Virtual Talmud

The Internet and Anti-Semitism

Tuesday March 11, 2008

Categories: Jewish Issues

The other night my friend, Jewish media guru Steven I. Weiss, asked me to go with him to hear Bernard Henri Levy's State of World Jewry lecture at the 92nd street Y in Manhattan. Levy can be very entertaining and so I decided to join him for the lecture. Perhaps the most comical part of an otherwise serious presentation came when the French philosopher went on a rant about the transforming face of anti-Semitism. In the medieval period, Christians accused Jews of killing their God, then in the modern period enlightenment thinkers accused Jews of creating the God they wished to kill, then when race came in style, Jews were accused of originating from a deformed race. You get the point. Whatever was the idiom of the day, it eventually became a weapon to use against the Jews.

So it should not come as a surprise in this age of the Internet that anti-Semitism has found a new home to reside in. Recently, the President of Israel, Shimon Peres, announced that Jews should use the Internet to combat anti-Semitism. But Peres’ plea for more Jewish presence on the Internet sounds more like an 88-year-old shooting in the dark than the sharp statesman he is. Just because some medium is "hot" does not mean it’s the most effective way to accomplish one’s goals. As Andre Oblor writing in the Jerusalem Post argues, "It is not enough to tell students and young people to go and "do something technological. Resources need to be dedicated, research needs to be done, and policies need to be developed."

Peres should be commended for reminding us about the increasing presence of anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism on the internet, but he needs to have his ideas more well developed on what exactly it would mean to fight these new demons on the "Internet."

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Comments
Felecia
March 13, 2008 8:38 PM

I don't get Dave.

Dave
March 13, 2008 10:22 PM

Rabbi Stern is pretending that Jews at the 92nd St Y are busy listening to a lecture about hate on the internet. In fact like Jews and Gentiles around the country they are talking about the Spitzer situation, trading in the old 50 year old shiksa for a few new rental ones. But here at Virtual Talmud the Democrat-protectors have to pretend otherwise no matter how obviously wrong they are.

Me, I'm hoping she takes him for as much as she can and goes back to North Carolina with her kids and tries to make a new life for the four of them. Or if Hillary wins the nomination and the Presidency then she can run for Senator. Apparently that's how NY politics works.

I was just responding to a personal attack. I believe personal atacks are banned on this website at least. Whatever.

Chaim
March 14, 2008 11:33 AM

Eliot Spitzer may or may not be forgiven by his family for his sexual transgressions.
What is unforgivable is he has given Anti-semites ammunition. All politicians, but especially Jewish should make every attempt to remain above the fray.

laura mushkat
March 15, 2008 1:44 PM

Re Eliot Spitzer comment by Chiam-from what I understand ES is Jewish by birth only so I would not worry about that.

ES is now ancient history and I am beginning to think NYS is better because of it. But again, as far as the internet and the Jews are concerned-at least people who hate us can go somewhere and vent and exhaust themselves in their little world and actually leave humans alone.

Scott R.
March 16, 2008 7:21 PM

The whole comment about the "50 year old shiksa" was lashon hara.

For shame.

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About Virtual Talmud

This blog is no longer updated and is closed for comments. We welcome your comments about Judaism in our Judaism forums.

Brad Hirschfield currently blogs on Windows and Doors.

brad.jpg Author, radio and TV talk show host, and President of CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, Brad Hirschfield is the author of You Don’t Have To Be Wrong For Me To Be Right: Finding Faith Without Fanaticism. Listed as one of the nation’s 50 most influential rabbis in Newsweek, and a regular commentator on Court TV, he is the creator of the popular series, Building Bridges, airing on Bridges TV, and the co-host of the weekly radio show, Hirschfield and Kula.

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