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Antisemitism

Gain perspective on antisemitism, as illuminated by Torah and the Rebbe's Hadracha.

 

We do not venture to say that we know what Torah or the Rebbe’s position is on this event or on any other event or subject. We are merely presenting various ideas that may have some bearing on what is taking place today.

 

Topics Included

  • The Yiddishe Boycott

  • We are All Hashem's Creations

  • You Deserve it, So Be Proud of It!

  • Antisemitism is an Unfortunate Reality

  • The Hatred is Still There

  • Getting to the Bottom of the Problem

  • The Alter Rebbe Knows What He’s Talking About!

  • The Two Groups of Anti-Semites

  • Most Politicians are Not Anti-Semites

  • You Can Put On a Wig!

  • The History of Antisemitism

  • Our Miraculous Survival

  • A Yid is Different!


We are All Hashem's Creations

In Cheshvan of 5751, a terrible antisemitic incident took place in front of the synagogue in Warsaw, Poland. After a short correspondence between Mr. Arkadiusz Rybicki, President of the Council for Polish-Jewish Relations Office and the Rebbe about the need for more protective measures to be taken for Polish Jewry, the Rebbe went on to explain an essential point:

“Our Sages of the Talmud explain why the creation of man differed from the creation of other living species and why, among other things, man was created as a single individual, unlike other living creatures created in pairs. One of the reasons – our Sages declare – is that it was G-d’s design that the human race, all humans everywhere and at all times, should know that each and all descend from the one and the same single progenitor, a fully developed human being created in the image of G‑d, so that no human being could claim superior ancestral origin; hence would also find it easier to cultivate a real feeling of kinship in all inter-human relationships.”

You Deserve It, So be Proud of It!

The notion that the minority isn’t entitled to the same as the majority is flawed. Keep the hard-earned position that Yidden in the USA have rightfully earned.

The 5740s were a difficult set of years for public Menorah lightings, with many communities banning its practice. In the following letter, the Rebbe takes on the issue of the ban against public menorah lightings and, thereby, the more fundamental point of uncalled for discrimination and prejudice against American Jewry:

An excerpt from the letter:

“ …the regrettable, but unavoidable, fact that the gentile majority, especially one that did not fully live up to the prescriptions of the divine moral precepts (…) - has generally considered itself entitled to everything, while anything it granted to the minority was considered an act of grace.”
“...The Jewish community in the U.S.A. is as old as the U.S.A. itself. We know the problems it faced and the actual discrimination it suffered until it has won its place in this country. Yet, even in this day and age, prejudices and anti-Semitism exist, not only latently but also overtly. Under these circumstances, we must not relax our alertness to any sign of erosion of our hard-won position...”

The Rebbe then went on to explain, in light of the above, that Jews should never have to cover up their Jewish image to gain respect from others:
“...In summary, Jews, either individually or communally, should not create the impression that they are ashamed to show their Jewishness or they wish to gain their neighbors' respect by covering up their Jewishness. Nor will this attitude insure their rights to which they are entitled, including the privilege of publicly lighting a Chanukah Menorah, a practice which has been sanctioned by the precedent and custom, as to become a tradition…”
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