A FAMILIAR EVIL
No matter who or what feeds it, we must take anti-Semitism resurgence seriously
Not so long ago, some of us were asked why we were still combating anti-Semitism.
After all, it was said, anti-Semitism was no longer a problem in America. We repeatedly heard from individuals who told us they never experienced even one anti-Semitic incident in their lives.
We would duly respond that yes, America had come a long way and we were proud of the role we had played in this process. But because of the unique character of anti-Semitism, there was no reason to be complacent.
If the broader environment were to take a bad turn, we explained, anti-Semitism would return with a vengeance. Anyone who studied the history of anti-Semitism knows that whenever political, economic or social anxieties were heightened, Jews would inevitably be scapegoated or accused of having poisonous power.
The realization that hatred of Jews was not simply a history lesson but a current event began with the resurgence of antiSemitism in Europe early in the 21st century.
A perfect storm for anti-Semitism emerged with the anxieties of terrorism after 9/11, Middle East conflict brought to the European street, financial collapse and identity issues.
Of course, this was Europe, the place of 2,000 years of Jew hatred and the Holocaust. America was seen as different. But even that has changed in the last few years. Now the argument is not whether anti-Semitism is any longer a problem but whether the greater threat comes from the right or the left.
These arguments mirror the tribalism infecting broader society. Folks on the left focused on the public surfacing of the alt-right, particularly at Charlottesville, and the credibility given to them by the rhetoric of the president and his refusal to unequivocally condemn them.
Meanwhile, the right reacted by saying that too much was being made of what was still a small group of extremists on the far right.
They said that the much more serious challenge facing American Jews was the growing hostility toward Israel on the left, which often translated into isolating Jews and even into anti-Semitism.
For us who believe that anti-Semitism has no ideological monopoly, we need to take the resurgence of antiSemitism in America seriously, wherever it came from.
After Pittsburgh, though, the challenge has a new dimension: How do we respond responsibly to possibly the most serious anti-Semitic event in American history without turning America into Europe for American Jews?
This applies to security for Jewish institutions. It applies to analyses of where anti-Semitism stands in America. And it applies to assessing the current and future status of American Jews.
No Jewish institution can afford to ignore security concerns after Pittsburgh. Investments will have to take place and debates will ensue about the role of the federal government in funding synagogues’ elevated security needs.
But one can’t help but think of France. For too long, the French government didn’t take threats to Jews seriously enough. Today it does, but the result is that schools have a feel of armed fortresses, not a pleasant situation for the kids or their parents. Nor is it a pleasant prospect for American Jews.
The trauma of the worst anti-Semitic incident in American history – the murder of 11 innocent Jews by a rabid anti-Semite – will be with us for a long time.
The challenges of hate on social media, the rhetoric of the president, the continuing challenge of anti-Semitic incidents, the fear of violence, and the demonization of Israel by some on the left will all have to be addressed in new and creative ways.
It won’t be easy to keep perspective with all these challenges and the legitimate emotions surrounding Pittsburgh. But by any measure, American Jews enjoy the most comfortable and integrated life compared to any other Jewish community in the 2,000-year history of the diaspora.
Public opinion polls indicate no increase in anti-Semitic attitudes among the American people. Jews are well represented in every aspect of American society. Support for the state of Israel remains strong.
It is tempting to say that after the Pittsburgh massacre, nothing will ever be the same for American Jews. In a narrow sense that is true. The sense of security has been challenged.
The task ahead, not only for the AntiDefamation League but for America itself, is to start putting the genie of hate speech back in the bottle and to make it clear that hate – be it anti-Semitism or other forms – has no place in mainstream America.
That, more than anything, will help restore that sense of well-being that has characterized American Jewish life for the last half century.