BLM’s anti-Semitism must be addressed – San Diego Jewish World

By Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel

CHULA VISTA, California Jews have always possessed this ability to reorient themselves to the challenges of a changing world. Our ancestors demonstrated a certain toughness when it came to survival. Mark Twain expressed this idea best in 1897:

But nowadays, here in the United States, I am seriously beginning to doubt whether the American Jew has what it takes to survive as a minority faith in our country.

On May 30th, 2020, the nation witnessed a spectacle that was reminiscent of the time Hitler and his brownshirts seized power in Germany. As my fellow writer, Bruce S. Ticker observed in his penetrating article, Rioting in Los Angeles was an anti-Jewish pogrom for San Diego Jewish World, The Jews of the Fairfax neighborhood of Los Angeles were exposed to a modern, American-style pogrom on May 30 that should enrage us all. Not only were Jewish businesses sacked but five synagogues and three Jewish schools were reportedly vandalized in George Floyds name by thugs. Ticker drew inspiration from Daniel Greenfield, who wrote on his blog, One small business owner described a Late Saturday night with people driving down the Fairfax district streets screaming effing Jews.

Close your eyes.

Imagine listening to the sound of broken glass.

Can you visualize the horror the peaceful Jewish community of Fairfax experienced?

With the eye of your imagination, think back to the date of November 9-10, 1938, when the German paramilitary led their thugs to initiate a pogrom against the German Jews throughout Nazi Germany, as the German population looked on. Some were cheering, most were probably shocked, and others chose not to get involved.

Now open your eyes to our present.

This time, the pogrom took place in the Fairfax neighborhood of Los Angeles. And the local Jewish reaction?

Jewish leaders have gone out of their way to show support for the wrongful death of George Floyd. This is very understandable.

But our fellow Jews have gone out of their way to show complete solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, ignoring the fact this movement calls Israel an Apartheid State and in a manifesto, accuses Israel of perpetuating a genocide against the Palestinians.[1] In addition, Jews are considered racist by virtue of being white.

And the Jewish reaction?

What reaction?

Call it Silence of the Lambs.

One local rabbinical colleague, whose name I will keep anonymous, claimed that we must honestly and genuinely address the root causes of the local protests the inequity in enforcement and the systemic racism.

I must take issue with my esteemed colleague.

The conflation of looting and peaceful protests is antithetical to one another. The looting in many of the countrys inner cities have harmed Black and other minority businesses. Several Black officers have been shot by the militant anarchists.

Did their lives matter?

Lets be honest. Many of those who scream, Black Lives Matter are among the most racist people you can find in our country. They have demonstrated by their words and by their deeds, they do not care about their fellow Black Americans. This is a movement that has done nothing to address the problems of Black on Black murders. In cities like Chicago, sometimes hundreds of innocent people are gunned down by their fellow Blacks.

Apparently, the inner citys Black lives, do NOT matter.

Until the social activists start addressing their legitimate grievances at the leaders who continue to exploit their communitys misery, it is doubtful there will be any kind of meaningful change. Black Lives Matters is a movement that continues to demonize white people for their skin color. Throughout this past week, one could see white Americans admitting they are racist because of their skin-color; some paraded wearing chains, to be yoked like animals.

What can be more racist than that?

The Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., who condemned this type of behavior throughout, had this to say:

Hillel used to say, , . , . , If I am not for myself, who is for me? When I am for myself only, what am I? And if not now, when? Jews can be active in helping other minorities by championing civil rights.

But we cannot turn a blind eye to this retrograde form of anti-Semitism that exists in the Black community.

And the rest, my friends, is commentary.

[1] https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/from-left-to-right-jewish-groups-condemn-repellent-black-lives-matter-claim-of-israeli-genocide

*Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel is spiritual leader of Temple Beth Shalom in Chula Vista. He may be contacted via michael.samuel@sdjewishworld.com

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BLM's anti-Semitism must be addressed - San Diego Jewish World