An Epidemic of Anti-Semitism

National Review's Richard Brookhiser appeared on C-Span's Washington Journal yesterday to promote his latest book, Give Me Liberty. It is his view that, contrary to my own negative views about nationalism and American exceptionalism, it's actually a good thing. As he explains,

I AM JUST TRYING TO DIRECT OUR ATTENTION AWAY, FOR A MOMENT, FROM THE POLITICAL MANIA THAT HAS SURROUNDED US FOR 363 DAYS THIS YEAR SO FAR AND COUNTING. WE HAVE TWO MORE TO GO. WEDNESDAY WE START ALL OVER AGAIN. I WANT TO TAKE A BREAK FROM THAT AND HAVE US LOOK AT  400 YEARS WITH THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE IDEA OF LIBERTY. MY ARGUMENT IS THAT IS THE ESSENCE OF AMERICA, OUR NATIONALISM. IT IS THE EXCEPTIONAL AMERICAN IDEAL. IT IS SOMETHING AMERICANS HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, WRITING ABOUT, FIGHTING FOR 4 CENTURIES. 

If this is so, we should all be disgusted by an epidemic of anti-Semitism sweeping this nation.

According to Brookhiser, our obsession with liberty is manifested by 13 documents, starting with the Jamestown papers in 1619. He continues through Ronald Reagan's "Tear Down this Wall Speech" in 1987. He stops there. Like any good historian, he avoids the temptation to cover more recent events.

One of the 13 papers he mentions is the Flushing Remonstrance, a 1657 petition signed by about 30 Flushing residents in opposition to as ban on Quaker worship. It concludes,

The law of love, peace and liberty in the states extending to Jews, Turks and Egyptians, as they are considered sonnes of Adam, which is the glory of the outward state of Holland, soe love, peace and liberty, extending to all in Christ Jesus, condemns hatred, war and bondage. And because our Saviour sayeth it is impossible but that offences will come, but woe unto him by whom they cometh, our desire is not to offend one of his little ones, in whatsoever form, name or title hee appears in, whether Presbyterian, Independent, Baptist or Quaker, but shall be glad to see anything of God in any of them, desiring to doe unto all men as we desire all men should doe unto us, which is the true law both of Church and State; for our Saviour sayeth this is the law and the prophets.

This theme of tolerance exists in other documents as well, including William Penn's Charter of Privileges to the inhabitants of Pennsylvania.

So it's clear this religious intolerance is distinctly unAmerican. This is not a Jewish problem, but a stain on American exceptionalism.

Though I am not particularly religious, I intend to visit a few more synagogues in upcoming weeks. Also, like the residents of Flushing, we need to stand up to those who engage in anti-Semitism, no matter how subtle they are.

A Jewish James Bond?

Hakol, "The Voice of the Lehigh Valley Jewish Community," is a monthly publication of the LV Jewish Federation. It's an excellent newspaper, and it enlightens me on issues troubling Lehigh Valley's Jewish community. I can safely say they are scared. And for good reason. In 2018, The Tree of Life Massacre in nearby Pittsburgh claimed the lives of 11 Jews and wounded another 7 who were simply participating in morning services. Whether it's aimed at Jews, Muslims or any other group, hate is unfortunately all too real. So much so that Jewish Federation is sponsoring a security app.

This app, called Bond, is a free service LV residents can load on their smart phones. It can connect you with a security agent in uncomfortable situations This agent can track you, stay online with you, notify a car to come get you or alert authorities.It even can activate a siren and alarms in dangerous situations, which might make an attacker hesitate.

The Bond founder is a The Bond founder/CEO is a former deputy chief in the IDF and the engineering team is based in Israel.

If you'd like to know more, check out www.ourbond.com.

It saddens me that something like this is necessary, but it probably is.

ADL: Anti-Semitism Alive and Well

In the one-year following the atrocity at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reports 12 white supremacists have been arrested for their alleged roles in terrorist plots, attacks or threats against the Jewish community. Jewish institutions have been targeted at least 50 times with the following:

* 12 instances of vandalism using white supremacist symbols;
* 35 distributions of white supremacist propaganda;
* At least 30 additional incidents in which individuals of unknown ideology committed arson, vandalism or distributed propaganda that was not explicitly white supremacist in nature at Jewish institutions.

Seven hundred and eighty (780) incidents of anti-Semiticism have been reported in the first six months of this year.

The data, located here, include the arrest of Corbin Kauffman, age 30, from Lehighton, Pennsylvania, who was charged April 1, 2019, with interstate transmission of threats to injure the person of another. He had threatened multiple times to kill Jews. His preliminary examination is still pending, believe it or not.

Philadelphia's ADL can be reached at (215) 568-2223.

Lizzie Hyman's Struggling With Tree of Life Massacre

Nat Hyman's daughter Lizzie is a sophomore at Georgetown University. This Jesuit school experienced a 275% increase in hate crimes in 2017. Her thoughtful op-ed in The Hoya is worth sharing.

Just two weeks have passed since a shooter killed 11 people in a Pittsburgh synagogue. While the rest of the world is moving on to the next big story, the Jewish community is still mourning. As a Jewish student at Georgetown University, I have spent these past two weeks attempting to wrap my head around what occurred — but I am still struggling.

While devastating for the entire Jewish community, this hate crime has been particularly difficult for me to cope with. My best friend from high school is the grandson of Alvin Berkun, the former rabbi at the Tree of Life synagogue and a current congregant.

Dressed and ready to walk out the door that morning, Berkun had to take his wife to the hospital after she had a bad fall. That was the first Saturday in 35 years that he missed synagogue.

Every Saturday, Berkun sits in the same seat.

The people in front of him, to his left and to his right were the ones killed.

When I chose to attend a Jesuit school, I knew I would face difficulties because of the small Jewish community on campus. But, to my surprise, the difficult part about being Jewish at Georgetown has not been the lack of representation but rather Georgetown’s failure to address issues that affect different religious communities.

Last year, as I began my four years at Georgetown, vandals drew swastikas in bathroom stalls and on hallway walls across campus. Students and faculty talked and wrote about it, but as soon as the story was told, the incidents became old news. Though it seems like everyone on campus continued with their lives normally, the Jewish community was neither able nor allowed to. We had to be more careful about our surroundings and cope with the fact that many of us did not feel safe at our own university.

In the days following the shooting, I received several text messages from my non-Jewish high school friends telling me that their thoughts were with me, even before they knew that Berkun was affiliated with the synagogue. Yet only one friend at Georgetown reached out to me to see if I was okay, and none came to stand with me at the brief mourning service in Dahlgren Quad.

I am not mad — I know my friends here care about me. However, they do not realize that caring for me extends to caring about issues that affect the Jewish community, even if the events do not directly involve me.

During the mourning service, Georgetown classes continued, practices were held and lives went on as normal. No one knew to care about the shooting because, despite the mourning service that was announced through one email by campus ministry, Georgetown did not do anything to highlight the importance of this tragic event.

A campus that cares more about the return of a famous alumnus like Bradley Cooper (COL ’98) than a tragic hate crime affecting many members of the community must re-evaluate its priorities. Not only did University President John J. DeGioia fail to attend the mourning service due to a business conflict, but he made no attempt to address the community himself.

When drawings of swastikas and synagogues under attack do not affect your safety, it is easy to push them out of your mind. But some students and faculty on this campus —perhaps your close friends and mentors — fear for their lives. Positive messages chalked in Red Square and Facebook posts are important, but they are not enough.

The Jewish community feels itself under attack yet again, and I now regret all the times I did not speak out for those who could not do so themselves. I urge you not to make the same mistake I did.

Even if Georgetown’s administration does not work to keep students informed, everyone must become more aware, stand by their friends and speak up. It is time for all of us to take initiative about the things that truly matter.

Shabbat Shalom

In my lifetime, I've visited numerous different Christian churches. I've even been inside Buddhist and Hindu temples, as well as a mosque. Never a synagogue. I remedied that omission Friday night by attending services at Easton's Temple Covenant of Peace. I wanted to show solidarity with my Jewish brothers and sisters. It was an amazing and wonderful night.

Friday night, you may recall, was rather miserable. Torrents of rain caused flooding on several roads. There was even a tornado warning. Was Someone trying to keep me away? Would I be hit by giant hailstones as I made my way in? I saw an elderly couple in the parking lot. I decided to stick close to them, figuring that the Almighty would let me slide if I at least looked like I was helping them. It worked.

Once inside, I was floored by the literature available. I grabbed a copy of Hakol, the Lehigh Valley Jewish monthly newspaper. It is both informative and very well written. Cantor Jill Packman, who told me I could sit anywhere, handed me a copy of the prayer book. It's called a Siddur, and you read it backwards.

That's pretty much the way I do everything.

The front of the synagogue is decorated with a "Tree of Life" mural, which made me think about what had happened the previous week. Unknown to me, "Tree of Life" is a symbol used by Jewish, Christian and Muslim mystics.

Reading the prayer book backwards is mystical enough for me.

As people trickled in, they greeted me with "Shabbat Shalom." Once the ninth person said this to me, I finally understood.

While waiting for services to start, Rabbi Melody Davis came up and introduced herself. She even invited me to have dinner with them. Apparently, the first Friday of every month is "Dinner with the Rabbi." Though the food smelled great, I had to decline because I had just finished eating.

I was by no means the only gentile in the crowd. Several Christians and Muslims came. Rabbi Davis thanked us during the service, and even read a letter from a Catholic priest in Easton, expressing his solidarity.

The service itself was quite cheerful. There was a lot of singing. Cantor Jill Pakman has a beautiful voice and sings with passion. People joined in. Because it was mostly Hebrew, I hummed while reading the English translations.

There is a similarity to the Catholic mass. At the beginning of the mass, we are told to greet someone. We're supposed to say, "May the peace of Christ be with you." I usually say, "Peace on you!" This often sounds like I'm saying something else and really does piss off the person I greet. The Jewish service has a greeting, too, but you're supposed to go around and talk to a bunch of people you don't know. For me, that was mostly everyone.
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Rabbi Davis gave an election speech. It consisted of two words.

"Please vote."

Part of the service also included a short speech by congregant Sara Camuti. She was born in Poland in 1945. Her mother and father made it through the war with assumed names. Her father even had some sort of job at the SS, where he would learn information and give it to the resistance. She spoke of her family's journey to the U.S. with the assistance of HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society). Today, HIAS stands for a world in which refugees find welcome, safety, and freedom.

As he service ended, everyone was invited to share in a small cup of wine and some bread. Because I'm an alkie, I skipped that part, too.

The only way to rid this world of ignorance is to speak out against it and embrace people who might be different from us.

The Hakol, incidentally, had a story about the 57% increase in anti-Semitic incidents in the US last year. Some of my readers tried to minimize this reality by saying that Jews are confusing anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism. Wrong. The statistics gathered by ADL are assaults, vandalism and harassment.

Though Donald Trump himself is no anti-Semite, he appeals to people's darkest fears and prejudices. This emboldens white supremacists. But guess what? Anti-Semitism exists among so-called liberals, too. This is evidenced by the recent arrest of a black Democratic activist who was caught in Brooklyn as he vandalized a temple by writing “Hitler” and “Die Jewish rats” on its wall.

As Liel Leibovitz observes,

When the Democratic Party’s leaders, including a former president and a former attorney general, stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Louis Farrakhan on the stage at Aretha Franklin’s funeral, is it any wonder that some are prone to listen when Farrakhan refers to Jews as termites?

My Own Anti-Semitism

In yesterday's story about the senseless slaughter of Jews in Pittsburgh, I quoted Wayne Woodman. He compared Jews like himself to "the canary in the coalmine." When they are vilified, our Constitutional guarantee of religious freedom is threatened.

Some of those reacting to this tragedy attempted to minimize the perceived rise in anti-Semitism, saying it's being confused with criticism of Israeli policies. Here's what I know. As a Lehigh Valley product raised in a Lehigh Valley community, I was taught to be an anti-Semite myself.

I grew up in Hellertown, and at a time when Jews and black people were held in low regard. I was told black people were not allowed to use the pool because they smell very bad in the summer.

If a person felt he made a bad trade or was cheated when buying something, he claimed he had been "jewed." I remember saying that myself.

In the seventh grade, I remember saying at recess that Sister Raymond's nose was as big as a Jew's. One of the girls dimed me. Sister Raymond grabbed me and beat the shit out of me, something that happened often. Was she upset at me for my anti-Semitic remark? Not at all. "My nose is not as big as a Jew's," she shouted as she laid into me, which I kinda' liked.

This prejudice did not come from my mother or father, but the community. My mother was very tolerant. After all, she married my father. As for him, he ridiculed every ethnic group. Jew, black, Pennsylvania Dutch, Italian. It made no difference. I eventually realized, as I grew older, that he was probably more tolerant as my mom, but in his own twisted Irish way.

He once told a story at the dinner table about a farmer who had retained him. At that time,there were only two lawyers in town - my father and Leonard Cohn, a Jew.

This Pennsylvania Dutch farmer did not want to use my dad, who was at least on paper a Catholic. But the other lawyer was a Jew. The farmer concluded Catholics were not as bad as Jews.

It was not until I reached high school that I was enlightened by nuns (from a different order) and brothers who really knew what they were doing. I know my mental programming is to be anti-Semitic. It has diminished as I have aged and have learned that much of what was drummed into me as a child was simply wrong. But it's still there.

I know many in my community, especially older people like myself, were raised exactly like me. I hear the remarks. For years, I let it go. Now I correct these people, unless it's humor. They get very indignant, denying their prejudice.

Interfaith Community Vigil

There will be an Interfaith Community Vigil on Wednesday, October 31, 2018, 7 p.m., at the JCC of the Lehigh Valley to mourn the tragedy at the Tree of Life Synagogue, pray for the victims and survivors, and show solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Pittsburgh.

One of the most hopeful things I have seen from this tragedy are the statements of support from Muslims all over. One group calling itself Muslims Unite for Pittsburgh Synagogue have raised $75,00 as of 7 pm for funeral and medical expenses.

We wish to respond to evil with good, as our faith instructs us, and send a powerful message of compassion through action. Our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: "Show mercy to those on earth, and the One in the Heavens will show mercy to you." The Quran also teaches us to "Repel evil by that which is better" (41:34).

The Canaries in the Coal Mine

Earlier this year, during a Congressional debate at Congregation Brith Shalom, I was surprised when Moderator Barry Goldin said that anti-Semitism has seen a 60% increase in the United States, Britain and France. It's 80% on college campuses, and includes professors. As a result, Jewish institutions like Brith Shalom must spend money on security that could be devoted to other needs.

Wayne Woodman was standing in for Marty Nothstein because he was at a Commissioners' meeting. Woodman is Jewish. He said he experienced a lot of anti-Semitism growing up. He agreed that anti-Semitism is on the rise in a way that has not been seen since the '30s. He suspects identity politics is at least one of the root causes. "We're the canary in the coal mine," he warned.

Tragically, the canary in the coal mine has keeled over. According to CBS Pittsburgh, a loan gunman has killed at least 11 people at The Tree of Life synagogue.

This should be a warning to us as a nation that we have a serious problem.

The Anti Defamation League has released this statement:

"Our hearts break for the families of those killed and injured at the Tree of Life Synagogue, and for the entire Jewish community of Pittsburgh. This is likely the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in the history of the United States. We are actively engaged with law enforcement to support their investigation and call on authorities to investigate this as a hate crime.

"It is simply unconscionable for Jews to be targeted during worship on a Sabbath morning, and unthinkable that it would happen in the United States of America in this day and age. Unfortunately, this violent attack – the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in the United States since 2014 – occurs at time when ADL has reported a historic increase in both anti-Semitic incidents and anti-Semitic online harassment. As we mourn those lost and search for answers, ADL will remain steadfast in its mission to fight anti-Semitism wherever and whenever it may occur." 

I have seen and delete it on this blog.

This country and this state in particular were founded on the principle of religious tolerance. I want to express my condolences to one and all Jews.

Easton's Creeping Anti-Semitism

One of the debates leading up to the Congressional primary herein the Lehigh Valley took place at Bethlehem's Congregation Brith Shalom. Moderator Barry Goldin's said that there's a 60% increase in anti-Semitism the United States, Britain and France in recent years. He added that there's an 80% rise on college campuses, and it even includes professors. Wayne Woodman, a Jew who was standing in for eventual GOP nominee Marty Nothstein, agreed that anti-Semitism is on the rise in a way that has not been seen since the '30s. "We're the canary in the coal mine," he warned, in what to me was one of the most memorable lines of the campaign. That canary is struggling for oxygen here in the Lehigh Valley, art least in Easton.

There are two Easton Facebook groups - Laini Abraham's Easton, Pa. (14,000 members) and Easton, Pennsylvania Unsensored (3,000 members). Laini's group is very Easton-centric. Uncensored is not. Formed by a few people who either dislike Abraham's comments policy or feel they have been treated unfairly, they waste a lot of time calling her childish names and promoting racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and Authoritarian Donald Trump. They want to Make Easton Great Again.

Up until this weekend, I belonged to both groups, although I've largely ignored Uncensored. Now I just belong to the original Easton, Pa. I've been censored from Uncensored group for registering a complaint with Administrator James Gischel about the anti-Semitic post you see below. It suggests that three of the four women (three Supreme Court justices and the US House Speaker) depicted should be shot. Two of these women are Jewish, although the author of the Uncensored post, James Rotchford, has convinced himself that Roman Catholic Sonia Sotamoyer is actually a Jew in disguise.

In an attempt to delude himself into thinking he has nothing against Jews, Rotchford ( from Riegelsville) claims his real beef is with Khazars, who just happen to be ... Jews. "Three Khazarian's and a Goy walk into a bar ....," he jokes. "That’s a lot of kosher salt," adds Matthew Kozloff (Hellertown). I skipped a few comments about nose sizes, but I think you get the point.

Most of the comments there come from Authoritarian Donald Trump cheerleaders. But active participants also include Easton Zoning Hearing Board member Matt Loebsack and Wilson Borough Council member Jeff Bracken. Both are Democrats.

Rotchford the anti-Semite is also a xenophobe. He posted approvingly at Uncensored about a woman moving back to Chile "with her two spawns," saying that "people are getting less tolerant of those people thumbing their noses at ALL our laws." Instead of condemning Rotchford's dehumanization of two children whose only offense is having been born, Democrat Bracken childishly threatened, several times, to repost this xenophobia at Easton.

When Easton Pa group founder Laini Abraham suggested she'd like to monetize her group with a tip jar or something along those lines, Loebsack went ballistic and threatened that "she better get her appropriate business licenses, pay all her taxes on her revenue."  One member of Uncensored warned, "Don't let me see her on a dark crosswalk at the wrong time."

Most of the stuff going on at Uncensored is just childish nonsense. But I feel it's important to draw attention to the very real hate that has infected that site.

FROM EASTON UNCENSORED (Note: I REMOVED THE METADATA)
James Rotchford
July 25 at 7:14 PM

You're stuck on a deserted Island with them and just three rounds left in your mag .... then smile when you remember your wrist band is made of para-cord ....

Comments

James Rotchford Three Khazarian's and a Goy walk into a bar ....

Bill Welsh I mean technically, if there’s three rounds left in your magazine, one must conclude that there’s still one in the chamber

Travis Loebsack My guy 😎

James Rotchford We see if anyone can come up with a scenario where there a mag inserted and no round chambered ...anage

James Rotchford miss fire cleared .... squib ? .... show clear, reinsert mag ?

Bill Welsh Well yes there are obviously scenarios where there wouldn’t be a chambered round.

James Rotchford One always assumes a gun is loaded for safety, until shown clear .... but one should never assume a round has chambered if you really need it .... a chamber round saves 1.5 seconds .... and has also killed many

Stephen Andre If any photo could be a boner killer ....

James Rotchford A Detective friend of mine shot and killed his partner while exiting the squad car while perusing an armed bank robber ... one in the chamber Glock .... I passed the memorial on the side of the road daily for 10 years .... and why I was taught 30 years ago not to a carry a semi with a round loaded unless I'm in a firefight

Ant Mondillo You could make them stand in a line, and still have 2 rounds to hunt with

Matthew Kozloff That’s a lot of kosher salt.

James Rotchford SC is intentionally stuffed with Khazarian Socialists ... that drunk RBG think the Constitution is an old, outdated document .... also thinks the age of sexual consent should be 12 years old .... so how much more do you need to know ??????????????????????

James Rotchford Khazarians are not a religion or race .... they are atheists with a common political ideology, Marxist/Socialists .....

James Rotchford It's all about how you were schooled .... been a big problem in this country and europe since the late 1800's .... study and learn history

James Rotchford Most Khazarians are Eastern European .... the same people who brought you the Russian Revolution .... killing or starving 10 million of their fellow country men, women and children .... all in the name of "Fairness" ..... Marxism was the basis .... so …See More

Stephen Andre Socialism is a disgusting platform and followed mostly by youth or older lazy types. It’s always said “it’s never been done the RIGHT WAY”... it all ends the same, except American is where people go to escape it!

James Rotchford Socialism is taught to many at a young age .... by people who were taught socialism at a young age .... by people who followed Marx back in the old country .. who controls the media worldwide ? ... then follow these owners lineage back 2-5 generations ... there is your answer .... if you want to know who controls you, and things, think of who you're not allowed to criticize .... think "Easton Commie Page"