Antisemitism, as a system of oppression that works in a cyclical way, is distinct in that ”the goal is not to crush [Jews], it’s to have [Jews] available for crushing.” (Levin Morales) I have been to Dachau, one of the concentration camps of Nazi Germany. It was an important pilgrimage for me to make with my daughter. There are no words that can describe what it is like to be in a place of such atrocity and hatred. It changes you. Even there, in a place that serves as one of the memorials for the millions of Jews murdered in WWII, there are plenty of signs of antisemitism. Holocaust deniers even have material near all the entrances and bus stops. Antisemitism is an element of our society that is always there, and we can count on it rearing its ugly head during times of crisis or stress. According to the Anti-Defamation League, “from 2015 to 2019, anti-Semitic incidents jumped to nearly a record high.”
Hanukkah, Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, and celebrating bat mitzvahs and bar mitzvahs are woven into my life and my faith. For me, Christianity is one of many sources upon which I draw, but Judaism is also important. My faith calls for me to value all people’s perspectives of God and to believe that when we engage with different religious traditions, it is not just valuable, it is essential. I believe that when we come together to share our experiences of the Divine, we are transformed in beneficial ways. God, for me, is too expansive to be understood in just one way. My faith specifically claims six sources of inspiration. (I included them below if anyone is interested)
As I write this, in response to the verdict in the Chauvin trial, Al Sharpton is saying a prayer that is being aired on CNN. I don’t recall televised prayers from a Rabbi after the Tree of Life synagogue shooting. I don’t recall any national media air time for Mohamed Omar after the Dar al-Farooq Islamic center bombing. Perhaps I am wrong, but I suspect Christianity is given a more expansive presence in the media.
On the more micro level of it all, I can’t count the number of times I have been told I am going to Hell. I can’t count how many times I have been present when people begin praying (Christian focused prayer, specifically) at a sporting event, Board of Directors meeting, school, graduation, or friend's house in a way that was not inclusive of any other faith. While I am always pleased to be included in Christian ceremonies- weddings, funerals, baptisms- and expect them to be exclusive to their faith, it is still a bit of a shock how many times Christianity dominates other spaces.
One of the most striking examples of how antisemitism and Christian hegemony work in our society is the experience of Mikey Weinstein. Mikey needs bodyguards when he attends events because of his work to fight for separation of church and state, particularly his famous discrimination lawsuit. Mikey, as a student at the Air Force Academy, “encountered a string of incidents of psychological harassment, including notes emblazoned with swastikas and anti-Semitic slurs, death threats, and two violent incidents of hazing where he was ambushed, beaten, and, in one case, hospitalized.”[2] When his sons followed in his footsteps, they also had harrowing experiences with antisemitism at the USAFA, which prompted Mikey to sue the Academy. Working with Mikey, I had to sign a waiver stating that I understood the risks of being in his presence due to the volume and intensity of the death threats he recieves regularly.
Recently, a new study revealed that for the first time in US history, less than half of Americans affiliate with a religion. I have been reading extensively about the possible reasons why, but I wonder how much is connected to the very heart of what Rev. Anne Dunlap addressed in her SURJ interview; that our faiths are rooted in systems of oppression, the same way antisemitism is rooted in Biblical interpretations. How can we move forward together, as people of many faiths, without the deconstruction of those parts of our religion that are the problem? I know my own faith tradition is facing a daunting reckoning and it is easy to see how that might influence our ability to attract new people.
Articles about why religious affiliation is declining:
Unitarian Universalism six sources:
Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;
Words and deeds of prophetic people which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;
Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit;
Spiritual teachings of Earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature. (UUA.org)
An Interview with Michael Weinstein, Philadelphia Jewish Voice, February 2008; accessed June 13, 2012, p. 188.
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