Anti anti-Semitism
As a Jewish person, I was horrified to learn of the
Pittsburgh synagogue shooting that occurred on October 27.
I heard about other people in the Jewish community being driven to tears by the news. A local temple now has security guards posted outside its doors. Although security guards could prevent attacks on temples, they won’t help to reduce America’s anti-Semitic environment. According to a report done by the Anti-Defamation League, “The number of anti-Semitic incidents was nearly 60 percent higher in 2017 than 2016, the largest single-year increase on record and the second highest number reported since ADL started tracking incident data in the 1970s.”
The Pittsburgh shooting reminded me of the Holocaust, how Jewish
people were branded as different by being forced to wear a big yellow star on
their coats, how their homes were broken into on Kristallnacht, how the atmosphere
of anti-Semitism enabled Hitler to send Jews to ghettos, and later, to concentration
camps.
What drives such acts of anti-Semitism? Are they borne out of fear? Hatred? Whatever the reason, it’s a twisted one.
Before attacking the Tree of Life synagogue, the shooter posted anti-Semitic comments on social media. Later, he posted threats. Prior to the Holocaust, Hitler successfully created an anti-Semitic environment by blaming the Jewish people for Germany’s defeat in World War I. He circulated anti-Semitic propaganda throughout Germany. Evidently, an anti-Semitic environment plays a role in facilitating hate crimes.
There must be ways to lessen anti-Semitic sentiment, ways to
practice anti anti-Semitism.
Let’s start with social media. If one makes anti-Semitic jokes on social media, he or she is contributing to anti-Semitic sentiment. If someone reposts anti-Semitic content on social media (like the shooter himself did), he or she is augmenting animosity towards Jewish people. This type of toxic environment sets the stage for tragedy.
Similarly, if people make anti-Semitic jokes in a conversation,
they fan the flames of hatred towards Jewish people.
In short, by not posting or speaking out against Jewish
people (or any minority group for that matter), you are already doing a mitzvah (a good deed) in mitigating
anti-Semitic sentiment in society.l
Danielle R.
*If you have a response to the Pittsburgh shooting, please
e-mail [email protected].
Please include your name and phone number.