Page 34 - Jewish News_February-2021

34A February 2021 COMMENTARY

Judas in the grass

By Rabbi Jonathan R. Katz, Community Chaplain
ntroduced in Florida more than 30 eradicated from the Everglades? Judas “My contact said they have no plans to the air everyone breathed.”
years ago as a released or escaped snake program shows promise,” cer- make a change. I’m sorry.” I respond- The New Testament’s especially
Ipet, the Burmese python, which tainly caught my attention. ed, “It is not a question of political cor- deep-seated contempt for Jews should
can grow to 20 feet, now numbers in The story related how some cap- rectness as much as it is trying not to be seen in the context of a highly
the tens of thousands. In a relative- tured male pythons are being surgical- gratuitously perpetuate stereotypes.” charged internecine struggle in which
ly short time, this apex predator has ly inserted with radio transmitters and An entire year passed. Then, mira- explosively scurrilous rhetoric was
decimated virtually all the raccoons, then tracked to “breeding balls” where bile dictu, out of the blue I received an deployed to draw firm distinctions, fo-
rabbits, bobcats, several males gather to try to mate with email from a U.S. Geological Survey ment hostility and create points of no
foxes and opos- a single female. (USGS) researcher. “If you’ll indulge return.
sums in Ever- When located, all the snakes are me,” he shared, “I would like to first Many Christians have sought to
glades National then eliminated. A female produces and foremost take this opportunity to diminish focus on New Testament texts
Park and threat- 15-40 eggs that she clumps together apologize sincerely for having offend- that are indisputably antisemitic in
ens the future of and coils around to protect until birth. ed you or any other individuals that character. Thankfully, recent decades
birds, deer, alli- Since they function as serpentine spies, may have read the article. Our igno- have seen an increasing interest among
gators and other according to the article, the trans- rance of the offensive nature of the Christians to explore their faith’s Jew-
snakes. mitter-equipped pythons are termed term ‘Judas’ is no excuse for having ish roots, voice strong support on be-
Rabbi Jonathan R. Katz Various ini- “Judas snakes.” perpetuated what is apparently a rather half of the State of Israel and extol
tiatives are underway to prevent the Disturbed by this nomenclature, I inflammatory subject.” Judeo-Christian values as a bulwark of
complete ravaging of the park’s eco- wrote the USA Today/AP reporter who He indicated the “Judas technique” Western society.
system, including paying hunters who authored the article to inquire how it and “Judas animals” are common des- As in the ancient world, there is no
kill the pythons and even encourag- came about. He replied that, though ignations in the biological sciences, shortage of disinformation, conspira-
ing people to eat them, provided their he hadn’t coined the usage and didn’t especially regarding nuisance or inva- cy theories and slander circulating to-
mercury levels are in bounds. want to share who the responsible par- sive species and that, “As biologists day. Extremists on the left and right,
A June 2019 article published in ty might be, he’d communicate with we were simply following the path of as well as a considerable number of
Florida newspapers and elsewhere in those associated with the project to a scientific methodology to conduct those in the middle who are dismaying-
the country spotlighted another effort learn if they’d be open to modifying its our research in keeping with current ly misinformed, remain captivated by
to curtail the reptile’s infestation. The terminology. norms. Unfortunately, we fell into a the propagation of classic antisemitic
headline, “Can Burmese pythons be A couple weeks later he emailed, pattern that is all too often repeated in tropes. This explains why antisemi-
our society, where harmful words are tism is not only still quite prevalent but
Looking for perpetuated due to an overall lack of also appears to be less objectionable
Looking for
than bigotry directed at other minority
understanding.”
another way
another way and his coworkers would publish a groups.
Additionally, he conveyed that he
Despite many commendable un-
to advertise peer-reviewed article to make other re- dertakings to stem the rise of antisemi-
to advertise
searchers aware of the issue and to pro-
tism, it will, inevitably, continue to rear
your business?
your business? pose alternative terms. The USGS and its ugly head. Why? Charles Maurras, a
reactionary French politician and writ-
its partners have, he noted, substituted
the word ‘scout’ for ‘Judas.’
er in the late 19 century, knew the rea-
th
Needless to say, this correspon-
With g
With guaranteed category exclusivity,* dence pleased me. However, that the son: utility. He expressed gratitude that
*
or
uaranteed categ
y exclusivit
y
,
“everything seems impossible or ter-
our twice weekly banner ads,
our twice weekly banner ad s, use of ‘Judas’ as a byname for ‘treach- ribly difficult without the providential
get YOUR message out! ery’ is so ingrained in our society and appearance of antisemitism,” which
g
et
message out!
YOUR
*We limit ads to a maximum of routinely employed in scientific re- “enables everything to be arranged,
Federation Eblast interactive banner four per Eblast and only one per search, reflects just how pernicious the smoothed over and simplified… If one
8,000
ads are delivered to 8,000 active business profession. influence of tendentious depictions in were not an antisemite through patrio-
a foundational religious narrative can
tism, one would become an antisemite
subscribers each Tuesday and Friday be. Of course, Jews know tragically through a simple sense of opportunity.”
JFEDSRQ.org/Eblast_Advertising e ay w a supercessionist Christianity at the ex- world, an achievement made possible
JFEDSRQ.org/Eblast_Advertising
for just $75 per ad — that’s less less all too well that their portrayal in the Even so, that does not mean con-
than a penny per recipient! New Testament as fiendish, corrupt structive change can’t be realized. Wit-
than a penny per recipient!
ness the current reversal in attitude and
and disposed to deicide, has been ex-
ploited throughout history to champion
policy in several quarters of the Arab
in no small measure by Jews increas-
pense of countless Jewish lives.
Also, our new Sunday
Also, our new Sund
At the same time, what isn’t gener-
ingly standing strong and confronting
,
blast
E

Eblast, sent at the end of
t the end of
sent a
the face of prejudice, unwittingly or
ally appreciated is the extent to which
each month, is a sneak pr
vie
each month, is a sneak preview
not, head-on. The perceived legitima-
the Hebrew Bible also engages in the

ALL
tion e
F
of of ALL Federation events in
v
ents in
edera
the upcoming month.
the upcoming month.

at every turn, even when it comes to
Amalekites, for example, are reviled

You can promote

Y
ou can promote
identifying an expediently conceived,
as an implacable enemy. So, too,
your event for only
your event for only disparagement of Israelite rivals. The cy of antisemitism must be challenged
harsh vitriol directed at the idolatrous
nefarious Jewish persona presented in
$100 per month. Canaanites is rooted in religious anti- the gospels, with a snake.
$100 per month.
pathy. Rabbi Jonathan R. Katz serves as the
Hurling insults and unsparing in- Community Chaplain and Director of
vective against competing tribes, na- JFCS’s Jewish Healing Program and
tions and even empires occurred often the Director of Spiritual Services for
Interested? Contact Adam Kaplan at in the ancient world. Villainizing others Aviva - A Campus for Senior Life. His
Interested? Contact Adam Kaplan at
akaplan@jfed srq.org or 9 4 1.55 2. 6 307 instilled pride and energized animosity. positions are underwritten by The Jew-
akaplan@jfedsrq.org or 941.552.6307
As one scholar has put it, ferocious di- ish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee.
atribes and distortions “contaminated
MOVING?
MOV I N G ?
Be sure THE JEWISH NEWS follows you to your new home.
Send your new address to Bonnie at bsouther@jfedsrq.org or 941.371.4546 x0