Students, Rabbi discuss antisemitism in today’s world

Jewish people make up roughly 2% of the U.S. population but account for about 70% of reported religious bias incidents, according to data from the Anti-Defamation League. 

Rabbi Steve Nathan, the director of Jewish Student Life and an associate chaplain, said the small number of Jewish people in the country is disproportionate to widespread antisemitism, which stems from a mass persuasion that starts with one person and amplifies biases. 

“Antisemitism can take the form of prejudice, discrimination or oppression directed toward Jews as individuals or as a group,” Nathan said. “Sometimes it’s even directed at people who aren’t Jewish but are perceived to be, based on how they look.”

A discussion held on Thursday addressed these prejudices, as 13 attendees looked to learn and engage in a conversation about antisemitism. The event, “Understanding and Addressing Antisemitism in Today’s World,” was hosted by Lehigh Hillel, Navigate LU and the Office of Jewish Student Life. 

According to the Jewish campus organization Hillel International, antisemitism is often referred to as the world’s oldest prejudice. In a video posted by the organization, it stated the roots of antisemitism date back thousands of years, but despite its long history, prejudice continues to impact Jewish communities. 

The event opened with Nathan outlining five ground rules of the discussion, advising students to be aware of intention versus impact of their comments during the talk. Nathan also encouraged students to approach comments with curiosity and listen with the intent of understanding rather than responding. 

Nathan said hate can start acts of bias that manifest through jokes or rumors. Because hate can be a broad term, he said the Anti-Defamation League, an organization focused on stopping defamation of Jewish and all persecuted people, created a pyramid based on the different “levels” of hate. 

Acts of bias are at the base of the pyramid, followed by acts of prejudice, discrimination and bias-motivated violence. At the top of the pyramid is genocide, defined as the act or intent to deliberately annihilate an entire group of people, according to the organization’s website. 

Nathan said hate rarely starts at the top of the pyramid.

“Bias at the bottom of the pyramid may seem harmless, but unchecked, it can climb the pyramid all the way to the most extreme forms of hatred,” Nathan said. 

He also showed the attendees a video of Vanessa Hadari, an activist and poet who raises awareness about antisemitism. 

In the video, Hadari described her own experiences of bias, detailing a time someone was surprised because she didn’t “look Jewish.”  

Hadari said the comment made her uncomfortable and unsure of how to respond to the stereotype that one has to look a certain way to be Jewish.

Nathan said many Jewish people have encountered similar implicit biases, which is why it’s important to call them out when they happen. 

“When I was younger, it was especially hard to stand up to antisemitism,” Nathan said. “But when you hear antisemitism you have to — even if you’re not Jewish — stand up to it.”

Abigail Ryvkin, ‘29, asked Nathan for examples on how to speak against hate without sounding condescending or defensive.  

In response, Nathan said it’s important to let people know hate is based on stereotypes, and antisemitism is not grounded in fact or reality, but in prejudice.

He also said while prejudice of any kind is often deeply rooted, speaking up has the potential to change someone’s perspective and even stop their hate.

Eliana Spector, ‘29, said education and conversation are powerful ways to reduce hate. 

Spector said a lot of people who have biases against Jewish people have never met a Jewish person. She also said while education can start the conversation of eliminating bias, real understanding comes from meeting people and hearing their stories. 

Spector said for young people, these conversations are most productive if they are speaking with people of the same age.

“When you hear from someone your own age who’s experienced antisemitism, it feels more real,” Spector said. “It’s not just something in the past, it’s happening now.”

Nathan said recent antisemitic remarks made by the Young Republican group, including references to “going to the gas chamber” and praise for Adolf Hitler, are examples of how hatred can appear even in contemporary contexts. 

He also said antisemitism appears on both sides of the political spectrum. 

Spector said she attended the event to participate in the conversation of understanding antisemitism. 

“Antisemitism is an ongoing issue,” Spector said. “The more that non-Jewish, or even Jewish people understand (antisemitism) is really important.”