The holidays of Purim, Pesach, and Yom HaShoah, along with the invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023, share a common thread of violence targeted towards us. These occasions serve as reminders that we Jews cannot assume that we are secure and welcomed in our homes.
Alarmingly, the rate of hate crimes against Jews has seen a significant surge. When considering the number of hate crimes on a per capita basis, Jews experience a higher frequency than any other group. This disturbing trend has been observed in both the United States and Europe since 2014 and shows no improvement. Frighteningly, within the past year, incidents of harassment, vandalism, and assault have spiked by an alarming 388%.
It is important to note that attacks on Jews make up a sizable portion of religiously motivated hate crimes, accounting for 60%. As acknowledged by FBI director Christopher Wray, this staggering statistic signifies the extent of targeted hostility faced by the Jewish community. And local authorities and university administrators tacitly take part. Jewish students often find themselves lacking the same level of protection provided to their peers. Administrators sometimes fail to offer inclusive safeguards, leaving Jewish students vulnerable and marginalized. Cities and counties are passing resolutions that condemn the Jewish state.
Adding to these concerns is a well-organized effort to incorporate hatred of Jews as part of ethnic awareness teachings. Such teaching is already established in the so-called “Ethnic Studies” programs in colleges. The effort now is to extend teaching Jew hatred into high school and even K-12 curricula. This development further perpetuates and propagates discriminatory attitudes towards Jewish people. Such attempts undermine the goal of fostering understanding and tolerance among diverse groups.
There is a recurring pattern of violence against Jewish individuals, as noted by holidays like Purim, Pesach, and Yom HaShoah, as well as the distressing event on October 7, 2023. The rising rate of hate crimes, the disproportionate targeting of Jews, the lack of adequate protection in certain settings, and the incorporation of antisemitism into educational initiatives collectively emphasize the need for greater efforts to combat antisemitic attitudes and ensure the safety and inclusion of Jewish communities.
The holiday Passover recalls our leaving our homes in Egypt to come to Israel. Purim reminds us how precarious our plight is and how to fight those who come to kill us. Yom HaShoah and October 7 remind us that we must not assume we are always safe.
