Crowds chanting anti-Jewish slurs … Mobs blocking, assaulting or searching for Jews… Anti-racism laws or DEI programs that get applied to one minority, but get conveniently ignored when the subject is Jews and Judaism…
Kind of feels like the movie Groundhog Day; only now we’re reliving our grandparents’ history. And boy, that’s not exactly nostalgia. It tends to get into our heads and slow us down. What do we do about this?
Here are a few tips for dealing with today’s sordid spin cycle; some spiritual, others practical. But they are all based on a classic story on the Torah: Jacob meeting his brother Esau.
Of course, the last time we saw him, Esau had been intent on killing Jacob, so this isn’t exactly the long-awaited family reunion of dreams. And when Jacob sends advance scouts to find out what’s going on in his brother’s domain, he learns that Esau is on his way to meet him… with 400 armed men. Jacob reacts with a three-fold plan: 1. He prepares gifts for his brother. Adding several massive flocks of animals to Esau’s largesse should be just the thing to take the edge off the old grudge. 2. Jacob prepares for war, by strategically splitting up his people. 3. Well, duh – he prays.
So let’s talk about applying this three-point approach to the current situation.
- Gifts Staying Positive: We’re not fans of giving gifts to the antisemites, so we’re going to take this concept a different direction. One way of looking at this is that Jacob was hoping for the best. That’s actually a critical element of Jewish resiliency, and it is encapsulated by our belief in the imminent arrival of Moshiach: a holy Jewish leader who will bring the world to a state in which G-dliness will be so visibly apparent and tangible that evil will cease to exist.
There are two things in particular to think about: firstly, the absolute conviction that there will be better times in the future, and that this future is imminent. From a practical perspective, positive thinking helps you not drown in the endless negativity that is spewed by the news and our social media feeds. But it goes much deeper than that: the era of Moshiach is the culmination of the work the Jewish people put into revealing G-dliness through our study of Torah and fulfillment of mitzvot. Therefore, once we start thinking in terms of Moshiach, we have a focus, a mission, and a goal. We know what to do, so we don’t feel empty and frustrated.
Obviously, it’s not easy to think of the positive when surrounded by seemingly endless negativity. But in the Jewish tradition, the process of the coming of Moshiach is described as appearing chaotic, as the old systems of power and belief come crashing down (sounds familiar?). This is a necessary step of growth; albeit not one that anyone enjoys going through. So instead of focusing on the pain and frustration, we focus on the ultimate conclusion: the total and absolute victory of goodness over evil.
To get a comprehensive understanding of the Jewish view of Moshiach, we would suggest reading “Moshiach Day by Day” by Rabbi Michoel Seligson – available on Amazon. But this is the Jewish way – willfully integrating into our minds the complete conviction that it WILL end happily ever after, and soon.
2. Fighting Back: Again, considering that we’re not the Doomsday type, we’ll take the “Prepare for War” concept into a slightly different direction.
Thankfully, the United States is a country of law and order. Antisemitic acts are illegal, and antisemitic behavior, especially in the military, should get the perpetrator in trouble. Until recently, most of us have been loath to bring up antisemitic behavior to our peers and superiors. “Why fight it?” we’ve thought. “Just keep on moving.” But now we’re in a different world. At this point, we cannot shrug off Jew-hatred, because like a pernicious weed, it keeps growing unless it’s ripped out. So call it out – clearly and strongly. If necessary, go up the chain of command, or to IG, EO, or all the above. And let us at Aleph know what’s going on as well; sometimes we can put pressure in a variety of ways. Don’t forget to get photos, documentation and whatever it takes to unequivocally prove a wrong was done.
In addition, we at Aleph are also working on a project with senior Jewish chaplains, the Jewish War Veterans, and other organizations to pressure the DoD into fulfilling President Biden’s 2023 National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, in which he pledged to research antisemitism in the DoD by November of 2023. Those results have not yet been published, and we are eager to see the malady discussed in public.
Another element of the fight back is on the proactive, positive side of things. We’re unbelievably thankful that Jewish college students are not backing down from their Judaism. They’re shoving it back in the face of the terrorists by being loud and proud; making a strong statement that we aren’t going to get pushed over any more. The same needs to be true of our service members and veterans – now is not the time to be a wallflower. Obviously, while still in uniform you need to behave in accordance with rules and regulations, so project your Judaism alongside your service with pride, and endeavor to be stellar. Interact with others as a Jew, so they know they can speak to you about Jews and Judaism, and get good answers. You represent all of us; carry the mantle with your head held high. Don’t be afraid to wear a yarmulke, put a mezuzah on your door, or have Jewish books with you (all of which we can provide you). And finally, be on the lookout for fellow MOT – now is the time to band together. We need each other more than ever.
3. Prayer: When things get rough, a Jew pulls out his book of Tehillim – King David’s Book of Psalms. The Talmud tells us that King David used his prophetic vision to include within Psalms every situation the Jewish people would ever encounter. Reading Psalms activates the parent-child bond with G-d, and chapter by chapter, we see the hauntingly beautiful words express our own feelings in the deepest of ways. (If you don’t have your own Book of Psalms, we at Aleph will be happy to send one to you – just email [email protected].)
But Jacob’s prayer expressed more than just relief; he also expressed deep thanks. Psalms does the same, and we must tap into that positive approach. When we remind ourselves to thank G-d for the successes of every moment, of yet another day, of yet another chance, we uplift ourselves out of the grind. The thankful mindset then allows us to find solid ground from which we can allow the blessings that G-d sends us to take root.
Originally published in the Shavous/Three Weeks 2024 issue of The Jewish American Warrior.
