How he lost his power

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In the seemingly peaceful town of La-Dee-Dah-Land, young Christopher often explored its streets, his curious eyes taking in the world around him.

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One day, he stumbled upon Mr. Antisemitism, a bitter figure who was standing outside a Jewish supermarket owned by two grandparents and their children. He was shouting hateful things about Jews at the top of his voice as people walked quietly by.

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Mr. Antisemitism's poisonous words were known to echo far and wide, reaching the ears of the townsfolk even if they weren’t in the area.

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Even those who had no strong opinions, who simply went about their lives, found themselves drawn to the ugly and untrue things he said. Their silence made Mr. Antisemitism's words seem that much louder. He was tricky, manipulating the silent majority and leaving a black mark on their thoughts and attitudes. His hatred seeped into the quiet corners of the town, poisoning the minds of his neighbors with his hateful words.

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Mr. Antisemitism was someone Christopher had only heard about from his parents, who had always advised him to leave Mr. Antisemitism be if their paths ever crossed.

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With a courage that surpassed his years, Christopher – who wasn’t Jewish —confronted Mr. Antisemitism. "Why do you spread such hate?" he asked, his voice steady.

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Mr. Antisemitism, who resembled a swastika that was the color of animosity, spat, "Jewish people deserve my contempt. They deserve our hatred."

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"But why?" Christopher persisted. "They've done nothing to harm you."

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Mr. Antisemitism's twisted smile revealed his evil heart. "I've spread hate against Jewish people for as long as I can remember," he boasted. "I don’t even know why. But I've happily posted vile comments online, breeding hatred in the virtual world. Sometimes I do it in the form of radical Islam. Sometimes as someone on the far, far right. Sometimes a conspiracy theorist. Sometimes as someone on the far, far left. You see, it doesn’t matter. Any way I can – I do it."

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Christopher felt uncomfortable listening to him, but he listened nonetheless. He felt it was important to hear his words, sick as they were.

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"That's not all," he continued, his voice dripping with awful glee. "I've spread false stories about the Jewish people, weaving webs of lies to damage their reputation. I can’t stand what they do. How can only 16 million of them in the world have such a tremendous impact on it? How can anyone do that? They must have a plan — all of them together! They must be evil. They must have some kind of secret plot.”

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“Maybe they’re just educated, work hard, and are a tight-knit community who strive to achieve. Why bother them at all? Why not see them as an asset to society instead of anything else?” suggested Christopher.

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?“Rubbish! You lie!!!”, screamed Mr. Antisemitism. “I’m proud to fight against them. It’s my life’s work."

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His scream sent shivers down Christopher's spine. "And worst of all – but best of all," Mr. Antisemitism confessed with a chilling grin, "Not enough people stand up to people like me – so my words have directly led to attacks and bullying against Jewish people, both religious and non-religious. I’ve even taken part! Fear is my weapon, and I use it with pride."

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Christopher, his heart heavy with sadness, attempted to reason with Mr. Antisemitism. "Your hatred blinds you," he said, his eyes pleading for understanding. "Jewish people, like any other community, deserve respect and love. You hate when there’s no reason to!"

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But Mr. Antisemitism scoffed, his twisted beliefs unshaken. Christopher, discouraged, walked away. “Haters are going to hate,” he thought to himself.

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That’s when he realized that the quiet acceptance of Mr. Antisemitism’s hate was just as dangerous as the hate itself. He loved his parents — who always remained silent – but he knew they were wrong about this. If people didn’t fight this hatred, after the Jews disappeared, everyone else would, too, eventually. This hatred would consume all good people if left unchecked.

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It was a wake-up call for the young boy and the experience inspired him to do something against this silent loss of empathy and understanding within his community. His resolve was strengthened in a moment. He knew he couldn't change Mr. Antisemitism's heart, but he could be a beacon of light in the darkness of prejudice.

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In the days that followed, Christopher threw himself into reading about the Jewish people and their contributions to the world, yesterday and today. About how they were different, yet the same as any other people. He read about their history and traditions. He spoke to a lot of them.

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After a few days, he went to work to counter the poison of indifference, Christopher set out on his mission to educate and inspire. His voice began to be heard throughout the town. He spoke with passion and force, urging family and friends, young and old, to break their silence, to reject the bigotry that threatened to swallow their town. To speak up without fear. Amazing coming from a young boy, like him!

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In time, just by being speaking out, he saw glimmers of realization in the eyes of those who had been indifferent. One by one, many started to follow suit and challenge Mr. Antisemitism's twisted views – and the views of others like him. The atmosphere in La-Dee-Dah-Land began to shift; the once-silent majority found their voices, drowning out the hate with messages of acceptance and love.

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Through his determination and the newfound courage of his fellow townsfolk, Christopher had ignited a spark of resistance. Together, they stood tall, refusing to let their town succumb to the darkness of hatred. La-Dee-Dah-Land was no longer a silent witness; it had become a symphony of voices, united against prejudice.

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And as for Mr. Antisemitism, his hateful words now fell on ears that were deaf to intolerance. The town that was once his receptive audience had turned away, leaving him alone in his bitterness. In the face of compassion and unity, his influence crumbled like a house of cards, and he found himself powerless against the wave of acceptance that swept through La-Dee-Dah-Land.

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Christopher's bravery had not only saved his town from the grip of prejudice but had also taught everyone a valuable lesson: silence in the face of hatred was never an option. Each voice, no matter how small, had the power to change the world, one word at a time.

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And so, in the newfound peace of La-Dee-Dah-Land, the lesson learned was written on the hearts of its people, ensuring that the echoes of hatred would never find a home there again.

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I love Roger Hargreaves who created the Mr. Men series. I grew up on his books and I still read them to my kids, to this day. His characters inspired me to express this story.

I'm a proud Jew.

But false narratives are tarnishing our identity worldwide, particularly through double standards applied when criticizing Israel and the Jewish People. Hitler wrote "...the Jew is not the attacked but the attacker" in Mein Kampf, 1925. Today, a Harvard Student Group letter states that "...the Israeli regime [is] entirely responsible for all unfolding violence" which ignores realities on the ground.

Jew hatred is glaring and it's so important for everyone, regardless of their background, to combat it. Let's all celebrate our identities without fear or shame. When you see violence, in words or physical action, and you see Jews being singled out, whether from groups like Hamas or their supporters, recognize the antisemitism for what it is and speak out against it. Yes, it takes courage, especially in this world of fake news. But do it. Because hatred starts with us but will come to you.

Silence in the face of evil is not an option. Ever.

Please share this message far and wide.