Rabbi Emeritus Reuven Taff

Shalom chevrei (friends),

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I invite you to read my latest op-ed for the Sacramento Bee, which was republished by Yahoo News, on May 24. Your thoughts and comments are always welcome, rabbitaff@mosaiclaw.org.

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The heinous murders of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, both a blessed memory, expose an awful truth to the general public that American Jews have had to accept over the course of several decades: that Antisemitism is real, and the failure of society to meaningfully confront it will invariably lead to further escalation and more tragedies of this type. It is time for lawmakers at all levels of government, along with civic, business, and religious leaders, to speak out and demand action against this growing scourge. 

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​I commend the Sacramento Bee for publishing my op-ed and for sharing it on the Bee’s Facebook page. Sadly, many of the 90+ comments are filled with anger and hostility, which only reinforces my point: Antisemitism has become increasingly normalized and alarmingly acceptable in our public discourse.

 

While I rarely respond to comments on Facebook—it would take countless hours—I felt it necessary to reply to those who continue to attack Israel while insisting they are not Antisemitic.

 

Here is the response I posted on the Sacramento Bee’s Facebook page:

 

I don’t usually respond to comments about my published essays, especially not on social media. But someone pointed me to the Sacramento Bee’s Facebook page and mentioned there were quite a few critical comments—specifically regarding denial of Antisemitism while expressing criticism of Israel.

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So allow me to respond—for those who are open to seriously considering my perspective, rather than reacting out of assumption or anger. Bear with me.

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First, Zionism is the national liberation movement of the Jewish people—it’s the movement for self-determination of an exiled and persecuted people returning to their ancestral homeland, similar to other anti-colonial struggles like those in India and Algeria.

 

It’s certainly fine to be critical of nationalism as an ideology. If you oppose all forms of nationalism—American, Canadian, British, Palestinian, or others—that’s fine.

 

But let’s be honest: if the only nationalism that offends you is Jewish nationalism, then yes—that’s Antisemitism.

 

If, in your view, Jews are the only people who have no right to self-determination or to a homeland in the land indigenous to them—a land they were exiled from and that has been conquered and occupied repeatedly throughout history by the Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arab caliphates, Crusaders, Mamluks, Ottomans, British, and others—then, whether you admit it or not, you are being Antisemitic.

 

This isn’t about shielding Israel from criticism—far from it. But denying an entire people the right to exist as a nation, while granting that right to others, crosses a very different line.

 

That’s the distinction I hope those of you who have questioned me for equating anti-Israel criticism with Antisemitism will pause to consider. Thanks for allowing me to respond.

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Reuven

 

Rabbi Reuven Taff