As an American Jew, I am terrified. I am scared for myself, my family, my friends, and what the future holds for the Jewish people. On Tuesday, Dec. 11 shots were fired at a Kosher market in Jersey City, New Jersey. Leah Minda Ferencz, 32. Moshe Deutsch, 24. Say those names again. These are the two lives that were claimed too early during the shooting. The shooting has been reported to be an act of domestic terrorism against the Jewish people. The attack was linked to the Black Hebrew Israelites movement, which is best known for believing that they are the true biblical descendants of the Jewish people. Even though not all sects practice violently, many different Black Hebrew Israelites support the hatred of other groups, particularly Jews. On Wednesday, it came out that this shooting was an “act of domestic terrorism,” and that the suspects were anti-sematic. “We believe the suspects held views that reflected hatred of the Jewish people as well as law enforcement,” Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said at a news conference.
Coincidentally, (or not) last Wednesday President Trump signed an executive order to face anti-Semitism in America. The order was taken in many different ways by Jews around the country. One of the reasons given for the order was to combat anti-Semitism on college campuses. Too often are swastikas seen graffitied all over campus, or hateful slurs and chants about the Jewish people heard. Trump said, “My administration will never tolerate the suppression, persecution or silencing of the Jewish people.” The ceremony doubled as a Hanukkah party, and Trump made clear throughout the whole ceremony how much he has done for the Jewish people and the Israeli government. Some were relieved that steps are being taken in recognizing the very prevalent issue in America today. Others were not so happy. Some people feel that bringing attention to these issues will have the reverse effect. In Chicago, Rabbi Hara Person voiced her concerns. “Not to overdramatize, but it feels dangerous,” she said. “I’ve heard people say this feels like the first step toward us wearing yellow stars.”
The Jewish community has always been targeted throughout history. I remember when I was in elementary school learning about the Holocaust was made a nationwide standard. I remember listening to my teacher go on about the horrors that the Jewish people faced in Germany in the ‘40s. I remember the pit inside my stomach forming, as I knew she was talking about my people. I remember the feeling of shock I felt when many of my classmates had never even heard of the Holocaust. My teacher said we were required to learn about it, so history doesn’t repeat itself. As we enter a new decade, I have the same pit in my stomach that I had in 5th grade. While hate crimes to every race and religion are becoming more and more prevalent in society, it seems that anti-Semitic crimes are also on the rise. And as an American Jew, of course, I’m scared. Feeling like there’s a constant label on my back is never ideal. However, I think the only way to combat this behavior is to keep the conversation going. Keep telling people those Holocaust jokes aren’t funny. Keep shopping at Kosher markets and going to synagogue, despite the recent shootings. Remain proud of your background and faith. And hopefully one day we can live in a society that is accepting and tolerant of ALL races and religions. I leave you with a quote from Rabbi Sacks: “The only sane response to anti-Semitism is to monitor it, fight it, but never let it affect our idea of who we are. Pride is always a healthier response than shame.”
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