From the Rabbi's Desk

History matters. It’s essential that each of us is aware of how we came to be where we are and why. It’s of the greatest importance we each know our past and the pasts of others. Without knowing the past, we’re destined to fail time and again in the future and would be unable to move forward in a positive way. Quite often the news feels like the twilight zone as we watch in horror as we relive episodes that we already endured in the past. וַיָּ֥קָם מֶֽלֶךְ־חָדָ֖שׁ עַל־מִצְרָ֑יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יָדַ֖ע אֶת־יוֹסֵֽף׃/And a new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph (Exodus 1:8) These words seem so minor but at the same time they’re major. The Egyptians were historians. Their hieroglyphics were a deep dive into their history and thus we can see they were not only cognizant of history but were devotees of it. To have a new leader who suddenly has amnesia when it comes to the man who saved his and the surrounding nations from the famine not all that long ago is bizarre at best and conspiratorial at worst. This “new king’s” lack of basic historic knowledge is something that will end up being destructive to our people. A lack of appreciation for how we came to be there turns into outright animosity, mass enslavement and murder.

Today we live in a world that seems to have historical amnesia. When people march to liberate the Palestinians and to create a Palestine do they have any recollection of the 1947 Partition Plan accepted by the Israelis and rejected by the Arab world? Do they have any understanding of the occupation of Gaza by Egypt and the West Bank by Jordan from 1948 until 1967? Do they have an understanding of the 1979 Camp David Accords that witnessed Israel shrinking itself for the sake of peace and security? Do the people marching have an understanding of the Oslo process and subsequent Israeli offers on multiple occasions for more than 90% of the demands of the Palestinians and a state of their own? Do people recognize when Israel disengaged from Gaza it was with the intention of never returning? Do they recognize in 2005 the Israelis left infrastructure and provided them with the opportunity to build a country? None of this history seems to be recognized by those marching. Forget about the history of pre-1948 that witnessed a constant Jewish connection and presence in the Land of Israel since the days of Joshua… that history is likewise erased.

History is important because it provides context and a way for us to have a better tomorrow. In 1945 when the world learned the words “Never Again”, those words were not meant to be a theory but rather they were to be the watchwords of the world for the generations to come. Today we live in a world where anti-Semitism is so prevalent we see surging incidents on a regular basis all around the world. Just yesterday Sairo Rao, an American political activist, author, publisher, and former lawyer and television producer, posted the following on X: “Realizing how many American doctors and nurses are Zionists and genuinely terrified for Palestinian, Arab, Muslim, South Asian and Black patients — even more than usual. And usually it’s bad.” This tweet was even called out by an Arab Member of the Knesset Ahmed Tibi who wrote: “It is a lie. Stop that nonsense against health system. It’s racist.”

The issue with anti-Semitism is that it knows no limits and no faction of the world is immune. Jews have been accused of being bankers and the invisible hand controlling the world by one side, and the other would call us dirty rats that are a drain on society. Today, we find anti-Semitism from leftists for their support of Palestinians, and we find it from White Nationalists on the right who feel we’re damaging the Christian purity of the country and perhaps the world. It’s everywhere and it’s something that needs to be changed.

The first thing to do is demand that the world pay attention to history. Look at Pharaoh and his words: And he said to his people, “Look, the Israelite people are much too numerous for us. Let us deal shrewdly with them, so that they may not increase; otherwise in the event of war they may join our enemies in fighting against us and rise from the ground” (Exodus 1:9-10). There was fear of us being a 5^th column, and disgust at our growth and ability to thrive. Unhidden anti-Semitism is something that needs to be understood. And this anti-Semitism led not to sitting in a circle and getting to know one another but to genocide of Israelite babies and the mass enslavement of our people. What begins with words ends with actions. Hitler began with Mein Kampf, the book he penned while in prison for attempting to overthrow the government. He ultimately ascended to power and by 1945 six million Jews and five million other “non-desirable” groups were massacred by his forces.

Anti-Semitism is alive and well in our world because we’ve failed as a global population to live up to our best selves. It’s alive and well because Israel is a convenient punching bag for the world to disguise anti-Semitism as anti-Israel sentiment or support for the Palestinians. It’s alive and well because people fear and dislike what’s different and unique. It’s alive and well because history isn’t important enough, and as such, we’ve failed to learn from the past and instead commit the same sins time and again.

This Sunday we’ll be joining with St. James United Methodist Church for a very timely and important class on anti-Semitism called United Against Hate. Please go to orveshalom.org/event/nohate, for more info. It’s critical we show up and learn more about the history and the subject so we can help teach the world and break the cycle. It’s more essential than ever before, that in 2024, we stand with all people of conscience against the hatred of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, Iran, White Nationalists and all of their enablers in the world. In the words of Hillel אִם אֵין אֲנִי לִי, מִי לִי. וּכְשֶׁאֲנִי לְעַצְמִי, מָה אֲנִי. וְאִם לֹא עַכְשָׁיו, אֵימָתַי: If I am not for me, who will be for me? But if I am (only) for myself, what am I? And, if not now, when?” The time is now. There is no room to delay. We must act now.