Tonight marks the last night of Chanukah. Dad and I attended the lighting of the world's largest Menorah at Park Plaza as we did the first night. Over these past eight days, New York has become a haven for anti-Semitism with a litany of violent street attacks in Manhattan and Brooklyn culminating in last night's mass stabbing in Monsey. The Festival of Lights has become submerged in the darkness of anti-Semitism.
Sadly I do not believe the darkness will dissipate anytime soon. Oh, it might subside for a period and lull people into a false sense of security. But come Passover I think we will have another spike in violence against Jews. After all, it coincides with Easter and there are many who to this day blame Jews for the death of Jesus Christ including in the African-American and Latino communities. While there have been condemnation of these attacks the condemnations have avoiding condemning the anti-Semitism which now very publicly pervades these commmunities. The failure to do so only emboldens anti-Semitism in the African-American and Latino communities and guarantees further attacks. Alas some of this failure comes from the Jewish community itself. Unfortunately, there are a critical mass of Jews who would sooner see other Jews murdered than to be accused of racism. It could be said that today's progressive Jews are the Hellenic Jews of more than two Millennia ago.
If Chanukah and the miracle of eight nights of light is to mean anything then it is incumbent upon Jews not to recede in seclusion but to be bold in celebrating our traditions while giving no quarter to those who would harm us and those who would excuse such conduct (including fellow Jews). If we want to stop anti-Semitism then we must be embued with the spirit of the Maccabees and rebel until we emerge triumphant. Another miracle of light would surely help.
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