The other day during our commute, my sister & I heard someone discussing anti-Semitism and a caller just couldn’t get off the fact that Jesus was killed by the Jews. I had another take on it: Jesus was executed by the man. Would ridding the world of men make crime go down, probably. But let’s be real…………

The only problem I have with posts like this is that, inevitably, people will come on and say that we had it coming. And just one of those posts ruins the whole thread.

“Failing to acknowledge our relative strength and power makes it all the easier for critics to brand us as insensitive and unwilling to play any role other than victim.
“To the extent that they are correct, we diminish our own moral authority to call them out as victimizers and haters. And, like the Boy Who Cried Wolf, by calling all critics haters, we reduce an important category to an empty complaint. For example, as even Mr. MacShane points out, ‘Criticism of Israel is not anti-Semitic’.”
Thanks for pointing this out Rabbi Hirschfield. I’ve found this to be an impediment for some time. I think “anti-Semite is way overused as a means of shutting down debate, and leads to feelings of bitterness and resentment. It actually plants the seeds of indifference. Clearly, the wrong direction.
Scott R.,
You never had it coming. Ever. It’s important, as I’ve said on other threads, to seize upon every act of good will extended to the Jews by their former persecutors children (e.g. My Catholic Church) and use that as the foundation to build bonds of brotherly affection.
I don’t believe JB on another thread when he told me that the only reason for interfaith dialogue, from the Jewish perspective, is to secure assurances that we will leave you alone in safety. If that’s true, then Rabbi Hirschfield is made to be a fraud in what he has said and done. I simply don’t believe it.
I do think, however, that this constant reminder of what our ancestors did in the past helps no one. It’s like the reparations for slavery issue. I refuse to pay for the sins of people who committed their crimes in a time before I was born. I need only pay for my own sins. I prefer to offer a hand in true friendship and brotherhood. I fear that real progress is inhibited to the extent that the current generation is treated with hostile suspicion for other people’s sins. There is a huge difference between “Don’t Forgive” and “Never Forget”.

Hootie,
Christians who adhere to any semblance of small-o orthodox Christian theology believe that their salvation depends entirely on Jesus’ dying (though yes they equally value his resurrection in that process). That being the case, they show the greatest possible ingratitude in expressing even the slightest ill will to whomever they decide to hold responsible for that death. It’s like the drowning man shouting the lifeguard who saved his life: “You saved my life, may you rot in hell!”
Certainly the traditional and even Gospel accusations against the Jews in the matter of Jesus’ death have had serious repercussions and have inspired much evil. The accusations are ludicrous. But those Christians who cannot be dissuaded from their folly declare only their own ingratitude for the salvation they believe in if they turn the story of their salvation into a condemnation of others.
Peace,
Pavvel

Pavvel,
“That being the case, they show the greatest possible ingratitude in expressing even the slightest ill will to whomever they decide to hold responsible for that death. It’s like the drowning man shouting the lifeguard who saved his life: ‘You saved my life, may you rot in hell!’
“Certainly the traditional and even Gospel accusations against the Jews in the matter of Jesus’ death have had serious repercussions and have inspired much evil. The accusations are ludicrous. But those Christians who cannot be dissuaded from their folly declare only their own ingratitude for the salvation they believe in if they turn the story of their salvation into a condemnation of others.”
You have spoken great truth tonight, and have done so with a compassionate eloquence that arises only from a spiritual centeredness. Never, ever, can the hatred of any people, especially the Jews, be justified in Christianity. For Christians to set themselves upon Jews is fratricide. Period.
Having studied for priesthood in my Church before deciding to become a scientist, I am well aware of the ugly side of our history as a Church. Born in 1960, my parent’s generation are the Greatest Generation who fought WWII. I am as steeped in that war and its stories as I am in my Catholicism.
The unparalleled bloodshed of that war, its savagery, and the attempt to exterminate your religion and race brought home to so many Catholics and other Christians the ultimate ends of anti-Semitism. That savagery catapulted millions of Christians to action that disregarded their own safety in order to help save Jews. That savagery brought into sharp relief our shared humanity and common heritage of faith. Some 5 million Christians died alongside Jews and out of that shared experience of love and sacrifice and trust came a new dawn in how Christians regard “Our beloved elder brothers” as Pope John Paul II had so often referred to the Jews.
Israeli diplomat Pinchas Lapide chronicled the extraordinary growth in Catholic Jewish relations from the 1930′s to 1967, the year he published, Three Popes and the Jews. An excellent read.
As for the ‘Christ Killer’ filth that can’t seem to entirely go away, during the Second Vatican Council, in 1965 the entire body of Bishops from around the world ratified, and Pope Paul VI made as definitive and infallible teaching for all time with his signature,
DECLARATION ON ?THE RELATION OF THE CHURCH TO NON-CHRISTIAN RELIGIONS?
NOSTRA AETATE?
PROCLAIMED BY HIS HOLINESS? POPE PAUL VI? ON OCTOBER 28, 1965
It reads in part,
“True, the Jewish authorities and those who followed their lead pressed for the death of Christ;(13) still, what happened in His passion cannot be charged against all the Jews, without distinction, then alive, nor against the Jews of today. Although the Church is the new people of God, the Jews should not be presented as rejected or accursed by God, as if this followed from the Holy Scriptures. All should see to it, then, that in catechetical work or in the preaching of the word of God they do not teach anything that does not conform to the truth of the Gospel and the spirit of Christ.
“Furthermore, in her rejection of every persecution against any man, the Church, mindful of the patrimony she shares with the Jews and moved not by political reasons but by the Gospel’s spiritual love, decries hatred, persecutions, displays of anti-Semitism, directed against Jews at any time and by anyone.
“Besides, as the Church has always held and holds now, Christ underwent His passion and death freely, because of the sins of men and out of infinite love, in order that all may reach salvation. It is, therefore, the burden of the Church’s preaching to proclaim the cross of Christ as the sign of God’s all-embracing love and as the fountain from which every grace flows.”
The entire document may be accessed from the Vatican’s web site by linking to:
http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651028_nostra-aetate_en.html
Again, for Roman Catholics, this teaching is definitive, infallible and binding. To teach otherwise is heresy and schismatic and risks excommunication from the Church.
Rabbi Hirschfield got it spot on when he said,
“Now is the time to act, but we need to act in light of the real strengths and weaknesses found on both sides of this debate. When we do so, new alliances will be created which address all forms of racial and ethnic hatred against all people, and rob the haters of the political cover they seek to hide the true nature of their hatred.”
I say Amen. It’s a new dawn, let’s move forward together.
God Bless.

I think hatred as a whole is growing. As the economy worsens, fears rise and as in times past hatred of people different from themselves rise. Instead of working together to find a solution to our problems people start to blame other races, religions, etc for their personal problems and societal problems

“. This is not a Jewish thing, it’s a human thing. When racial and ethnic hatred can take cover behind political critique, no people is safe.”
The good Rabbi, “hit the nail on the head’,is absolutely correct. King, Ghandi, Mandela, Jesus, Budda and many of our own great Jewish teachers understand this very important principle.
In defending the rights of others we defend our own.
Homo Mysticus

“The only problem I have with posts like this is that, inevitably, people will come on and say that we had it coming. And just one of those posts ruins the whole thread.”
Interestingly, I made a comment that somehow managed to disappear later that stated that there are individual Jews who do despicable things, and may of them are in prominent positions. “They” deserve opprobium and worse. “You” do not. But as long as “you” pretend “they” do not exist and it’s anti-Semitism to suggest any Jew at any time so much as jaywalks, then “you” will always be open to the hate.

Robert,
I can not comment on your comment because I never saw it and did not take it down. But I can tell you that crying “anti-Semite” when anyone points at the bad acts of Jews, is wrong. I hope my piece made that clear. I hope it was equally clear that those who focus on Jews committing the same bad acts as others, espeically when those acts have nothing to do with the actors Jewishness or Judaism, are just as wrong. In fact, they are anti-semites.
If that is the substance of your previous remarks, then we are in agreement. But who knows, perhaps that means my comments on my own blog will be taken down! Nah!!

I have read a lot about the Jews, and also how people, mainly Christians plaim the Jew for the death of Jesus. Well this can not be any more wrong than that.
It was not, and I repete IT was not the Jew, it was ALL of man kind,
your sins my sins, the sins of the world put Jesus on the cross.
Now as far as those who say they hate the Jew, there are many Christians who say they hate Jews, and for a Christian to say they hate a Jew, well then they have to hate God as well.
THE Jews are God’s chosen people, God said I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse those who curse you.
So to say you hate Jews, then you have cursed them and God as well.

My daughter is the only jew in a 99% muslim secondary school. As she was coming home one day from school she was pysically assaulted because one girl had a problem with her being Jewish. Then 15-20 youths at the scene joined in and chanted after her ” kill all jews “.
They seemed to blame my daughter directly for the conditions in Gaza.
As a family we are all against war, any war.
We are not Israeli but are blamed for Israels actions.
I believe racial hatred boils down to a basic lack of education, any true follower of the Abrahamic religions or any true follower of any faith for that matter, surely must live a life of tolerance and love for thier fellow man.
If only we were in a world where everyone followed the guidelines
” Do unto those as you wish done to you” or treat your neighbour as yourself” What a wonderful world that would be. I live in hope….

So the writer says, Now is the time to take action.” What action specifically, would he suggest?

Dear Robert,
I looked through the unpublished comments for this blog (we don’t delete them) and yours isn’t among them, so Bnet monitors didn’t remove it. It may have been a glitch during submission.
Sorry!
Beliefnet_Tiger
Community Monitor
Beliefnet.com

Rabbi Brad I think much of what you wrote is very insightful. I must say that I beileve a key component is the fact that assimilated Jews or non religious Jews have a greater sensitivity to each others communities. In the late 1800′s (Pogroms) and 1930-1940′s Jews had little to no sympathy to communities outside their own, especially in America. As Eastern European Jews were being victimized the Western Jews fell silent. As communities have become more homogeneous the level of sympathy has seemingly improved. I don’t necessarily believe that power and importance are the keys so much as the strength of identity. Many of the Jews portrayed in the prior periods were shown as traditionally religious (although not necessarily so). Today those subject to violence seem to be more assimilated especially in dress. Therefore, speaking out publically has less the appearance of supporting outsiders in a community and more the appearance of supporting regular citizens.

Mother, why would you let your daughter attend a school that’s 99% muslim, do you have a death wish for your daughter ??? Is your post for real ???

Thanks, Belief_Net Tiger,and Rabbi Brad, for addressing my concerns. Probably a glitch during submission. It’s a shame, though, because I had some nice things to say about Rabbi Brad!

The hatred of jews i justified as they as doing what they always do and try to influence other peoples countries for their own benefit.