Be a Proud Jew, Not a Scared Jew

Outraged, the man’s immediate instinct is to come to the couple’s defence. But this instinct is quickly replaced by the fear that he may be putting himself at risk in a situation that has a very real chance of turning violent. He tells himself that no real harm is done; it is just some stupid kids mouthing off. Later, the shame sets in.

 The preceding situations are true stories. The first was shared by one of my students, and the second by an acquaintance following a community talk I presented about the dangers of antisemitism. 

 One truly heartbreaking aspect of both of these stories is that they didn’t shock me. Instances of antisemitism, whether overt or implicit, have become more frequent and brazen in recent years.

 B’nai Brith Canada’s League for Human Rights’ Annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents 2019 reports that 2019 was the “fourth consecutive record-setting year for antisemitism in Canada” with an 8 per cent increase over 2018.

 In 2018, Jews were the most targeted religious group of hate crimes in Canada. Despite Jewish people accounting for only one per cent of the Canadian population, we account for 19 per cent of all hate crimes in Canada. Considering those statistics, it is not surprising to me that there is a rise in Jews disconnected from their own Judaism.

 That we are such a small minority of the population is nothing new, nor is the existence of antisemitism. Jews have been the minority, and the target, of baseless hatred, wherever we’ve lived, for thousands of years.

A tragic effect of these factors today, is a generation of Jews growing up without a connection to their Jewish identity. There are so many in this amazing country of ours that will tell you that they are Jewish, but that is where their connection ends. They have been scared into shutting down that part of themselves. Yet Judaism is part of who we are, it is the bond of a people and it gives us strength. It is something that must be celebrated.

 Together we must examine our connection to Jewish traditions, culture, and religion, and how that makes us stronger both as individuals and as a people. We need to also look at some of today’s barriers that are affecting Jews, preventing them from embracing their Jewishness.

 We must also celebrate and emulate the successes of groups and individuals who find innovative and impactful ways to make meaningful connections amongst our fellow Jews.