Antisemitism: The Unlikely Force Behind Jewish Strength
Antisemitism challenges us to become stronger and more united. This adversity has always been a catalyst for greater resilience and solidarity. It's a powerful example of turning hate into hope, empowering the Jewish people to thrive against all odds.
“You have a very impressive resume, Elizabeth. Along with three years at Citibank, I see you volunteered at the United Nations.”
“Yes. I worked with Middle East nations on projects that helped develop villages. I worked with representatives from Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine.”
Did she say what I think she said? To a Jew, that “P” word is profanity.
Not showing any emotion, I continued the interview.
“Tell me more about your time at Chase Manhattan Bank.”
She prattled on. By the end of the interview, we were both laughing. I politely told her we would get back to her with an answer.
Later that day, the head of HR called me in.
“When can we bring her aboard?”
“John, we are not hiring this person.”
Giving me a commanding look, the way the head of a department makes it clear to a member of a junior analyst team, he repeats himself: “David, when can we bring her aboard?”
Usually, when a Senior Vice President of a major Wall Street investment bank gives you an order, the conversation ends there.
Not today.
With a passion I never knew, I looked at this man, twice my age, and darted back assertively, “John, we are not hiring this person.”
He backed down and we hired someone else – my new friend Moti who grew up in Petach Tikvah.
It was then that I learned the true power of antisemitism.
What Antisemitism Has Also Done for Us
There is immense beauty in the Jewish religion. According to our faith, our lives are guided by these emboldening principles:
- Everything that happens to us comes directly from our Creator.
- Everything that happens is inherently good.
- Everything that happens is sent to us straight from our Father for our own benefit.
Benefit? How is something bad, like antisemitism, a benefit?
The great Chassidic Sages teach us that there is no such thing as “good and bad,” but rather “revealed good,” like enjoying a big piece of chocolate, and “concealed good,” like eating a green salad and enjoying the exhilaration of completing a challenging hike the next morning.
As we learn and relearn these Jewish concepts, we can rewire our brains to live without despair because we know there is no bad in this world.
Antisemitism can be seen as a “concealed good” for the remarkable strength and power it unleashes within each Jew:
- We get stronger. When Israel declared independence, had our Arab neighbors sent us a fruit basket instead of seven armies hell-bent on completing the work of Aloph Hitler, we wouldn’t have one of the fiercest armies on earth.
High-tech Israel was incubated, born, and nurtured in the IDF. The antisemitic coalitions in this world, which have been squeezing us for 75 years, led to our economy producing JavaScript applications alongside Jaffa oranges.
It has led to the average family in Israel generating more income than a family in Great Britain, France, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea.1
- We are united. From 1948 to 2021, the threat of our enemies cemented a bond among the People of Israel. There were times when this unity was strong and other times when it was challenged, but the understanding that deadly antisemites surround us maintained a powerful cohesion.
Regretfully, we lost that cohesion over the past years . . . with catastrophic results. Now that our enemies are pushing against us once again, the People of Israel have rediscovered the necessary “national glue” to put up a united front against evil.
The emergence of open antisemitism in Europe and America has brought us in Israel closer to our brothers and sisters everywhere.
- We look upward. God warns us in the Book of Devarim that once we conquer our land, live in the cities we conquer, and become powerful and too comfortable, we will make the mistake of forgetting God.
When you are wealthy, healthy, or filled with ambition for the mark you intend to make in this world, the instinct is to feel like you don’t need help.
Once a vulnerability appears, everything changes.
The Books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings are replete with stories of this cycle and how we forgot God and our Torah. Hashem sent us an antisemitic enemy who terrorized us. Once we were in a vulnerable state, we remembered God. We cried out to Him, and He redeemed us.
It’s happening again today. Antisemitism is leading many of us back to Torah, prayer, and to God. It’s giving each of us the power to turn the worst tragedy in Jewish history into the greatest blessing.
Even within the comfort zone of career success, social advancement, and an ever-improving financial situation, we can expand our life to include mitzvot, learning Torah, and a greater connection to our Father.
Now more than ever, there are more Jews working five to six days a week and spending Shabbat with their family and friends. They make good money, but always reserve 10% of their post-tax earnings to charity to serve the poor, the sick, and the suffering of this world.
Everyone loves them because they adhere to the laws of proper speech, where God commands us not to embarrass or insult others.
More and more Jews are advancing in their careers, community, and commitment to a Torah life. They are having their cake and eating it, too.
Antisemitism might not be that piece of chocolate, but it certainly can feel like that green salad. It’s not the ideal, but if you want, it can lead to greater things.
1 See Worldometer – GDP per Capita
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David Ben Horin lives in Afula with his family, millions of sunflowers, and Matilda, our local camel. David‘s Israeli startup, 300 Marketing Solutions, is a lean marketing agency for startups and small businesses that creates and promotes SEO-optimized ROI-driven to the right audience on LinkedIn to make your business the star of the show.
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