Evil: The Dis-ease is Viral

Something is not right — can u feel it? There is a dis-ease rampant in our society. We’re uneasy, and it seems evil is spreading. Antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism — hatred has no borders. October 7th seems to have unleashed the Devil and his disciples.

This goes beyond mere sickness, I don’t use the word evil lightly. Last August in my Times of Israel Blog: Beware Diaspora Jews, Israelis, and Every Parent. Do You Understand Canary? I used the analogy of canaries in coalmines—creatures once used to detect dangerous gases, like carbon monoxide, which is odorless and undetectable by humans. Canaries, being more sensitive, would fall ill or die, signaling miners they had to get the hell out of there, NOW!

Jews are the canary, are people listening? This analogy is grotesque but apt. History echoes: during the Holocaust, Jews were misled and targeted. My warning: we may be the first to be attacked, but rarely the only ones. It’s a cautionary tale.

Speaking of racism… USA Today and many news organizations have reported, “Donald Trump shares TruthSocial video that shows Obamas as apes! That speaks for itself, yet the regime sugarcoats it. Shameful.

Once again, antisemitism is at record levels throughout the world:

J7 countries—the seven nations with the largest Jewish diaspora populations beyond Israel — have seen dramatic increases over multi‑years.

Antisemitic increases from the 2025 J7 Annual Report:

Psychological Factors Behind Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and Racism

Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and racism arise from a complex mix of individual psychology and group dynamics. Research shows prejudice is shaped by unconscious defenses, identity needs, cognitive biases, and social learning.

1. In‑Group vs. Out‑Group Identity Needs

People have a deep psychological need to belong to a group. Groups maintain cohesion by defining who is “us” and who is “them.”

When group identity feels fragile, people become more susceptible to narratives that promise to “protect” the group, fueling racism or antisemitism.

2. Projection of Internal Conflicts

Classic psychoanalytic theory suggests that individuals and groups often project unwanted feelings — fear, guilt, shame, and aggression onto an external target.

Historically, Jews have been cast as “malevolent forces” allowing societies to avoid confronting their own flaws by blaming others.

3. Cognitive Biases and Stereotyping

Modern psychology shows prejudice is reinforced by mental shortcuts like stereotyping and confirmation bias, and spread through social learning.

Even those who don’t see themselves as hateful can absorb and repeat harmful stereotypes without awareness of the impact of their words.

4. Fear, Anxiety, and Perceived Threat

Periods of economic, political, or cultural instability make societies more vulnerable to scapegoating, reliably correlating with spikes in antisemitism and racism.

5. Group Narcissism and the Need for Superiority

Group narcissism leads some to maintain self‑esteem by believing they are morally superior. When challenged, this can result in rage and dehumanization of minorities, especially when Jews are perceived as successful or influential.

6. Cultural Transmission and Normalization

Prejudice is often learned through exposure to antisemitic or racist ideas — in families, schools, religious institutions, or online — creates a cycle of discrimination.

Hatred becomes normalized when it is modeled by authority figures or peers.

7. Dehumanization as a Psychological Defense

Dehumanization shuts down empathy, allowing individuals to justify discrimination or violence.  This process, reinforced by group dynamics, is a precursor to violence — and historically, to genocide.

Perhaps this is a bit too much psychology for you, but it’s important to know what creates these attitudes. Sadly, the societal contagion that allows antisemitism, islamophobia, or racism impacts not only millions of victims, but also the perpetrators, who don’t realize they are also hurting themselves. Evil, when allowed to fester, spreads beyond its origins. Is this where we are now? Will good people be silent or silenced?

Hate has gone viral. Beyond attacks on Jews, we now see military militias like ICE using excessive force against U.S. citizens and others. The narrative that darker-skinned people with accents must be criminals is racist and inexcusable.

ICE agents have been deployed with extraordinary force in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Memphis, Portland, Charlotte, New Orleans, and Minneapolis, where the most shootings have occurred.

The government forces we once believed were protecting us now seem to have turned against us. Of course, thankfully not all, but with the demands to close the borders, who are these people hired to do jobs that many aren’t safely qualified for? It’s another symptom in today’s broken society, not only placements within the government, but also chosen to lead governmental agencies. The vetting process seems to be impaired.

These killings are unconscionable. ICE operations have led to egregious outcomes, including abrupt family separations, abandonment, lack of communication, and unsafe detention conditions, according to multiple credible reports. These situations cause severe emotional distress and long‑term trauma for families.

Renee Nicole Good: A U.S. citizen, mother of three, and a writer/poet.

• Friends and family called her kind, compassionate, peaceful, and someone who “took care of people all her life.”

People Killed by ICE or Federal Immigration Agents:

People described Alex Jeffrey Pretti as

• A U.S. citizen, ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA.

• Known as kindhearted, generous, intelligent, and deeply committed to caring for veterans.

• Friends said he “lit up every room” and wanted to make a difference

May their memories be a blessing not only to their loved ones but also a clarion call to the world that our government and society must change.

What are we allowing to happen?

1. Children Left Behind When Parents Are Taken

Children left behind when parents are detained experience sudden loss, instability, confusion, and fear. Many end up with distant relatives, in foster care, or at risk of homelessness.

2. Children Forced Into Adult Roles

When parents are detained, older siblings often become de facto guardians overnight facing emotional and logistical challenges.

3. Parents Detained in Places Previously Considered “Safe”

Detentions in previously “safe” places — schools, churches, courthouses, and ICE offices during scheduled check-ins — add to the trauma. Children may witness a parent being taken unexpectedly or left waiting at school without anyone to pick them up.

4. Barriers to Reunification

Legal experts note that once a parent is detained or deported, reunification becomes extremely difficult, even when the parent is the primary caregiver.

Barriers include:

• Parents are not allowed to attend family court hearings.
• Difficulty arranging childcare from detention.
• Lack of communication between ICE and child welfare agencies.
• Parents are being moved between facilities without notice.

5. Conditions in Family Detention

Reports on family detention facilities describe unsafe and inadequate conditions for children, including poor medical screening, inadequate nutrition, insufficient mental‑health support, and exposure to stressful environments. Public health experts warn that detention can cause lasting psychological and physical harm to children.

6. Children Afraid to Attend School

In some districts, children of immigrant parents are missing school because they fear ICE may arrest them or their caregivers. This disrupts education and increases emotional distress.

7. Families Torn Apart Despite Long‑Term U.S. Residence

Many of the parents detained had lived in the U.S. for decades, had no criminal history, deep community ties, and were U.S. citizens. Children lose not only their caregivers but also their sense of safety and belonging.

Just envisaging these events traumatizes me, let alone being a child or parent experiencing these immoral processes.

Researching this blog I have tears in my eyes, how about you?

Was it a fluke that a young couple whose family belongs to our temple recently moved to Minneapolis, MN? The husband became a rabbi, and his wife is a cantor. Not surprisingly, his mother may not have the certificate, but she is a wonderful woman who helps put together our services weekly. I marvel at her kindness, dedication, and knowledge not only of what the Torah commands, but also of her devotion to living as the Torah commands. Not to leave her husband out, he blows the shofar so long that I think most would have passed out by the time he stops. Kol Hakavod! (a Hebrew version of high five : )

But Rabbi Sammy and Cantor Heather moved to Minneapolis with their two children a while back to serve as assistant rabbi and assistant cantor at Adath Jeshurun Congregation. In my belief system, there was a reason for them to be in Minneapolis as the next step in their journeys. With the mishigas (chaos) happening there today, they are Divinely present to help soothe their community. I heard Rabbi Sammy’s recent D’var Torah (sermon for the week) and asked if I could share part of it (in today’s world, shorter is better, but just click on the 10-minute link for the entire sermon). As a cantor, Heather expresses her feelings through music. She recently wrote a song dedicated to their community, and they kindly agreed to let me share it with you. Please listen to it above.

As Jews, we are once again embroiled in an atmosphere of antisemitism. So many of what we were raised as givens, like America welcomes immigrants to realize the “American Dream,” and that we live in a democracy where Congress ensures the power of the Presidency protects the good for all the people, are called into question.

Embed from Getty Images

The hateful rhetoric and discrimination aimed at Mexican immigrants — and others seeking a better life — ignores our shared history and the profound contributions they’ve made to our economy and society, regardless of their immigration status. Mexico deserves closer study. How is it that they, a predominantly Catholic nation, elected Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo — a woman, and a Jew — as president before the United States has managed either?

I believe Rabbi Sammy’s sermon rings true for people of all religions and serves as a reminder to all of us to protect our humanity.

At the beginning of the Torah portion (Parshat Bo), Rabbi Sammy reminds us that this is the time period when “cruelty (in Egypt) collapses under its own weight.” The Jews have been brutally treated, killed, and enslaved in Egypt, and Moses wants Pharaoh to let his people (the Jews) go. God has punished Egypt so far with nine plagues—blood, frogs, lice/gnats, wild animals, pestilence, boils, hail, locusts, and darkness. There is one more to go, and Pharoh is himself the firstborn. Pharaoh calls Moses to him because he is losing control — politically, spiritually, and emotionally. Each plague pushes Pharaoh closer to the edge.  This seems familiar and sounds a bit too close for comfort. Given today’s environment, these stories can teach us valuable lessons.

Rabbi Sammy’s sermon encapsulates morals that are severely challenged in our current circumstances. As Jews, we are often asked to do what seems impossible.  As they leave Egypt, he says that the Israelites were asked to take with them a commitment to tenderness in a world that has tried to crush it. A refusal to forget innocence, even after it’s been violated. Hearing this, I couldn’t help but think of the thousands of Epstein victims. May they find Peace in their soul and finally find support from the masses of good people. Their patience has been excruciating.

While Rabbi Sammy acknowledges that we need to stand up and fight lest we be complicit, he says Torah asks for more. It asks us to fight injustice without surrendering our moral center. To protect the vulnerable without letting fear harden us into indifference. We need more of the Seid family’s light. Kol Hakavod! Their new community is blessed to have their support.

I hope this mess stops everywhere, and we all can heal. In the meantime, this is no time to just shake your head and move on with your day. We all need your help. What will you do?

May You Live in Peace, שלום and سلام. Amen.