The latest antisemitic attack on a synagogue took place over the weekend, in Colleyville, Texas. The terrorist didn’t randomly choose a synagogue. He openly stated he wanted a Jewish institution to attack because, in his false words, “America only cares about Jewish lives.” Once inside, he started screaming antisemitic stereotypes after realizing the police had arrived outside: “Jews control the world, Jews control the media, Jews control the banks.”
The terrorist was a British Muslim, angry about a Pakistani woman serving a prison sentence that will last the rest of her life for attempting to murder U.S. soldiers serving in Afghanistan. But notice that he aimed his violent hate at Jews—who have suffered antisemitic attack after antisemitic attack in the last few years in the U.S. and around the world.
Jews have faced violent attacks from right-wing, anti-immigrant white nationalist terrorists who blame Jews for wanting to “replace” them, but also from Muslim and African American assailants. They aren’t white enough for the white supremacists, but still face hate from extremists anyway. Jews get it from all sides.
In contrast, it was truly heartening to see Muslim faith leaders stand up and support the Jewish community in Colleyville and beyond in response to this attack. Likewise, Abdullah Antepli, a Duke University professor and Muslim leader called on his co-religionists to do more to fight antisemitism: “We have every right to be pro-Palestinian; American Muslims have to make this a pillar of our faith life, but increasingly, this is becoming a zero-sum game, and subtly veiled antisemitism is creeping, hiding behind being pro-Palestine—and we have to stop this denial. Pay attention to the last 10 to 15 years.” Jews and Muslims need to stand together against hate that both groups face.
But right now I’m focused on antisemitism. And so is Professor Deborah Lipstadt. President Joe Biden recently nominated her to serve in a newly enhanced State Department position: special envoy to monitor and combat anti-semitism. She is a world-renowned scholar and the dorot professor of modern Jewish history and holocaust studies in the Tam Institute for Jewish studies and the Department of Religion at Emory University in Atlanta.
Unfortunately, her nomination has been held up because Republicans don’t like that she called out Sen. Ron Johnson for language she characterized as “white supremacy/nationalism. Pure and simple.” So Republicans won’t let her serve her country and fight antisemitic hate because she condemned one of their own for spewing hate. Grand old party indeed.
Lipstadt offered her thoughts in the wake of the Colleyville synagogue attack, and summed up what Jews are feeling in a New York Times opinion piece titled Why It’s Scary to Be Jewish in America Today:
Everyone in America, from white Christians to Muslims to African Americans and more, must work hard to combat antisemitic hate when they see it. Thankfully, many already are, but the continued barrage of assaults, vandalism, and violence makes clear that more work is needed. American Jews are asking our allies of every background to stand with us in the fight to protect our people and our community.
Ian Reifowitz is the author of The Tribalization of Politics: How Rush Limbaugh's Race-Baiting Rhetoric on the Obama Presidency Paved the Way for Trump (Foreword by Markos Moulitsas)
The terrorist was a British Muslim, angry about a Pakistani woman serving a prison sentence that will last the rest of her life for attempting to murder U.S. soldiers serving in Afghanistan. But notice that he aimed his violent hate at Jews—who have suffered antisemitic attack after antisemitic attack in the last few years in the U.S. and around the world.
Jews have faced violent attacks from right-wing, anti-immigrant white nationalist terrorists who blame Jews for wanting to “replace” them, but also from Muslim and African American assailants. They aren’t white enough for the white supremacists, but still face hate from extremists anyway. Jews get it from all sides.
In contrast, it was truly heartening to see Muslim faith leaders stand up and support the Jewish community in Colleyville and beyond in response to this attack. Likewise, Abdullah Antepli, a Duke University professor and Muslim leader called on his co-religionists to do more to fight antisemitism: “We have every right to be pro-Palestinian; American Muslims have to make this a pillar of our faith life, but increasingly, this is becoming a zero-sum game, and subtly veiled antisemitism is creeping, hiding behind being pro-Palestine—and we have to stop this denial. Pay attention to the last 10 to 15 years.” Jews and Muslims need to stand together against hate that both groups face.
But right now I’m focused on antisemitism. And so is Professor Deborah Lipstadt. President Joe Biden recently nominated her to serve in a newly enhanced State Department position: special envoy to monitor and combat anti-semitism. She is a world-renowned scholar and the dorot professor of modern Jewish history and holocaust studies in the Tam Institute for Jewish studies and the Department of Religion at Emory University in Atlanta.
Unfortunately, her nomination has been held up because Republicans don’t like that she called out Sen. Ron Johnson for language she characterized as “white supremacy/nationalism. Pure and simple.” So Republicans won’t let her serve her country and fight antisemitic hate because she condemned one of their own for spewing hate. Grand old party indeed.
Lipstadt offered her thoughts in the wake of the Colleyville synagogue attack, and summed up what Jews are feeling in a New York Times opinion piece titled Why It’s Scary to Be Jewish in America Today:
Everyone in America, from white Christians to Muslims to African Americans and more, must work hard to combat antisemitic hate when they see it. Thankfully, many already are, but the continued barrage of assaults, vandalism, and violence makes clear that more work is needed. American Jews are asking our allies of every background to stand with us in the fight to protect our people and our community.
Ian Reifowitz is the author of The Tribalization of Politics: How Rush Limbaugh's Race-Baiting Rhetoric on the Obama Presidency Paved the Way for Trump (Foreword by Markos Moulitsas)