This Friday night I am going to speak about the jarring levels of antisemitism we have witnessed in recent weeks. We simply cannot ignore the atrocious levels of hate that exist both here in America and across Europe. When Nazis march in Columbus, Ohio or threaten students at the University of Rochester, we must pay attention. When Israeli soccer fans are airlifted out of Amsterdam for fear of their safety, we cannot look away. When, here in our backyard, a Nazi flag is raised by a misguided individual in Whitpain Township, we cannot pass it off as meaningless. These are not isolated incidents or events of the few, these are the outcome of a society that has returned en masse to tropes we know well. Such events, all of them deeply hurtful, come on the tails of a very difficult year for our people near and far.

Since October 7, we Jews have felt the great burden of prejudice. That fateful day changed the status quo in Israel, undoing a mythic sense of security and safe haven. It was to be sure the most egregious day of loss for our people since the Holocaust. As a result, war ensued and, while we frequently balk at Israeli leadership and the mishandling of the plight of Israeli hostages and Gazan civilians, we likewise feel the pain caused by the great many who have chosen to demonize us collectively. We have watched hate unfurl itself on college campus, city streets, online, at work and in our communities. It cannot be ignored, nor can it be tolerated.

What can we do? What should we do? Well here’s what we should not do: Live in fear, cower or cease to live our Jewish lives. Here is what we can and should do: First, we can remain informed. Do not tune out or ignore antisemitism. Do not apologize for it or attempt to explain it away. Read broadly. Understand what’s happening. Second, resist the urge to go to a political place. We must put politics to the side and embrace a shared intolerance to hate and hate speech, no matter the source, whether from the far left, the far right or elsewhere. Third, use social media wisely and sparingly. Often these tools exist simply to make us mad or have us yell into echo chambers. I wonder how productive they are. Fourth, give to those organizations that raise up tolerance, education and diversity. For you, this might mean Holocaust education, such as our own Holocaust Awareness Museum and Education Center here at KI. For others, it might mean supporting the work our synagogue is doing around educating our youth and teens in combatting hate speech, or the work we are committed to when it comes to social justice and inclusion. For others, this might be about supporting groups like the ADL or HIAS.

The most important thing I think we can be doing now is living our Jewish lives with great pride and verve. Let’s not let antisemitism quiet us or quiet our commitment to our faith, our God, our incredible heritage. Let’s not let those with hate in their heart detract from our sense of self or love we have for our tradition, our values, our ideals. Be who you are, with chutzpah. This is the greatest rejection of hate there is.