The United States has been reeling over the deaths of black men at the hands of law enforcement. As a Jew, I sympathize with the feeling of oppression and hopelessness. The recent looting, vandalism, arson, and wanton destruction of our cities, however, detract from the legitimate grievances and foment hatred of the "other," whoever it may be.
As a political commentator and author, Noah Rothman tweeted on May 29, "As or maybe more chilling than random acts of property destruction: targeted acts of property destruction." His tweet was referring to the attack on the CNN center in Atlanta, but nevertheless, his warning of targeted destruction applies to all. Worse yet, in an interview with NBC's Joe Scarborough on May 29, Reverend Al Sharpton rhetorically asked, "How do you deal with outrage" that results in a "fair criminal justice system." In his answer, he expressed his discontent that "some of the stores that are being damaged are black-owned stores! So we cannot become so reckless that we are destroying each other in our rage." Reverend Sharpton is promoting the identification and assault of an outside enemy. The historical scapegoat has been the Jews. Disturbingly, yet predictably, this is still the trend today.
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The seeds of anti-Semitism have been planted and are once again beginning to sprout. Those perceived as supposed enemies of the Black Lives Matter movement are painted as racist Zionists and Jewish oppressors. Vandals did not pass up the opportunity to deface multiple synagogues in Los Angeles as well as a statue of Raoul Wallenberg with anti-Semitic graffiti.
Instagram user "natia_1030" – a now-deleted account – posted a profanity-laced tirade against Jews and "Jewish privilege" as well, shared across other social media platforms. The British branch of Black Lives Matter launched an Israel-hating tirade of a dozen tweets on the morning of June 28. And of course, the Palestinians and Iranians are seizing the opportunity to align themselves as partners in a worldwide civil rights movement. Numerous political cartoons have been published, faulting Israel for the African American experience, and allying Palestinians and the Iranian government with African Americans. Moreover, all too coincidentally, many Black Lives Matter imagery shares the colors and symbolism of the Palestinian Authority.
Perturbing as the images captivating the US have been, more troublesome is the future of American Jewry. Recent riots, smashing of shop windows, arson, and looting across America conjure memories of the same havoc which plagued Jewish-owned shops, synagogues, and homes in 1938 Berlin, infamously condoned and even choreographed by government and law enforcement officials alike on Kristallnacht.
Jewish history is fraught with persecution. Indeed, Jews have been objectively the most consistently hated and persecuted minority group in all of human history. We surviving Jews, though, must necessarily be students of our own history. We must see current events against the backdrop of what our ancestors have endured and vow to make our future different. The threats never seem to dissipate.
The Anti-Defamation League found that the American Jewish community in 2019 experienced the highest incidence of anti-Semitic attacks since 1979, when tracking began. Moreover, attacks have become more violent and deadly, including a mass shooting at a Synagogue in Poway, California, a machete assault at a Hannukah party in a private home in Monsey, NY, and a shooting outside a Kosher supermarket in New Jersey. All this is in addition to nearly two weeks of daily violent anti-Semitic assaults in Brooklyn, New York in December 2019.
As the tide slowly but surely turns against Jews in Los Angeles, New York, and beyond, we cannot and should not ignore the parallels between Kristallnacht and the modern-day. These similarities are rightfully making Jews of all backgrounds seek another way out. This has not gone unnoticed in Israel. Minister of Aliyah and Integration Pnina Tamano-Shata has prioritized the encouragement of aliyah from around the world. Nefesh B'Nefesh recently announced a massive rise in applications and inquiries.
The Jewish Agency has predicted a large increase in the number of immigrants to Israel compared to years prior, including 50,000 in 2021 alone, albeit at least partly due to COVID-19. It is precisely for this reason that Israel exists – as a safe haven for Jews who love their countries but will inevitably be forced to flee from hatred and attempted destruction.
As clouds in the sky are mobilized by the blowing wind, so too will Jews find themselves forced to leave the homes they love as the winds of anti-Semitism push them away. Time is to be running out for Jews in America. Instead, we should fly like eagles, with purpose, to our destination. It is time to return to Israel. It is time to return home.
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