How Bad Does It Have To Get Before Jews Finally Leave?
Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
TLDR
- The article argues that escalating antisemitic incidents globally should prompt Jews to leave their current countries and immigrate to Israel.
- It cites examples of antisemitism in Britain, New York City, Canada, and Europe, including hate crimes, vandalism, and violence.
- The author contends that the response to attacks, which often blames Jews, demonstrates a lack of moral clarity and a pervasive anti-Jewish sentiment.
The Jerusalem Post, a leading Israeli news outlet, presents a stark and urgent perspective on the rising tide of antisemitism worldwide. This opinion piece, penned by Cookie Schwaeber-Issan, directly confronts Jewish readers living outside of Israel with a provocative question: "How bad does it have to get before Jews finally leave?"
If you’re a parent of a British six-year-old Jewish student who is called a “baby killer” by her classmates, shouldn’t that be enough evidence that your child has no future in that school or, for that matter, in a country where such outrageous bigotry is clearly expressed in the home?
The article lays bare a series of deeply disturbing incidents, painting a grim picture of a world increasingly hostile to Jewish people. From a six-year-old British Jewish student being called a "baby killer" to the alarming statistic that 55% of confirmed hate crimes in New York City are antisemitic, the author meticulously builds a case for imminent danger. The targeting of a Jewish business owner in Toronto, with their restaurant shot up for the second time, and the widespread antisemitic incidents across Europe, necessitating armed guards for Jewish communities, are presented as undeniable evidence of a pervasive anti-Jewish atmosphere.
What happens when your Toronto restaurant is shot up for the second time? Would that be enough to make you realize that it’s too dangerous to continue your livelihood there?
Furthermore, the piece references a tragic attack in Sydney, Australia, where 15 people were killed in a mass attack against Jews observing a Hanukkah ceremony. This event, along with others, is framed as a critical juncture, a "threshold" that should alert Jews globally to the necessity of leaving. The author's central argument is that when the response to horrific attacks shifts to blaming the victims – the Jewish community – it signifies a profound loss of moral clarity and a disturbing normalization of anti-Jewish sentiment.
Does the thought of living with vandalism, arson, bomb threats, and the general anti-Jewish atmosphere serve as a loud and clear message that Jews are no longer wanted in these continents?
From the perspective of The Jerusalem Post, this is not merely a report on hate crimes; it is a call to action, an appeal to the collective consciousness of the Jewish people. The article implicitly argues that the safety and future of Jews lie in their ancestral homeland, Israel. It challenges the notion of assimilation or finding safety in diaspora, suggesting that the current global climate makes such hopes untenable. The piece reflects a deeply held Israeli viewpoint that the diaspora is inherently vulnerable and that only in Israel can Jews find true security and belonging.
In the end, two Islamic State-inspired gunmen successfully killed 15 people – 11 men, 3 women, and a 10-year-old girl.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Jerusalem Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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