The Omen of Financial Hardships

The recent study by Gallup and West Health, which found that rising healthcare costs have forced nearly 100 million Americans “to delay or skip healthcare treatments, trim regular household expenses or borrow money,” could bode ill for Jews. Since the turn of the century, antisemitism has been on the rise around the world, including in the US, and antisemites are becoming more brazen and more aggressive. The problem is that for many years, American Jewry believed that antisemitism cannot happen in America. As a result, they often fail to recognize the warning signs, even when they flare up before them. Now that financial hardships have come to a level where Americans are forgoing necessities, it is an omen they should not ignore.

Just as is happening in America, the worsening economic conditions make a fertile ground for outbreaks of Jew-hatred. As matters are continuing to deteriorate, the eruption of anti-Jewish sentiments is more likely to happen. It will not be long before Jews around the world are persecuted once again, just as they have been for two millennia.

The majority of today’s American Jewry grew up in a relatively antisemitism free society. Jew-hatred was a taboo, and even if you felt it, you were forbidden to express it. Overt antisemitism is still not mainstream in America, so it is often portrayed as anti-Israel feelings, but the veil is very thin and can easily show its true face.

Before World War II, and even during the war, antisemitism was a recognized fact. There were antisemitic radio shows, clubs where Jews were not allowed, and other open expressions of the oldest hatred. The fact that it became illegal and morally reprehensible to show that you hated Jews did not make it disappear. It only tucked it away in wait for a more favorable time to rear its ugly head again. Now is a more favorable time, and it is rearing its head.

At such a time, Jews should lower their profile and forgo complacency. The current situation where Jews are occupying key positions that are often the target of political confrontation is not good for them. The losing side will readily blame them for its defeat. Even if it does not express it, it will feel it and, given the right opportunity, it will express it.

What is true for American Jews is also true for Jews around the world. Antisemitism has been rising everywhere. In many places, it is already mainstream, condemned by some, embraced by others, and gradually gaining prevalence and popularity.

Just as is happening in America, the worsening economic conditions make a fertile ground for outbreaks of Jew-hatred. As matters are continuing to deteriorate, the eruption of anti-Jewish sentiments is more likely to happen. It will not be long before Jews around the world are persecuted once again, just as they have been for two millennia.

However, if previously, ruthless leaders were using them as a scapegoat or as a means to manipulate the masses to their side, this time, it will come from the masses. There will be no need for a leader to incite against the Jews; regular people will do so spontaneously, and will accompany their words with actions. It will not be an endemic outbreak; persecution of Jews in the coming round will be worldwide and emerging from the people rather than from leaders.

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How Israel Should Respond to Iran’s Nuclear Politics

If there is one consensus among all the political parties in Israel, it is that a new nuclear deal between the US and its partners and Iran is bad for Israel. I do not dispute this view, but I think it misses a crucial point. First, we need to understand that Iran’s nuclear ambitions stem not only from a fanatical zeal to annihilate the Jewish state. More than religious fanaticism, it is politics. The Iranians are very clever and very well-grounded people. Their threats and their nuclear weaponization are political means to an end, which is to become a powerful player in the global arena. Therefore, even if they do have nuclear weapons, I doubt they will use it because it will hurt their interest; they will lose more than they will gain. They will pester us and hurt us in various ways, but they will not put themselves at risk.

The world is built in such a way that if you want the good to overpower the bad, you need to play by the rules that govern reality. You cannot make your own rules and expect to win. When it comes to playing by the rules that govern reality, we Jews have a crucial role, and this is the part that we must play.

Therefore, in terms of political strategy, Israel should do what it can to stall Iran’s progress as much as it can. At the same time, we must remember that Iran, too, will only go so far in its extremism.

But there is something more important than trying to prevent Iran from getting the A bomb. We need to understand our own role in the global scheme of things, and play our part. If we play it correctly, we will solve our problems without any wars or external conflicts.

The world is built in such a way that if you want the good to overpower the bad, you need to play by the rules that govern reality. You cannot make your own rules and expect to win. When it comes to playing by the rules that govern reality, we Jews have a crucial role, and this is the part that we must play.

The situation on the ground before us changes according to the way that we Jews relate to one another. The better we relate to one another, the better our situation will be. Better yet, the better we relate to one another, the better will be the situation of all of reality, not just our own, but in the entire world.

The first step toward doing this is to understand that we cannot destroy anything because all parts of reality are required in order for humanity to reach its goal. What is required, however, is for all the parts to connect to one another correctly.

A correct connection means that we relate to everything in reality that we regard as bad as an opportunity, as a call to increase the good so that it covers it. By bad and good I am referring to one thing only: bad means hatred and division between people, and good means unity and concern for one another. Therefore, for every bit of hate that we find among us, we make a joint effort to cover it with care, or as King Solomon said (Prov. 10:12), “Hate stirs up strife, and love will cover all crimes.”

We, Israel, must begin this special kind of work, which is currently nowhere to be found, and demonstrate how we transcend our negative feelings toward each other. We will be able to do this only if we elevate the value of unity and concern for one another above all other values. This is why Rabbi Akiva said that the all-inclusive rule of the Torah—our code of law—is “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Once we begin to work in this way, even before we actually establish a society that operates this way, by simply trying to raise mutual concern above mutual hatred, we will project a positive influence on the entire world.

The world’s eyes are always on Israel. Its opinion about us reflects our opinion of each other. Currently, we slander, despise, and detest each other, and the world feels likewise about us. We can proclaim that we are like everyone else, but it is undeniable that the world is always focused on us, and nothing we can do will change it. Since we are always at the center of attention, what we display is what the world thinks of us.

Therefore, if we resolve to rise above our hatred and nurture solidarity and unity instead of division and derision, the world will notice right away and recognize and appreciate our effort. If we make that effort, the bad example we are setting now will change into an example of unity, solidarity, and mutual concern.

In that case, the fact that the world is watching us will work in its favor and in ours. Just as currently the world is following our bad example and is therefore full of strife, if we unite, it will learn from our example and cover the crimes with love, to use the words of King Solomon, the wisest of all men.

In conclusion, Iran is not our problem. Neither are Hezbollah, Hamas, or the Palestinian Authority. If we make peace with one another and cultivate inner unity and solidarity above all our different views and perspectives, everyone will appreciate and welcome our existence as a model country for the world.