How to Counter Antisemitism Without ‘Fighting’ It

If history has taught anything regarding Jews, it’s that the fight against antisemitism will never be won, only contained. This stalemate roots back to Biblical times.

On the night before meeting his brother Esau, who had sworn to kill him, Jacob wrestled all night to a draw with an unnamed man.

Rabbinic commentators interpret this mysterious figure as an other-worldly sparring partner — a symbolic patron of Esau’s irrational hatred toward Jacob. Before dawn breaks, the unnamed wrestler lands a blow on Jacob’s thigh, but the two remain entangled. Jacob agrees to let go in exchange for a blessing. Oddly, the wrestler asks for Jacob’s name and gives Jacob a new name and identity — “Israel.”

When Jacob in turn asks for his opponent’s name, the wrestler balks and says, “You must not ask my name!” In fact, he has no name and Jacob’s descendants would cross paths with this mysterious force throughout millennia. Restated, “You must not ask my name” means, “you will never figure me out.”

Jacob’s opponent shifts shape constantly, but retains one consistent thread: he always picks an irrational fight. This enemy hates Jacob’s descendants because they are filthy poor Jews and filthy rich Jews, left-wing commies and extreme right-wing capitalists, too globalist and too insular — all at once. The reason shifts as quickly as a new dawn breaks. Only the irrational hatred remains constant.

Massive communal resources get thrown at “fighting antisemitism” — Holocaust museums, memorials, curricula, campus organizations, etc. Are they impactfully “fighting” antisemitism? I’d argue not, even though I wrote a book about my own four Holocaust survivor grandparents. If fighting antisemitism is a fight that can never be won, what’s a 21st century Jew to do nowadays?

First, be proud Jews. Make your Judaism meaningful by finding the beautiful substance behind our ancient customs and beliefs, even if you’re not committed to observance. There’s so much non-judgmental material out there to peruse (look into Aish or Chabad). It sustained your ancestors; it pays to try to understand the appeal in a fair-minded way.

Second, cultivate allies. Jacob’s wrestling match happened while alone at night. What might have happened had he been walking with others? We’ll never know. But there is undeniable power in numbers. Many people have moral clarity and good conscience, and don’t buy into the irrational hatred of Jews.

I first started my book thinking I would enhance my family’s archives. But I soon realized that the trove of stories I had heard, read, and witnessed from my grandparents’ whole lives could resonate well beyond. Their stories did not begin in 1933 or 1939, and end in 1945. Rather, their parents imparted values and wisdom prior to World War II. They dusted themselves off after their early-life catastrophes and led productive lives. As our forefather Jacob did, they walked away bruised, but not beaten. Their message of perseverance through anything is universally appealing.

I published with a boutique publisher run by a non-Jewish agnostic woman with a deeply grounded and passionate moral compass. Liesbeth Heenk’s Amsterdam Publishers has published over 100 Holocaust-related books written by survivors and second-generation and third-generation authors from all religious backgrounds. I’d argue that she is not “fighting” anything. Rather, she proactively encourages vigilance against society breaking down due to irrational hate through true cautionary, inspirational stories.

We can’t “fight” irrationality with logic and truth. No number of museums, books, and podcasts could ever “stomp out” antisemitism. It’s a game of whack-a-mole trying to guess which virulent form the next brand of antisemitism will take. However, the key is to appeal to those willing to listen to truth. Of course, getting away with hate and hateful acts rarely ends with the Jews. And many people understand this.

Case in point — New York City’s Mayor-Elect holds unabashedly antisemitic views. He’s too PC to say that outright. But he believes that those who chant “Globalize the Intifada” have a valid First-Amendment-protected point. Zohran’s message of massive handouts and smearing Israel resonated with over 1,036,000 NYC voters.  Lost in the news cycle is that more than 1,000,000 voters declined to buy the brand of leadership Zohran is selling. Those folks need encouragement.

For Jews, be proud and stand tall. Know we have allies. For all others, please continue to seek unfiltered truth.

Jonathan Schloss is an attorney and author of Four Survivor Grandparents: Run. Rely. Rebuild.