O pinion
Antisemitism Mutated Like a Deadly Virus in 2020
BY SHIRA GOODMAN AND
JEREMY BANNETT
WE HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN
that antisemitism is a social
virus that has mutated with
deadly efficiency throughout
human history. In 2020, Jews
actually watched in real time
as the “world’s oldest hatred”
updated itself for a new era.

For the last 40 years, the
ADL has released its annual
Audit of Antisemitic Incidents,
which tracks incidents of
vandalism, harassment and
assault against Jews across the
nation. Our latest report reflects
some disturbing developments
in 2020: During a year we spent
mostly at home and reliant
on technology for school,
work, religious gatherings and
our social lives, antisemitism
did not abate. In fact, we saw
the third-highest number of
incidents across the nation
since we began tracking in 1979.

It was also the third-highest
number for Pennsylvania and
New Jersey, and the second-
most on record for Delaware.

How can we explain
extraordinarily high numbers
of antisemitism across the
nation and around the region
in a year when most people
were largely kept apart by
social distancing and pandem-
ic-related restrictions? The
audit reveals that antisemitism
morphed in 2020 to thrive in
these new conditions.

Because large swaths of
society and the economy were
shut down, we saw significant
declines in vandalism, assault
and other incidents at in-person
locations. Yet much of those
declines were offset by spikes in
harassment and threats online
and at Jewish institutions, where
bigots actively sought out Jews
to target.

Antisemitism in 2020 experi-
enced two major “innovations”
— the adaptation of classic
antisemitic tropes to the current
moment and the manipulation
of new technology as a means
to spread hate.

Familiar symbols of hate
were used in antisemitic
incidents online and offline.

Synagogues were vandalized
with swastikas, old slurs were
hurled and tired memes like
the Happy Merchant and the
Diseased Jew were recycled to
accompany accusations that
Jews are greedy, somehow
responsible for the spread of
the virus and profiting from
vaccines. These age-old manifesta-
tions of hate exploded online
in 2020 — incidents more than
doubled in every state in the
region and across the nation.

Last year, 36% of Jews reported
that they personally experi-
enced antisemitic harassment
online, with 22% experiencing
severe harassment. This does
not include the millions of
antisemitic posts and images
circulating online without a
specific victim, which infected
our digital ecosystem with
anti-Jewish hate.

Bigots also innovated in 2020,
repurposing new technology to
target Jews. “Zoombombing”
is a perfect example of this
increasingly malicious version
of online
antisemitism. Synagogues, Jewish schools and
secular venues saw hundreds of
virtual gatherings hijacked by
people spewing vile anti-Jewish
hate. This development is
notable because, for the first
time, haters could infiltrate
Jewish spaces almost at will. No
gathering was spared, no matter
how sacred — High Holiday
services, weddings and even
shivas all suffered traumatic
Zoombombing attacks last year.

We must look behind the
numbers to the incidents
themselves, each of which
represents an individual and
a wider community targeted
or terrorized. Our friends
and neighbors, many right
here in the region, have been
targeted with antisemitic
threats online, taunts of “dirty
Jew” during sporting events
and harassing telephone
calls. It is our synagogues
and community centers that
have been vandalized with
swastikas, terrorized with
bomb threats and disrupted by
“Zoombombers.” Antisemitism is happening
right here, right now. The
need to solve this problem
should unite Jews in solidarity.

Antisemites, whether online
or offline, do not discrimi-
nate when picking particular
targets — Jews of all denom-
inations, political affiliations
and economic status are fair
game. Accordingly, we must
continue to fight this battle
together. But we can’t fight it alone,
nor can it be about antisem-
itism alone. All forms of
hate are closely tied together,
so anyone who cares about
stopping anti-Jewish hate must
also work to fight all forms of
bigotry. Fighting back against
antisemitism and all forms of
hate will require a whole-of-
society approach at the levels
of government, law enforce-
ment, business, technology,
civil society and community.

It demands creative thinking,
coalition-building and
courage. Antisemitism is changing
before our very eyes, and now
is the time to stop it before it
has a chance to mutate into
an even more virulent and
dangerous form. l
Shira Goodman is the regional
director of the Anti-Defamation
League, and Jeremy Bannett is the
senior associate regional director.

Why Palestinian Elections Were Canceled
BY SOLOMON D. STEVENS
THE PALESTINIAN ELECTIONS
have been canceled again.

This is not a surprise, and
it is also not a surprise that
most of the world will blame
18 MAY 6, 2021
Israel. I haven’t decided yet if
this is because many people
are ignorant, or whether it is
just another manifestation of
antisemitism (I prefer the term
“Judeophobia”). Elections haven’t been held
for over 15 years for a very
simple reason. Last time there
were elections (in 2006), Hamas
won by a landslide. International
pressure to reverse the outcome
(some overt and some covert)
led to an open conflict between
Fatah and Hamas, which
resulted in Fatah assuming
power in the West Bank and
marginalizing Hamas in Gaza.

Even if the elections had been
held, it would not have been a
sign that things were becoming
more democratic in the West
Bank and Gaza. It is important
to remember that both Fatah
and Hamas are classic autocratic
and kleptocratic entities, and
Hamas is a terrorist organi-
zation. They both control the
press and arrest journalists who
dare to speak out against them.

They routinely arrest political
rivals and dissidents. They
torture those under arrest and
have political control of what
are called courts. Each rules
without significant internal
JEWISH EXPONENT
competition, so any candi-
dates for the legislature or the
presidency exist only because
they are allowed by the current
leadership. If the announced elections
were not signaling a movement
toward democracy, what were
they? More than anything
else, they were a recognition
that in the Middle East, the
struggle of the Palestinians is
no longer seen as central to the
future of the region. Four Arab
countries, Morocco, the U.A.E.,
Bahrain and the Sudan, have
already normalized relations
with Israel, and this is probably
only the beginning.

For years, the Palestinian
conflict was seen as the key to
peace in the region, but this is
no longer the case. Both Fatah
and Hamas recognize that the
upcoming elections could have
offered them an opportunity to
get back in the game.

The key to all of this is the
new Biden administration,
which could be impressed with
the elections and see this as a
reason to return to old models
for understanding the Middle
East. President Joe Biden is
See Stevens, Page 30
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM



O pinion
My Son Was at Mount Meron
BY RABBI ROBYN FRISCH
LAST THURSDAY EVENING,
as I was about to close my
computer, I saw the news alert
from The New York Times:
“Breaking News: At least 15
people are dead and dozens are
injured after a stampede at a
religious celebration in Israel.”
A surge of panic ran through
my body. I stopped reading
because I knew this happened at
Mount Meron, the site of the tomb
of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai,
where over 100,000 chasids
and other Jews had gathered to
celebrate Lag b’Omer.

This tragedy would have been
upsetting in any circumstances.

But my terrified reaction was
deeply personal: My 21-year-
old son was there. Horrifying
thoughts ran through my head.

What kind of devastating
things had he witnessed? Was
he injured? I couldn’t let myself
think beyond that.

The Friday before, my son
had told me that his yeshiva in
Jerusalem was providing a bus for
students who wanted to celebrate
Lag b’Omer at Mount Meron. I
was so excited for him. During the
eight months he’s been in Israel, he
hasn’t been able to leave Jerusalem
very often due to COVID-19
restrictions. Now he was getting to
travel and participate in a unique
experience that I knew he would
find deeply spiritual.

My son and I are both deeply
passionate about Judaism, but
our practices differ enormously:
I am a Reform rabbi and he
is haredi Orthodox. I myself
had been to Mount Meron on
Lag b’Omer some 25 years ago,
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM and I still remember it well
— the thousands of chasidic
men dancing and singing; the
3-year-old boys getting their first
haircuts; the bonfires and the
joyful celebration.

But here I was at home in
Philadelphia feeling helpless and
terrified about my son. It was after
8:30 p.m. — way past the time I’d
normally call him, as Israel is
seven hours ahead of us — but
this night was different. Fingers
trembling, I reached for my
phone and dialed, but I couldn’t
get through. Nightmare scenarios
raced through my brain.

As I sat there, practically
unable to move, my phone rang
— I saw that it was my husband,
who wasn’t home at the time.

He had reached our son and he
was safe. He described sensing
trauma in my son’s voice, but
at that moment only one thing
mattered to me: He was alive! I
was so relieved, so grateful.

I learned the next day that the
death toll was 45, and more than
150 people were injured. I finally
talked to my son before Shabbat
began in Israel, and he told me
that two young men from his
yeshiva were still missing.

Throughout Shabbat, all
I could think about was what
happened at Mount Meron. Forty-
five human beings; 45 families
that had lost loved ones. I was so
grateful that my son was alive,
and at the same time felt terrible
pain for the parents, grandpar-
ents, siblings and children who
weren’t so fortunate. I could have
been one of them.

I haven’t been able to bring
myself to read a single article
about what happened, though I
see the headlines and I hear people
talk about it. I envision the crush
of people and innocent people
dying of asphyxiation. All I’ve
read on the topic are the emails
from my son’s yeshiva. Yesterday’s
email informed us that there was
a funeral for one young man from
the yeshiva on Saturday night,
after Shabbat ended; there were
two more on Sunday.

Because my son is on a
religious path that’s so different
than mine, I often think about
how dissimilar our family is
from those of his haredi peers.

We have three kids, while many
of them have 10 or 12. Our
understanding and observance
of Jewish law is very different.

But these past few days, I can’t
stop thinking about how similar
we are; how much all Jews —
and all humans, for that matter
— love their children. Haredi
parents may have more children
than I do, but I know that losing
one of them is every bit as tragic
for them as it would be for me.

While we are deeply grateful
that our son is physically
unharmed, my husband and I
worry that he could be suffering
from PTSD. Fortunately, I am
incredibly impressed with how
his yeshiva, which I have always
respected but usually feel I can’t
relate to, is handling this devas-
tating situation. It has provided
counseling for those who want
— the young men can even
make anonymous phone calls
to a counselor — and is working
to get entry permits to Israel for
those parents who want to visit
their sons.

Knowing that my son is in
good hands gives me comfort.

But no matter what I’m doing,
my mind drifts to Mount Meron,
imagining that horrific evening
that my son was lucky enough
to survive — but many others
weren’t. I find myself constantly
fighting back tears, although
sometimes I don’t bother to hold
them back.

I will continue to pray and
mourn for all the families who
lost loved ones, with the humble
acknowledgment that we are far
more alike than we are different.

May the memories of these 45
souls be a blessing. l
Rabbi Robyn Frisch is the director
of the Rukin Rabbinic Fellowship
for 18Doors as well as the spiritual
leader of Temple Menorah
Keneseth Chai in Northeast
Philadelphia. This op-ed first
appeared on Kveller.

JEWISH EXPONENT
KVETCH ’N’ KVELL
IHRA Program Needed Third Panelist
I WISH TO RESPOND to one point of disagreement in Jesse
Bernstein’s April 29 article, “Panel on IHRA Anti-Semitism
Rankles.” Would the panel discussion co-sponsored by
Congregation Rodeph Shalom and Temple University’s Feinstein
Center for American Jewish History have been objectionable to
Murray Friedman, z”l, the center’s founder?
Well, yes, and no.

My first Jewish job was as Friedman’s assistant from 1979-83.

An intellectual giant and mensch, Friedman introduced me to
and got me totally hooked on the field of Jewish community
relations where I ended up spending my entire professional
career. He was a strong supporter of Israel and Zionism, but he
also was not afraid to criticize those Israeli policies with which
he disagreed.

A neo-conservative in a community dominated by liberals, he
constantly challenged our conventional wisdom. In that regard,
I believe he would have approved of a program that explored
the use or misuse of the IHRA definition of antisemitism. I also
believe — in the interest of exposing participants to a full range
of opinions — that he would have preferred to see a third panelist
on the program to defend the current use of the IHRA anti-Semi-
tism definition advocated by establishment Jewish organizations.

That was an important, yet missing perspective.

Martin J. Raffel | Langhorne
Simple Arithmetic
One sentence spoken by Joyce Ajlouny, general secretary of
the American Friends Service Committee, reveals the perver-
sity of modern antisemitic liberal education. (“Panel on IHRA
Anti-Semitism Definition Rankles” April 29).

She complained that the criticism over what many perceived
as the antisemitism of the chosen panelists “affirms that the
attempt to silence narratives is alive and well.”
In fact, in the real world there are no narratives, only facts.

Two and two equals four. There is no narrative to make two and
two equal five or three except in the minds of modern antisemitic
liberal educators.

“Educators” that teach students to just create their own narra-
tives that two and two equals five or three or anything you want
about modern Middle East history and we will coddle you and
say it’s all true, because everyone is entitled to their own narra-
tive regardless of the facts.

Sorry, there are facts about modern Middle East history, not
narratives, and as much as you wish it were true, two and two
does not equal three or five. l
Richard Sherman | Margate, Florida
STATEMENT FROM THE PUBLISHER
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19