Contemplating antisemitism on Holocaust Remembrance Day
Jewish (& Christian) media review
January 27 — the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau — was designed as International Holocaust Remembrance day by the United Nations General Assembly. It is set aside as a day for the nations to remember the 6 million Jews who died at the hands of the Nazis and their collaborators as well as the millions of others persecuted by the Nazis.
October 7 saw the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. On that day Hamas murdered, raped, incinerated, tortured, beheaded, and kidnapped Jewish and Arab Israelis as well as foreign workers. Israel, unsurprisingly, vowed to destroy Hamas and rescue the hostages.
The subsequent Israel-Hamas War has stoked not just political protest but inflammatory language and destructive behavior that reveals antisemitism lurking in some hearts. The protest language has included denials of what occurred on October 7. Even Hamas, who documented and published evidence of their attack on civilians now claims it did no such thing.
To see the most recent cases of antisemitic incidents, see the @ADLTracker on X, which included an item about a targeted Messianic synagogue! Lest you think this is not a problem for Christians, the rising antisemitism is already affecting the community of Jesus.
Other recent incidents include
- Philadelphia Holocaust memorial defaced with swastika and later trash
- Protesters display Nazi flags, white supremacist imagery over Houston freeway
Below we share some recent news reports and essays on antisemitism then and now, starting with a report from CBN on how Israelis are processing the October 7 atrocity on International Holocaust Day. Scroll down past the video for other headlines.
Video is from the CBN story "For Israelis Grieved by Hamas Atrocities, Holocaust Remembrance Day a Chilling Reminder of Nazi Era."
We share these stories to give us a glimpse into how our Jewish neighbors are feeling so that we would have compassion for them whether we agree with their political or theological leanings.
- Never Again is Now: October 7 & Holocaust Remembrance Day
Excerpt: "While Holocaust scholars and Israeli politicians debate the use of classic Holocaust language and imagery in discussing October 7, it’s clear to every Israeli that the trauma of the Hamas massacres has revived the trauma of the Shoah in Israeli society. 'We thought that after the Holocaust we’d never see such massacres of Jews again' commented a Holocaust survivor I met in Hostage Square, 'yet right before our very eyes, in our own country, on our own land, southern Israel became Babi Yar on October 7.'” - Mayim Bialik, Rabbi Farkas and Dr. Berenbaum on how they combat antisemitism
Excerpt: "Berenbaum discussed the different types of antisemitism, including religious, economic, social and cultural, and how they have been used at various times throughout history and now. 'This is not the Holocaust, and it’s not even close to the Holocaust. It’s serious, but it’s not the same.' The author also touched upon what’s going on in the progressive space, and how Jews have been suddenly labeled as white people. “Congratulations to the Jewish community: We are now perceived as white, except for people who believe that white is Christian nationalist white. We are simply [considered] the white privileged oppressor.'” - The Return of the Swastika: In 1959 there was a global swastika epidemic. What does the last resurgence of this symbol of Jewish hatred tell us about the current one?
- Why America was an easy mark for Nazi ideas: 'Nazi Town, USA’ explores how Nazi organizations flourished in the years before World War II
Check on your Jewish neighbors and ask them what they think about some of what you've read here.
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