‘Answering Antisemitism Hysteria’

The recent New York City mayoral election brought out another wave of what I categorize as “antisemitism hysteria.”

In my view, Jews have an unhealthy obsession of searching for — and finding! —antisemitism. This obsession is not healthy psychologically. It’s not healthy politically. And it’s not healthy for the long-term development of Diaspora Jewry and its important relationship with the State of Israel.

Following that recent election, JTA quoted a Jew from NYC’s Upper East Side saying: “One-hundred percent: People are going to be leaving New York City during this mayorship…. There’s no reason to stay.” A Jew from Queens described as “a social media influencer” was quoted as saying: “I believe that there is no life with Jewish people in New York going forward.” From Israel, Amichai Chikli, the country’s minister of Diaspora Affairs, tweeted: “New York will never be the same again for its Jewish community. I invite the Jews of New York to seriously consider making their new home in the Land of Israel.”

Let’s be realistic, politically savvy, and socially smart. I just spent a Shabbat on Manhattan’s Upper West Side post-Election Day. I couldn’t count the number of young Jewish men and women walking to friends’ homes carrying pekalach (packages) with Shabbat food. I couldn’t count the number of young Jews dressed for synagogue services, both Friday night and Saturday morning. Some wore suits and dresses, others in more casual attire. Most of the men wearing kipot or hats. All going in the same direction: to their synagogue of choice. None seemed fearful of leaving their comfortable Jewish neighborhood after November 4 or hiding their Jewish identity.

Had I not left New York City over 50-years ago, I would have held my nose and voted “for the other guy” — the unsuccessful (independent) candidate. In truth, the new mayor is not someone whose statements or allegiances make me happy. But hopefully he will mature in office and hopefully, the strident voices of fear and alarm will also mature.

Any objective observer will recognize that, dare I say it, “Antisemitism is here to stay.” So is anti-Zionism — all of the gashreis and headlines notwithstanding. But “l’havdil.” Ask an 80-year old whose parents grew up in in the United States in the beginning of the 20th century to describe antisemitism as they remember it: They would recall that there were jobs you wouldn’t even apply for because you knew that Jews weren’t welcome in these “establishment” law firms, insurance firms, schools, colleges, and medical centers. In recent decades there are no fields or professions to which Jews are barred — no “Gentleman’s Agreement” to discriminate against us.

Why do you think we have medical centers bearing names like Beth Israel, Deborah, and Mount Sinai? Because since Jewish doctors weren’t welcome in the the centers of healing in existence before recent times, the Jewish community had to establish its own.

What about the paucity in previous generations of Jews serving as presidents of Ivy League universities, or, for that matter, as professors and students.

Is everything perfect for Jews and those professing support for Zionism on our college campuses? No! But compare the current opposition to the antisemitism of the earlier part of the last century — and you will find much more strident and virulent expressions and acts of anti-Jewish attitudes.

Let’s get mature about “antisemitism.” The efforts to “fight” antisemitism is a $100 million annual industry for the Anti-Defamation League, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, and the American Jewish Committee (check out their budgets; they are publicly reported to the IRS). Following the NYC mayoral election, the ADL proudly advertised a “Mamdani Monitor” initiative. The AJC is accepting applications for “Disrupt Antisemitism” grants to encourage young Jews to engage with their non-Jewish, antisemitic neighbors.

As mature Jews we have to ask: What is the return on these investments? What are these initiatives going to accomplish? How much antisemitism have the hundreds of millions of dollars spent in the last 50 years prevented? Had these funds been spent on providing free Jewish day school, camping, and teen programs, would we have been better off as a Jewish community today? I think such investments would have reaped far more rewarding “returns.”

In the open and pluralistic society in the United States, our biggest threat is not antisemitism; it is assimilation. If antisemitism were so pervasive and dangerous, why would non-Jews want to marry Jews? Why would Jews be welcomed into non-Jewish families?

We live in the post-Shoah era. I get it. I understand that each Jew who knows his or her history legitimately carries some measure of post-traumatic stress disorder. But we’re also living at the time of the third Jewish commonwealth. Since 1948, we’ve experienced the existence of a Jewish nation, in Jewish hands, with increasingly more internal safety and vitality. We’ve witnessed Israel becoming the “Start-Up Nation,” a global leader in technological advancement and entrepreneurial success. In the past year, we’ve witnessed Israel’s major security accomplishments against threats from Hizbullah, Hamas, Syria, and Iran. Arab nations are lining up to join the Abraham Accords. Israel’s borders with Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, and Syria are more secure than they ever have been. The IDF and Israel’s clandestine military operations are feared by its enemies.

Can’t we recognize good news when we see it? Fight antisemitism? What about fighting assimilation and Jewish ignorance and the high cost of Jewish summer camp, teen programs, synagogue affiliation, and congregational school and day school education? Let’s be mature members of the Jewish community and look for a real “return on our investment” instead of trying to slay the antisemitism dragon — which is not as ferocious as many would have us believe and which, in any event, is never going to be totally defeated. Let’s be mature Jews working with pride and self-confidence on assuring a Jewish future, instead of alarmist Jews sounding desperate cries of fear of a bogeyman whose threat is greatly exaggerated.