opinions & letters
America Loves Jews.

Now Stop Reading
David Suissa | JNS.org
G ood news is boring. If you want excitement, it’s
best to focus on things like danger. Media mavens
and fundraisers know this: Danger rivets the mind,
pumps up the heart and opens pockets.

We see this in the drama surrounding antisemitism.

News of a swastika sprayed on a synagogue wall will
get breathless coverage and quickly spread through
social media. All told, enormous resources and count-
less initiatives and organizations are now devoted to
exposing and fighting this Jew hatred wherever and
whenever it rears its head.

Without blinking an eye, we have routinely assumed
that the more we expose and fight this hate, the more
we will reduce it.

But what if the opposite were true? What if the more
we fight and expose the hate, the more we increase it?
After all, isn’t that what has happened in recent years?
We’ve doubled down and tripled down on our fight and
all we hear is that antisemitism is “worse than ever.”
That phrase — worse than ever — is the lifeblood of
activism and click-hungry media outlets. It embodies
a crisis mentality that animates and energizes both
donors and readers.

“People hate Jews” is a lot more attention-getting
and lucrative than “people love Jews.”
But how accurate is it?
One of the fallouts of focusing so much on the hate
is that it can distort reality, making the problem seem
worse than it is. And since people tend to believe the
adage that there’s “no smoke without fire,” our crisis
mentality runs the risk of actually encouraging more
hatred. (Why do so many people hate Jews? Am I
missing something? Should I hate them too?)
So, here’s a thought: What if we turned the tables on
“no smoke without fire” and replaced the smoke of hate
with the sunshine of affection? In other words, instead
of focusing so much on exposing those who hate Jews,
May 4 Poll Results
how about exposing those who love Jews?
It’s not as if they don’t exist. As many surveys have
shown, Americans tend to have warm feelings toward
Jews. In fact, in a 2019 Pew survey, Jews were the most
liked religious group in America. The study also found
that the more Americans knew about Judaism, the
more they liked Jews.

That pro-Jewish vibe, unfortunately, has gotten lost
in our relentless campaign to expose any sign of hate
against Jews. I often wonder if some of those haters ever
look at how hysterical Jews can get and tell themselves:
“We have them on the run — we’re winning!”
The point is not to stop fighting hate but to shift
where we make the most noise. We can fight haters
efficiently and legally, as when we push for the IHRA
definition of antisemitism, without giving haters the
attention they crave. Meanwhile, since we know that
Americans already have warm feelings toward Jews
and Judaism, why not build on those good feelings?
For example, at a time when loneliness and isolation
have reached alarming levels, why not share the human
connection of Shabbat with our fellow Americans? Just as
everyone loves Thanksgiving, why not promote a weekly
“Friday night of gratitude” that will encourage Americans
of all stripes to partake in this invaluable Jewish ritual?
There are many other such ideas. The point is to inject
more positivity into our conversation with America. We
can’t allow complaining about Jew hatred to become our
#1 talking point. That can backfire simply because people
don’t like complainers. Jews should aim higher than that.

The mantra of “ending hatred” may make us feel good, but
it’s both a Utopian fantasy and a low bar. It feels limiting to
tell Americans that our main concern is to “end” something.

Isn’t the Jewish way more about starting great things?
“Don’t hate us” is like saying “Leave us alone,” as if
all we want is to stay in our corners and not engage.

But Americans have had warm feelings toward Jews
precisely because we love to engage and give back.

Indeed, we’ve given back so much to America
strongly disapprove
How do you feel about Major
League Baseball’s new pitch clock,
which limits the amount of time
that can pass between pitches?
Next Week’s Poll
Do you think Congress is going to vote to
raise the debt ceiling in time?
To vote, visit: jewishexponent.com
disapprove 5%
strongly support it
12% because we’re not a minority group that worries only
about its own interests. We want what’s best for the
Jews, yes, but also what’s best for America.

Our obsessive focus on “ending Jew hatred” risks
undermining that altruistic bond. We know that Jew
haters (and all haters, for that matter) will never go away.

We also know that plenty of Americans have had many
reasons to love and admire Jews. In the long run, putting
“love of Jews” in the air could well become the smartest
way to counter antisemitism and isolate the haters.

It may not be as exciting as yelling danger, but if we’re
serious about winning the fight, let’s not rule out the
more positive approach — even if it means having to
read the occasional boring column. ■
David Suissa is editor-in-chief and publisher of Tribe
Media Corp and the Jewish Journal. This article was
originally published by the Jewish Journal.

letters Right About Animal Rights
I want to commend Rabbi Beth Janus for her excellent
d’var Torah commentary on May 4, “Recognizing Animal
Lives.” As an animal advocate, I greatly appreciate the
perspective that places our biblical teachings in a
modern ethical and environmentally aware context. This
commentary is particularly important regarding a ritual
called Kaporos, performed during Rosh Hashanah/Yom
Kippur, in which a person’s sins are transferred to a live
chicken swung over one’s head and then killed to feed
the poor. This is only done by a small number of the
ultra-religious members of our faith. It is not a religious
directive, however, but a 15th-century Eastern European
custom. Undercover investigations have revealed horrific
cruelty and filthy conditions, as well as chickens left to
suffer from dehydration, starvation, outdoor weather
conditions and some that were never donated to the
poor but thrown in the trash, some half alive.

It is an ugly, backward custom that reflects poorly on our
people and can easily be replaced by donating coins to
charity. More information can be found in this association of
groups and individuals who want to replace the cruelty with
a higher ethic: endchickensaskaporos.com/. ■
Arlene Steinberg, Northeast Philadelphia
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