On April 11, 1944, a young Anne Frank wrote in her diary:
Who has made us Jews different from all other people? Who has allowed us to suffer so terribly until now? It is God Who has made us as we are, but it will be God, too, who will raise us up again. Who knows – it might even be our religion from which the world and all peoples learn good, and for that reason and that reason alone do we now suffer. We can never become just Netherlanders, or just English, or representatives of any other country for that matter. We will always remain Jews.
Anne Frank was on to something. The Talmud asks, from where did Mount Sinai derive its name? After offering a few alternatives, the Talmud suggests that Mount Sinai comes from Hebrew word “sinah” which means hatred, because the non-Jews’ hatred of the Jews descended upon that mountain when the Jewish people received the Torah there. Torah demands a moral and ethical lifestyle, an attitude of giving rather than taking, a life of service rather than of privilege, that has revolutionized the world.
Anti-Semitism will not come to an end by assimilating and retreating.
The Jewish people have been charged to be the moral conscience of the world, a mission they have not always succeeded at, but that nevertheless drew the ire, anger and hatred of so many. For two thousand years the Jews were bullied and persecuted simply because of their Jewishness and all that stands for.
After the Holocaust, the world gave the Jews a reprieve from their hatred, becoming instead beneficiaries of their pity. But looking at events around the world, it is rapidly becoming clear that the last 75 years was an aberration. We have witnessed the rise of anti-Semitism around the world as the world reverts back to its ageless pattern and habit.
The Midrash (Eichah Rabbah 1) teaches that three prophets used the term “eichah” – o how! In Deuteronomy, Moses asks: "Eichah, how can I alone bear your troubles, your burden and your strife?" (Deut. 1:12) In the Haftorah for Shabbos Chazon, the Prophet Yeshayahu asks: "Eichah, how has the faithful city become like a prostitute?" Lastly, Yirmiyahu begins the Book of Eichah: "Eichah, how is it that Jerusalem is sitting in solitude! The city that was filled with people has become like a widow..." Eicha – How? How is it that anti-Semitism persists? Why must they rise up against us in every generation?
On Tisha B’Av we will sit on the floor and wonder aloud, eicha? How could it be Jews have to fear for their lives yet again? Eicha – how could it be that today, with all the progress humanity has made, more than a quarter of the world is still holding anti-Semitic views?
Rabbi Soloveitchik tells us that though the Midrash identifies three times the word eicha is used, in truth there is a fourth. When Adam and Eve fail to take responsibility, God calls out to them and says ayeka, where are you? Ayeka is spelled with the same letters as eicha, leading Rabbi Soloveitchik to say that when we don’t answer the call of ayeka, when we don’t take personal responsibility for our problems and blame others, we will ultimately find ourselves asking eicha, how could it be?
We must do all that we can to take personal responsibility to fulfill the Jewish mission to bring Godliness into the world.
We can ask eicha, how could all of these terrible things be, but we may never have a definitive answer. Our job is to make sure we can answer the call of ayeka, where are you? Are you taking responsibility? We may not be able to fully understand why anti-Semitism exists, but we can and must remain vigilant in calling it out, confronting it and fighting it. We must remain strong in standing up for Jews everywhere. We must confront evil and do all we can to defeat it.
And, we must do all that we can to take personal responsibility to fulfill the Jewish mission to bring Godliness into the world. If individual Jews were hated for being the conscience of the others, all the more so does a Jewish country generate hate for being the moral conscious of the whole world, held to higher moral standards than any other country or state.
Our job is not to be discouraged by asking eicha, o how! – but to ensure that we can answer the call of ayeka, where are you. Anti-Semitism will not come to an end by assimilating and retreating. It will come to an end when we can positively answer the question that the Talmud tells us each one of us will be asked when we meet our Maker: did you long for the redemption and did you personally take responsibility to do all that you can to bring the redemption? Did you truly feel the pain of exile and feel the anguish of the Jewish condition in the world? Do you truly and sincerely care? Did you anxiously await every day for Moshiach to herald in an era of peace and harmony, an end to anti-Semitism and suffering?
It is not enough to long for Moshiach, we must bring him. It is not enough to hope for redemption, we must be the catalyst for it. It is not enough to be tired of eicha, we must answer ayeka. If we want to get up off the floor and end the mourning, if we want to finally end anti-Semitism, it is up to us to do what is necessary to heal our people, to repair the world, to love one another, and to earn the redemption from the Almighty.
(9) Anonymous, July 15, 2020 10:56 AM
The end of antisemitism
It's true the Messiah is coming soon. He's the only one who will bring peace to the world and end antisemitism.
(8) Nancy, July 13, 2020 6:07 PM
I don't think we will ever completely stamp out anti Semitism......
However, we CAN and MUST speak up when we hear it. I also believe that we Jews need to present a united front, regardless of our level of observance.
(7) Anonymous, July 13, 2020 10:58 AM
When G-d laughs....
Psalms 2
(6) Alexandra, July 13, 2020 4:39 AM
Exactly
Excellent article, todah rabah
(5) Anonymous, July 12, 2020 7:27 PM
Secular Jews
How can we Jews combat AntiSemitism when 75% of Jews are secular and really do not believe that they are in any danger? Perhaps AntiSemitism exists so that all Jews will unite to stop it. That would be very nice, but the fact is that it is the assailants and haters who unite the Jews. The Nazis did not ask the Jews in Europe what level of Judaism they kept. One could be half a Jew, a Jew married to a gentile; it didn’t matter, every Jew was in mortal danger. I fear the same thing will happen in the US and it will be a rude awakening for those Jews; and especially for Jews who are following the liberal left. We should all pray and learn to protect ourselves.
(4) Shoshana, July 12, 2020 4:45 PM
Awesome article
Thank you for this clear, thought-provoking, and inspiring article! Much appreciated....
(3) Anonymous, July 12, 2020 3:47 PM
A STAR IS BORN...
WASNT ABRAHAM TOLD..;YOUR SEED SHALL BE AS STARS?'
STAR REVEAL THEMSELVES IN THE DARKNESS OF NIGHT.
STAY STRONG.
(2) Avraham Sonenthal, July 12, 2020 3:41 PM
End anti semitism? You can't.
This article is pointless. You can't end antisemitism. What you can do is be ready to defend yourself is necessary.
For example, Jews have never been allowed officially to own weapons. Except now American Jews can all go and buy a weapon any time they want. Firearms are the great equalizer: even a single man can defeat multiple larger men if he has a firearm. For hated Jews, this should be a no brainer.
Jews of the USA, and everywhere else to the extent possible:
1. Get quality training in the safe handling and accurate shooting of both the semi automatic handgun (pistol) and the semi automatic rifle
2. Take as many firearm training courses as possible.
3. Acquire a firearm (handgun or 9 mm carbine), and store it safely at home in a combination safe.
4. Get a concealed carry permit (in the USA, 12 states don't even require a permit to carry), or if in another country whatever the equivalent to that is.
5. Learn Brazilian Ju Jitsu (BJJ)
6. Avoid confrontation whenever possible, and if confronted, try to de escalate and escape. But if cornered fight and injure your assailant(s).
I keep hearing of Jews in France, Sweden, England, etc being accosted and injured. That is not the correct outcome. When Jews are accosted, and can't talk their way out or evade or escape, the correct outcome is the assailants winding up in hospitals with broken bones and concussions.
You will not end anti semitism, period. But you can at least make a kiddush Ha shem when you encounter it.
(1) Sharon, July 12, 2020 11:28 AM
Jews also need to ask how they are responsible for anti-Semitism
Orthodox Jews more than any group living among non-Jews have to be aware of their behavior. I'm not referring to transgressions, per se, but sometimes their behavior can be less than inspiring and since they are so conspicuous as a group they can contribute to anti-Jewish feelings. They may not be worse than others, but they stand out, so they need to be a lot better.