Jewish communities around the world are living with a sense of
growing anti-Semitism, although 2013 did not record a significant
increase in the number of violent attacks on Jews and their property,
according to an annual report released by the Israel's Information and
Diaspora Ministry.
The report, which was presented to the
cabinet on Sunday [Jan. 26] by Minister Naftali Bennett, states that
"the soul, rather than the body, is the main victim of the new wave of
anti-Semitism." According to estimates, the situation on the ground has
become much worse.
According to the report, which is mostly based on the database and
research of the Kantor Center for the Study of Contemporary European
Jewry at Tel Aviv University, the feeling among the world's Jewry stems
from the severity of verbal and visual expressions, insults, harassment
and threats Jews encounter in their daily life, which create a situation
that is becoming more and more difficult.
"The murky atmosphere contributes to a change in European Jews' point
of view towards their country and surroundings, and strengthens their
personal insecurity," the report says.
One-third of Jews don't wear Jewish symbols
Addressing the situation in Europe, the report mentions the results
of a survey commissioned by the European Union Agency for Fundamental
Rights (FRA) in 2013, according to which 66% of Jews see anti-Semitism
as a problem affecting their lives, and 76% believe it has worsened in
recent years.
Thirty-eight percent of the respondents said they are afraid of
falling victim to an anti-Semitic attack and do not leave the house with
"identifying symbols" like a skullcap or Star of David, 23% do not
participate in "Jewish" events for fear of being targeted on the way,
and 20% are even considering emigrating from their country due to the
growing anti-Semitism.
According to the same survey, about one-quarter of Jews experienced
an incident in the previous year which included a verbal insult, and
nearly half of the respondents expressed their concern that they would
fall victim to an anti-Semitic incident in the following year.
Nonetheless, 77% avoided reporting the incidents, assuming that they
would not be taken care of.
The Diaspora Ministry report states that "in most cases, it is
possible to track the number of violent incidents, like vandalism
against public and private property and attacks on individuals, but only
if the victims report them." Yet in light of the failure to report the
incidents, "it is certain that the monitoring bodies are only aware of a
small part of the overall picture."
The level of concern among Jews in Hungary, for example, is very
high, and a significant increase is apparent in the Jewish community's
sense of fear of anti-Semitic phenomena in the past year—although no
real change was recorded in the number of violent incidents. The reasons
appear to be the growing nationalistic discourse since the rise to
power of the Federation of Young Democrats (Fidesz) in 2010, and the
emergence of the extreme Jobbik party, which is a defined as neo-Nazi,
as a political force.
EU changes definition of anti-Semitism
Other countries in which recorded high report levels of a rise in
anti-Semitism are France, Belgium and Sweden. The situation appears to
be relatively less serious in Italy, Germany, Britain and Latvia.
The authors of the report, which was presented on the eve of
International Holocaust Day, noted that after the survey's publication
the FRA removed from its website the definition of anti-Semitism which
had been in international use since 2000 and stated that anti-Zionist
expressions, hostile attitudes towards the State of Israel's existence,
likening it to Nazi Germany and discriminating against it could be
considered as anti-Semitism in certain cases.
"No satisfactory explanation has been provided for the definition's
removal," the report authors wrote, "apart from the claim that the
definition was never officially adopted as a binding document by the
European Union."
Anti-Semitic Expression: Burning like a Jew
In Chile and Argentina, a rumor was started online that the IDF was
working to conquer Patagonia in order to establish a Jewish state there,
and that Jewish millionaire Eduardo Elsztain had even bought it from
the Argentinean president in exchange for cancelling the country's debt
to the World Bank.
In Venezuela, Israel was blamed for the death of President Hugo
Chavez and accused of attempting to inflame a third world war in which
Israel will attack China and Russia.
"In Russia, the Jews are blamed for all of the country's troubles,
including the economic situation, and so members of the opposition one
hand and Putin's regime on the other hand are accused of selling
themselves to Jewish capital," the report says.
Some 100 anti-Semitic websites have been recorded in Italy, in Canada
there is an increase in online harassment, and even Web surfers in
Kyrgyzstan are blaming the economic and social problems on the Jews.
Social networks in Mexico recorded in the beginning of the year a
wave of anti-Semitic expressions related to the Holocaust, like "I'm
burning like a Jew," which reached the sixth place on the Twitter
popularity list. Another tweet combined a children's game with a picture
of dead Jews in a concentration camp.
"The fact that although there was no military conflict between Israel
and the Palestinians, there was still no drop in the amount of
anti-Israel statements and actions, once again pulls the rug from under
the feet of those who argue that the Jewish-Arab conflict is the reason
for the rise in anti-Semitism," Minister Bennett notes in the
introduction.
The report itself notes that "the anti-Zionism, which is mainly
prevalent among the Left and has already become an integral part of the
regular worldview of individuals and groups within it, can be defined as
a cultural code replacing anti-Semitism and allowing its distributors
to deny any connection to anti-Semitism. This denial is defined by
researches today as 'anti-Semitism denial' – like Holocaust denial."
But there are those who don’t take the trouble to distance themselves
from anti-Semitism. In Russia and Ukraine, for instance, where physical
and verbal expressions of hatred have become an inseparable part of the
local Jewish communities' lives—without the customary discussions in
the West about Israel's status and actions.
Yemen's chief rabbi cuts off his side locks
Another example of the "modern" anti-Semitism in the Arab world is
the way Adolf Hitler inspires commercials both in Saudi Arabia and in
Dubai. A cartoon carried in August by protestors in Egypt and east
Jerusalem and spread in social networks, stated that the big difference
between Hitler and General al-Sisi was that Hitler killed Jews for his
people while al-Sisi was killing his people for the Jews.
The report notes that the past year provided a glimpse into the
situation of the few Jews left in Arab countries because of expressions
of hatred. In January 2013, pictures of a Jewish cemetery desecrated in
Tunisia were spread on social networks. The situation of the Jews of
Djerba, about 1,000, is difficult and they live in fear after their main
synagogue and school were damaged.
The chief rabbi and head of Yemen's Jewish community, Yehie Yosef
Salim, spoke in a television interview in his country about the
segregation and persecution. He cut off his side locks so as not to be
harassed on the streets of Saada.
"The Jews serve as victims of the struggle between the forces of the
main government and the rebel Shiite Khoti tribe in the northern part of
the country, which al-Qaeda activists teamed up with in the 2000s," the
report states.
Yet the report does praise a "handful of brave liberals (in the
Muslim world) which condemn anti-Semitism and even combat it." They take
part in interfaith dialogues, in conferences about the Holocaust and
its education and in visits to Auschwitz and Yad Vashem.
"At first sight, one may find signs of optimism in the annual report,
as compared to the previous year there has not been an apparent
increase in the amount of anti-Semitic incidents around the world,"
Minister Bennett concluded. "But the truth is that essentially the
situation has only become worse.
"Although there were no noticeable incidents this year which created a
major global buzz, 2013 was the year in which the anti-Semitic
atmosphere swept over the lives of Jews around the world in general and
in Europe in particular. We cannot accept this reality."
- Source
- (By Kobi Nachshoni, Ynetnews, January 26, 2014)
-
Prayer Focus
Pray that the spirit of anti-Semitism will be removed all the
way down to its root. Pray that the God of Israel will push out the
darkness of hatred. Pray for the peace of God to surround the Jewish
people in the Diaspora and that they are directed to an avenue of
safety.
Scripture
Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for
those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You
in the presence of the sons of men! You shall hide them in the secret
place of Your presence from the plots of man; You shall keep them
secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.
- Psalm 31:19–20
