Combat antisemitism with determination

 

Opinion letter echo published in The Chicago Tribune:

We at the Illinois Holocaust Museum are appalled by the recent rise in antisemitic incidents across the world. 

Jews and synagogues have been violently attacked in Skokie, New York, Los Angeles and London, among other places. 

Confronting Hate Tool Kit here

According to the Anti-Defamation League, in the week following the start of renewed violence in the Middle East, 193 potential antisemitic acts occurred, a 50% increase from the week before. These hateful acts diminish and endanger us all. Social media platforms have been a corrosive force, allowing prejudices and untruths to spread, with repulsive ideologies finding a receptive audience. 

Between May 7, and May 14, ADL notes that 17,000 tweets communicated in some form that “Hitler was right.” The easy spread of this horrific rhetoric is devastating not only to Holocaust survivors who lost their families to the genocide, but also to all people who recognize the horror of Nazism and the Nazis’ murders of millions. With antisemitic incidents happening with dramatic frequency, it seems important to remind people of the role we can play. Those looking to make a difference can attend a vigil like the one held in Skokie recently, visit our museum and learn more about the dangers of silence and unchecked hatred, or explore our online resources, including our Confronting Hate Toolkit.

We also invite our elected officials and community and religious leaders to use their voices to condemn antisemitism and all forms of hatred and bigotry. As the late John Lewis so wisely said: “Nothing can stop the power of a committed and determined people to make a difference in our society.” — Susan Abrams, CEO, Illinois Holocaust Museum, Skokie

https://illinois-holocaust-museum.myshopify.com/collections/race-and-social-justice