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European Anti-Semitism 'Has Reached Critical Mass,' Expert W



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Sanguine




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 13 2015, 12:25 pm
Scary - But it under control now?

Quote:
European Anti-Semitism 'Has Reached Critical Mass,' Expert Warns

With Jews murdered in Europe with increasing frequency, ADL head Abraham Foxman says anti-Semitism levels the worst since 1930s.

Anti-Semitism has reached "critical mass" in Europe, and stands at its worst levels globally since the 1930s, a senior anti-hate campaigner has warned.

Speaking to Arutz Sheva at the 5th Global Forum for Combating Anti-Semitism on Wednesday, ADL National Director Abraham Foxman said that although anti-Semitism was not yet at the same levels as it was immediately prior to the holocaust, Jews are certainly being subjected to the worst levels of hatred since then.

"It's not like the thirties, but it's the worst its been since the 30s," Foxman said.

Explaining his alarming analysis, Foxman noted the growing numbers of deadly attacks against Jews, particularly in Europe, which - combined with other violent attacks - represents a wave of Jew-hatred unprecedented since the end of the Second World War.

"We're living in an era where again anti-Semitism presents a clear and present danger to Jews in various communities.

"It's global in its nature, and it's endangering the lives of Jews - not just where they live or their livelihoods - and it has a dimension of terrorism, jihadism."

Foxman, a veteran campaigner who has been part of the struggle against anti-Semitism since the 1960s, said contemporary anti-Semitism is a combination of "both the old and the new," pointing to the confluence of the far-right, the far-left and political Islam.

That alliance is also greatly helped by the internet, he added, which enables anti-Semites to spread their message and reach previously unreachable audiences anonymously and with frightening effectiveness.

The subject of online anti-Semitism has figured prominently at the Forum this year, which is co-sponsored by the foreign ministry and ministry for diaspora affairs.

"Anti-Semitism has reached a critical mass. It's not a drip-drip anymore," Foxman warned.

"When Jews are killed in Europe today because they are Jews, for me that's a critical mass. If you can be killed in the streets of Europe if you're identifiably Jewish that's as critical as it can be."

He insisted that the key to battling contemporary anti-Semitism was to first "raise an awareness" of it and those behind it, something far too many policy-makers are hesitant to do.

"There is a reluctance to identify sometimes not even the perpetrators but also the victims," he lamented. "It's a sort of political correctness."

Foxman cited US President Barack Obama's notable reluctance to even describe the victims of the Hyper Cacher shooting in Paris as Jews, let alone their killer as an Islamist or Muslim extremist, as a powerful example of the failure of world leaders to face up to the challenge.

Obama provoked widespread outrage after referring to the four Jewish shoppers murderer by ISIS terrorist Amedy Coulibaly as "a bunch of folks," despite the fact Coulibaly made it clear in calls to the police that he was specifically targeting Jews.

"If we're to hesitant to describe the perpetrators and even the victims it holds back our hand from acting," warned Foxman.

Apart from awareness-raising, the "first and foremost" concern must be "providing physical safety and security" for Jewish communities in Europe and worldwide.

Foxman said he "understand(s) where (Prime Minister) Binyamin Netanyahu is coming from" with his recent calls for European Jews to move to Israel in the wake of rising anti-Semitism, but emphasized that ultimately Jews should be free to make that choice for themselves, rather than be forced to do so by anti-Semitism.

"I think that what Netanyahu said last night was appropriate: that Israel is there with open arms for any Jew who for whatever reason, good or bad, wants to come.

"Having said that, I think our responsibility is to do everything in our power to provide as safe an environment as possible" for Diaspora Jewry, he continued, including lobbying governments to live up to their obligations to protect their Jewish citizens.

"We learn in the United States that our goal is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Well, if you don't protect life you'll never get to liberty and the pursuit of happiness," Foxman remarked.

"In Europe what we need to focus on first and foremost is protection, so they can live as Jews if they want."

Foxman praised the actions of the French government in ordering an unprecedented mobilization of security forces in the wake of the January Paris attacks, but cautioned that such measures were merely temporary. As such, Jewish organizations need to ensure the security of their communities are still protected even after the dust has settled.

"It's great that the French government sent 10,000 troops. Now its 7,000; eventually it'll be 5,000, and then nothing.

"We have to address how we provide for our physical security - that's the only way we can have spiritual security as well."
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Mrs Bissli




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 13 2015, 2:32 pm
Firstly, "Europe" is a whole continent made up of different countries. You can't really just round 'em up and make a blanket statement. Security threats and local population's attitude vary greatly, I'd be more concerned about what's going on in Hungary but less so in Ireland. (Heck often even within the same country--I'd be probably more aware of my surroundings in, say, Bradford than in Cardiff). Government's attitude--esp deploying police force and condoning racial hatred differs drastically.

Also how does ADL collect reliable data on anti-Semitism? There are a number of data on anti-Semitic incidents (majority involving verbal abuses rather than physical attacks), though the increase is seen as a factor of both actual incidents rising as well as increased awareness (ie people are more likely to report minor incidents which could have been ignored before).

If he thinks anti-Semitism has reached a critical point because a Jew is killed for being a Jew, as strange and distorted as it may sound, he should apply the same logic and consider Israel is similarly an anti-Semitic place.
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sequoia




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 13 2015, 2:37 pm
I was just hanging out with my friend from Bradford and she said it's nonsense and all exaggerated.
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Raisin




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 13 2015, 3:30 pm
Honestly I feel pretty safe where I am. I wouldn't be concerned overmuch about travelling to Paris either. (probably about the most dangerous place in Europe as regards potential of anti semitic attacks)

Europe is a big and varied place, its like judging the whole of the USA by the murder rate is some particularly bad part of Chicago or New York.

I do think if you look visibly Jewish you will have a different experience. (kippa, large magen david)
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etky




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, May 14 2015, 3:07 am
Raisin wrote:
Honestly I feel pretty safe where I am. I wouldn't be concerned overmuch about travelling to Paris either. (probably about the most dangerous place in Europe as regards potential of anti semitic attacks)

Europe is a big and varied place, its like judging the whole of the USA by the murder rate is some particularly bad part of Chicago or New York.

I do think if you look visibly Jewish you will have a different experience. (kippa, large magen david)


Yes, well that speaks volumes, doesn't it, if not about safety then about the quality of life that Europe now affords its Jewish residents. Having to hide the outward manifestations of ones religious identity is a sad and anxious way to live.
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Raisin




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, May 14 2015, 3:24 am
etky wrote:
Yes, well that speaks volumes, doesn't it, if not about safety then about the quality of life that Europe now affords its Jewish residents. Having to hide the outward manifestations of ones religious identity is a sad and anxious way to live.


You could say the same about living anywhere in the world. I've lived in Europe my entire life, except for a couple of years in the USA. The worst that has happened has been stupid comments made to me. Once, when I was on my own, someone called me a dirty Jew or something similar. That was in NY. Two or three times when I was with my husband or sons (who look visibly Jewish) people have said nasty things. Most recently a comment about hitler and gas ovens, another time something else I can't recall, and once someone thought my husband was a muslim and muttered something about Osama Bin laden. Thats an average of once every 5 years. I would say that people making those comments are xenophobic as much as they are antisemitic.

Truthfully, I don't think my husband has had many problems either. In any case, based on my personal experience my current location is far less antisemitic then Crown Heights where I used to live.
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etky




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, May 14 2015, 3:34 am
Raisin wrote:
You could say the same about living anywhere in the world. I've lived in Europe my entire life, except for a couple of years in the USA. The worst that has happened has been stupid comments made to me. Once, when I was on my own, someone called me a dirty Jew or something similar. That was in NY. Two or three times when I was with my husband or sons (who look visibly Jewish) people have said nasty things. Most recently a comment about hitler and gas ovens, another time something else I can't recall, and once someone thought my husband was a muslim and muttered something about Osama Bin laden. Thats an average of once every 5 years. I would say that people making those comments are xenophobic as much as they are antisemitic.

Truthfully, I don't think my husband has had many problems either. In any case, based on my personal experience my current location is far less antisemitic then Crown Heights where I used to live.


Do the Jews of Crown Heights or anywhere else in the United States feel they must disguise their Jewishness in the public domain or else become a target for anti-semitic attack?
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etky




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, May 14 2015, 4:37 am
Jeffrey Goldberg has a piece in the April edition of The Atlantic (we get it a month late...) which deals with this very issue:
http://www.theatlantic.com/fea.....6279/

I liked the (much shorter) editor's note as well:
http://www.theatlantic.com/mag.....hread

Both authors are the American descendants of Holocaust survivors.
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Raisin




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, May 14 2015, 4:46 am
etky wrote:
Do the Jews of Crown Heights or anywhere else in the United States feel they must disguise their Jewishness in the public domain or else become a target for anti-semitic attack?


if you are white in crown heights you are probably Jewish. But yes people will avoid walking alone on certain blocks.
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Ruchel




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, May 14 2015, 6:04 am
I love when they think Europe is a country lol
Those articles are around forever, it sells.


If anything, I see (with wonder) how people now will "davka" do more Jewish stuff. But people who always hid, say the older generation and its kasketel and stuff, hide more.

Have you seen the police protecting churches (and mosques lol). The problem is not (anymore?) "anti semitism". The bishop of my city said "go on going to church, don't fear" (!) after a lunatic tried to attack with weapons (unfortunately a young mother died). My husband was caught in a bomb alert, G-d forbid lo alenu, aimed at a French symbol recently in another area. More policemen and officials/govt employees are attacked than Jews. As a man I would rather go around in a kippa than an "official" uniform (bus driver, police...). But again I know ""Europe""" and know where even just a white person shouldn't hang around...

I still welcome any non mussardik help to emigrate to America Smile
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Mrs Bissli




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, May 14 2015, 3:57 pm
Hmm on my commute, I see lots of chaps with kippah on (admittedly discreet black suede or knit variety). My DC commutes on a public transport with a school uniform that has distinctively jewish emblem. In relative terms, it is actually Muslims who are the largest recipients of ethnic/racial derogatory comments and harrassments (though I haven't calculated if this is disproportionately so or not). I actually feel safer that the synagogues and schools (and a large supermarket) have safety precautions, may it be security guards or CST volunteers or occasional police community liaison officers.
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imasoftov




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 17 2015, 12:51 am
http://whenisabefoxmanretiring.com/
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