The Jews are Scared. Please be an Ally.

[Anonymous]

I thought you all should know that we're scared. I'm in multiple group texts and real-life conversations about what we can do or where we can go to be safe.
What countries will take us in and are they safer than here?
Does Israel have the space to protect all the Jews in Diaspora if we need to flee? (answer: it does not)
Which of our friends/neighbors/co-workers will hide us?
What should we tell our children about what is happening?

If you are not Jewish, please, for the love of God, speak up for us. Speak out against hate.

[Anonymous]

I’m so sorry that you don’t feel safe here. There are some really terrible people in the world. I hope you find peace.

[Anonymous]

Tell me more about being an ally. My adult child is seriously dating a Jew and we all want to be as supportive as possible!
I think we are a welcoming family but I’ll do anything to fight anti Semitism.

[Anonymous]

The spike in antisemitism is hugely concerning. When we went to High Holiday services, there was a police car outside. I had to lie to my kids and just say that the police protect any large group, rather than the truth: As a very visible temple, we are potential targets.

Still, I can't really understand the level of concern you describe: The U.S. has, by historical standards, been incredibly welcoming, and we have flourished socially, politically, and professionally. Yes, I understand that's exactly what the Jews of Germany said in the 1930s, but I just don't see any short-term risk of institutionalized antisemitism, much less expulsion.

[Anonymous]

OP tell me how to be a better ally.

[Anonymous]

I’m a Christian married to a Jew. I find the rise in antisemitism scary. I find the number of people who don’t think people who aren’t Christian are “real” Americans even scarier. (I saw a poll and the percentage of people who responded that way was astounding.) My dh, who was raised reform and isn’t religious, always just shrugs it off.

I’m donating to the ADL. What else should I be doing?

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry, OP, it's horrible. I get why you feel that way.

Sending virtual support, as meaningless as that feels.

[Anonymous]

NP here (Catholic) and last night our high school had a presentation from ADL (Anti Defamation League) that helped me understand why this is happening and what to do.

Although the presenter did not explicitly make this analogy, it is akin to three elements you need for fire:

Fuel (like dry kindling)
Oxygen
The spark

1) Fuel is the current climate, which is a country rife with unrest that causes anxiety

2) Oxygen is social media, which has no rules (boundaries) and thus acts like propellent, and

3) the match/spark is celebrities like Kanye, Chapelle, and Tucker Carlson who have huge platforms and can galvanize people.

The speaker was saying ways to help are to say something if you hear something (to stand up). Also, to support other groups, as that helps raise all boats. He was heartened by the local media (west coast) who, when anti-semitic banners were put across a freeway bridge, blurred out the name of the organization so as to not give them publicity.

The ADL also has programs that can be brought into schools, on their website, adl.org.

Anyways I wish I had more actionable items for this OP but this is something.

[Anonymous]

There's along thread in the entertainment forum about Dave Chappelle's monologue on SNL (the thread is now locked). The number of posters who struggled to see anything problematic in that monologue is shocking. The normalization of Kanye contributes to things like this: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/headstones-vandalized-swastikas-illinois-jewish-cemetery-rcna57220

But to the poster who mentioned police at their synagogue during the High Holidays this year, that's always been the case at our synagogue any time they expect a crowd (High Holidays, Purim carnival, etc.). Unfortunately, we've always been targets. It just seems more acceptable for people to express their anti-Semitic views out loud these days.

[Anonymous]

We are in exile. It's not meant to be comfortable.


To comfort you, consider that anti-Semitism has always existed and yet the Jews still exist. It's a historical miracle.

[Anonymous]

Yes,

Thank you for the heads up. I know there is a growing problem, but this reminds me to be more aware.

[Anonymous]

I am half Jewish with a Jewish last name. I’m not religious but feel very deeply the current anti-semitism and that my ancestors experienced.

I am a journalist and used to write freelance articles for a prominent newspaper. One day I got a call (back in the days of landlines and answering machines)) where the caller attacked me for being a Jew, using a slur, and went on a rant about how many journalists are Jewish. my editor thought it was no big deal. I hope that attitude has changed.

I’m definitely an ally.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think the police car at HH is unusual. We have always had them. Even when I was a kid decades ago. What is new is armed security guards which we have had since the Tree of Life shooting. We now have an annual security fee (I can’t remember the exact amount but it’s around $36 per family). We are in the Pittsburgh area. I have a friend who belongs to a very large synagogue in another metro area. At the time of the shooting, she said that her synagogue had a guard there for any meeting (committee, youth group, board, etc.). You can argue whether it is a deterrent or not but we have also spent a fortune on other security measures that I will not go into here. If the pp’s synagogue is very visible, it has likely spent a lot on security measures as well.

[Anonymous]

I see social media being #1 problem with promotions of conspiracy theories and hate politics.
Facebook whistleblower clearly mentioned about this problems.

[Anonymous]

I feel like some states are better than others for diversity. If Montana, Vermont, and Mississippi don't want diversity they can make it on their own. Why spend your money there?