When I launched Cannabis Jew Magazine (CJM) in September 2023, it felt like we were planting seeds in fertile ground. Growers, budtenders, researchers, journalists, and consumers were eager to help cultivate a Jewish voice in the cannabis press and appreciated Israel’s position as the global leader in cannabis research. The excitement was palpable, as we aimed to diversify the cannabis press, represent the Jewish relation to cannabis, and support trade with Israeli cannabis companies.
The landscape shifted after October 7th, when the world responded to our devastation by blaming Israelis for being murdered, kidnapped, tortured, and raped by terrorists who inflicted the most profane violence on the Jewish people, as such, since the Holocaust.
Despite my academic background as a Holocaust scholar, I underestimated the power of bias, disinformation, and groupthink in shaping public opinion, especially regarding the survival of the Jewish people.
When 7 million out of 15 million Jews globally live in Israel, the belief that Israel “should not exist” coincides with the belief that Jews, as such, should not exist.
Despite the powerful forces at play, it is still profoundly confusing that so many people deny Jews the right to self-determination in our ancestral homeland. We know from recent history that without a Jewish nation, we are not safe. In case that was ever in question, the global resurgence of antisemitism has laid bare—again—that diaspora Jewish communities are tolerated rather than protected by a system of nation-states that once cooperated on a “Final Solution” to the “problem” of Jewish life.
The reason we expected more support and empathy from the cannabis community relates to the pivotal role that Israeli Jews have played in the history of cannabis research and advocacy, supported by a culture that values life over politics, guided by the Jewish effort to reduce suffering to repair the world (tikkun olam). Yet as Israelis face genocidal terror, the cannabis industry has responded with apathy, if not outright hostility. Rather than acknowledging our pain and fear or standing with us in solidarity, many have chosen to turn away or, worse, echo the hate.
In the wake of October 7th, Cannabis Jew Magazine has found its mission renewed with even greater urgency. We’ve been telling the stories no one else will—stories of antisemitism, stories of Jewish resilience, and stories of Israeli innovation that continue to shape the cannabis industry. Now that Cannigma has shuttered its doors, it’s more important than ever for us to build a digital sanctuary where the Canna-Jewish community can find connection, support, and truth.
We’ve made it through this first year, and it’s been an honour to serve our readers, but there’s so much more to be done. Please consider supporting our work at CJM with a donation or subscription. We will continue to represent, advocate for, and defend the Canna-Jewish community and to support trade with Israel. Because at this moment, staying silent is not an option.
In order to stay connected with the Canna-Jewish community, sign up to receive The Canna-Jewish News delivered right to your inbox. To learn more about the role of cannabis in the Jewish tradition, check out our new online course The Jewish Relation to Cannabis, sold with the Yeshiva Subscription to Cannabis Jew Magazine.
