Aron Moss
Question: All this antisemitism going on is impacting my kids. My eleven-year-old asked me, “Why does everybody hate us?” That stopped me in my tracks. How do I respond in a way that is truthful, and will give him confidence in his identity?
Response: Let's get the facts straight. Everybody doesn't hate us. On the contrary, Jews have never been more loved than we are today, and Israel has never had so many friends as we have now.
Consider:
- In 1948, Israel was surrounded by enemies on all sides. Today, Israel has more allies in the Middle East than ever before. The neighbouring Arab countries have almost all moved towards normalisation with Israel. Our enemies are a narrow and fast-shrinking minority.
- After each antisemitic incident in Australia, there is an outpouring of support from our non-Jewish compatriots. Religious leaders and everyday citizens have reached out to express horror at the recent attacks and love for our community. When two evil idiots burned down a synagogue in Melbourne, thousands of concerned non-Jews donated over one million dollars to help rebuild it.
- Walking the streets as a conspicuous Jew, I regularly receive comments from non-Jewish strangers. The overwhelming majority of those comments are admiring and supportive. “We love Israel.” “We are behind you.”
Some people hate us. Many more love us. But more importantly, we need to love ourselves. Your children need to know that identity comes from the inside, not the outside.
When we hide away our Jewishness for fear of persecution, we perpetuate our own victimhood. But when we identify proudly and gather together as a community, we feel strong and loved. It's time we took our destiny into our own hands. No one can dictate where we can walk and how we can live our lives.
The best message you can give your kids is to take them to shul this Shabbos, kippahs on!
