In New York City, home to the largest Jewish population outside of Israel, glass was broken on Hamilton Hall at Columbia University so that they could hang a sign calling for violence against Jews. Breaking glass while calling for violence harkens back to the darkest days of the 20th Century. This is not 1930s Germany– a banner with the word “Intifada” is not a swastika hung by the government – but we ignore this echo of history at our peril. The menace of the sign hung at one of the world’s elite universities highlights a deep moral failing.
During the last intifada, 1,137 Jews were killed and 8,341 were injured. Had you lived in Israel at the time, you would have been a target. There are those who argue that the protesting students do not really understand what they are saying. That is not an excuse when issuing calls for violence and “intifada” is a call for violence against Jews.
This is not 1930s Germany, but to ensure that we do not end up there, we all need to pay attention and shine a bright light on antisemitism wherever it exists – especially when it is being called for those who will soon be in the upper echelons of business and government.
