Page 34 - Jewish News_Sept2021

34A September 2021 COMMENTARY

A Jewish call to action: 10 ways to fight back

By David Harris, CEO of American Jewish Committee (AJC), June 16, 2021
eemingly overnight, anti-Israel, launched rockets at Israel, many polit- too, need to be held to account by trus- Jewish yearning for even a sliver of
anti-Zionist and antisemitic in- ical leaders stepped up to express their tees, alumni, parents, prospective par- land, where Jews could govern them-
Scidents are being reported near support and clear understanding of the ents and others. selves and not be subject to the whim
and far. Many American Jews, who not storyline. But others, including some Third, show Jewish pride. This is of the majority, the fact that we live in
so long ago thought these were threats who purport to be friends of the pro-Is- no time for American Jews to become an era of Jewish sovereignty is not uni-
faced by Jews elsewhere in the world rael community, were missing in action Marrano Jews. We have not experi- versally valued. No, Israel is not a per-
but not here at home, are suddenly or resorting to whispered comments enced the extraordinary journey from fect country. Nor is any other country
waking up to new realities. for fear they could otherwise potential- 1654, when the first Jews landed on on earth, including the United States.
From the halls of Congress to Sil- ly jeopardize their careers. That should this soil, to now consider, in 2021, re- Still, the story of Israel is awe-inspir-
icon Valley, from high schools to uni- be unacceptable. moving the mezuzahs from our doors, ing, a metaphor for the triumph of
versities, from Hollywood to labor Second, institutions need to be or kippahs from our heads, or the word enduring hope over the temptation of
unions, and from local town boards held accountable. Some schools and “Jewish” from the facades of our in- despair, and a democratic, progressive
to globalized social media platforms, colleges support Jewish and pro-Israel stitutions, or in any other way seeking beacon in a part of the world with too
this has become a chilling version of few counterparts.
Whack-a-Mole, where you don’t know It should be abundantly clear from Jewish history that Fifth, when it comes to antisemi-
the next source but do know it will rear tism, it’s essential to be swivel-head-
its head – and with a vengeance. antisemites, whether from the far left or the far right, ed. This age-old pathology comes from
One overarching question is how don’t differentiate for long between “good” and “bad” multiple sources. But too many have
to respond. There is no one-size-fits-all insisted on a narrower vision, only
answer, but here are 10 possibilities: Jews, any more than they would distinguish among calling out the threat when it serves
First, elected officials should be “Zionists,” “non-Zionists” and “anti-Zionists.” their own partisan political preference.
held accountable for how they react So, Jews on the left point their finger
or fail to react when Israel is maligned, at the far right, while Jews on the right
or Zionism is demonized, or Jews are students on campus who feel target- cover or hiding under the bed. point their finger at the far left, when
threatened or, for that matter, when ed, whether in the classroom or on the To the contrary, exactly like oth- the truth is they’re both correct.
the International Holocaust Remem- quad, while others have betrayed the er Americans, we can and should The events in Charlottesville,
brance Alliance Working Definition of trust of those students. openly affirm our identity, celebrate Pittsburgh and Poway, not to mention
Antisemitism comes up as a proposal This is not about asking our insti- our remarkable heritage and remind the conspiracy theories peddled by the
for adoption. tutions to become full-throated sup- ourselves of the manifold contribu- likes of QAnon, are stark reminders of
Politicians who seek support in ev- porters of a particular political stance, tions of Jews to every facet of Amer- the real, deadly menace from the far
ery election cycle should understand but rather ensuring that their environ- ican society. Our hashtag should be right.
that these are factors that matter to ments do not become poisoned by ha- #JewishANDProud. Meanwhile, the events of recent
many of us. They should not be allowed tred, bigotry, intimidation, bullying or Fourth, embrace Israel. Some weeks, from the streets of New York to
to get away with practiced soundbites ostracism. Jewish and pro-Israel stu- Jews seem to believe that distancing, the restaurants of Los Angeles, demon-
or glib phrases when they appear in dents have the right to feel safe, pro- if not detaching, themselves from any strate that not all threats to Jews today
front of, say, a synagogue, but then tected, free to express their views and link with Israel will protect them or, come from the far right. The same can
take a different stance elsewhere. take pride in their identity, no less than at the very least, endear them to the be said for what Jewish and pro-Israel
Case in point: In the 11 days of any others. anti-Israel, anti-Zionist mobs. How students are facing on some campuses,
fighting last month triggered by Hamas- If those institutions fail, then they, tragic that, after nearly 1,900 years of continued on next page

White supremacist
Whit e supremacist Help keep our
groups
groups are the single

most dangerous community safe!
domestic extremist
domestic e xtremist
threat to the nation.

– “Homeland Threat Assessment,”
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, OCTOBER 2020

Graffiti on the south side of the
Charlottesville, VA; August 2017
Photo by Mykal McEldowney Florida Holocaust Museum, May 27, 2021
© Florida Holocaust Museum
What are we doing about it?

EDUCATION. With security an ongoing vital necessity for our community,

The Robert and Esther Heller Community Relations Committee takes we continue to solicit contributions for security-specific
a firm stand against antisemitism. We use community resources and influence to needs, including training, equipment, technological tools
combat a rise in antisemitism and anti-Zionist sentiments, which often result in and security staffing. If security is a concern for you, please
aggressive acts and rhetoric against Jews. Through education, advocacy, and building consider supporting Federation’s KEEP US SAFE FUND.
relationships with the greater community and law enforcement, together we can To make a donation, visit
combat hatred, bigotry, and harassment of Jews and other minorities.
JFEDSRQ.org/KeepUsSafe
For more information, visit JFEDSRQ.ORG/hellercrc
KeepUsSafe
FUND

jfedsrq.org