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SHABBAT ZACHOR 5783
Are Americans Antisemitic?
Last Shabbos, Feb. 25th, a network of neo-Nazi groups promoted a “National Day of Hate” (intentionally on Shabbos) aimed at harassing and threatening Jews. Immediately, the Jewish world and the media went into full alert. With this, these neo-Nazis groups demonstrated their ability to project the sort of strength their paltry numbers and utter lack of mainstream support should have prevented them from attaining.
The police appropriately stepped-up protection of synagogues and Jewish institutions. Many synagogues hired extra security, some regular attendees stayed home, allowing these groups to both claim a public-relations triumph and to further depict Jews as cowering in fear in response to their empty threats. What’s ironic about this is that Neo-Nazis have no support anywhere in American politics.
This is Shabbat Zachor (Shabbat of Remembrance) before Purim where we are commanded to remember what Amalek did for Haman, in the Purim story, was a direct descendant of Amalek. The people of Amalek attached the Jewish people as they left Egypt for no reason other than pure Jew-hatred. The Jews were not threatening them; they were not going through their land. This was the perhaps the 1st instance of pure Antisemitism in history.
Antisemitism is on the rise in America—at least that’s what everyone is saying. It’s true, the number of antisemitic incidents has dramatically increased. The demonization of Israel and its supporters in mainstream political discourse and in the media are so commonplace as to become routine. In academia and even in popular culture, the acceptance of myths about Jews assisting in the oppression of Palestinian people of color is rarely even challenged.
So, are Jews really in serious trouble in America? I found some insight in a teaching by Rabbi Mannis Friedman on the Megillah of Esther that we’ll read Monday night on Purim (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARWD6gSWfWM). Rabi Friedman notes that very casually the Megillah mentions (8:17) that when the miracle of Purim happened—and the lives of the Jews were saved from Haman’s planned extermination—that many in the Persian Empire converted to Judaism because they were in awe of Jews and Judaism. But weren’t they in awe of the miracle itself?
How many converted? The Megillah doesn’t say…because those who completed their conversion were part of a larger number who wanted to convert, but were not accepted! Why weren’t they accepted? Because what made them want to convert, says Rabbi Friedman, was the miracle of Purim. You see, when people see miracles happening to another people, of course they want to join them. Who wouldn’t want to climb on the bandwagon and get some miracles for themselves? People want to join the winners—not the losers.
So, here’s the amazing thing, many of Haman’s fans who supported his evil plan suddenly decided to switch sides because Haman became a loser. So the rabbis said: “No, we’re sorry, but that’s not a good enough reason to convert.” Why were others accepted? because their reason for converting was because they were impressed with Jews and Judaism—with their devotion to Gd, with their Torah’s wisdom. They wanted to be a part of that!
What does that tell us? The same people who the day before were anticipating with great enthusiasm the day when they could kill Jews at will…a day later they want to become Jews? What that tells us is that antisemitism is very dangerous, very ugly, very loud, conspicuous—but not very deep.
Rabbi Freidman tells us that it’s important to know the difference between an antisemite and just some hoodlum who’s looking for a thrill—and gets a kick out of painting a swastika. If you listen to the media, all you’ll hear is that Antisemitism is growing. Now listen carefully to Rabbi Friedman’s amazing insight. He proves it with today’s Chanukah Menorahs. He says: The truth is that Antisemitism is failing. Pro-semitism is growing. There’s a huge Menorah standing in front of the Kremlin—the house that Stalin built! There’s a huge Menorah on Hanukkah in front of the Brandenburg Gate—the center of Nazi activity—the house that Hitler built! There’s a huge Menorah in Dubai—a Muslim country. And where you have a Menorah, you can expect to have a kosher restaurant—because what do you do after you light the Menorah? You’ve got to have some latkes. So, there’s a kosher restaurant, a Chabad house and a Chief Rabbi in Dubai. Antisemitism is not what it used to be.
When many decided to convert in the Purim story, something changed in the world. Of course, Purim was a great miracle of survival for the Jewish people. But with Purim people who hated Jews now wanted to be Jews. Something changed in the Persian Empire—which was probably the majority of the human population. That’s why we should celebrate Purim—not just for ourselves. The world took a giant step forward and upwards in the Purim story and it has to potential to increase every Purim. Rabbi Freidman tells us: The world will be a better world on Purim. And from Purim onwards, we can expect beautiful things to happen because when Antisemitism goes down holiness goes up. When holiness goes up, Antisemitism goes down. That’s good news for the world—not just for Jews!
Rabbi Friedman asserts that in reality, Antisemitism has gone down. How can he say that? Think about it, today it’s possible to assert that Jews have gone beyond full acceptance. In many ways, Jews and Jewish folkways have become “trendy” in American culture.
· Thus, comedian Jon Stewart, and before him Saturday Night Live frequently used Jewish references and Yiddish expressions on their tv shows.
· Some non-Jews teens adopted Bar/Bat Mitzvah like celebrations for themselves so they too could be lifted up on a chair and celebrated like their Jewish friends.
· And President Barak Obama introduced an annual Seder in the White House.
A 2014 Pew study showed that, “of all the religious groups in the U.S., Americans felt most warmly toward Jews.” This was so unbelievable that they repeated the study in 2017 and again in 2019, and came up with the same result! Jews continued to receive the “warmest ratings.” In fact 92% of Americans look favorably at Jews. Antisemitism is not what it used to be and Americans, on the whole, are NOT Antisemitic!
With all the recent increase in Antisemitic incidents, with all the anti-Israel slurs in the media and by politicians like Ilhan Omar, with overt Antisemitic slurs by celebrities like Kayne West and athletes like the NBA’s Kyrie Irving…can you believe this? In a brief 3 decades, Jews have gone from being unwelcome at the country club to drinking 4 cups of wine at a Seder in the home of the leader of the free world!
What does a Jew do on Purim? On Monday night we’ll listen to the reading of the Megillah of Esther. We’ll twirl our graggers and blot out the name of the Antisemite Haman every time he’s mentioned. On Tuesday, Purim day, we’ll eat a formal meal and send food gifts—2 foods to at least one friend. Since it’s hard to pick that one friend without making everybody else jealous, we should send gifts to all our friends. And we must give charity to at least 2 poor people.
Rabbi Friedman asks: Do you know what a good solution to Antisemitism would be? Send a food gift. It’s very hard to shoot someone who sends you food. Can you imagine if on Purim morning everyone in the world wakes up and says, “Who can I share some food with? We would have a utopian world just from that alone. You may think this is so cute. No, it’s not just cute. It can change the world. Once you think about it you realize if everyone was exchanging food…war is over!
So, my friends, this year let’s do Purim the right way. Come to hear the Megillah on Monday night at 7pm. On Purim day, send some edibles—not to people who have nothing to eat. That’s charity for the poor which we will also do. The sharing of foods is not to ward off hunger. It’s to be neighborly—to connect with our fellow human beings. It’s so powerful. These Purim mitzvot are not heroic, but they can be life changing. Let’s really enjoy Purim this year and make it an awesome day for the world. Amen!
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