views essay Hate M aya Angelou once said, “Hate, it has caused a lot of problems in the world, but it has not solved one yet.” There is so much Jane I. truth in that quote. That Borenstein truth continues to prove itself century after century. Currently, it feels as if hate is more prominent in the world than love. When will it be enough for a change to be made? Was it not the forced labor and brutal abuse of African Americans for centuries? Was it not the malicious torture and genocide of 6 million Jews? Was it not the terrorist groups or the communists or the society of closeminded people who feel they need to control who one loves or identifies as? Decades later, I am still being underestimated just because of my gender. And now, 11 dead. Eleven Jews are dead. They were not just Jews; they were people — people with lives, jobs, friends and family who loved them. They are now no longer on this earth. They were taken from this world by hate. More accurately described as blind hate brought on by the fear of those who look different or believe in a different faith. I consider myself very lucky to be a part of a community filled with love and acceptance. I am so very grateful for my parents who taught me never to judge someone for how they look or what they believe. As privileged as I am, many others can’t say the same. Many people grow up in a community where they are taught to be ashamed of who they are. That is not OK. As Americans, we should never feel ashamed for being ourselves. My generation is supposed to be the generation of change. We are supposed to be fighting the hate, not allowing it to take over our innocence and the light that fills us. As hard as it may be, we must keep fighting. We must keep fighting even when we are surrounded by the hurtful words trying to tear us down. We must keep fighting even when it physically hurts to keep our heads us. We must make our voices heard, let the world know enough is enough. We cannot let this tragic event be forgotten. Let our hearts fill this world with love. Let our voices stand as one. Let our words inspire hope in those who need it. Let us stand together and support each other. Stand with me, and fight for the ones who can’t fight for themselves and never lose hope. Let’s let love prevail. ■ in the U.S. Unlike decades past there are almost no parts of American society where Jews are excluded. Moreover, America’s robust civil society is still capable of protecting minorities and enforcing many social taboos against bigotry. So many dif- ferent communities and civic leaders — Muslims, Christians, local civic leaders, local elected leaders, non-prof- its, law enforcement — rallied behind Pittsburgh’s Jewish community. In the aftermath of Charlottesville, many of the racist marchers returned home to such derision of families and employ- ers that some appear to have curtailed their involvement in white nationalist activities. Don’t expect Jews to become a beleaguered minority group in the United States anytime soon. But there is no reason to be Pollyanna-ish about the longer term. Attitudes do change. Anti-Semitic taint- ed conspiracy theories can take hold — witness the demonization of Soros. Fact-based news and information sourc- es can lose their legitimacy. There is no ironclad rule that American civil society will continue to play a significant role in enforcing standards of decency and protection of minorities. Does anyone doubt that America’s polarized political process is erod- ing democratic norms? Can Jewish Americans be long comfortable in their position if other racial, ethnic and reli- gious minorities are singled out and demonized? Many challenges face the Jews of the United States. To name just a few: assimilation, lack of Jewish education, the growing gap between Israelis and American Jews, and an aging popula- tion. Yet addressing these problems will provide little solace if the U.S. becomes a place where anti-Semitism is on the rise and Jewish life becomes increasingly insecure. If Pittsburgh tells us anything it is that the health of American democracy, the health of civil society, should be a Jewish priority. Of course, the health of America’s liberal institutions should be a priority for all Americans. Jews alone will not fix American disfunction. For Jews, however, the historical record makes it clear that the weakening of civil society and the breakdown of American democracy would be particu- larly ominous. ■ Jane I. Borenstein, 15, is a sophomore at Cranbrook Kingswood. She lives in Birmingham and attends Temple Beth-El. Her aunt lives within a half-mile of Tree of Life synagogue where 11 Jews were killed by an anti-Semite. commentary What Pittsburgh Tells Us About the Jewish Future W hen 11 Jews are gunned down in synagogue on Shabbat by a white nationalist, it’s hard to not believe that something funda- Ira N. Forman mental has changed for American Jews. What made it even more disorienting for me was that while evil reigned in Pittsburgh I was in Moscow for a conference on anti-Semitism. Normally, at such conferences one dis- cusses the threats to European Jewish communities. There was nothing nor- mal about this conference. Instead peo- ple were obsessed with the news from the United States. What might this mean for American Jewry? In the second decade of the 21st century French Jews have experienced a sustained uptick in anti-Semitic violence — including terrorist killings. As the violence intensified, aliyah grew dramat- ically from 2012 to 2015. As far back as 2012 a survey of the Fundamental Rights Agency of the European Union found that nearly one-half of French Jewry had thought of leaving over the previous five years because of anti-Semitism. In 2018 the prospect of a Jeremy Corbyn govern- 8 November 15 • 2018 jn ment has caused, according to one communal survey, nearly 40 percent of British Jews to consider similar options. These are not the only sizable Jewish communities that are feeling the heat of a rising tide of anti-Semitism. It is only natural for people to wonder in the wake of Pittsburgh if the golden age of American Jewry is coming to an end. It is a time that calls for a lev- el-headed assessment of the true nature of the threat, the resilience of the com- munity and what the future might hold for American Jews. We can make one prediction with some degree of confidence. For the foreseeable future, Jewish institutions — synagogues, Jewish day schools, Jewish Community Centers — will no longer be the open and accessible facilities they once were. From armed guards, to cam- eras, to onerous procedures for checking guests, communal security will begin to look much more European. Yet America is still very different than Europe. The American Jewish community’s role in American society will not deteriorate any time soon. The community’s communal institutions are strong. Attitudinal anti-Semitism is very low in the United States. Surveys show that Judaism in recent years has become the most admired religious community Ira N. Forman is a visiting professor and senior fellow at Georgetown University’s Center for Jewish Civilization and served as U.S. Special Envoy of the Office to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism in the U.S. State Department until January 2017.