Should U.S. Jews Push Back Harder Against Anti-Semitism?

Recently I viewed a video discussion among four highly-respected Jewish educators and leaders: Ruth Wisse, professor at Harvard; Liel Leibovitz, journalist; Dara Horn, author of People Love Dead Jews; and Elliot Kaufman, editor at the Wall Street Journal. The discussion was moderated by Jonathan Silver, editor of Tikvah and Mosaic. They talked about the effects of the past year on the Jewish community, and they surprised me with their demands of the US Jewish community: Jews need to be more aggressive in pushing back on their anti-Semitic enemies.

Ruth Wisse made a fascinating observation about the Nazis: the Germans tried as much as possible to hide their activities against the Jews. It wasn’t until late in the war that the rest of the world realized the devastation of their actions.

Today, however, the anti-Semites in this country openly celebrate their hatred of Jews in widespread protests, on college campuses and in the streets, as well as their support of Hamas. (Some people would say that hiding their faces behind keffiyehs defies their passion.)

In response, Jews are making passive statements regarding the return of hostages, for instance. The hashtag, #bring them home now—who are they asking to take this step?—is being promoted, instead of demands for killing the enemies who are holding the hostages. Jews need to make aggressive, uncompromising statements, especially in the U.S. Where are the demands against the university leaders? Against the faculty? Against the non-students who invade the campuses? Why isn’t law enforcement more involved?

Instead, some would say that the Jews want to play it safe. That approach has been typical of Jews who have lived in foreign countries. They wanted to fit in, not only to be accepted, but to protect themselves. In the 19^th century, Theodore Herzl predicted that if the Jews left Europe and went to Israel, anti-Semitism would end.

So much for that theory.

A couple of other thoughtful points were made in the video discussion. One was that anti-Semitism is the oldest and most successful ideology over time; its resilience is impressive. What can we learn from that? The other point is that the campuses are dominated by pagans; instead of an enlightened Christian view of the Jews, the Jews are seen as outsiders and threats.

One last point I’d like to make about the federal government. The next time the Jews are attacked, the Jews and their supporters in Congress need to make a formal demand, not only against discrimination in general but an explicit condemnation of anti-Semitism. And this demand must be loud and clear.

The current danger is that protests and attacks in the U.S. are no longer on the front page. That situation may lead people to believe that all is well. But be assured, that is not the case, as I’ve summarized below:

ADL has identified six key trends that should set off alarm bells for college and university leaders: escalation of violent tactics; public embrace of terrorist organizations and Iran interference; evading accountability (use of masks); attacking Jewish organizations on campus; faculty and staff supporting extreme positions; BDS targeting university endowments.

Still, there are encouraging signs:

But while these numbers and trends paint a bleak picture, there are reasons for cautious optimism. Courts and the Department of Education have held universities accountable for allowing intimidation, exclusion, and abuse of Jewish students, opening the door to immediate reforms. Over the past year, and particularly during the summer months, many colleges and universities have taken proactive steps to address this crisis. New policies governing campus protests have been put in place, along with clear communications about codes of conduct and disciplinary processes. However, policies are only as effective as their enforcement. The real test will be whether universities have the resolve to hold violators accountable. Campus administrators must act decisively against hate and support their Jewish communities.

For now, the universities are the main focal point for these anti-Semitic activities. I worry that these actions will spread into the larger community. Thus, my ongoing banging of the drum.