After reading about the secret tunnels underneath the Chabad headquarters, I was transfixed. A feeling I had not experienced since the Russian invasion of Ukraine had me fixed to my laptop reading more and more about the tunnels being hand dug with the same tools as cartoon characters trying to escape prison. It is one of the funniest things I have ever seen and spoke to the inexplicable passion in every man’s heart for digging into the earth.
But my joy was somewhat dampened by the outpouring of antisemitic conspiracy theories surrounding this on Twitter. Primarily, I was concerned by how openly these sentiments were being shared and how the moderation team that would normally handle things like this has been completely gutted. Searching “tunnels” returns unsavory results almost immediately. The playbook used is a classic, basically a rehashing of The Protocols of The Elders of Zion, blood libel, and some Epstein stuff. Theories go that there’s an elaborate cover up going on that seeks to hide the organ trafficking and pedophilia that occurs in these tunnels.
But my secondary issue was with how lazy these theories are. If you know anything about the Hasidic community or New York City, mainstream explanations make sense and the supposed grand plots fall apart almost immediately. Hasids are a very insular community, that’s kind of the point, and try to handle disputes without law enforcement. Mesirah (Jews turning other Jews over to non-rabbinic authorities) is a long standing taboo in Hasidic communities, a taboo that Chabad leaders have been trying to dislodge after increased scrutiny over sexual abuse. It stands to reason that the dispute over a sanctuary in the basement of a neighboring building within the Hasidic community would lead to something like this. But some people just couldn’t enjoy this story by itself.
One of these theories I saw purported that Chabad is “the most powerful group of Jews”. As I said on Twitter, this theory is as hilarious as it is antisemitic. But this particular theory has so many more logical flaws than even the regular antisemitic theories. With The Protocols in Russia and later Nazi propaganda, the numerous logical flaws were supported by material and ideological fall backs that could reenforce antisemitism.
A Russian peasant in 1905 may ask: Why do these marginalized farmers in Poland control the world?
The Tsarist captain would respond: They’re liberals who colluded with Freemasons assassinated the Tsar. But most importantly they are a threat to your Orthodox Christian way of life. Remember how they killed Christ in the one book you know? Here’s a torch, go get 'em
A German factory worker in 1940 may ask: Why do these marginalized farmers in Poland control the world?
The SS officer would say that: They’re Bolsheviks who stabbed us in the back. If that doesn’t convince you rhetorically, they’re our enemies in this war, and if you want to keep your job at IG Farben then you should assume that they definitely have it out for you now.
The modern antisemite trying to incite hatred using the Chabad tunnels doesn’t have any inroads with the uninitiated.
An apolitical American office worker may ask: Why do these Amish Jews that have to dig tunnels by hand control the world?
RNC Staffer Cum_Groyper_1488 would say: It’s clearly part of their child trafficking ring. These are the people that took over the world.
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