When Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, social media feeds were, understandably, filled with posts and imagery showing solidarity with Ukraine, including my own posts and those of my friends. People were horrified by the Russian leadership’s brazen, brutal attempt to invade and conquer a neighboring sovereign nation, and turning Facebook into a blue and yellow wave of support reflected our collective horror.
Just under 19 months later, on October 7th, 2023, thousands of Hamas terrorists invaded Israel, massacring 1,200 Israelis and a number of foreigners and abducting more than 250 people of all ages into Gaza. While there was horrified condemnation for what Hamas had done, unlike the overwhelming swell of support that so many had shown Ukraine, the support that we received was considerably less widespread. Woven into some of those expressions of horror were words from individuals who felt the need to qualify their condemnations with talk of context or stating that what had transpired hadn’t happened in a vacuum. Global human rights and women’s organizations were silent for months, and even then, only issued statements that were tepid and half-hearted – written most likely with the hope that we would stop pestering them to say something. There were also those who celebrated – gleefully ghoulish university professors and students and others who saw the actions of that day as a glorious display of resistance instead of a depraved, horrifying act of terror. Some people and groups actually blamed Israel for October 7th and absolved Hamas and the Palestinians of all responsibility before Israel even responded, while we were still fighting terrorists inside Israeli communities and trying to comprehend the enormity of what had happened.
In the 17 months that have passed since that day and against the backdrop of the war started by Hamas, Israelis and Jews around the world have been vilified and dehumanized. Jew hatred has spiraled out of control. And, while I acknowledge the tendency of simple-minded folks to use the war in Gaza as an excuse to “punish” Israelis and the ignorance of those same individuals who are unable to differentiate between Israelis and Jews living in the Diaspora (never mind the fact that they seem to conveniently forget that there are more than two million Israelis who aren’t Jewish, but I digress…), the fact still remains that individual Jews should not be held responsible for the decisions actions of the Israeli government.
Perhaps you don’t realize the extent to which individual Israelis and Diaspora Jews are under attack. Jewish students of all ages are being marginalized, threatened, and assaulted. We are being bullied and pushed out of public spaces and various organizations – arts and literary associations, women’s rights groups, LGBTQIA+ spaces, and more. There are actual lists of suggested Jewish authors to boycott because they are suspected of being “Zionists”, a word which most Jews will tell you simply refers to one who actively believes that Israel should exist (despite the fact that it’s frequently used instead of the word “Jews” in order to sanitize antisemitism and make it acceptable). I’ll also add that if you disagree with this definition of Zionism because ignorant people who hate us have told you it means something else, you should probably ask yourself why you believe someone who hates me over actually believing ME.
To put it bluntly, we Jews are scared. For most of us, the hatred and dehumanization being thrown at us is unprecedented in our lifetime. I read about it daily, see and experience it online with frightening regularity, and have Jewish friends who reach out to me privately to share their own experiences because they feel so alone and are afraid to share it with those around them. We have been begging you for allyship, and by allyship, we mean that we are desperately hoping that you will stand with us and loudly call out this unbearable hatred targeting our people that is getting worse and worse. I’ll also point out that I have yet to hear about Russian individuals being singled out in this way like Jews are, or that Russian-owned businesses and gathering places are being vandalized as a result of what’s happening in Ukraine – all things that regularly happen to Jews.
I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I have been far less prolific in my writing lately because I am exhausted – but also disappointed. Whenever I write or share a post about antisemitism or Israel, it is abundantly clear to me what the responses will be and from whom. Predictably, many of my Jewish friends will respond with emojis and/or with comments, and some will share it. For the most part, I can also guess which of my non-Jewish friends will respond to it somehow, and I know from experience that they will rarely share it, if ever. And, while I’m flattered when people share what I write, the bottom line is that I don’t care if it’s my post you share or if you “just” share a post saying that you stand in solidarity with Jews or that you stand against antisemitism. That’s what most Jews want to see – we want to see signs that we aren’t alone.
The truth is though, from what I’m seeing, you’re not doing that either. Since last week’s “meeting” in the Oval Office – a stunningly mortifying debacle that brought the Russia-Ukraine war back to the headlines, there has been a pronounced and justified increase in posts declaring solidarity with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his people. Suddenly, individuals who have been remarkably silent about antisemitism despite the fact that it is directly affecting people in your circles, are stepping up to support Ukraine.
If showing solidarity online for different groups and causes isn’t your thing, I get it. Not everyone wants others to know their beliefs, and I can respect that. However, if you can find it in your hearts to publicly show support for Ukraine and Ukrainians, why won’t you do it for Jews? What is stopping you from calling out antisemitism? Are you afraid of backlash? Is calling out Jew hatred too “controversial”? And just to be clear, I’m not asking you to stand with Israel. I’m asking you to take a stand against antisemitism.
Among those individuals who are proudly standing up for Ukraine these days are many, many Jews. That’s what we do, and that’s what we have always done. It’s who we are, even when hardly anyone is standing up for us. We wish you would, though.
