Wayne Pines
The war in Gaza and college campus sieges have been front-page news for many months. Now, as students go home, there are fewer campus stories and daily Gaza stories are less prominent.
As we move into summer and these stories fall off the front pages, my concern is that we in the U.S. Jewish community become distracted by the election and Trump/Biden trials and fail to focus on what I regard as the much larger issues — the (re)emergence of hate and antisemitism not only in the U.S. but internationally.
What we have seen and learned since Oct 7 is eye-opening. Israel, the victim on Oct. 7, has become the perpetrator! All Jews are being held accountable for Israel’s Gaza strategy. American Jews feel threatened and are on the defensive.
The American Jewish community, and diaspora communities around the globe, must have a strategy and commitment to proactively address the larger issues of hate and antisemitism. We know what happens when we allow hate and antisemitism to fester uncontrolled.
Our strategies and actions must be based on what we have seen and learned since Oct. 7:
College/university presidents’ and leaders’ performance has been abysmal. The
Anti-Defamation League grades college/university performance. Only Brandeis University and Elon University have received an “A” grade.
Have universities really “negotiated” with students and outsiders who invaded their campuses and disrupted education and commencements? Did the (Jewish) president of Emerson College in Boston really offer to house and bail out students accused of felonies? Will law-breaking students be excused by their universities and the courts? Don’t universities understand that coddling students who have violated college rules and public laws sends irresponsible messages?
Over the summer, university leaders need to figure out how to manage their campuses in the fall. Given their performances thus far, plus a lack of faculty support, one can only hope that we see wiser heads and judgment in the fall. We can’t afford repeat performances.
The ignorance of many college students is appalling. The media has documented that at least some of the pro-Palestinian demonstrators do not know which river and which sea they’re referring to or what an intifada is, and do not even believe the reports of Hamas’ atrocities on Oct. 7. At a May 23, congressional hearing, a video was played of students who had no knowledge of the facts. The presidents of Rutgers, Northwestern and UCLA acknowledged they need to do a better job of education.
When a college student chants “from the river to the sea,” it’s incredulous that they don’t know what it means or understand the history or geography of the area. Most importantly, it appears that at least some of the demonstrators don’t seem to understand why Israelis and Jews view such a slogan as a threat.
The surge of antisemitism and hate in the U.S. is frightening. According to the ADL, the number of antisemitic incidents is soaring, not just on campuses but throughout our communities. The number of reported incidents was increasing even before Oct 7. The first person to greet us at our local synagogues is now a policeman.
Without serious intervention, overt antisemitism might become a new reality for American Jews. The internet magnifies and spreads misinformation and hatred without bounds. Even more than Gaza, the situation in the U.S. merits first-line priority attention from Jewish leadership, institutions and communities.
The lack of Jewish voices with a clear message is disturbing. The U.S. Jewish community needs additional prominent and articulate voices to address head-on the issue of hate and antisemitism. Pro-Palestinian advocates have seized the podium, and we cannot ignore their ability to continue to control the narrative. ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt speaks on these issues, but the Jewish community, now more than ever, needs a strategy, clear messages and more articulate voices.
The need for better anti-hate (not only Holocaust) education is evident. To understand what’s going on in Gaza requires an understanding of Middle East/Israel history — in some regards, back to Biblical times. Understanding the consequences of hate is even more important. If students at our Ivy League colleges are typical, our schools at all levels have not done their job. More and better education at home and in schools is direly needed.
The lack of understanding of the First Amendment is problematic. The First Amendment protects freedom of speech from government restrictions. It doesn’t give anyone the right to build a tent on my lawn or on a private college campus. Under the banner of free speech and academic freedom, many academics have been blinded to law breaking, rule breaking, property destruction and intimidation. These activities should not be permitted under the guise of academic freedom.
The overlay of the upcoming election is challenging. Candidates need to navigate their messages about Gaza and antisemitism carefully. While the polls say these issues are not top of mind, for some voters, including in swing states, candidate positions on Gaza will influence their choice.
Jewish and pro-Israel communities must mobilize to assure that candidates who are reliably supportive of Israel are elected. This election will be the most significant one in memory for the Jewish people and Israel. The Jewish constituency must be especially active and vocal.
The need for U.S. Jewish leadership to regroup over the summer is clear. The Jewish community must be prepared for the reappearance of pro-Palestinian advocacy in the fall, especially on campuses that have not managed encampments well. That means working with college leadership and law enforcement to ensure that unacceptable activities are not repeated and that illegal activities are not forgiven. Jewish students at all levels need to have personal contingency plans in case they encounter antisemitism. We can’t let the summer pass without regrouping.
In sum, we must absorb the lessons of the past eight months and develop and implement proactive strategies. And it’s essential that we in the U.S. focus not just on Gaza and Israel, but on the more important underlying issues of the (re)emergence of hate and antisemitism here
at home.
Wayne Pines is a health care consultant in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
