Yes, rabbi, anti-Semitism remains a threat

In a recent issue of Time magazine, Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie, former president of the Union for Reform Judaism, writes that anti-Semitism is “not a threat to American Jews.” He could not be more wrong.

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As the post-Holocaust taboo against anti-Semitism erodes, the ramifications are troubling. Suppose that one in 10,000 anti-Semites should physically harm or threaten Jews or Jewish institutions in a given year. Under this scenario, serious anti-Semitic incidents would increase to 100,000 per year, even if anti-Semitic attitudes remain constant. In other words, things can get much worse.

Should Americans worry? In Western Europe, one in four Europeans harbors anti-Semitic attitudes. One recent survey indicates that roughly the same percentage (26 percent) of European Jews has been harassed for being Jewish within the last year. Perhaps the worst anti-Semitic incidents will be limited to the Middle East and Europe. But was the Nazi Holocaust no threat to American Jews merely because it remained off American shores? If there is any such thing as Jewish peoplehood, then security threats to any are threats to all.

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Now consider what Rabbi Yoffie probably meant to say. His point is that Americans do not face a direct threat of severe anti-Semitism. He is right that American Jews are not under siege. But he is wrong to minimize the threat that does exist. According to the ADL, only 9 percent of Americans hold anti-Semitic attitudes. This sounds good, but it translates to 21,000,000 people. It means that there are far more anti-Semites than Jews in America. This may be one reason why the Federal Bureau of Investigation regularly reports that anti-Jewish hate crimes exceed hate crimes against any other religious group. On some university campuses, Jewish students have recently been spit at and called “dirty Jews” and worse. The problem is greater for those students who are known to support Israel on campuses where anti-Israel activism runs high.

more: http://njjewishnews.com/article/23303/yes-rabbi-anti-semitism-remains-a-threat#.U5_ly-kg-70

Just look at the LBN thread from yesterday about the finding of the three Israeli kids. The hatred spouted against, oh, yes, Israel, was almost palpable. Sadly, it is among the liberals that anti Israel and anti semitism get blended. There are still who call for the Israelis Jews to go "elsewhere," or, like Helen Thomas, go go back from where they came. And this in a country where everyone, except for Native Americans is a descendant of immigrants.

I still remember the two rallies, in 2006, I think, in Miami, where a woman in Muslim garb shouted at the pro-Israeli rally to "go back to the ovens."

And in a another rally, an almost comic placard saying "Kill all the Juice."

I deplore the policies of Netanyahu, but the way so many on DU and other places use this as an excuse for anti semitism is deplorable.

The over the top anti-Israel propaganda co-mingled with Holocaust remarks and other Jewish references is tried and true. Even now, there are those who post remarks which aren't even accurate but rely on the poster actually reading the article to see the information is false.

I got a post deleted an almost kicked off this board because I got tired of a poster posting bold-faced lies about Israel and popped off rather emotionally.

Anti-Semitic beliefs are a large problem in the right and a larger problem on the left.

"Every generation" is the deal, I guess.

I'd hoped to be dead before I see it again.