Since the October 7th pogrom, we\u2019ve seen an ugly outbreak of antisemitism. Lawless occupations of college campuses and street demonstrations have marred our communities, while a frenzy of online vitriol is poisoning social media. It\u2019s a disturbing and intimidating environment for everyone \u2013 and for Jewish teens in particular. The good news is that we can fight back through antisemitism awareness and youth empowerment!<\/p>\n
The murderous Hamas pogrom, and Israel\u2019s robust response to the massacres, has stirred up a hornets nest on already volatile US college campuses. We\u2019ve also seen frightening street demonstrations, reminiscent of SA marches. Modern antisemitic thugs don\u2019t wear brownshirts, they wear Palestinian keffiyehs and black hoods. But today\u2019s terrorist slogans and incitements to violence against Jews would have resonated with the Nazis.<\/p>\n
A lot of the disorder appears to have been inflamed by foreign agitators and financed by regimes hostile to Israel and the West. There is also a mob of angry and attention seeking kids whose knowledge of the Middle East is minimal. They are chanting slogans they barely understand, and mindlessly parroting slanders like \u201capartheid\u201d and \u201czionnist occupation\u201d \u2013 and blood libels like \u201cgenocide\u201d. The real problem is that vicious antisemitism is now socially acceptable in some student and academic circles, and on social media.<\/p>\n
There are numerous reports of Jewish college kids and teachers being denigrated, intimidated and even assaulted. The atmosphere is ugly and increasingly dangerous and the response from academic administrators and college presidents is somewhere between feeble and cynical. It\u2019s a tough time for Jewish teens, many of whom feel like they are in 1930s Germany. This time however, there will be an organized fightback.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re worried about your kids, there are plenty of effective strategies for empowerment. The most obvious is to enroll them in a martial arts class or boxing gym to give them the practical skills and robust self-confidence to deal with bullies (which is all that most of the college protesters actually are).<\/p>\n
There are also other less \u201ckinetic\u201d strategies such as fostering a strong and positive concept of Jewish identity for teens and a deeper sense of Jewish heritage, as well as strengthening local Jewish communities and forging links with Jewish communities around the world.<\/p>\n
The first step when you\u2019re helping Jewish teens navigate antisemitism at school and online is to be honest and try to give a balanced sense of perspective. Yes, there are ugly rabbles on campus, but the bigots are by no means the majority of students. The same applies to the demonstrators in our city centers.<\/p>\n
They are noisy, vocal and hostile, but there are more than 340 million people in the US. The silent majority doesn\u2019t support the mob \u2013 and many actually support Israel and Jews. Discuss the relative dangers and talk about how Weimar Germany fell into the abyss of Nazism and the Holocaust, and explain that 1930s Jews were disorganized and (mainly) naive.<\/p>\n
Remind your kids that modern Israel has a top tier army (with an ethical foundation) and a population that stands up and fights back against terror. Encourage your kids to research all the positives of Jewish history and the millennia of cultural and scientific achievements. There is a wealth of Jewish heritage to explore and take genuine pride in.<\/p>\n
When we teach our kids to fight back against antisemitism, we need to show them how to use the system and the importance of holding individuals \u2013 and institutions \u2013 to account. Involve your kids in writing to elected representatives, college administrators, financial donors, and media outlets. Ask questions and demand action. If your kids are ready to apply to colleges, suggest that they write to request a copy of the school\u2019s policy towards antisemitism on campus and demand assurances that they will be safe.<\/p>\n
Make it plain that antisemitism comes with financial, legal, career and reputational consequences. You\u2019ll be amazed at how fast attitudes and policies change. There is strength in numbers, so join together with likeminded people \u2013 galvanize non-Jewish friends and allies too \u2013 and start applying coordinated pressure.<\/p>\n