(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Augusta Press.)
In recent months, we have seen a troubling spike in the incidents of antisemitic behavior targeting Jews. According to the Anti-Defamation League’s CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, there were at least 2717 incidents of antisemitism reported in the U.S. in 2021- a staggering thirty four percent increase over the previous year. There may very well have been many other unreported incidents particularly on college campuses, where students may be less inclined to get involved.
Opinion
Just in the last few weeks, the FBI has warned of potential security threats to synagogues in New Jersey.
Meanwhile, public figures are recklessly choosing to engage in conduct that only inflames the existing tensions. For example, the rapper Ye formerly known as Kanye West has outrageously uttered statements on Revolt TV and in an interview with News Nation’s Chris Cuomo blaming “Jewish media” and “Jewish Zionists” and claiming without proof that his life has been threatened by his Jewish manager, lawyer and accountant over his political leanings. A so-called celebrity, Ye has a duty to act in a manner worthy of someone who is an icon to his followers on social media.
Another example of antisemitic rhetoric is attributable to an NBA player, Kyrie Irving of the Brooklyn Nets. Mr. Irving recently posted a link on his Twitter account to an antisemitic film. His actions are despicable. He did not even give a half-hearted apology until he was suspended from his team. I guess he was more upset about his suspension from the Nets than how his hateful action might be perceived by impressionable young children.
What is going on in our country? Why is there a noticeable rise in this sort of hateful rhetoric?
Perhaps tumultuous times lend themselves to a rise in scapegoating and blaming others who may not look the same or worship the same as the one who delivers or repeats these types of comments. History proves that is often the case.
A well-informed populace is far less likely to tolerate the evils of antisemitism. Fortunately in Augusta there are many opportunities to learn from history and preserve its lessons for future generations.
Augusta’s Church of the Good Shepherd recently observed an interfaith service devoted to remembering Kristallnacht – the Night of Broken Glass – which marked a turning point in the treatment of German Jews. In just two short days in November 1938, hundreds of synagogues were burned, thousands of Jews were arrested and about a hundred Jews were killed in Germany. This event was a precursor to the horrors of the Holocaust to come.
Augusta is also fortunate to have in our downtown community the Augusta Jewish Museum, which is comprised of two historic downtown structures including the oldest standing synagogue building in the State of Georgia constructed in 1869. Saved from the wrecking ball by the lobbying and collective wisdom of our forward thinking citizenry in 2015, its four columns are destined to forever grace Augusta’s Telfair Street Cultural Corridor. Its four columns symbolize the four pillars of the Museum’s Education Center- Jewish Contributions to the CSRA, Jewish Rituals and Traditions, Israel-its Land and People- and Remembering the Holocaust. Permanent exhibits are expected to be installed by early next year. One day soon, young and old alike from around the CSRA, will have a place to recall the painful lessons of the Holocaust but also a place to collect, preserve and interpret the rich evidence of the Jewish experience in this area.
As a board member of the Augusta Jewish Museum, it is my hope that the museum will serve in some small way as a catalyst to confront bigotry, hatred and intolerance wherever it exists. To learn more about our mission or how you can give back to make a difference in this Thanksgiving Season, just go to www.augustajewishmuseum.org. As it has been said, “We make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give.”
Nathan M. Jolles
Augusta, Ga. 30909
