Kindred Spirits in a Divisive World: Antisemitism Version

A couple of days ago I received a touching text from someone who has felt like a kindred spirit since our very first conversation. Although we hadn’t talked in awhile, he felt a need to let me know he is worried about me.

He wrote, in part, “Too much hate is going on... please watch yourself... be careful out there.”

Why did he feel a need to express his concern for me? Because he is aware of the sharp rise in antisemitism in the United States, because I am Jewish in a public way, and because I facilitate initiatives to end “isms” of all varieties.

Why does his text touch me deeply enough to inspire me write to this post? Because it came from a black man whose cousin was wrongly killed by police in what became a high profile case a number of years ago.

This is but one reason why my friend Ty Pruitt feels to me like a brother from another mother. He and I stand beside each other as loving supportive human beings who have both been on the receiving end of verbally and physically violent hatred. Our hearts are bound by the deep overlaps between us that belie our different outer appearances and life experiences. Although we come from very different backgrounds, we share a deeply held humanity.

Ty’s humanity as a black man who holds love in his heart above all else is my humanity as a Jewish man who holds love in my heart above all else.

My love extends to all who have experienced suspicion, hatred and oppression, including my fellow semites of both varieties. Particularly during the current chapter of strife between Israel and Palestine, may we all remember that both Jews and Palestinians are Semitic peoples. Those who are antisemitic mostly don’t realize that in holding that form of hatred they are also hating non-Jews whose heritage is from the Middle East too.

May we remember that not all Israelis hate all Palestinians, that not all Palestinians hate all Israelis, and that not all Jews oppose a peaceful two-nation solution to the strife in that part of the world. Stereotyping blocks problem-solving.

May we, together, join our hands, lock arm-in-arm, and feel into each other’s hearts, so we can step away from hate-filled divisiveness, and step toward love-filled mutual understanding and synergized solutions. And may this happen sooner than later.