Fight anti-Semitism, show up for Shabbat

Stand with us. Let’s fill US synagogues Saturday

It was into the sanctuary of Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Or L'Simcha Congregation that a murderous anti-Semite burst last weekend, armed to the teeth and enraged by the knowledge that Jews actively welcome immigrants and refugees to the United States. Wielding an AR-15-style rifle, he murdered 11 congregants.

This tragedy has led to soul-searching by a nation already mourning the loss of civility in its politics and public discourse. Some have seized this moment to criticize the president for dogwhistling to white supremacists, while others have defended him. Some lament that the synagogue was not protected by armed guards, as are some in this country — and many in Europe and Israel — while others have reiterated their wish that the style of assault rifle the murderer carried would be banned.

But the central question we Jews should be asking is, “How do we fight anti-Semitism in 2018?”

Not too long ago, we thought that real anti-Semitism had passed from this world, that the 6 million Jews slaughtered at the hands of the Nazis and their allies in Europe had permanently inoculated the world against this insanity-inducing disease.

But that was only a fable we told ourselves. Indeed, just one year after the full story of the Holocaust became known, Polish soldiers, police officers and civilians murdered 42 Jews in the city of Kielce. More recently, violent anti-Semitism has become a terrifying norm in Western Europe, most notoriously in France. But we, on this side of the Atlantic, still thought ourselves immune from this sort of bloodshed. Now, with that sense of immunity shattered, how do we respond?

I was reminded recently of an essay written in 1990 by the historian Ze’ev Maghen, when he was a student at Columbia. Though the incident that inspired him to write is long since forgotten, it still makes the rounds in the Columbia Jewish community.

The essay contained this memorable admonition: “A man calls you a pig. Do you walk around with a sign explaining that, in fact, you are not a pig?” Maghen goes on to exhort his fellow Jews to cease protesting anti-Semitism and to instead live their Judaism as passionately as they can. Otherwise, he warns, in the face of Jew-hatred, “we are less Jews than we are anti-anti-Semites.”

What would an update to professor Maghen’s monograph look like today? Here is my humble suggestion:

The Hebrew term for a sanctuary is “beit knesset,” literally, a gathering house. Well, my fellow Jews, let us gather. I can think of no better response to such a heinous violation of the sanctity of a synagogue than to encourage all Jews to seek spiritual sanctuary in their sanctuaries. My organization, the American Jewish Committee, has launched the #ShowUpForShabbat campaign aimed at filling synagogues across America this weekend.

Many 21st century Jews are nonpracticing, agnostic or even atheistic, but you don’t have to follow Jewish religious practices or believe in God to believe in the power of community. We should pack the pews on Shabbat, raising our voices in prayer, listening to our rabbis, and rejoicing with our friends.

If you consider yourself an ally of the Jewish people, join us in synagogue on Saturday morning. Elected officials: Come stand in solidarity with your constituents (there’s no need to give a speech — our services are long enough already!). Diplomats: Come and show that your country stands with Jews all over the world. Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, people of any faith and of none: Come and show up for Shabbat with us this Saturday morning.

There is only one proper response to people who hate Jews. Rabbi Akiva said it best 2,000 years ago: “Ve’ahavta lereyacha kamocha,” “Love your neighbor as you would want to be loved.”

Friends, your Jewish neighbors have stood with you before. Please #ShowUpForShabbat and sit in our sanctuaries with us now.