Newsweek commentator Josh Hammer and Missouri attorney general candidate Will Scharf, both Jewish conservatives, launched the group “Jews Against Soros” to challenge claims that criticizing philanthropist George Soros, who is Jewish, is antisemitic. The founders of the organization assert that Soros’s Jewish heritage and survival of the Holocaust do not make him representative of the Jewish community, particularly as he funds organizations that are anti-Israel.
The website argues that critiquing Soros’s support for left-leaning organizations is not antisemitic as it distinguishes leftism from Judaism. They contend that being anti-leftist does not equate to being antisemitic.
Hammer and Scharf appeared on Breitbart News Sunday, highlighting that they’ve faced criticism and derogatory articles from left-wing media and journalists. Jakob Kornbluh, a journalist, was accused of falsely claiming Hammer had “close ties to white nationalists”. Kornbluh cited the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), a group deemed discredited by many conservatives.
Hammer and Scharf reported receiving nationwide support for their initiative, especially from Jewish individuals, who expressed their frustration at the portrayal of Soros’s critics as antisemitic. Breitbart News has acknowledged that while Soros has been the target of antisemitic conspiracy theories, he is also legitimately criticized for backing radical groups.
