Faces on Faith: When debate crosses over into racism, hatred
On May 8, Bat Yam Temple of the Islands received another bomb threat. The language in the email was similar to a bomb threat received in December. Over a dozen other synagogues in Florida received this same email resulting in police responses all over the state wasting the precious time and resources of law enforcement.
These threats affect not only the Jewish community but our spiritual partners, such as the Sanibel Congregational United Church of Christ, whose staff had to be evacuated during a police sweep of our complex. We are grateful for the allyship of the Rev. Mark Boyea and the membership of the SCUCC, as well as the quick responses from the Sanibel Police Department, Deputy Police Chief Anthony Thompson, Mayor Richard Johnson and City Manager Dana Souza.
Few in our lifetimes have witnessed the recent upwelling of antisemitism here in the United States on such a scale. The Anti Defamation League recently reported 7,523 incidents in 2023 compared to 3,697 in 2022, and according to a broader definition, it recorded 8,873 incidents. The number of assaults increased from 111 in 2022 to 161 in 2023 and acts of vandalism rose from 1,288 to 2,106.
Similar percentages of increase have been documented in Europe, as well.
This increase in antisemitic incidents preceded the heinous attack by Hamas upon Israel on Oct. 7 when 1,163 people were brutally murdered and 240 taken as hostages. It preceded Israel’s response with an invasion of Gaza and the deaths of tens of thousands. The ratio of combatants to civilians killed may never be known since Hamas does not differentiate between these two.
On college campuses we’ve witnessed almost daily over the last six weeks chants calling for the elimination of Israel, a sovereign nation, and “Death to the Zionists and Jews.” At Columbia University protestors were recorded chanting; “Jews, Jews Go back to Poland.” A group of nearby demonstrators off-campus chanted, “We say justice, you say how? Burn Tel Aviv to the ground!”
Criticism of Israel and its war in Gaza need not cross the line into antisemitism. Indeed, Israelis are among Israel’s harshest critics, much as some Americans are most critical of their country, says Nancy Koppelman, a professor at The Evergreen State College in Washington State who teaches about Israel and the history of antisemitism. She suggests five ways to prevent criticism of Israel that crosses the line. They are:
– Be as specific as possible. Indicate which of Israel’s policies you are upset about and the specific actors or government officials involved.
– Reject rhetoric or images that could remind people of classic antisemitic stereotypes.
– Reject speaking about “the Jews” as if they are the same as the Israeli government and avoid describing Jews as “the Zionists.”
– Do not expect Jewish people to have a view on the conflict or ask them to justify or condemn Israel’s actions.
– Do not permit your criticism to become censorship. Critics of Israel and supporters of Israel need to talk and listen to one another.
It is necessary for us to be able to debate and raise our voices about vital issues. That is what free speech as enshrined in the Constitution is all about. But when the debate crosses over into expressions of racism and hatred that becomes a threat to democracy.
Rabbi Sunny Schnitzer is with the Bat Yam Temple of the Islands.