Identity
Stronger Than Hate
“The Nazis are coming back.” I unfortunately have heard this statement far too many times.
People are drawing Nazi symbols on school desks and have graffitied them on buildings for the public eye to see. These incidents have created significant turmoil within the Jewish community. In November alone, Jews have been victim to anti-Semitic messages, harassment, arson, and hate crimes.
How is this acceptable?
This issue has not occurred thousands of miles away, either, only mere minutes. On November 2nd, 2018, numerous vile messages were painted on the Union Temple in Brooklyn, New York.
With anti-Semitic phrases such as "kill all the Jews" and "Jews better be ready" displayed on its walls, the temple is another victim of the hatred in this world.
This has been a painful time for the Jewish community as a whole. Not only that, this has been a painful time for my Jewish community, as I am a member of the Big Apple Region and Brooklyn is my home. My fellow brother Alephs and sister BBGs attend this synagogue. In recent times, swastikas have appeared on cars around our Brooklyn, the place we call home. In addition, many other symbols of hate have been used to express surreal violence.
However, in a time of such darkness, we must continue to see the light and comfort each other with our faith, worship, and traditions. We must remember that we are all here for each other. Being Jewish in this generation has been difficult. Yet, in times like this, we must support each other and rise up with our Jewish background to show that we will not tolerate such hatred.
We, as Jews, are stronger than hate.
All views expressed on content written for The Shofar represent the opinions and thoughts of the individual authors. The author biography represents the author at the time in which they were in BBYO.
Explore More Stories
Identity
Parshat Matot-Ma'asei: Finding Meaning Along the Way
Whether you’re heading off to camp, traveling abroad, or trying something new this summer, every experience has the power to shape your story. Matot-Ma'asei reminds us that growth comes from the journeys and the people who share it with us.
Connection
Tangled Together
How attending a separates at CLTC was one of my most meaningful experiences.
Connection
The Strings We Take Home
A simple string activity became a powerful reminder that the connections we make during summer programs can leave a lasting impact.