as of late is not one that is particularly friendly toward Jews internationally.

However, one must understand the pitfalls of using group successes as public relations boosting strategies. For example, one cannot crow and boast about having a higher group IQ, sharing the same gene pool with the likes of Nobel prize winners and Einstein and Freud if one truly wishes to be judged as an “individual SOLELY on individual merits”. I understand the need to brag about the better members of the group or tribe as a means of attempting to gain greater respect for the tribe as a whole. Unfortunately, the blowback to this strategy is dealing with the NEGATIVE consequences when one of the tribe screws up on such a massive scale, especially when that particular screw up has preyed on members of his own tribe to such an enormous degree.

What does this all mean? It meanns getting painted by the same foul brush as one particular individual like Madoff (pronounced “made-off”, ironically enough) who has singlehandedly pulled off one of the biggest frauds ever in recent times.

I saw one Israeli’s comment on another board about this topic: “We Jews do exceedingly well, for better or worse.”

It reminds me of a basic flaw that most humans have: when things are going great for us and our luck is never better, no one asks “What have I done to deserve this?” Yet when the skies darken and our lives hit patches of misfortune, the first whiny complaint is, “Why ME?”

Dec 24, 2008 - 3:59 am 56. Michael Bauman:

Because I teach college courses in political theory and political theology, I follow the news quite carefully. But I must admit that I did not know until I read this piece that Madoff is Jewish. Nor do I care. It’s not a question of Jewishness at all. It’s a question of whether or not he is a swindler.

All Jews are not on trial. Until i read this, I didn’t know that in the Madoff case even one would be.

Dec 24, 2008 - 4:12 am 57. Raymond in DC:

Oh Peter [Morris], could your bigotry and ignorance be more evident?

You blame Jews for “getting US into invading Iraq”. Yet Jews were overwhelmingly *against* invading Iraq, and almost every senior Israeli official warned the US against such an invasion.

You ask, “And who ran the banks and investment vehicles responsible for the sub prime mortgage?” And the overwhelming answer is… Gentiles. Yes, there was Frank and Schumer, but there was also Dodd, and Raines and Waters and Obama, and Johnson, and …

And, despite being off point, you creatively slipped “the criminal way Palestinians are treated” into your diatribe. Get a clue, man, and get a life.

Dec 24, 2008 - 6:16 am 58. Markus:

The Madoff Affair actually flies in the face of a key tenet of anti-Semitism, which is that Jews swindle goyim, but not other Jews. Rather than feel vindicated, I would think anti-Semites ought to be scrambling to explain why this Jew acted so contrary to his own ethnic group interest.

Dec 24, 2008 - 7:45 am 59. Steve O:

Madoff is the lowest kind of person in the world. Somebody’s got to do something to him. He’s the scum of the earth. He’s the worst s-s-sucking scum I have ever, ever seen.

Dec 24, 2008 - 9:10 am 60. Smarty:

I am kind of glad that for once Jews are feeling some heat for the actions of one of their own. They are the first ones to tar every Christian for the actions or words of a whackjob who happens to be Christian. The time they spend on the defensive is less time they can spend attacking Christmas.

Dec 24, 2008 - 11:27 am 61. Smarty:

“They were mainly progressives, thinkers, sophisticated.”

All liberals, no matter how insane or stupid, like to think of themselves as “thinker, sophisticated”. They are nothing but arrogant socialist narcissists. Watch “man on the street” interviews, the dumber a liberal is, the more impressed with himself he is.

Dec 24, 2008 - 11:29 am 62. john galt lives:

the fact that madoff is jewish is irrelevant. the fact that hes a scumbag demonrat whos typical of the upchuck schumers and charlie rangels of the world is relevant. for every bernie madoff I can name 3 decent honorable jewish folk. madoff was a scum because he refused to follow the tenets of his religion, as does the likes of chuck u schumer and dianne find swine. same way that the likes of jeremiah wright and michael pflegler have no right to call themselves christian.

Dec 24, 2008 - 12:13 pm 63. massaraksh:

In a rather “perverted” way I’m grateful to read the post written by Peter Morris because he illustrates the point I wanted to make all along – the Jews shouldn’t waste their time worrying about how the misdeeds committed by Jewish miscreants reflect on all Jews – the Antisemites have no problem demonizing the Jews using non-Jews like Rumsfeld, Cheney, and others. Thus, the Jews are blamed for the war in Iraq which, truth be told, was fought for oil and to protect the Arab client states and opposed by (proportionally) the same number of Jews and non-Jews in the USA. It gets even better in the Arab/Muslim world – the extremist Sunnis claim that Shiites are Jews, the Turkish Islamists claim that Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk) was a Jew, and some of the most delusional Islamists assert that the Saudi King Abdullah is a a Jew. This is the reality we live in – the Antisemites don’t need Jews to feed the paranoid Antisemitic fantasies, and although the Jews must be aware of what’s going on (vigilance is not paranoia!), we shouldn’t get bent out of shape over it.

Dec 24, 2008 - 12:15 pm 64. john galt lives:

dont forget this fact folks-KARL MARX was jewish, something im sure VLADIMIR PUTIN doesnt want tp here. In spite of that, I certainly do not equate judism with the athestic,humanist, COMMUNISM. Consuquetly, I compare the scumbag Madoff to fellow scumbags, not to decent folk.

Dec 24, 2008 - 12:22 pm 65. L.Step:

I think some of the anti-Semitic feelings being stirred up are due to the fact that very few non-Jewish folks were “favored” as Madoff clients. This seems to suggest that the “insiders” were chosen, and given a “special” deal (high interest income)in the light of their religion. The “others” remained “outsiders”. Religious discrimination? Not very nice.

Dec 24, 2008 - 12:38 pm 66. JL:

Like every other self defined group of ethnicity, The animosity towards the group, which is the subject of this discussion, derives from the groups tendency to condemn sexual and marital relations of the females within the group with males not included in the definition and simultaneously silently condoning sexual relations while condemning marital relations of males from the group with females not included in the definition.

It’s a question of gene promotion. Those groups, including the one defining themselves under the label Jewish, should get over it and accept the unfortunate consequences of their gene promotion tactics as well as they should enjoy the benefits.

In the current world which to a large extend is ruled by law, the tactic is most likely very successful.

Dec 24, 2008 - 2:17 pm 67. Steve O:

One overlooked angle here I believe, is that the rich old Jews who were so fat and happy with Madoff and are now crying victim, are getting what they deserve and even further, were arguably COMPLICIT in the whole scam.

These investors are smart and sophisticated. There is no way that any smart and sophisticated investor should believe that a manager can honestly generate 8-12% returns year after year after year, in any kind of bull or bear market. So I’m sure there were some investors who figured something fishy was going on (perhaps insider trading), but as long as their account kept growing, wink-wink nod-nod and look the other way, I got mine.

So, although I’m sure there are some innocent victims here, I LAUGH at Fairfield and all the other bloodsucking, money-grubbing scumbags that have lost their asses.

Dec 24, 2008 - 2:27 pm 68. Knights13:

““Jews are 60% of the financial world’s con artists””

Well, there are a lot of Jews in high positions. Now, some are the nicest people you’ll ever meet and some are just blood sucking scumbags. I’ve encountered both.

Dec 24, 2008 - 4:38 pm 69. Peter Morris:

Bernie Madoff was no thief. He was a gambler who lost.
Offcourse all these “victims” now want to call it a fraud in order to get some payout from fraud protection agencies.
No doubt the lobbyists will be out in force to get Obama to bailout the “victims”.
Zionist charities which teach young Jews to marry only Jews. Wow!!! What a vital and noble cause.
At the moment I’m loving seeing all these Zionist parasites crying “Bad Bernie”.
Lets hope the people in Gaza can get some enjoyment out of that too.
Bernie… you are a hero. Happy Christmas!!!!…i.e. its the day during Hannukah.

Dec 24, 2008 - 7:54 pm 70. Rubicon:

If “Jews” face persecution based on the despicable criminal activities of Bernie Madoff, one must realize those doing the persecuting were already anti-Semites & in fact were already racist & bigoted idiots all along. That does not excuse the discrimination, but, it shows that where prejudice is concerned, any excuse to attack those they hate will be used, no matter how vacuous the reasoning is. Sorta reminds one of the media from around the world & especially in America, as they attack conservatives, Republicans, Christians, & a plethora of others who do not march lockstep with the thoughts & belief’s of the radical left! Remember, descent is OK & alternative opinions are good, so long as those belief’s match the what the leftists believe. Otherwise, as many of our Congressional leaders have already spewed to the media, those who do not subscribe to their way of thinking are “unpatriotic.” Imagine what they will say once they are sworn in!!

Dec 24, 2008 - 8:18 pm 71. Ron Stark:

Clearly Mr. Madoff’s ethnicity and faith failed him. Perhaps that should be more important to Jews on the whole.

Dec 24, 2008 - 11:57 pm 72. vivo:

I betcha Madoff will have a sensible explanation for his losses. He didn’t grossed $50 billion for nothing. The losses are probably real, but his methods are probably simple. Let’s wait six to 12 months and find something that resembles the true situation.

Some of it are real losses, but I wonder how much is hiding somewhere . . . The financial world is labyrinthine.

Dec 25, 2008 - 5:50 am 73. Sam Baum:

Although many of the high profile people and organizations are Jewish affiliated, the extent of Maddoff’s malfeasance is far more reaching. Unfortunately, this will add additional fuel to the fire or die hard antisemites.

Dec 25, 2008 - 7:56 am 74. fred gill:

This scandal is clearly very upsetting to the Jewish community and the betrayal of trust by Maldoff cuts deeper precisely because such a large percentage of his victims were Jewish. Moreover – and this is relevant – so many trusted him primarily because he was Jewish. I feel sorry for the victims and even (a little) for Maldoff. I imagine it was his ego rather than his greed which kept him so stubbornly on the primrose path of fraud.

I realize the temptation for many Jews is to see the media’s coverage as a veiled attack on Jews. But Jews are a prominent and exceptional minority in America and most take justifiable pride in this fact. Such a status carries risks as well as advantages. For many decades now the advantages have greatly predominated. I predict they will continue to do so for many decades to come, at least in the West.

Surely thoughtful Jews realize that the fascinating relationship of their people to the larger world cannot be accurately reduced to hackneyed stereotypes by either anti-Semites or philo-Semites, nor by Jews themselves. It is bigger than all of us and will, ultimately, continue to evolve in its own way.

Dec 25, 2008 - 8:32 am 75. Rick Johnson:

Madoff is Jewish? It never occurred to me to ask about that. The only impact of that fact is that hopefully he can keep Kosher in prison, assuming he is convicted. To paint other Jews with Madoff’s brush would be absurd, as it would be to defend him solely because he is Jewish. No doubt there are nutcase anti-Semites who will use this as a new excuse for their insanity, but they will find such excuses anyway.
It remains for decent people to stand strong against them.

Dec 25, 2008 - 10:07 am 76. jimmy37:

No one wants to be thought a fool, especially not those that invested directly with Madoff.

These are the same left-wing, liberal, intellectual Jews that voted for Obama, that join organizations like Peace Now who believe that, deep-down, Arabs have only the best intentions for Jews, the ones that want to give everyone a house, whether they can afford to buy it or maintain it. These are the same intellectuals that stayed behind in Germany because they just couldn’t believe that such a civilization could let Hitler stay in power.

Ahhhh, self-delusion and cognitive dissonance have no boundaries.

Dec 25, 2008 - 10:34 am 77. Judy, NYC:

the europeans who are swamped with muslims, are of course, using this as if it was the protocols. americans, however, limit jew hating and their happiness over the madoff affair to genuine anti-semites.

i always post, when i read one of them typing how the greedy jews deserve what madoff did to them. they disregard the fact, naturally, that most if not all of what was lost by jews were the institutions of jewish philanthropy and yeshiva university, where it is the central goal to produce students who question and try to understand the world in which we all live.

my posts are filled with the words jew and jewish in connection with these philanthropic endeavors that support all things jewish and nonjewish.

chief among these is the Arts, the symphonies, the ballet, opera, theatre, our great museums and great libraries.
major jewish funding is a significant contribution to keeping open the doors of these iconic institutions of culture
.
i also point out that we will rebuild, and that perhaps if antisemites advantage themselves of any of this, they might open their wallets just about now. and donate. for a change.

please join me in this.

Dec 25, 2008 - 11:11 am 78. SLK:

Interestingly, I’ve only really read about Madoff from the center-right blog world and Fox, and in those organs, I have never heard one word discussing Madoff’s race or religion. I’m not saying that the right never mentions those things, but in this case, they haven’t done so enough for me to notice.

Antisemitism on the left? Seems like it. Antisemitism on the right? Not so much.

Dec 25, 2008 - 10:15 pm 79. Paul:

We shouldn’t mention Madoff was Jewish, nor his clients. Also, their names should be changed to Smith, or Brown. But that might slur the English, so X or Y.

Likewise pedophile Priests. We shouldn’t write that they were Catholic, or even Priests or even after boys or in a church even.

Nor urban crime. Race, or to me, strange first names, entire neighborhoods, Hip-Hop, babydaddy’s…none of that.

Nor should, say, Obama being the first black be mentioned, either, because it does just the opposite of providing unreal stereotypes.

We need a new, wiped out, bleached, sterilized writing style manual, so political correct that no one can infer anything. Something along the lines of the white pages of the phone book, or IRS regulations, or CIA studies. But, that would be so Rabbinical, er, Jesuitical er….

I give up.

Dec 26, 2008 - 5:59 am 80. Peter Morris:

Jews are having a devastating effect on America.
One of the motives for 9/11 was the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. The Iraq war was fought rightly or wrongly in the believe thats what Israel wanted. The financial crises has a hugely disproportionate number of Jews as its facilitator. Things like Guantanamo,torture, internal surveilance and sidelining of haepus corpus all have an element of trying to legitimize Israel’s behaviour. And now in full view Madoff which is something created by Jews for Jews.
Enough is enough. Screaming anti semetic is no longer credible.
Wake up Jews. Americans have had enough.

Dec 26, 2008 - 8:15 am 81. Harsh Reality:

Erm… shouldn’t we wait for at least a single instance of Madoff-inspired anti-Semitism before shrieking hysterically about how this will lead to a new pogrom?

I don’t subscribe to the paranoia of the Peter Morris’ of the world, but it would be silly to deny that the Jews have made an industry of being victims.

I’m not sure that Jews really possess a disproportionate representation within the world of finance, but that is certainly true within the op-ed media. Don’t believe me? Take a look at RealClearPolitics on any given day. Count the number of Jews who articles are linked to.

You’ll see that at any time, they constitute a minimum of 60% of the contributions. When you then recall that Jews only make up 2% of the US population, it does tend to make you wonder a little if we are getting the variety of viewpoints we deserve.

PS ~ I’m not a Muslim-lover. I wish the Israelis would nuke them and be done with it.

Dec 26, 2008 - 5:54 pm 82. glenn:

The reason the press is pushing the Jewish issue is so tjey don’t have to investigate Mr Madoffs political connections and tell us who had his back.

Dec 27, 2008 - 11:44 am 83. gjampol:

You can just imagine what Joseph Goebbels or Father Coughlin would have done with the Madoff story. Anti-Semitism was fashionable in the 1930s and ’40s, and people were far more inclined to besmirch an entire group for the misdeeds of a single member.

Jewish money” is still an issue for some hardline bigots, but most people are disinclined to tar all Jews with Madoff’s crimes. At least I hope that’s true

Dec 29, 2008 - 3:22 pm 84. MCD:

What kind of guy runs a $50 billion scam succesfully for years? Only Jews can do things like this. So yea I think all the Jews SHOULD go on trial.

Jan 3, 2009 - 11:45 am 85. Edmund Schickelgruber:

I firmly believe that Jews are on the whole right. The individual Jew must also know that he or she must finally come to terms with oneself that jealousy is the main cause of all these problems against us.

Jan 3, 2009 - 5:47 pm 86. Jackie Dunn:

Perhaps what is most offensive in this whole situation is that Madoff is the picture of arrogance. Unfortunately he in his behavior has exemplified the worst stereo-typical negative perjoratives that are flung at the Jewish people.
I cannot help though feeling that Madoff and his investors were all greedy,and much too “clubby”. Any minority does and has had to live up to a higher standard of behavior in order to truly be accepted. In these difficult economic times unfortunately Madoff has shone a light on anti-semitic undercurrents. Schmuck!

Jan 6, 2009 - 6:41 am 87. Chrystal:

Hopefully, all Christians and “other” gentiles will WAKE UP with “Bernard Madoff” and start realizing that American Jews are not just like every one else, they are princes of Israel.

Mar 7, 2009 - 7:58 am 88. Madoff syndrome strikes California Mormons | Adventures in Mormonism:

[...] wake of the Madoff scandal is how many of his victims were Jews and Jewish organizations that felt they could trust Madoff because he was Jewish. As one of the earliest AP reports noted: Investors big and small were swindled, from Florida [...]

Mar 13, 2009 - 8:32 am 89. paul:

lets not forget, uncle bernie specifically targeted his own kind, using his heritage as a tool to convince others to trust him. lets face it, if he were black and solicited other jews, just how much money would have been invested with him. a simple scenario is this, look at bernie like a jewish deli owner, wouldn’t the local jewish people feel more comfortable buying deli meat and groceries from him even if he was more expensive than the guy down the street? the answer is yes!
like i said, uncle bernie used his heritage as a tool, and that alone is a crime, because most people are foolish to be believe that no one in their own family would burn them.
so untrue, it’s always easier to screw one of your own,

Paul,

Mar 17, 2009 - 6:19 am 90. Jason Long:

This scandal is unfortunate (Madooff) but the actions of the Isreali government, lobby, and media are growing old and eating through the immense compatatiotism the American people have for Jews. You will lose us as you lost Europe soon. What a sad loss for humanity.

Mar 19, 2009 - 9:59 am 91. chris:

all jews should be on trial with madoff and they all should be branded as crocks, like all german people were branded as nazis and still are especially here in the US.I believe a lot of those monies swindled from investers is somehow funneled to Isreal for their causes.I’m totally discusted by all these swindlers and the amount of money they try to get away with.

Mar 21, 2009 - 6:45 am

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