The Jewish world in the age of coronavirus – A special Israel Hayom project
Part IX: How to cope with rising antisemitism during the pandemic
With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, some in the Jewish community worry that Jews will once again become a scapegoat for the problems facing society.
With a slew of reports showing a worrying rise in antisemitism in the US, as well as the unprecedented antisemitic attack in Pittsburgh that left 11 dead and other similar attacks recently, the Trump administration has resolved to take a pro-active stance.
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"We have seen a dramatic rise in antisemitic hatred, mostly on the Internet, that accuses Jews of having invented this coronavirus, of intentionally spreading it, of profiting from it, and of using it as a tool of global domination," the US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Elan Carr told Israel Hayom.
"The only thing new here is the virus itself. Blaming Jews for the maladies of the world is a hallmark of antisemitism dating back to its earliest days. During the Black Plague of Medieval Europe, Jews were often blamed for intentionally infecting drinking water – a calumny that resulted in numerous massacres of the innocent," he stressed.
According to Carr, "the solution is for all nations and all governments to stand united in unequivocal condemnation of this despicable hate speech. And the moment such hate speech crosses the line into conduct amounting to incitement to violence, harassment, or discrimination, governments should act swiftly and appropriately in addressing it."
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Carr shared with Israel some of the concrete steps the administration planned to take in this regard. "The plan concentrates on three points, maintaining the physical security of the Jewish community; adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance as a tool and enforcement tool for dealing with classical and modern antisemitism; dealing with antisemitism in the online space; and establishing curricula for a deep understanding of Jewish tradition, culture, and history."
