Video: Jtube: The Bill Cosby Show: Antisemitism

Published: November 11, 2012

What's the root cause of anti-Semitism?

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Visitor Comments: 23

(21) Riva, January 7, 2013 7:30 PM

The root of all evil is not money but ignorance that leads to hate

The root of anti-semitism goes back centuries when it was called exactly what it was: jew hating. It was about the royalty employing the jews as doctors and lawyers seeing as the jews were the literate few and whose services were vital to the life and death and economy. Unfortunately, the only contact that the jews had with the ignorant masses was as the tax collecters. The people were suspicious by nature; especially resentful of the men taking their money away. They already lived in poverty, but blamed it on the jews, not the kings and queens. Not too many know the history of jews in Russia before Hollywood was created, but isn't it remarkable that there are still some people who say with disdain that the Jews own/control Hollywood. As though the stats are not theer to prove it, we all know a very percentage of the powerful people in the media are jewish. And there's something wrong with that? If I had the kind of talent that Steven Spielberg alone has I'd be thrilled to get funded for my next incredible film......aaahh, but I digress... And of course, let's face it: there's always the jealousy factor: 'my son, the doctor' wouldn't have gotten through medical school if it weren't for the tuition. They've got to take into account that Jesus saves, but Moses invests.

Shoshana-Jerusalem, January 8, 2013 6:56 PM

root of anti-Semitism

The root of anti-Semitism is that we are Jewish. There is the jealousy factor, for sure. But aren't there rich goyim as well who can afford medical school for their sons? There's millions of them. The truth is that they hate us no matter if we are rich or poor, have high goverment positions or are poverty-stricken and dowtroden. They hate us if we keep separate or if we assimilate. It has nothing to do with ignorance, though anti-Semitic statements like yours,( "Moses invests") and the remark about the tuition, don't help very much and could even incite violence. Are you Jewish? (Just curious.) But none of this is the reason. They hate us because we stand for truth. Because we carry the Devine message to all mankind. We are the very small tribe that survived slavery in Egypt, the Romans and Greeks in the Land of Israel, the Inqusition, the pogroms, the Crusades, the Holocaust. Why don't you google in to (on aish.com) " World Perfect", and "The Jewish Contribution to Humanity" and "John Adams on the Jews."

(20) Anonymous, November 27, 2012 2:01 AM

seriously?

i may be out of touch in my old age (33) but people have to keep in mind how long ago this aired. it was a different world [so i've been told] but one would have to praise cosby in spite of how condescending or misguided this clip may be it does seem cosby was trying to promote awareness and acceptance. personally i'm not offended -- then again i'm not jewish. in spite of my state of goyim i will say people need to lighten up and not look so much in to things, otherwise before one realizes; one would have developed a 'victim's complex'. on the other hand: the clip from "the saturday game" was the last episode of the bill cosby show. maybe we should be reading in to that. shalom and be well.

(19) Yaakov, November 23, 2012 5:43 AM

Well Intentioned but Inaccurate

Not that you can expect better from a non-Jewish production, but this is not an accurate portrayal of a Jewish religious boy. If he were a religious boy, he would not be wearing a colored Hebrew school yarmulka. And he would quote the scripture in Hebrew, not English. And it's unlikely a 10 year old would be quoting which book of the bible discusses peyos. (Come to think of it, I'm not sure if I know which book it comes from.)

(18) martin, November 17, 2012 12:55 AM

antisemitism vs ignorance

The child saw something different and made fun of it as he did not understand what it was. Cosby pointed out that his hat on backwards was also different than the rest of the team but the child knew why it was on backwards (Cosby didn't say he was different because the catcher was black). The catcher might still laugh at the child once he understood the curls. Now that is not ignorance but disrespect or is it? He may respect the curls but still thinks their funny. I may think the rabbi's hat is funny. If we don't know each other we have no idea of intent. Antisemitism is hate where intent or knowledge have knowthing to do with what is going on. Hate is not a matter of knowledge or inttellect!

(17) Emil Friedman, November 16, 2012 2:14 AM

Bigotry works both ways.

I hear people making disparaging remarks about black people much too often. As Jews, we ought to know better.

(16) MABSH"Y, November 15, 2012 9:44 PM

Obviously not scripted by a Jew

When's the last time you heard an observant Jewish kid refer to "the Old Testament"? (not even when I was growing up, back when this clip was made (And Adam beat me to it, it's the Bill Cosby Show, not the Cosby show. I loved both of them))

Dvirah, November 28, 2012 5:44 PM

Common Language

In speaking to non-Jews it is important to use terms they can understand. The boy first used the general term "bible", then specified the "old" testiment since was the terminology a goy would understand. Observant Jews who do not isolate themselves from the rest of the world often have to use such terms so as to make themselves intelligible.

(15) Marilyn Cohen, November 14, 2012 3:46 AM

Ignorance is the cause of anti-Semitism

Bill Cosby explains it well in the video: when someone looks or dresses differently, he is taunted. When the second person is made to understand the reasons for the differences in dress, culture, food, religion, etc., the strangeness disappears. Knowledge erases ignorance and acceptance of the "different" person occurs.

(14) Adam Zion, November 14, 2012 12:01 AM

A minor correction

This wonderful video is not taken from "The Cosby Show" that aired on NBC from 1984-92, but from "The Bill Cosby Show" that aired on NBC from 1969-71.

(13) Anonymous, November 13, 2012 11:09 PM

But if he could not hit well?

The kids didn't really get over his "difference". They accepted him because he could hit well. Is this another example that Jews are always required to be smarter, more successful than others just to be considered equal? The boys should have accepted and respected his differences and not accepted him just because being a good ball player allowed them to overlook who he is. Don't get me wrong, I like the fact that the boys warmed to the young man and apparently became his friend. But, Children need to understand, and surprisingly when a parent doesn't bestow their prejudices upon their young minds, and accept new and different people with compassion.

(12) Anonymous, November 13, 2012 9:53 PM

So what would have happened if he couldn't play/hit well?

The video is great in showing that we can all get together however, I shudder to think of what would have happened if he couldn't play well. Would it have turned out the same? I don't think so. We focus too much on accomplishments and not enough on our people skills. I don't know the answer and maybe there isn't one. I think we have lost our compassion for eachother and we are not teaching compassion for different people to our children.

(11) Ellie, November 13, 2012 9:04 PM

Been there

My brother and I were the only Jewish kids in our community. My bro.had a fair time due to his height, I on the other hand was short, sickly, bookish and an introvert. I was called name, tripped and shoved. When three boys knocked me down and wrote on me new shirt I finally told my parents. Papa called the school then the children's parents, then he and Ima went to visit the parents. Things changed somewhat for me until my own children entered school. They told me that they did no hide who they were. They felt that by teaching non Jews about their habits and what we did to worship. The children never experienced what I did and taught there mother so much.

(10) Anonymous, November 13, 2012 8:28 PM

Prejudice is dislike of the unlike.

Being so sure that my way is the right way is the source of prejudice. If each way were to be seen as just being different from other ways, with no value judgment applied, then there would be less or maybe even no prejudice.

(9) cgaskill, November 13, 2012 7:23 PM

What if he couldn't hit the ball?

Just one question. What if he couldn't hit the ball? Why are happy solutions those that are defined by the worlds eyes.

(8) Cassandra, November 13, 2012 7:18 PM

Why anti-semitism?

In 3 words - IGNORANCE, ENVY & FEAR. All through history these three things have been the cause of exille, butchery, isolation, and restrictions of Jews in almost every country, continent, or empire. It hasn't stopped yet.

(7) Lina, November 13, 2012 6:26 PM

Jealousy and ignorance is the main reason for anti Simitism.

People should acknowledge that not everybody is the same.

(6) Susan Saltzman, November 13, 2012 5:17 PM

Old (actually ancient) story -- still relevant

This is a good video for schoolchildren to see. It's fewer than 5 minutes long, yet there's a lot that can be discussed. I hope the kids in the video learned something from participating in it. I wonder how this experience affected them as they grew up. Obviously, this was filmed many years ago -- unfortunately it's still relevant today.

(5) Rachav, November 13, 2012 5:06 PM

The answer to the question is ignorance!

If people did what Bill Cosby did in that scene teaching those boys to accept those with differences, I believe that there would be less anti-Semitism in the world.

(4) frank, November 13, 2012 4:16 PM

we must respect each other

Hashem commands us to love one another. And that's that.

(3) Anonymous, November 13, 2012 4:13 PM

thank you

(2) Alison, November 13, 2012 4:12 PM

And What If He Couldn't Hit?

So the Jewish kid is accepted because it turns out he's a great hitter. What if he didn't have any special talent? Then it would be ok to tease him for wearing a kepah?

(1) David S. Levine, November 13, 2012 4:02 PM

Bill Cosby--A GOOD Man

I'm not at all surprised to see this clip at all. Bill Cosby has always stood up to anti-semitism throughout his life and career. I once saw him, on C-Span, speak to the students at Howard University. In the midst of his speech, extolling the students to live up to their parents' hopes and hit the books, a member of the audience, who looked too old to be a student stood up and began an anti-semitic diatribe after Cosby said you get nowhere hating other ethnic groups. Cosby looked that the man with disdain and said, "If you never had a good experience with a Jew you've had a sad life indeed." Obviously I'll never forget that exchange which took place in May of 1996 and neither should any reader of this comment. This is a good man!

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