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“Combating Hate with the Power of Love.”Antisemitism Here & Now & What We Can Do About It.Rabbi Daniel GropperCommunity Synagogue of RyeRosh HaShanah 5780This past summer I had the good fortune to travel with my family to Italy.? Of all the churches I visited - because in Italy you visit a lot of churches -? the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Assunta in San Gimignano ?stands out. This church is decorated with what is known as a poor man’s Bible, frescos that illustrate Biblical teachings for a largely illiterate audience.? The left side tells the story from creation to Moses on Mount Sinai. The right side, the New Testament narrative.Studying the New Testament panels I was struck by two things.? One was the depiction of the Jews of Jerusalem. The other was the depiction of Judas Iscariot, the disciple who, since the Middle Ages, has often been portrayed as a personification of the Jewish people. His act of betrayal is often cited as the justification for Christian antisemitism.? In these paintings, Jesus’ disciples are depicted with neat beards or clean-shaven faces.? The Jews? They have long beards. Jesus and the 11 disciples - looking perfectly serene - have golden halos around their heads.? Judas? No halo. He also sports a scowl and appears swarthy.??Looking at these frescos, I turned to my brother-in-law and said, “Yep, A picture is worth a thousand words.? No matter the actual text of the New Testament, no matter the historical record, every time these worshippers came to church, they were reminded how we Jews were directly involved in the murder of their lord and savior.? No wonder they hated us.”??More than 50 years ago, Vatican 2 and the now historic declaration Nostra Aetate, denounced anti-semitism and rejected the charge of deicide, but those frescoes tell a different story. We killed Jesus.? We were suspect. And why wouldn’t we be? We ate differently. We worshipped differently. We spoke a strange language. Tied to other Jews around the world, we were tagged in our communities as untrustworthy, incapable of loyalty to our local ruler and threatening to the church.??These suspicions continued through the ages as several myths took hold.. There was the so-called blood libel, which insisted that Jews used the blood of Christian children in religious rituals.? There were fabricated anti-semitic texts, among them the infamous Protocols of the Elders of Zion, describing a Jewish plan for global domination.??From Pharoah to Ahasureus, from Napoleon to Stalin, from Medieval times through today, these stereotypes, of killing Christ, of being a people apart, of having dual-loyalties, have been repeated so often and have plagued us for so long that some have a hard time separating fact from fiction.??Since the end of World War II, Jews, especially in the United States and Canada, have enjoyed an extended period of acceptance. But antisemitism never completely disappeared. Sadly, these days, we are seeing more and more of it.? You know it and I know it. But it’s not just about an incident here or an incident there or the enabling of antisemitic vitriol by those in power. These hateful acts are a symptom of something deeper.????In her new and importnat book “How to Fight Anti-Semitism.” Times columnist Bari Weiss offers her thesis: “Because antisemitism is the ultimate conspiracy theory,” she says, “when antisemitism thrives, it is a sign that society has replaced truth with lies.? Whenever a society becomes anti-Semitic, it is a sign that something is wrong in their body politic, that their society is dead or dying.”???And so, for us as Jews and for those who care about the values that underpin our nation, on this holy day of the year, when we hear the call of the Shofar calling us to attention; when we hear the angel calling out to each and every one of us to WAKE UP, I urge you all to sit up and take note. What might we do?? How might we shout hineini to confront this cancer that is injecting a virus of vitriol into the veins and arteries of our nation????I have been leading high holiday services since 1993.? That is a marathon of sermons. And aside from a sermon two years ago that intended to speak about BDS on college campuses and the anti-semitism of the left but was sidetracked by the marches that summer in Charolotsville, never once have I addressed the topic of what we can do in the face of increasing antisemitic attacks on members of our community.? It’s not that I am blind to antisemitism.? I am aware of the swastika painted in a bathroom at Rye Country Day last year, of Jewish students in Rye Middle school who’ve been exposed to taunts, of restrictive covenants that once existed in parts of? Rye and how Jews were kept out of many of the shore clubs, but in my lifetime, aside from three events that I consider minor, where I was pushed, shoved, called a dirty Jew and my forehead examined for horns, I - and I venture to guess most of us- have not been direct victims of antisemitism.? My Judaism has been one of joy, not oy.??As Jews in this country, our lives have been blessed.? Since the end of World War II, our livelihoods, our safety, our liberties have never been threatened.? Living with a strong and vibrant Israel has surely helped our sense of psychic safety. Now though, in the aftermath of Charlottesville, I wonder, have we been too complacent?? After Pittsburgh and Poway, while still mourning senseless murders, is it time to get motivated? After weekly assaults since August on ultra-Orthodox men on the streets in Crown Heights that come from passers-by, it is time for action!?I am concerned, infuriated, and worried about the rise of antisemitic refuse on social media, the enabling of white supremacists and the rise of? Antisemites on the left who are hiding behind the veil of anti-Zionism. I am apopletic by the unchecked use of Antisemitic tropes by those who hold public office in this country. If not now when?? If not us, who???In 1963, at the March on Washington, Rabbi Joachim Prinz came to the podium between gospel singer Mahalia Jackson and Martin Luther King, Jr..? Rescued by Rabbi Stephen Wise in 1937 and brought to America where he gained acclaim for his activism,??Rabbi Prinz said:? “When I was the rabbi of the Jewish community in Berlin under the Hitler regime, I learned many things. The most important thing that I learned under those tragic circumstances was that bigotry and hatred are not the most urgent problem. The most urgent, the most disgraceful, the most shameful and the most tragic problem is silence.??And he continued:“America must not become a nation of onlookers. America must not remain silent. Not merely black America, but all of America. It must speak up and act, from the President down to the humblest of us, and not for the sake of the Negro, not for the sake of the black community but for the sake of the image, the idea and the aspiration of America itself.”And so my friends, as antisemitism has raised its ugly head in volume unheard of before, with a doubling - a doubling! - of antisemitic incidents in this country from one year over the previous, what might we do?? Allow me to share some ideas, some of which may surprise you. They don’t ask us to behave as we have in the past, trying to beat anti-semitism with respectful protest.? Like the act of T’shuva itself which asks us to turn in our behavior, these ideas ask us to reorient our posture, to move us from crouching to standing, from defense of offense, from doubt to confidence, from shame to pride.? We fight anti-semitism by waging an affirmative battle for who we are: for our values, for our ideas, for our ancestors, for our families, for our communities, for the generations that will come after us.”There are three main ways to do this:?First.? Lean Into Judaism.??In 1897, Theodor Herzl, the father of modern Zionism, wrote an essay called “the Menorah.”? In it he tells a parable? that parallels his autobiography:??“Once there was a man who deep in his soul felt the need to be a Jew.? His material circumstances were satisfactory enough. He was making an adequate living and was fortunate enough to have a vocation in which he could create according to the impulses of his heart.“He had long ceased to trouble his head about his Jeiwsh origin or about the faith of his fathers, when the age-old hatred re-asserted itself under a fashionable slogan.??Like many others, our man, too, believed that this movement would soon subside.? But instead of getting better, it got worse. Although he was not personally affected by them, the attacks pained him anew each time.? Gradually his soul became one bleeding wound.”“This secret psychic torment had the effect of steering him to its source, namely, his Jewishness, with the result that he experienced a change that he might never have in better days because he had become so alienated: He began to love Judaism with great fervor.??At first he did not fully acknowledge this mysterious affection, but finally it grew so powerful that his vague feeling crystallized into a clear idea to which he gave voice: The thought that there was only one way out of this Jewish suffering - namely, to return to Judaism.”How do we return?? Maybe it’s deciding to have Shabbat dinner every week. or redefining Shabbat as a tech-free day. Maybe it’s binge-watching Shtisel on Netflix or subscribing to the pod-cast “Judaism Unbound.”? Maybe it’s reading the poetry of Yehuda Amichai or novels by Nathan Englander.? Maybe it’s signing up for classes on Jewish mysticism or meditation - like the one I’ll be teaching at the Wainwright House later this month.? Maybe it’s reading the wonderful new Introduction to Judaism book, “Here all Along,” by Sarah Hurwitz Maybe it’s giving a gift to an organization you admire or volunteering for one of our community’s social action projects.? Because that is how we apply Jewish teachings to daily life. Maybe it’s… coming for Shabbat services. And regardless of how you feel about the current state of politics in Israel, maybe it’s booking your next trip, or your first.? That is how we lean into Judaism.If you are a parent, the cultivation of your own Jewish identity may not seem like an obvious way to combat antisemitism, but it is actually one of our most powerful weapons. When we raise the next generation of educated, proud and enthusiastic Jews, we ensure that our legacy continues. As Holocaust scholar Deborah Lipstadt teaches, the “joy” rather than the “oy” of Judaism becomes the prism through which our children refract their view of the Jewish past, present and future.? If we don’t do this, we run the risk of antisemitism becoming the drummer to which the Jewish identity of our youth marches. Instead, we need to help our children see the rich and multifaceted legacy that we share, which will allow our children not to see themselves as perennial victims.? If we fail to do this, we cede to the oppressor control over our destiny, which leaves many Jews aware of what to be against but not what to be for.?As we balance the “oy,” with the “Joy,” I also encourage you to extend that Joy outward, to our non-Jewish neighbors. Show, don’t just tell them about the beauty of our tradition.? Rabbi Jonathan Sacks says, “Non-Jews respect Jews who respect Judaism, and they are embarrassed by Jews who are embarrassed by Judaism.” Invite your neighbors into your sukkah, for Chanukah, to join at your seder table, for that weekly Shabbat dinner you’re going to start having. ? And beyond teaching our non-Jewish neighbors about Judaism, let us call on them - especially our white, Christain neighbors - to stand up whenever they see or hear racism, bigotry, hatred or antisemitism.??In 1993, the residents of Billings, Montana rejected hatred by taping pictures of Chanukah Menorahs to their windows.? Imagine if our neighbors put signs on their lawns that say, “hate has no place here.” Let them stand shoulder to shoulder with us, if for no other reason than for the sake of the image, the idea and the aspiration of America itself.??That is why it gives me great pride to welcome a number of my Christian clergy colleagues from Rye, who are here worshipping with us this morning.? Thank you for taking the time to join us. Thank you for knowing in your hearts how important it is for us to stand together as one.You were with us in the aftermath of Pittsburgh.Your presence this morning reminds us that we do not stand alone.May the sound of the Shofar - that I know some of you are hearing for the very first time -? may it inspire you to bring peace, justice, compassion and harmony to our world.?Second, do not make antisemitism a “Jewish” issue.? It is, but it is much more than that. This issue issue that threatens the soul of America itself. ? As we ask others to stand with us, let us recommit to standing with all those who are or who feel marginalized.? People of color, the LGBTQ community, immigrant communities, those who feel that the American dream has left them on the sidelines.? Our grand narrative reminds us that because we were strangers, we know the heart of the stranger. In the 60’s we marched arm in arm for civil rights with leaders of the African American community.? In the 70s we were at the forefront of the women’s movement.??Today, we continue to be advocates for the LGBTQ and immigrant communities.? In this era of tribalism and particularism, let us be on guard not to retreat behind walls but instead, to build bridges.? Our neighbors understand that an attack on the Jewish community is an attack on them, too.? Following the shootings last October at Tree of Life Synagogue, Wasi Mohamed, then the head of the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh stated publicly, “Negative rhetoric against the Jewish community is poison. You know, it’s poison for our democracy, it’s poison for our country, and it’s negative to everybody, not just that community.” ? Together, let us work to combat hatred, racism and bigotry in all its forms.? This is how we can truly repair the world. This is how we can restore America. This is how we can restore the sacred ideals of liberty and justice for all.Just as we speak out, I believe it is also important to look inward.? These days are all about reflection, review, repentance, and renewal. It is a time of thinking of how our words reverberated.??This year is 5780.? In Hebrew it is Taph, Shin, Peh.? Peh is the Hebrew word for mouth, reminding us to pay attention to the words we use.? Just as there is a catalogue of words that are considered hateful and racist, there are also words we use in our community, that truthfully are quite inappropriate; words like, “Goy,” “Shiksa,” or “Shagetz.” ? Originally common Hebrew or Yiddish nouns, when they moved into English usage, they took on a disparaging tone. We can say that we do not have a discriminatory bone in our body but our language defines us.??Rabbi Yitz Greenberg teaches, “the central moral principle of the Torah is the belief that humans are created in the image of God.? This implies that any act or policy which humiliates or ‘shrinks’ a person is an act of desecration of the Divine image.? Belittling others drives the Divine presence out of the world. Thus, Jews are required to eliminate conditions… that humiliate people.”? As we call out others for their hateful speech or acts, please, check your own words as well.?And here is my third and final suggestion.? Let us pay attention to our souls, to our inner lives.Let us avoid becoming hateful ourselves. When confronted with hate, it is very easy to become hateful.? We must say to others, what you have done has crossed a moral and ethical boundary. We must say that certain groups, because they are founded on hate are illegitimate. But how we, as religious people and spiritual beings choose to respond should come from a place of compassion, even love.??If we become hateful, then we allow the other to win because they have turned us into a shadow of our higher self. ? Protesting what hatemongers say and do is our ethical imperative. Reaching out to elected officials to enact legislation - from more stringent hate crimes laws to sensible gun legislation so that a lone wolf cannot walk into a synagogue with an AR-15- is a productive response.? But if our anger manifests itself into hatred, that hatred writes itself onto our own souls. It causes untold spiritual damage. Confronting hate with love, with compassion, even with understanding allows us to stand firm while allowing our own souls to remain whole.This tension, of standing firm while having compassion for the sinner confronted me in late August when a young man reached out seeking “spiritual guidance.”This young man grew up in Rye.? He is now 28 years old, the oldest of four boys. He told me how, as a teen, he got into drinking, drugs, fights, and that he carried a lot of anger inside.? At one point he lit something on fire and found himself before a judge. The judge gave him a choice - juvenile detention or a therapeutic wilderness program.? He chose the latter. The program helped, but only to a point. The anger was still there. He was still drinking. He told me how he had flirted with white supremacist groups.Now he was in AA, he was working the program, he was at the step where he was making direct amends, he was finding balance in his life, he was preparing to go to university and now, he was turning to me, a rabbi for spiritual guidance.“Did you grow up going to church in Rye?”?“Yes.? Resurrection.”??“So why are you coming to me for spiritual guidance?”??“Because I thought you could give me a different perspective.”??And then the penny dropped:? anger… white supremacy… making amends. “I’m curious,” I asked, “have you ever done anything violent towards a Jewish person or a Jewish institution?”??Silence.? Then he spoke.?“A few years ago, I got kicked out of a bar.? I was angry. I wanted to break something. I went to the high school.? There were two cars there. I smashed the windows and scratched swastikas into the paint.”?At that moment I realized that he wasn’t looking for spiritual guidance, he was seeking forgiveness. ? I had a choice. I could have castigated him, I could have responded with anger, I could have called him an enemy of the Jewish people.? Instead, I felt sadness in my heart. I felt compassion for this young man.??“Are you asking for forgiveness?”??“Yes,” he said.As I allowed the silence to sit between us I thought about what I might say.? If I said, “no,” I might have done irrevocable damage to this young man’s soul which would have been bad for him, and bad for the Jewish people.? If I said, “Yes, I forgive you,” it would have let him off too easily.??Taking a deep breath, here is what I said: “For the damage you did to those cars, you’ll have to find the people who owned them and make amends with them.? As for the swastikas, I remember hearing about that. Those symbols scared a lot of people. But it sounds like you are really trying to turn your life around. It sounds like you are really sorry.? So, on behalf of the Jewish people - if I even have that power, I forgive you. I hope you are able to go to school with an open mind and a clean conscience.”?And, as if he was exhaling a breath he had been holding for years he said, “Thank you.”? I wished him good luck as he prepared to begin his university career and asked him to stay in touch.??My friends, since Cain grew jealous of Abel, hatred and envy have been baked into the system. Today, it is inexcusable to say that we are like Adam, unaware. We are our brother’s keeper.? Remaining engaged, continuing to educate ourselves and our children, staying vigilant and on guard is how we can respond. Martin Luther King taught, “We must combine the toughness of the serpent and the softness of the dove, a tough mind and a tender heart.”?As we confront this scourge of hatred, let us be tough and tender.? Let us dispel darkness with light. Let the sound of the shofar we are about to hear inspire us to seek justice while balancing it with compassion.? And finally, as the Psalmist declared “Olam Hesed Yibaneh - ?Let us meet the forces of hate with the power of love.”? Ken Yehei Ratzon - May it be God’s will. - Amen.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------With many thanks to:??Andi Hessekiel & Ali Mora Pearlman for their edits and commentsMy Hevrutah partner Rabbi Darren Kleinberg for pointing me to ch. 9 of his book, “Hybrid Judaism,” on the thought and teaching of Rabbi Yitz Greenberg’s understanding of being made b’tzelem Elohim.Suggested Reading:Bari Weiss, “How to Fight Anti-Semitism,” Penguin Random HouseDeborah Lipstadt, “Antisemitism: Here and Now.” Penguin Random House ................
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