December 12, 2024|י"א כסלו ה' אלפים תשפ"ה I Didn't Know How Much They Love Us
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Antisemitism is the world’s oldest hatred. Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks zt”l described it as follows:
Antisemitism is not a unitary phenomenon, a coherent belief or ideology. Jews have been hated because they were rich and because they were poor; because they were capitalists and because they were communists; because they believed in tradition and because they were rootless cosmopolitans; because they kept to themselves and because they penetrated everywhere. Antisemitism is not a belief but a virus. The human body has an immensely sophisticated immune system which develops defenses against viruses. It is penetrated, however, because viruses mutate. Antisemitism mutates.
Jews comprise only 2.4% of the US population but in 2023 were the targets of 68% of religiously motivated hate crimes, a 63% increase from 2022. Following October 7, 2023, hate incidents against Jews spiked 400%.
Just this week, Hadassah published the results of a two-year survey on antisemitism. It found that 64% of those polled reported that hate and discrimination have directly impacted their lives, relationships, and professional environments; additionally, more than half felt compelled to conceal their Jewish identity.
As Jews, we have always known that there are people who hate us, but it isn’t until this past year that we realized how much they hate us. That hate is so strong, so loud, and so threatening, that it is easy to not appreciate how many love us.
This week, I had the privilege of offering remarks and a prayer at a large gathering that was overwhelmingly attended by a non-Jewish audience. I concluded by saying:
Master of the Universe - do not allow us to remain apathetic or silent. Grant us the faith in You, and the faith in ourselves, to believe that we can make a difference in securing a bright future for the United States and for Israel.
Our Father in Heaven, let the hostages, Americans and Israelis be released and return home. Let Israel be victorious over her enemies. Guard the courageous members of the United States military and the Israeli Defense Forces as they guard us and protect freedom and democracy around the world.
Dear God - We ask that you grant peace and prosperity to the United States, to the State of Israel and to the entire world, and let us respond, Amen.
I received a few handshakes on my way back to my table, but what happened the rest of the evening truly surprised me. When I made my way around the room, I was stopped over and over again by people telling me how much they pray for Israel, for the release of the hostages, and for the Jewish people as a whole. Non-Jews from all over the country sincerely and genuinely expressed their care and their concern for our people.
One young man who was attending with his mother found me to share that though he isn’t Jewish, he feels connected to Israel and desperately wants to help. He took my contact information and asked if would be alright to follow up and if I could introduce him to an organization or effort in Israel that he can work on from his home in Houston. A member of the security team at the event saw my yarmulka and said “Shalom.” He shared that he has been to many parts of the world providing protection but the place he really wants to go is Israel. A veteran of the United States Army who fought for many years for our country came over to proudly share that when he was first training, he went to Israel to practice with the IDF and told me about the gratitude he has had for the many years since.
The examples could go on and on, but they all left me with a feeling that while we know there are people who hate us and have come to learn how much they hate us, we also need to know that there are people who love us and just how much they love us.
During his recent visit to our community, when Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik was asked about his concerns regarding the state of antisemitism in American and particularly on college campuses and among academic elites, he responded that he is steadfastly optimistic. While he agreed that rising antisemitism is cause for legitimate concern, he explained that there is no time in Jewish history where we have had more support from the non-Jewish world and we should recognize and appreciate that.
When that care and concern are communicated, when we are strengthened by a simple sentence or supportive gesture, we should think to ourselves, how can I pay it forward? Is there a community, a nationality, or a people who are feeling hated and to whom I can communicate some camaraderie and concern? Are there individuals who are feeling abandoned, forsaken, or forgotten to whom I can express support, and heartfelt prayers?
Commenting on our Parsha and the complicated relationship between Esav and Yaakov, our rabbis predict and foretell that “Esav sonei es Yaakov,” the descendants of Esav will hate and haunt the offspring of Yaakov. Interestingly, the Talmud introduces this observation with the words, “Halacha b’yaduah,” it is a well-known halacha.
Commenting on this phrase used only once in rabbinic literature, Rav Moshe Feinstein in a teshuva in the 1970’s writes:
I have already explained concerning Rashi’s language in his Torah commentary… on the word וישקהו: Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai says: “It is a well-known halacha that Esau hates Jacob.” And why is the word halacha relevant here? It is because just as halacha never changes, so also Esav’s hatred of Yaakov never changes. Even in those [nations] that behave well [toward Jews], their hatred [of Jews] is actually strong.
Essentially, antisemitism is a fact that they hate us—it is a given that will not change. The fact that some love us, though, is not and should never be taken for granted. We should recognize it, appreciate it and pay it forward in showing love to others who could use it.
A study conducted a few years ago concluded that casually reaching out to people in our social circles means more than we realize. As one of the researchers explained, “Even sending a brief message reaching out to check in on someone, just to say ‘Hi,’ that you are thinking of them, and to ask how they’re doing, can be appreciated more than people think.”
Hearing people I didn’t even know tell me, “I’m thinking about Israel and I’m praying for your people,” filled me with comfort and delight. Contacting someone you know, even if you don’t know them well, to tell them they are on your mind can make an impact you could not have imagined.