Synagogue murders symptom of an ancient hatred
The events this past weekend in Pittsburgh, where an anti-Semitic gunman targeted the Tree of Life synagogue, murdering 11 Jewish congregants and wounding many others, is being felt around the world. How is this possible, so many are asking, as though this is a new phenomenon?
In truth, anti-Semitism has been with us for eons. The renowned historian, Robert Wistrich, has referred to antiSemitism as “the longest hatred.” Today in North America, anti-Semitic hate crimes have reached record levels.
One would have hoped that following the Holocaust, the world would have been shaken out of its Jew hatred. Yet, it wasn’t long after the genocide of six million Jews that my community in Ontario found itself having to fight anti-Sem- itism in the form of restrictive land covenants that forbade Jews from owning property in certain parts of the province. Toronto beaches were strewn with signs indicating “No Jews Allowed.” Cottage country had similar posters in front of hotels and lodges claiming “Gentiles Only!”
In the 1950s, there were quotas on Jews attending universities, such as McGill, University of Toronto and many others. YMCAs denied Jews memberships and golf clubs were off limits to Jews as well.
The 1960s saw the emergence of the Canadian Nazi Party headed by John William Beattie and David Stanley. They, and a tiny group of their minions, goose-stepped in Nazi uniform through Allen Gardens in Toronto, resulting in a near riot by offended Holocaust survivors. They receded back into their dung heaps, but it was not the end.
There were still expressions of Jew hatred through the 1970s and into the 1980s where anti-Semites, including haters like school teacher James Keegstra, Holocaust denier Ernst Zundel and white supremacist Paul Fromm, emerged. Thankfully, by this time criminal and human rights law helped curb this hatred, though the lingering malevolence expressed by Fromm remains to this very day.
To be sure, this was not the end of anti-Semitism. The late 1980s and right into the early years of this century saw a new form of Nazism take shape in the establishment of the Heritage Front. These were new Nazis. No more goosestepping clowns. The Heritage Front used different language to mask its hatred. It spoke of bankers, the controlled media and “white rights” — all a camouflage for their anti-Semitism and racism.
Today, they have re-emerged, it appears, with oxygen provided by some of our own elected leaders. In 2018, they call themselves the “alt-right.” They go by names like “Proud Boys” and “Soldiers of Odin,” “Identitarians” and in Quebec, “La Meute.” Here in Toronto these groups helped support neo-Nazi enabler Faith Goldy, who used a run for the mayoralty of Toronto to spread her vile messages.
Make no mistake about it; Faith Goldy is the John William Beattie of yesteryear; Proud Boys and Soldiers of Odin are the Heritage Front of the past, prettied up but with the same hateful messages. Our own premier has stood proudly with Faith Goldy posing for a picture during one of his Ford Nation events. Goldy used the photo as proof of credibility for her political run. The premier, who only after days of pressure denounced anti-Semitism and racism, refused to renounce Goldy who had enough support to receive 25,000 votes.
In the United States, things are much worse. The president has claimed that the Nazis who marched in Charlottesville screaming “Jews will not replace us” had “some good people” among them. He has engaged in vituperative speech, singling out refugees and immigrants, speaks in racist rhetoric and has embraced concepts of violence at his rallies. KKK leader David Duke and other well known racists have praised Trump and he has said little to demonstrate any revulsion. So, is it any surprise that an anti-Semitic gunman chose a synagogue to vent his anger against Jews, who he sees as the “other?”
Today we weep. Today, we are angry and traumatized. But next Shabbat, Jews will be back in synagogue as we will be for all the Shabbats to follow. We will not let hate cripple us. We need many others to stand with us and deny this evil any quarter.