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Responding to

Antisemitism

Dr. Daniel Rose
in the Thought of Rabbi Sacks zt”l

ntisemitism was a theme Rabbi However, in the age of reason of post-en- different. The best way for Jews to combat
Sacks returned to often in lightenment Europe, no longer could a antisemitism is to wear our identity with
his writings, broadcasts and rationale for prejudice be based on reli- pride.
Aspeeches (including his last two gious belief. Jews instead became hated for
speeches in the House of Lords). He argued their ethnicity, an alien race polluting the But we cannot fight antisemitism alone.
He urged Jews to stand together with other
that it is a pressing issue facing not only bloodstreams of Europe. This new form of victims of hate and to find allies from other
Jews across the world but society as a pseudo-scientific, racial antisemitism led
whole. “The hate that begins with Jews directly to the crematoria of the Holocaust. communities, to stand together with soci-
ety as a whole against hate.
never ends with Jews,” he wrote. “Antisem-
itism is the world’s most reliable early Prejudice and hate always seek justifi-
warning sign of a major threat to freedom, cation in a civilized society. This lowest In defense of difference
humanity and the dignity of difference.” form of evil must seek legitimation from
the highest source of authority of the age. He argued that antisemitism is the para-
In explaining the historical phenomenon In the Middle Ages, this was religion, in digm case of dislike of the unlike and fear
of antisemitism, he gave us a framework post-enlightenment Europe it was sci- of the other. The hatred of difference. For
for understanding, the tools to respond, ence, and today it is “Human Rights.” So Rabbi Sacks, this is the quintessential role
and hope for a future without hate. the antisemitism of our age is disguised of the Jew – to be different and to teach
as criticism of Israel that attacks Jews not the dignity of difference. Antisemitism is
The mutating virus as individuals but as a nation, directed an assault not on Jews alone, but on the
against their nation-state. human condition. Life is sacred because
Rabbi Sacks showed us that like a virus, each human is different and irreplace-
a nefarious prejudice like antisemitism able. A world without room for Jews is
needed to mutate to survive and defeat What should our one that has no room for difference, and
the immune systems set up by cultures response be? a world without space for difference has no
to protect themselves from hatred. In space for humanity itself. Our response to
the Middle Ages, Jews were persecuted While encouraging the fight against antisemitism must be to honor the dignity
because of their religion, at first because antisemitism, Rabbi Sacks warned Jews of difference. This is the Jewish message
they rejected Christianity, and later as a not to internalize it. Antisemitism says to the world.
perceived demonic force in Europe, who everything about antisemites and nothing
were to blame for all the evils of the age about Jews. It is a mistake to say that since
(poisoned wells, spreading the plague, the we are hated because we are different, Dr. Daniel Rose is the Director of Edu-
ritual murder of Christian children, etc.) we should try as far as possible not to be cation for the Rabbi Sacks Legacy Trust.

Antisemitism can take many forms

Theological or religious run the business world Political or ideological the Holocaust or exag-
antisemitism | Jews are and control the economy. antisemitism | Jews are gerated the facts. Other
persecuted because of their Racial antisemitism | accused of being disloyal to conspiracy theories include
religious beliefs; they are The belief that Jews are of their country or of harbor- the claim that Jews have
portrayed as “Christ-kill- an inferior race, what was ing perverse and destructive a secret plot to take over
ers” or forced to convert behind the Nazi ideology political ideologies and are and control the world or
to Christianity or Islam. and the Holocaust. seen as the cause of political that Jews are the cause of
upheaval. Historically, Jews
Economic | Antisemitism Social or cultural antisem- were accused by nationalists Coronavirus or other calam-
rises due to the Jews’ itism | Jews are considered of creating communism, ities or natural disasters.
financial and economic socially inferior; they are and by the communists Anti-Zionism | Hatred or
success; they are accused of accused of either not as being capitalists. criticism of Israel is used
being stingy and obsessed assimilating enough or of Holocaust denial and to mask hostility toward
with money. This often assimilating too much and conspiracy theories | The Jews in general, even those
includes the belief that Jews their culture is shunned. claim that Jews fabricated disconnected from Israel.

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