We have been Jews earlier than we have been the rest, one Pennsylvania Supreme Court docket Justice remarked at a Democratic Jewish occasion in Philadelphia on October 6, 2025. The justice, then a candidate for retention election, spoke about our ethical obligation to sentence antisemitism, notably as we approached the second anniversary of October 7, 2023, the most important bloodbath of Jews for the reason that Holocaust. It was a rousing Zionist speech and a name to motion. However some attendees weren’t thrilled.
A number of non-Jews instructed me the justice “shouldn’t be retained if he believes that.” However he protects their spiritual freedoms from the bench, pretty and impartially deciphering the legislation. His spiritual beliefs needs to be revered, too.
Was that trade antisemitic? Anti-Zionist? Is there a distinction? Even Jews disagree. However most Jews do agree that antisemitism is surging — greater than 55% of us skilled antisemitism up to now 12 months — but our subjective experiences of anti-Jewish hate are sometimes minimized or downright dismissed.
I can’t conceal my Judaism, nor do I want to: my Hebrew identify offers me away instantly. My grandmother was a Holocaust survivor who handed away just a few years in the past; and my cousin’s husband is an Israeli Protection Power (IDF) soldier. Significantly since October 7, 2023, I’ve used my giant platform to make sure the Democratic, pro-Israel, millennial perspective is represented in public life. I’ve an ethical obligation to maintain my grandmother’s reminiscence alive by way of storytelling. For many Jews, Israel is inextricably linked with the cultural significance of the Holocaust — the largest-ever genocide, when 6 million Jews have been exterminated — and our bigger Jewish story.
I don’t keep in mind after I first discovered about Israel or the Holocaust, as a result of each are integral to the material of being Jewish. Israel because it exists as we speak was based in 1948, quickly after the Holocaust. Afterward, many Jews emigrated to Israel — theoretically, a haven. Israel stays closely populated by Holocaust survivors and their descendants. However Israel is surrounded by nations that hate it and search to wipe it off the map. It exists in near-perpetual battle with neighbors. Israel, the only real Center East democracy, has the correct to exist and defend itself in opposition to aggression.
As I used to be rising up in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, my Jewish id was a nonissue. However being Jewish in my grandmother’s technology in Europe was actually a loss of life sentence. I’ve at all times been painfully conscious that, have been I born two generations in the past in Nazi Europe, I in all probability wouldn’t have survived to maturity. We’re simply two generations faraway from the Holocaust. It may occur once more.
I’m a proud Zionist and Democrat. But Jews from my technology battle to reconcile these identities, as a result of the “progressive” place on Israel is, nonsensically, anti-Israel. I’ve devoted my life and profession to advocating for elevated rights and protections for tens of 1000’s of susceptible judicial department staff who’re exempt from all federal anti-discrimination legal guidelines, together with legal guidelines in opposition to spiritual discrimination. Satirically, these I advocate for — legislation college students and younger attorneys — don’t essentially consider I deserve those self same rights, like spiritual freedom and anti-discrimination safety. My nonprofit’s work democratizing judicial clerkship data and alternatives takes me to legislation faculty campuses nationwide, the place some college students are keen to go with out important profession data — even disinviting me as a speaker — simply to make their anti-Zionist level. One of many final acceptable types of discrimination is in opposition to Jews. And it’s notably ironic coming from Democrats, who satisfaction themselves on values like spiritual freedom, equality, minority rights, and freedom from discrimination — except you’re Jewish.
This 12 months, we witnessed the antisemitic homicide of two Israeli embassy staff exterior the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C.; an antisemitic flamethrower assault in Boulder, Colorado; and an antisemitic firebombing of Pennsylvania Jewish Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence on Passover. And final weekend, antisemitic terror claimed a minimum of 16 lives in Sydney, Australia, together with a Holocaust survivor, a rabbi, and a toddler, who have been gunned down throughout a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Seaside.
Too many demonize Israel — not simply its chief — fomenting hate and inspiring antisemitic violence like these assaults — wrongfully conflating the actions of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with the beliefs of all Israelis, and all Jews. Zionism — the idea that Israel has a proper to exist — has change into a grimy phrase. However anti-Zionism is simply antisemitism with a brand new haircut. To oppose Israel’s proper to exist as a Jewish state, when Israel is a part of the basic cloth of Judaism, is antisemitic. As a result of when anti-Israel critics discuss destroying the Jewish state, that essentially means killing hundreds of thousands of Jews. Hateful rhetoric inverted and weaponized the phrase “genocide” in opposition to Israel. But this time period bears historic significance for Jews due to the Holocaust, the most important genocide in historical past, when 6 million Jews have been exterminated — burned alive in ovens and suffocated in fuel chambers — for the “crime” of being different.
Satirically, whereas many on the left rightfully advocate equality for different marginalized teams, apparently Jews — a non secular minority — aren’t deserving of safety. Rights for you, except you’re a Jew. Paradoxically, many quote Pastor Martin Niemoller’s poem, “First They Got here,” a warning about talking up for oppressed minorities earlier than there’s nobody left to talk for you, geared toward Trump administration insurance policies — written concerning the Nazis following the Holocaust.
Some lack historic context concerning the Holocaust: in line with one current survey, one-fifth of individuals have by no means heard of the Holocaust. Many have by no means met a Holocaust survivor, nor heard their tales — particularly contemplating the final are rapidly dying out. Holocaust schooling is just not taught in all public colleges. If we don’t study from the previous, we’re doomed to repeat it.
We must always not demonize a complete nation for its chief’s actions — not to mention a complete faith. Many Jews disagree with Netanyahu’s wartime ways. But too many within the U.S. dangerously demonize Israel’s 10 million residents. Criticize Netanyahu with out criticizing Israel. Loads of us criticize President Donald Trump with out criticizing all United States residents. We can not maintain all Israelis, not to mention all Jews, liable for Netanyahu’s actions, except we all wish to be held accountable for Trump’s actions. It’s a logical fallacy of lethal proportions.
I’ve skilled my share of spiritual intolerance. Final 12 months, I labored with Michigan Legislation pupil leaders to host a clerkship transparency occasion with my nonprofit, The Authorized Accountability Challenge (LAP). Then, I used to be principally disinvited as a speaker due to my spiritual views, evidenced by social media posts about Israel, antisemitism, and the Holocaust. The coed chief mentioned, Your views make college students uncomfortable, and we now have a variety of Muslim college students at Michigan. However the occasion was to speak about judicial clerkships, not Israel. For college kids of all faiths and races. I used to be disheartened that legislation college students — together with some who aspire to be civil rights attorneys — tasked with defending spiritual and ideological freedom, and legislation clerks — a place the place you’re anticipated to be neutral or take the choose’s place even if you happen to disagree — couldn’t separate my spiritual beliefs from the subject of clerking. Because of this, the whole pupil physique at Michigan Legislation was precluded from studying candid clerkship data by way of a LAP occasion which, frankly, they want.
Disturbingly, too many elected leaders, on each the left and proper, amplify virulent anti-Israel rhetoric and didn’t condemn hateful campus protests that made universities inhospitable for Jewish college students. It’s no marvel younger progressives, together with legislation college students, share antisemitic views espoused by progressive icons. Misinformation spreads like wildfire on social media. Hateful rhetoric like, “From the river to the ocean” and “Globalize the intifada” — which glorifies terror and normalizes antisemitism, and which inevitably result in violence — are proudly chanted and amplified, reasonably than correctly condemned. Violent, hateful rhetoric stokes violent, hateful acts. Each events definitely bear accountability, however frankly, I maintain Democrats — my very own get together — to a better commonplace, given their professed dedication to non secular freedom, variety, fairness, and inclusion. Whereas there’s solely a lot I can do to stress Republicans to behave, in terms of Democratic politics, my vote is my voice.
The vocal minority would be the loudest voices, however their views don’t characterize the bulk. Sadly, there are few outspoken advocates for Israel in Congress, notably amongst Democrats — and too few Jewish elected leaders. My congressional delegation in Pennsylvania, for instance, has no Jewish illustration. Choices about home and international coverage impacting hundreds of thousands of Jews are made with out Jews on the desk.
Final weekend, we witnessed each a college capturing at Brown College and the assault in Sydney. Each elected official, cultural and native chief, and candidate for workplace ought to unequivocally condemn each. However whereas public figures get “likes” on social media for saying we should always vote out anybody who prioritizes weapons over folks, the identical have to be true for antisemitic apologists, together with Democrats.
Elected Democrats are partly liable for failing to quell rising antisemitism — failing to each unequivocally affirm Israel’s proper to exist and defend itself, and to educate the general public that help for Israel is synonymous with spiritual freedom, minority rights, and democracy. We glance to elected leaders to coach and uplift: they failed. Congress ought to use all of the instruments within the toolbox, together with the bully pulpit, to fight antisemitism. Social media might be weaponized to unfold hate. However it will probably additionally unfold the reality, if elected leaders had extra braveness.
The tide will solely flip when folks of all faiths name out antisemitism. Jews are solely 2% of the U.S. inhabitants; we’d like non-Jewish allies to face with us. This obsession with demonizing Israel is not only wrongheaded: it’s hateful and harmful. As attorneys, we’re inspired to make use of our coaching to do justice. The enforcement levers of the Division of Justice and Division of Schooling needs to be used to research and prosecute antisemitic acts. Funds might be withheld from colleges that fail to guard Jewish college students, in a fashion that ensures due course of. We must always help a nationwide definition of antisemitism that features anti-Zionism for the enforcement of federal anti-discrimination legal guidelines, together with for Title VI investigations into universities, as a result of equivocating round anti-Jew hate prices lives. And we should always mandate Holocaust schooling in public colleges nationwide, so the following technology learns tolerance of all faiths — together with Judaism.
It’s simple to talk out following a tragedy. I’m certain many will, together with those that fomented hate up to now. However we can not wait till the following tragedy happens to take a stand. You may criticize Israel’s management with out demonizing a complete nation and placing hundreds of thousands of Jews worldwide in danger. On-line areas don’t facilitate nuance. However amplifying hateful speech and glorifying violence will get Jews killed. Phrases have penalties, and violent phrases result in violent acts. Equivocating round antisemitism is lethal.
Aliza Shatzman is the President and Founding father of The Authorized Accountability Challenge, a nonprofit geared toward making certain that legislation clerks have constructive clerkship experiences, whereas extending help and assets to those that don’t. She frequently writes and speaks about judicial accountability and clerkships. Attain out to her through e-mail at [email protected] and comply with her on Twitter @AlizaShatzman.
