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The Keys to Understanding

American Antisemitism –

and Fighting Back

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks ל״צז

This article was originally published in January 2020, following a spate of antisemitic attacks in America.

he last two festivals to be added to the Jewish the most systematic attempt ever made by a civilization to
calendar prior to modern times – Purim and find a cure for the virus of the world’s longest hate – more
Chanukah – are both about antisemitism. There than half a century of Holocaust education and anti-rac-
Tis one obvious difference between them: Haman, ist legislation – is almost unbelievable. It is particularly
of the Purim story, wanted to kill Jews. Antiochus, of the traumatic that this has happened in the United States, the
Chanukah story, wanted to kill Judaism. It was the dif- country where Jews felt more at home than anywhere else
ference between Nazi Germany and Soviet Communism.
in the Diaspora. Why is it happening now?
But there is another difference that has renewed salience First, because of everything associated with the internet,
after the horrifying knife attack in Monsey, NY. What
saved Jews on Purim was behind-the-scenes influence: smartphones, viral videos and above all, social media.
Esther’s influence in the royal court. But the danger of These have what is called a “disinhibition effect.” People
antisemitism remained. What if hatred returned and this are far more hateful when communicating electronically
time there was no Esther around to save the Jews? That is than when speaking face-to-face.
one reason, according to the Talmud, why we do not say Cyberspace has proved to be the most effective incuba-
Hallel on Purim.
tor of resentment, rancor and conspiracy theories ever
On Chanukah, by contrast, Jews fought back and won. invented. Antisemitism thrives on conspiracy theories,
The Maccabees became a symbol of Jewish activism, of versions of the Blood Libel and the Protocols of the Elders
refusing to live in fear. As a symbol of this, the original of Zion, updated for the twenty-first century.
custom was to light Chanukah lights outside the front door
of the house, or at least in a window facing the street, to Second, because of the way people encounter these phe-
publicize the miracle. Today, we see the lighting of giant nomena: often alone, in the privacy of their own home.
menorahs in the most prominent public face of cities This allows them to be radicalized without anyone real-
throughout the world. izing it is happening. Time and again, we read of people
carrying out horrific attacks, while those who knew them
Chanukah tells us not to curse the darkness, but instead
to bring light to the world. It tells us to fight back and not recall not having seen any warning signs that they were
to be afraid. intent on committing evil attacks.
The shocking events in Monsey, together with those in The most dangerous phenomenon of our time is the “lone
Jersey City, Poway, Pittsburgh and elsewhere, are proof wolf” attack, because it is so hard to predict. The internet
that the darkness has returned. It has returned likewise is particularly dangerous for loners, people in whom the
to virtually every country in Europe. That this should have normal process of socialization – learning to live with
happened within living memory of the Holocaust, after others who are not like us – has broken down.

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