Jones spoke on stage while wearing a pin in support of the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate, a nonprofit organization focusing on combating antisemitism and hatred. By Shiryn Ghermezian, The AlgemeinerCNN political commentator Van Jones was honored at the American Friends of Magen David Adom’s annual New York City gala on Tuesday night and spoke about the “poison” of antisemitism that is trying to divide Black and Jewish communities, as well as efforts to “trick” the younger generation into targeting the Jewish people.The author and civil rights activist was given the AFMDA’s Legacy of Unity Award and began his acceptance speech by telling the more than 500 people who attended the gala:“You wouldn’t have American democracy if Black and Jews folks hadn’t been willing to put the whole country on their backs; if it wasn’t for the courage of Blacks and Jews.”Jones highlighted the historic ties between the two minorities, including them coming together in 1909 to create the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and then again in 1910 to form the National Urban League. Jones described both American civil rights organizations as a “Black and Jewish united front for democracy.”He then proceeded to tell the audience he does not need to be thanked for supporting the Jewish community because “I’m not fighting for the Jewish people; I’m fighting for the hatred that’s being pumped into my community.”“I’m not worried about Jews,” Jones added. “I’m worried about everybody else who is being tricked into attacking the most inspirational story in human history and I stand with you.”Jones then argued that antisemitism is having a detrimental effect on both the Black community and younger people in general, across demographics.“Jew hatred is poison that’s being put into my community, and I’m trying to fight for my community to not get tricked into turning against the only friend that we’ve ever had,” he explained.“And this is a moral responsibility … The worst thing you can do is turn a friend against a friend.”Jones continued by discussing the dangers of social media and how it fosters hatred for the Jewish community among the younger generation.“We have to challenge this next generation,” he said. “There’s a billion young people on TikTok and they are being told things that are not true, and people are trying to get a lot of them to become almost protest pawns in a fight that is much different than they think it is.”The CNN commentator believes the battle for freedom around the world has been “inverted” because young people are instead supporting groups that are “fighting for slavery,” like Hamas and Taliban, as well as the Islamic Republic of Iran.“If you want a better future, you can’t stand with groups that are fighting to enslave people, fighting to make sure people can’t pray the way they want to, live the way they want to, love the way they want to, vote the way they want to. That’s slavery,” Jones said.“The question the young people of the world need to ask themselves: Are the miraculous achievements of the Jewish people in the half century or so since the Holocaust a good thing or a bad thing?” he told the audience.“Have they set an example for other marginalized people, other minorities to follow, or should we join the parade of demonizing them and tearing down their accomplishments. This is a moral question for the next generation.”Jones joked that he “read his Bible” and knows Jews have faced numerous enemies in the past and have always survived.“There will be Jewish people on Mars,” he said. “It’s very hard to stop Jewish people.”Jones also praised the ability of Jews to survive and thrive in the face of unparalleled persecution.Despite efforts throughout history to eradicate the Jewish people, they have “created the strongest middle class in the West, the strongest state in the Middle East, and perhaps the strongest, the most inventive and creative middle class in human history,” he said.“It is a miracle what this community has created around the world.”Jones spoke on stage while wearing a pin in support of the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate, a nonprofit organization focusing on combating antisemitism and hatred.It was founded by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and Jones said Kraft personally asked him to wear the Blue Square pin.Jones also mentioned that when he wears the pin in public, Jewish people have approached him and shared their personal stories about experiencing antisemitism or having a fear of expressing their Jewish identity.At Tuesday night’s gala, Jones was gifted a framed picture of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. alongside the latter’s close friend, rabbi and scholar Abraham Joshua Heschel.Jones said the friendship between King and Heschel was “his favorite relationship in the history of American politics because those two guys walked through hell together and freed the nation, and that’s what happens when Blacks and Jews walk together. And that’s why they work so hard to keep us apart.”The AFMDA event was hosted by Jewish actress, singer, and “Nobody Wants This” star Tovah Feldshuh.Jones and Feldshuh both spoke at the historic March for Israel demonstration at the National Mall in Washington, DC, in November 2023.When introducing Jones to the stage at the gala on Tuesday night, Feldshuh praised the political commentator for his efforts to strengthen the historic ties between the Jewish and Black communities.“At a time when antisemitism has become increasingly visible and acceptable, and far too many people have chosen silence rather than risking upsetting their friends or political allies; at a time when people with big followings have falsely accused Israel of committing genocide and continue to scream ‘Free Palestine’ without understanding that means the annihilation of the sovereign state of Israel off the face of this year … Van Jones has been willing to speak up,” Feldshuh said in part.“He [Jones] understands that standing against antisemitism should never be a partisan issue,” Feldshuh added.“Van has shown that solidarity can be achieved through the willingness to listen, to engage, and sometimes to have the morality, clarity, courage, and strength to say the things that others around just may not want to hear … Van, you have chosen to use your voice and platform to help build bridges at a time when many others seem determined to blow them up.”The post Van Jones calls out ‘poisonous’ antisemitic push to ‘trick’ blacks, make young people ‘protest pawns’ against Jews appeared first on World Israel News.