Be an Ally in the Fight Against Antisemitism

In honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, it is important to dispel the pervasive belief that only Jews can speak out against antisemitism. In fact, as the Simon Wiesenthal Center recently tweeted, “Jews cannot defeat antisemitism. Only our neighbors can.”

Additionally, antisemitism presents a threat to all Americans, as anti-Jewish hate often indicates impending threats to religious freedom and other human rights for all members of society. As Britain’s former chief rabbi Jonathan Sacks explained, “the hate that begins with Jews never ends with Jews.”

For these reasons, it is vital for every American to be vocal when Jews are subjected to increased verbal and physical assaults on American soil, and particularly as more than a dozen Jewish Americans have been killed by individuals spurred on by the conspiracy theories of antisemitism in the past 15 months.

Though there are many levels at which antisemitism must be counteracted, you can make the biggest impact in four key areas: studying the Holocaust, learning about and advocating against antisemitic hate, being in solidarity with Jews, and reporting incidents of antisemitism to organizations whose purpose is to record such events and advocate at higher levels.

Study the Holocaust
A population that is not educated about the Holocaust, as is increasingly the case for younger American generations, can easily fall victim to antisemitic Holocaust denial. The antidote to such willful manipulation of history is spreading understanding of the Nazi genocide, which claimed six million Jewish, and multiple millions of non-Jewish, victims.

With nearly 60 Holocaust memorials and monuments around the U.S., there may well be an accessible means to study the Holocaust near you.

For those isolated from such establishments, there are dozens of renowned museums and institutions with social media presences designed to educate far beyond their walls. Among these are the Anne Frank House, Yad Vashem, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Auschwitz Memorial, the Auschwitz Exhibition, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, and Courtroom 600.

Studying the Holocaust can be a difficult endeavor. Sharing the experience of learning with friends or family can alleviate some of the burden. So, too, can repetition. From my personal experience, the more I immerse myself in the history of the Holocaust, the more my sadness transforms into a drive to make a difference for those who did not survive Hitler’s deadly hate, as well as for future generations.

More important than studying the era for ourselves is educating children about the atrocities of the Holocaust. Rather than shielding them from the terrible realities of genocide, parents must ensure the next generation fully understands the horrific consequences of hatred.

Understand and Advocate
The environment of antisemitism is complex, fueled by far-right extremist hate, anti-Jewish sentiment in radical Islam, a still-emerging understanding of the hatred of Jews that has recently been demonstrated by members of the black community in the Northeast, and far-left anti-Israel hate, most commonly seen in on-campus discrimination of Jewish and pro-Israel students and through the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. I urge onlookers to find the aspect of antisemitism that moves them to action and to explore it with the goal of sharing that understanding online and with friends, family, church groups, neighbors, and colleagues.

Many pro-Israel groups exist to spread facts to an online audience seeking to advocate for peace. These include BDS Report, Fuel for Truth, Canary Mission, AIPAC, the Anti-Defamation League, the Israel Defense Forces, Stand With Us, and Reservists on Duty.

I also suggest all Americans write to their representatives and ask them to work on bipartisan efforts to counteract all forms of antisemitism in a manner that will not infringe on First and Second Amendment rights.

Be in Solidarity with Jews
While the non-Jewish community has remained largely untouched by the rise of antisemitism, Jews are feeling the crush. In response to this environment, non-Jews should stand in solidarity with Jews worldwide.

A touching example of such solidarity comes from Germany. In 2019, after a 20 percent increase in antisemitic attacks throughout the country in 2018, the German government suggested that Jewish men stop wearing the kippah. The German magazine Bild responded by printing a kippah for readers to cut out and wear to show that they stood with Jews and would not stand to see Jews forced to hide their religion for fear of violence.

This example is an important one in America, given that an October 2019 survey from the American Jewish Committee found that nearly a third of American Jews have stopped wearing objects that identify their religion.

I urge non-Jews to ask close Jewish friends, colleagues, or neighbors about their concerns regarding rising antisemitism, or whether they have personally been recipients of anti-Jewish discrimination or hate. Ask them how you can be an ally for the Jewish community at a time of distress.

Report Incidents of Antisemitism
Finally and most importantly, if you witness an incident of antisemitism online or in-person, report it to the appropriate authorities.

If online, first report the hateful conduct to site administrators. Then screenshot the offending post, and attach it with the URL of the webpage and additional details about the location and circumstances to the ADL’s site for reporting incidents of antisemitism, bias, or discrimination.

If you witness an antisemitic assault in person, report it to the police and appropriate authorities first. Afterwards, fill out the specifics requested on the ADL’s aforementioned reporting site.

Finally, if you hear of an incident that has not received wide coverage in your local community, feel free to contact your regional ADL office. If the ADL is unaware of a situation, they will not be able to support affected members of the community or advocate for change.

In a world increasingly ridden with devastating antisemitism, I hope this information leaves you feeling empowered to make a difference. If you have additional ideas about how best to combat antisemitism, feel free to send an email to [email protected]