Words matter. Clarity and truth come from accurate words. Lies and propaganda come from manipulated words. Hate comes from vicious words. In Journalism classes we spent a lot of time examining the difference one word makes in the meaning of a sentence. So, don’t be fooled, every word is carefully considered and chosen to express EXACTLY what the media, spokesperson, government or protestor means to say. And, this is why I am scared. The words I am reading and hearing are filled with blatant distortions of facts (definition: something that is proven to be true) and overflowing with hate. That is a very dangerous combination. So, in my quiet and fearful moments, I’ve concluded that the most impactful thing we can do is continue to expose every act of anti-semitism, continue to call out individuals, institutions and officials who perpetuate hatred and violence towards Jewish people and uncover, challenge, and expose malicious, inflammatory and inaccurate rhetoric. Not just my Jewish friends, but everyone who abhors hate. We can’t be silent.
Not surprisingly, I’ve written and rewritten this blog a few times because things are escalating at such a rapid pace, my thoughts from two days ago seem irrelevant due to the latest example of hate permeating our college campuses. Just three weeks ago, my friends and I were examining the language in statements from university leadership, furious that they were not denouncing the terrorist attack on Israel. Then we flooded the inboxes of every leader on these same campuses to denounce the incidents of pro-Palestinian marches that included blatant hate speech and threats towards Jews. Our cries were met with more politically-measured rhetoric defending free speech and blatantly ignoring the hate component. Then the threats of pulling funding began, across many campuses, and these leaders started to pay more attention, but it was too late. They ignored pressure and pleas from people who knew the magnitude of what was at stake. We can’t put that hate back in a bottle. But, it can’t be normalized, accepted or unchecked. We must NEVER FORGET. And, NEVER FORGET means NOW.
The veil has been torched. Anti-semitism and anti-Israel vitriol is spewing loudly. We wake up to news of acts that continue to escalate. Two weeks ago trivia about Hitler was used to entertain fans before a football game at Michigan State; Holocaust deniers were flooding Atlanta neighborhoods with propaganda, and swastikas are appearing all over the world on places of worship, schools and restaurants frequented by Jewish people or in predominantly Jewish areas. Today, students on Cornell’s campus are recounting their terror as targeted threats were sent via social media platforms to “slit Jews throats'' and “shoot up the kosher dining hall.” And, what about the airport stampeded by an angry and vicious mob searching to harm Jews arriving in Russia from Israel? With every passing day, the ante and venom exponentially increases. As Jews, we have seen this horrific story before, as many of our loved ones once lived it.
My grandfather lived in Vienna, Austria at the time of WW2. He spoke with his heavy Austrian accent and a firm, resolute tone as he would tell the tale of the day Hitler came riding into the center of town for a parade. He recounted the chilling observation of thousands of young people rallying around Hitler, chanting his messages and eager to follow his commands. At this point Hitler was speaking of Arian dominance and supremacy, not the blatant extinction of Jews. But, my grandfather was terrified by the implicit hate in his messages and the enthusiasm with which young people rallied around him. My grandfather said it was at that very moment that he knew his family would not be safe and they needed to flee their homes. His miraculous tale of getting papers stamped by a former professional football teammate who was working in the visa office and secretly wanted to ensure my grandfather's safety is in itself movie-worthy (or at least a blog dedicated to it). I have the entire story, in his handwriting, because he thought it was important for us to ALWAYS REMEMBER. His instincts and the brilliant execution of his departure seemed impossible to imagine, but a critically important part of our Jewish family history. He made us promise never to sit idle and to never ignore or accept the rumblings of hate; waiting for an explicit call for extermination may be too late.
In a weird way, many of us feel like we are just talking to ourselves. There is panic and fear permeating every discussion, group chat and social media post from my inner circles and beyond. I’m proud to be Jewish, and even prouder of the resilience we display, century after century, year after year and day after day. But, we need help. It’s part of our Jewish values, written and unwritten, to help others. So, naturally when other minority groups faced increased racism and suffered acts of violence, many Jewish people supported these groups, amplifying their plight and helping demand change. I ask these groups, are you supporting us? Are you speaking up for us? If you are, thank you. But, sadly, it doesn’t feel that way.
The simple truth is I am scared. My Jewish friends are scared. It seemed unfathomable to comprehend how the Holocaust occurred on 10/6/2023, but now I know. Inch by inch, day by day, hate is seeded and accepted. Slurs are tolerated. Acts of violence are seen as one-off horrors. And the normalization occurs. As Jews, we are joined together to push against any normalization. That is why social media feeds are flooded with messages, we are pushing against the boulder that is threatening to crush us. Please help us push back. Help us call out hate, help us protect our kids, help us feel safe in our communities. There is a right and a wrong side of history, decide which side you want to stand on, and remember, words matter.
Excellent article! It needs to be shared among those who need to read these words! I am already a member of Substack- Free Press. Outstanding!