Hey there! Noticed some anti-Semitism around and want to do something about it? You’re in the right place. Let’s break it down and see how we can all pitch in to fight this nasty stuff.
What’s Anti-Semitism?
Anti-Semitism is basically hating on Jewish people. It can show up as mean comments, vandalism, violence, or unfair treatment. Knowing what it is helps us know what to look out for and stop.
Why Should We Care?
- Human Rights Matter: Everyone deserves to live without fear or hate. Standing up against anti-Semitism is about protecting basic human rights.
- Better Communities: When we fight hate, we build nicer, more welcoming places for everyone.
- Learn from History: Bad things have happened when hate goes unchecked. We need to stop it now to avoid repeating those mistakes.
What Can You Do?
- More Cameras, More Guards: Your local used car lot has more security cameras than many cemeteries. That has to change. We don’t need Paris-style security cordons around our synagogues and centers, but we do need to beef up surveillance and private interdiction.
- Anti-Semitic “SWAT” Teams: Remember those volunteer lawyers who swooped down on airports in the immediate aftermath of Trump’s Muslim travel ban? We need teams of former prosecutors, law enforcement experts, and lawyers at the ready who can, in coordination with existing Jewish organizations, help local authorities catch and convict hate perpetrators. And high-profile guard watches at Jewish cemeteries and elsewhere will likely scare off most of the cowards who creep out at night.
- Fight Non-Jewish Hate, Too: The hate virus is highly contagious. We need to fight it wherever it breeds. Breitbart.com and “The Alex Jones Show” are two Petri dishes of hate. Every time a Muslim says “boo” in Sweden, there’s a front-page splash on Breitbart, but more than a week since the hate-crime murder of an Indian immigrant at a Kansas bar, Breitbart still has not featured it. Meanwhile, Breitbart did find home page space to attack the Forward newspaper for reporting Trump adviser Sebastian Gorka’s ties to anti-Semitic Hungarian groups.
- Join Forces: Those Muslim groups helping repair Jewish cemeteries? Embrace them. Thank them. Come out when they need help. Yes, you probably don’t see eye to eye with them on Israel or women’s rights, but we’re going to need allies. We are in this particular fight together.
- Don’t Do Their Job for Them: Hate crimes begin with hate speech. The strategy of the alt-right and the Trump administration is to pit Jew against Jew. They want to divide conservative, more religious, Bibi-supporting Jews from more liberal, secular, pro-two state Jews. It was shameful to see mainstream Jewish organizations like Jewish Federations of North America line up behind Trump ambassadorial nominee David Friedman after he used hate speech to describe other Jews — language that only fuels hateful acts.
Conclusion
Look, we needn’t be hysterical, but neither do we have to be passive. I don’t think the American-Jewish community is under dire threat, and I certainly don’t predict a flood of us heading to Israel any time soon. Think of it this way: There are an estimated 200,000 Israelis living in the United States. Many of them are trained by the Israel Defense Forces and have access to America’s bounty of guns and ammunition. I don’t see them running away because some troll speed-dialed a JCC. When push comes to shove, I see them — and all of us — taking the fight to the enemy.
Fighting anti-Semitism is a team effort. By learning, speaking up, and supporting each other, we can make a big difference. Let’s work together to create a world where everyone feels safe and respected.