As Jews, we were brought up to reject all forms of hatred and religious
prejudice, and this was reinforced by the Holocaust. Revulsion of racial
prejudice and the oppression of minorities was seared into our
consciousness.
However, in Judaism as with all religions, there are
components to our tradition which are open to interpretation. One is the
biblical precept enjoining us to uproot the evil nation of Amalek. But
throughout the ages, even when focusing on the malevolent aspects of a Haman or
a genocidal Hitler, our sages avoided explicitly designating any nation or race
with the term Amalek.
Anti-Semites have accused us of racism because of
the traditional Jewish bar to intermarriage, and our reluctance to proselytize.
But the reality is that this is utterly unrelated to racism.
A convert to
Judaism, irrespective of his racial origin, has always been held in the highest
possible esteem, and we are enjoined by Halacha to treat him or her as an
equal.
We live in troubled times, when societal tensions are exacerbated
by apprehension and fear. But it is lamentable that today we have become
immersed in an internal debate over racism – largely motivated by crass
political demagoguery – which is providing grist for the propaganda mills of our
enemies.
Our adversaries abroad have for a long time been trying to label
us as racists or worse, as practitioners of “apartheid.” Among the most
outrageous accusations is that the Law of Return – enabling any Jew to settle
here – is a manifestation of racism.
To refute such calumnies, one need
only walk through the streets of our major cities and observe the
extraordinarily colorful parade, ranging from those with the Slavic physiognomy
through the entire racial kaleidoscope to black Ethiopian Jews. We truly
represent a modern melting pot of diverse races.
There are those who also
accuse us of imposing apartheid on Arab citizens. Like the early Jewish
migrants to the US (and to this day Afro-Americans and Latinos), Arabs are at
the lower end of the socioeconomic ladder. Undoubtedly there is a need
for greater efforts to raise their status, but they elect members to the
Knesset, enjoy equal rights under the law, and fully benefit from the welfare
state.
Anyone doubting this should visit our hospitals, especially in
Jerusalem, and witness the medical treatment and facilities provided to every
Arab Israeli on absolutely the same level as Jewish Israelis.
OTHER
CRITICS point to a recent survey which found that many Israelis are prejudiced
against Arabs. Well, what a surprise! We live in a country surrounded by Arab
states that have repeatedly launched wars against us, dispatched suicide bombers
against our civilians, and rained missiles on our territory. Their media and
mosques unceasingly promote the vilest form of anti-Semitism, and relentlessly
proclaim their determination to destroy us. In PA-administered areas no less
than Hamastan, children are brainwashed from kindergarten into believing that
the greatest religious sanctification for a Muslim is to become a martyr and
kill Jews.
In addition, even our “moderate” peace partner Mahmoud Abbas
pledges that like our other Arab neighbors, not a single Jew will ever be
permitted to live in a future Palestinian state. The PA has also instituted a
law which makes the death sentence mandatory for any Palestinian committing
“high treason” by selling land to a Jew.
Yet our elected Arab MKs
provocatively support those seeking our destruction. Most of the Arab political
establishment commemorates Yom Ha’atzmaut as “Nakba,” a day of
mourning.
The head of the Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement, Sheikh
Raed Salah, calls for the overthrow of the Jewish state, openly supports Hamas,
incites hatred, and continuously issues treasonable proclamations.
IN
SUCH a poisonous climate, despite determined efforts by governments of all
political orientations, and the judiciary, to diminish ethnic and religious
tensions and confrontations, the emergence of prejudice is inevitable.
It
would make an interesting exercise to speculate how other countries would
respond to an ethnic minority whose political representatives and many of its
religious leaders publicly side with enemies committed to their annihilation. Or
whether under such circumstances any other country would countenance having an
Arab judge presiding over the trial of a former president charged with
rape.
It is also to our credit as a democracy that the government and
mainstream media continue to condemn any manifestations of prejudice against
Arabs, and that Arab citizens still enjoy the same rights as Jewish citizens.
Besides, the majority still insist that they harbor no prejudice against Arabs,
and would oppose any form of discrimination against them.
Thus, when a
number of unworldly rabbinical zealots made a deplorable call to Jews not to
sell or rent apartments to Arabs on purportedly religious (not racist) grounds,
the instantaneous condemnation by the government, media and other rabbis made it
clear that such behavior runs counter to the will of the nation. On the other
hand, it is preposterous to also describe as racist an admittedly crude call to
young religious women not to indulge in interdenominational dating to avoid
intermarriage.
THEN THERE is the issue of the African refugees. Our
experience in having the world deny Jews a haven from Nazi persecution makes us
extremely sensitive to the needs of all refugees. But the decision to limit the
entry of potentially millions of African refugees while enabling the country to
become a refuge for those that no other country is willing to accept is
motivated not by racism but by a determination to survive as a Jewish
state.
Besides, aside from having airlifted and absorbed an entire
Ethiopian Jewish community many of whom were illiterate and living in the most
primitive conditions, we have proportionately to our population unquestionably
provided haven for more refugees than any other country in the
world.
After all, Israel was founded by refugees from the Shoa, from Arab
countries and other communities undergoing persecution.
Our deep-seated
memory of the suffering of our forebears imposes on us an obligation to behave
with greater compassion than any other nation.
We must impress upon our
children that Judaism teaches all human being were created equal, and that no
people are inherently evil or inferior. They should understand that radical
Muslims have poisoned the minds of Arabs in the same way that the Nazis
transformed the Germans into monsters.
They must be encouraged to extend
a hand of friendship to Arab citizens who accept Israel as a Jewish state and
seek to live in peace and tranquility among us.
We must also condemn the
obscene manner in which our foes and many hypocritical liberals are employing
Holocaust inversion to besmirch us as racists and accuse us of practicing
apartheid, while closing their eyes to the culture of death, violence and
bigotry perpetrated by our neighbors.
[email protected]